1/18 Psalm 39

PSALM 39

AUTHOR: David

The Story Behind the Psalm

This is one of David's earlier Psalms, written perhaps as he was a boy tending sheep. He had talked in haste and said something that he should not have said, and in this Psalm he is correcting himself. After David had spoken that which he should not have said, he then, realizing his error, became quiet. Notice verses 1 and 2. Then in verse 8 he asks forgiveness and shows that after he made his mistake, he did not speak.

The Way It Was Used by God's People

This Psalm was used as instruction to children concerning the tongue and saying things that should be said. If our tongues are to be controlled properly, our minds must be clean and pure, for the Bible says, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," and what we are on the inside will eventually come out.

At a carnival or county fair or some similar type event, a barker was holding a handful of balloons. Each balloon was filled with helium. There were many colors among them. For a quarter or so a child could purchase a balloon. His name could be written on a card and attached to the balloon and then the balloon would be let up in the air. Of course, the hope was that someone would find the card many miles away and return it to the child. A little white boy came up and bought a white balloon. His name was put on the card, and the balloon went into space. A little Chinese boy rushed up and bought a yellow balloon. His name was placed on the card, the card was attached to the balloon, and the bal

loon soared into the sky. A little Indian boy came andpurchased a red balloon. His name was placed on a card, and the card was attached to the balloon, and the balloon was let go. It too disappeared into the heavens. Then a little brown boy did the same thing. Standing timidly at a distance was a little black boy. He noticed among the many balloons there was only one black one. He tiptoed shyly up to the barker and said, "Sir, will the black balloon go up in the sky too?"

The man put the black boy's name on the balloon and then let it soar into the sky. Then he patted the little black boy on the head and said, "Son, it's what's on the inside that counts."

Let us keep the inside clear so we can look to the Lord and say, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight."