Lord, Open My Lips

LORD OPEN MY LIPS

Fr. Randy U. Vergara, SSS

Vocation Director

Are you having problems praising God? Do you find yourself going through the motions of worship? Perhaps you would blame your lack of musical ability or knowledge of the liturgy. You are in for a surprise. The secret of praise lies with God.

Look at David. He was a master musician, often playing the harp to soothe Saul’s fits of rage. He is credited with writing many psalms, a major part of the “hymnbook” of the Old Testament church. He obviously was gifted in speech as king and psalm writer. Yet he finds it necessary to ask God to open his lips so he can praise the Lord. Why?

Could it be that David’s lips had been sealed from praise because his heart had strayed from God? During the whole Bathsheba incident he had undoubtedly spoken and perhaps sung many words with his lips, but few words of praise to a God who disapproved of his sin. But having used words of confession to God for his sin, David prays for open lips, and God enables him to praise once again.

Forget about musical ability or facile tongue. Look to your heart. Confess the words that spring from wrong thoughts and attitudes. With David pray “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise” (Psalm 51:15). He will hear. God sent His Son, Jesus, to begin a new song with His birth, life, death, and resurrection. His cries of loneliness, forgiveness, and completion signal victory over all evil. God places the new song in our hearts at Baptism and opens our lips each day to declare His praise in word and song. He accepts our praise because He has accepted Christ’s sacrifice for us.