A Woman Prays for Her Lips to Be Openedby CBPepper
51:15Psalms 51:15
O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
God Himself must free the mouth so it can declare His praise, and this request comes after pleading for mercy, cleansing, a clean heart, a right spirit, restoration to the joy of salvation and deliverance from guilt. It belongs to the prayer of David, the exalted king of Israel, after he was convicted of sin and reproved by God's prophet, pouring out his soul in penitence and humiliation to seek pardon without delay. Such opened lips belong to those who frankly confess sin from the heart, sorrow over their wrongs, bring nothing in their hands, and in humility simply cling to the cross, trusting God fully to work through them. This God-enabled praise is part of preparation for acceptable service, requiring believers to practice purity and Christlikeness rather than mere nominal profession. When the heart is in harmony with truth, this praise turns speech in family and social life to honor God in prayer and thanksgiving and to help and strengthen others, rather than harming them with wicked, slanderous words that drain courage and serve Satan.
David's Repentance and Setting
The prayer is that of David, the exalted and honored king of Israel, after conviction of sin and reproof by God's prophet, pouring out his soul in penitence and humiliation to seek mercy and pardon without delay. Under sharp rebuke he bowed without stubborn resistance or rebellion, greatly humbled with contrition as profound as his guilt, keeping confidence in God who sent the rebuke and feeling no hatred for the prophet. He relied on the mercy of the God he loved and served, loved much because much was forgiven, refused counsel with those sinning against God, trusted God more than man, and accepted God's decision as just and merciful, declaring God just in all His dealings. He felt he could endure loss of his crown but not loss of God's favor.
The psalm recounts his sin, his repentance, and his hope of pardon through God's mercy. It was given as a sacred song to be sung in the public assemblies of his people in the presence of priests and judges, princes and men of war, to preserve knowledge of his fall to the latest generation. Instead of concealing guilt he desired others to be instructed by its sad history. Within that prayer the request for opened lips comes after pleading for mercy, cleansing, a clean heart, a right spirit, restoration to the joy of salvation, deliverance from bloodguiltiness, and grace to teach transgressors so sinners are converted. It leads into the teaching that God desires not sacrifice and burnt offering but a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart.
Lips opened to declare praise belong to those who first frankly confess sin from the heart. They see their motives, judge the temper of their spirit, sorrow over errors and wrongs, bring no goodness or price in their hands, and in humility and contrition simply cling to the cross, trusting God fully to do His work through human instruments. The verse shows genuine repentance toward God and faith in Christ amid human struggle and temptation. It teaches that the sinner must recognize the seriousness of sin and turn to God for forgiveness. God accepts sincere repentance and confession even though the sinner still suffers for the transgression, and through all ages this encourages God's children who have been betrayed into sin and struggle under guilt and despair to take courage, repent, and try again to walk in God's commandments.
The Lord hears such penitential prayer because He knows how strong the inclinations of the natural heart are and helps in every time of temptation. He still extends mercy to the sinner and calls wanderers to return that He may heal their backslidings. He pities those who fear Him as a father pities his children, and gives blessing to those who heed the pleading voice of His Spirit.
Opened Lips Declare Praise
Only God Himself can open the speaker's lips so that the mouth declares His praise, and that praise follows His mercy, cleansing, renewal, restoration of the heart, and restoration of the joy of salvation. After God cleanses and restores the heart the believer asks Him to enable speech that praises Him, and when God restores and cleanses the sinner He enables the person to speak His praise. Praise comes from lips opened by God in the setting of repentance, confession, and cleansing from sin, and when a person is depressed, cast down, homesick, and in darkness, fearing departure from God, crying to God for that restoration opens the lips to praise Him and fills the heart with rejoicing.
This God-enabled praise is part of preparation for acceptable service. Believers must practice the lessons of Psalm 51 and live in purity and Christlikeness, since merely nominal profession fails to reflect the truth and leaves influence worthless.
In that setting of repentance, confession, and cleansing, the verse calls for speech that praises God rather than harms others with wicked words. When the heart is in harmony with truth, speech should honor God in family and social life, draw near to Him in prayer and praise, and help, bless, and strengthen others rather than drain their courage and confidence or provoke them. Christians should use their speech to honor Him in family and social life, and words that harm reveal an influence opposed to Christian character.
Prayer, praise, and thanksgiving in family and social life are opposed to slander and turn speech away from serving Satan by casting insinuations or suspicions on those carrying God's work, leaving no desire for such harm. God can open the lips so they proclaim His praise, and such praise, prayer, and thanksgiving turn speech away from slander and the service of Satan.
A person may ask God to open the lips so the mouth can praise Him, as a prayer to use God's promises and praise Him even amid affliction rather than remaining under discouragement.
God Himself must free the mouth so it can declare His praise, and this request comes after pleading for mercy, cleansing, a clean heart, a right spirit, restoration to the joy of salvation and deliverance from guilt. It belongs to the prayer of David, the exalted king of Israel, after he was convicted of sin and reproved by God's prophet, pouring out his soul in penitence and humiliation to seek pardon without delay. Such opened lips belong to those who frankly confess sin from the heart, sorrow over their wrongs, bring nothing in their hands, and in humility simply cling to the cross, trusting God fully to work through them. This God-enabled praise is part of preparation for acceptable service, requiring believers to practice purity and Christlikeness rather than mere nominal profession. When the heart is in harmony with truth, this praise turns speech in family and social life to honor God in prayer and thanksgiving and to help and strengthen others, rather than harming them with wicked, slanderous words that drain courage and serve Satan.
David's Repentance and Setting
The prayer is that of David, the exalted and honored king of Israel, after conviction of sin and reproof by God's prophet, pouring out his soul in penitence and humiliation to seek mercy and pardon without delay. Under sharp rebuke he bowed without stubborn resistance or rebellion, greatly humbled with contrition as profound as his guilt, keeping confidence in God who sent the rebuke and feeling no hatred for the prophet. He relied on the mercy of the God he loved and served, loved much because much was forgiven, refused counsel with those sinning against God, trusted God more than man, and accepted God's decision as just and merciful, declaring God just in all His dealings. He felt he could endure loss of his crown but not loss of God's favor.
The psalm recounts his sin, his repentance, and his hope of pardon through God's mercy. It was given as a sacred song to be sung in the public assemblies of his people in the presence of priests and judges, princes and men of war, to preserve knowledge of his fall to the latest generation. Instead of concealing guilt he desired others to be instructed by its sad history. Within that prayer the request for opened lips comes after pleading for mercy, cleansing, a clean heart, a right spirit, restoration to the joy of salvation, deliverance from bloodguiltiness, and grace to teach transgressors so sinners are converted. It leads into the teaching that God desires not sacrifice and burnt offering but a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart.
Lips opened to declare praise belong to those who first frankly confess sin from the heart. They see their motives, judge the temper of their spirit, sorrow over errors and wrongs, bring no goodness or price in their hands, and in humility and contrition simply cling to the cross, trusting God fully to do His work through human instruments. The verse shows genuine repentance toward God and faith in Christ amid human struggle and temptation. It teaches that the sinner must recognize the seriousness of sin and turn to God for forgiveness. God accepts sincere repentance and confession even though the sinner still suffers for the transgression, and through all ages this encourages God's children who have been betrayed into sin and struggle under guilt and despair to take courage, repent, and try again to walk in God's commandments.
The Lord hears such penitential prayer because He knows how strong the inclinations of the natural heart are and helps in every time of temptation. He still extends mercy to the sinner and calls wanderers to return that He may heal their backslidings. He pities those who fear Him as a father pities his children, and gives blessing to those who heed the pleading voice of His Spirit.
Opened Lips Declare Praise
Only God Himself can open the speaker's lips so that the mouth declares His praise, and that praise follows His mercy, cleansing, renewal, restoration of the heart, and restoration of the joy of salvation. After God cleanses and restores the heart the believer asks Him to enable speech that praises Him, and when God restores and cleanses the sinner He enables the person to speak His praise. Praise comes from lips opened by God in the setting of repentance, confession, and cleansing from sin, and when a person is depressed, cast down, homesick, and in darkness, fearing departure from God, crying to God for that restoration opens the lips to praise Him and fills the heart with rejoicing.
This God-enabled praise is part of preparation for acceptable service. Believers must practice the lessons of Psalm 51 and live in purity and Christlikeness, since merely nominal profession fails to reflect the truth and leaves influence worthless.
In that setting of repentance, confession, and cleansing, the verse calls for speech that praises God rather than harms others with wicked words. When the heart is in harmony with truth, speech should honor God in family and social life, draw near to Him in prayer and praise, and help, bless, and strengthen others rather than drain their courage and confidence or provoke them. Christians should use their speech to honor Him in family and social life, and words that harm reveal an influence opposed to Christian character.
Prayer, praise, and thanksgiving in family and social life are opposed to slander and turn speech away from serving Satan by casting insinuations or suspicions on those carrying God's work, leaving no desire for such harm. God can open the lips so they proclaim His praise, and such praise, prayer, and thanksgiving turn speech away from slander and the service of Satan.
A person may ask God to open the lips so the mouth can praise Him, as a prayer to use God's promises and praise Him even amid affliction rather than remaining under discouragement.