Of Large Estate

Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;

keep watch at the door of my lips.

Do not let my heart be drawn to any evil thing

or take part in works of wickedness

with men who do iniquity;

let me not feast on their delicacies.

Let the righteous man strike me;

let his rebuke be an act of loving devotion.

It is oil for my head; let me not refuse it.

For my prayer is ever against the deeds of the wicked. 

Psalm 141:3-5 

Lord, set a watch before, behind

With measure sound and stout

That large estate of heart and mind

So volatile without

For as a man thinks so he is

The mouth speaks from the heart

These establish the genesis

Of all that we impart

Then help us to hunger and thirst

After Your righteousness

Though spirit wills the flesh is cursed

With inherent weakness

....where pride always precedes the fall 

As we prove with vain jest

That without Your love we are all

Deplorable at best

Make us unwise in our own eyes

Forbid we walk by sight  

Help us to humbly recognize

How much we need your Light

…and how we need a watch designed

By Whom all things are known

The large estate of heart and mind

So cunning on its own

© Janet Martin

 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.

Prov.3:7

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:...

Prov.23:7

 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil?

 For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Matt.12:34