Friday 24th November
“Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.” (Psalm 139:4) (NIVUK)
David’s meditation causes him to reflect on another area in which God’s knowledge is complete. Whether in prayer or in conversation, before there is a word on our lips, God knows them all.
The tongue can intentionally or unintentionally disclose our inner thoughts and emotions. Even just a sigh can reveal much about how we are truly feeling. Your words may form a request, make a comment or declaration, express a point of view, make a complaint, utter a prayer of praise, or a cry for help.
Even before our thoughts and ideas can be formed into words, the Lord knows and understands them. He knows what we hope to communicate, how we desire to say it, and what our intentions are. He knows all our words past and future, as well as the hidden thoughts behind those words, and their true meaning. What the hearer can’t comprehend, he knows.
In this way, we should be both encouraged and challenged by the words of Luke 6:45 “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” (NIVUK)
Karen Barklay
