Lay Your Hand Upon Your Mouth, and Be Silent
The sermon emphasizes the importance of being silent before the Lord, trusting in His goodness and sovereignty, and waiting patiently for Him, even in difficult circumstances.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the importance of being silent before the Lord and patiently waiting for Him, urging the soul to refrain from muttering, murmuring, and complaining during times of affliction. He commands the soul to find peace and stillness, recognizing that there is no justifiable reason to quarrel against God's righteous hand. Brooks encourages believers to lay their hand upon their mouth and embrace a quiet spirit, as inner turmoil can lead to accountability for our discontent.
Text
"Be silent before the Lord and wait patiently for Him."
Psalm 37:7
I charge you, O my soul, not to mutter, nor to murmur.
I command you, O my soul, to be silent under the afflicting
hand of God. Peace, O my soul! be still, leave your muttering,
leave your murmuring, leave your complaining, leave your
chafing, and vexing--and lay your hand upon your mouth,
and be silent. O my soul! be quiet, be silent, else you will
one day be called in question for all those inward mutterings,
uproars, and passions that are in you, seeing no sufficient
cause can be produced why you should murmur, quarrel,
or wrangle--under the righteous hand of God.
Sermon Outline
- Be Silent Before the Lord
- The Importance of Silence
- The Command to Be Silent
- The Consequences of Not Being Silent
Key Quotes
“I charge you, O my soul, not to mutter, nor to murmur.” — Thomas Brooks
“Leave your muttering, leave your murmuring, leave your complaining, leave your chafing, and vexing--and lay your hand upon your mouth, and be silent.” — Thomas Brooks
“O my soul! be quiet, be silent, else you will one day be called in question for all those inward mutterings, uproars, and passions that are in you,” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- I can apply this principle by being still and quiet before the Lord, and trusting in His goodness and sovereignty.
- I can learn to wait patiently on God, even when I don't understand His ways or timing.
- I can cultivate inner peace and quietness by leaving my murmuring, complaining, and chafing behind.