[Intro]
Before I ask You
to give me a voice...

teach me
when not to use it.

Before I speak Your name
before people...

teach me to honor You
with every word
that carries mine.

[Verse 1]
I've sung holy words on Sunday
then let anger speak by night.
I've praised You with these lips
then used the same lips in a fight.

I've said things I couldn't gather
once they left and found their mark.
One sentence spoken without mercy
can leave years inside a heart.

I've defended being honest
when the truth was really pride.
I've called cruelty conviction
just because my words were right.

So before I speak for heaven,
before I tell the world Your truth,
teach my tongue to first surrender
to the One I'm speaking for.

[Pre-Chorus]
If it isn't true,
don't let me say it.

If it isn't mine,
don't let me spread it.

If it only feeds my pride,
let silence win tonight.

[Chorus]
Set a guard over my mouth.
Watch the doorway of my lips.
When my anger wants an answer,
Lord, don't let me give it one.

Make my words carry mercy.
Make my words carry truth.
If my mouth belongs to anyone,
Jesus,
it belongs to You.

Let me speak
like I've been redeemed.

Let me sound
like I belong to the King.

Set a guard
over my mouth.

[Scripture]
Psalm one hundred forty-one, verse three:
Set a guard, O Yahweh, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips.

[Verse 2]
When somebody brings me gossip,
give me courage not to feed it.
When a brother falls in weakness,
don't let pleasure hide beneath me.

When I'm wounded by another,
slow my tongue before it strikes.
Don't let one explosive moment
burn a bridge I can't rebuild.

When correction must be spoken,
let me never enjoy the pain.
Truth does not become more holy
because I shouted someone's name.

Give me wisdom for the timing.
Give me gentleness and grace.
Let the words that leave my body
show that Christ has changed this place.

[Chorus]
Set a guard over my mouth.
Watch the doorway of my lips.
When my anger wants an answer,
Lord, don't let me give it one.

Make my words carry mercy.
Make my words carry truth.
If my mouth belongs to anyone,
Jesus,
it belongs to You.

Let me speak
like I've been redeemed.

Let me sound
like I belong to the King.

Set a guard
over my mouth.

[Bridge]
James three, verses nine through ten:
With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be this way.

These things
ought not
to be this way.

I cannot bless You
then destroy them.

I cannot worship You
then weaponize my tongue.

I cannot sing of grace
then refuse to speak it.

So start here.

With my mouth.

[Build]
Take the gossip.

Take the slander.

Take the insult
I was ready to return.

Take the sarcasm
meant to wound them.

Take the sentence
designed to hurt.

Take the need
to have the last word.

Take the pride
that has to win.

And when silence
would honor You more...

teach me
to say nothing.

[Breakdown]
Not every thought
needs a voice.

Not every insult
needs an answer.

Not every rumor
needs another listener.

Not every argument
needs to be won.

Sometimes worship
sounds like silence.

[Final Chorus]
Set a guard over my mouth.
Watch the doorway of my lips.

Let me speak life
to the broken.

Speak courage
to the weak.

Speak truth
when truth is costly.

Speak grace
when anger speaks.

Let my yes be yes.
Let my no be no.
Let my words be clean
when nobody knows.

I gave You my hands.
I gave You my plans.
I gave You my future.
Now take this too.

Every word.

Every answer.

Every whisper.

Every truth.

Jesus,
my mouth
belongs to You.

[Outro]
Before I speak...

guard me.

Before I answer...

slow me.

Before my anger
becomes somebody else's wound...

stop me.

May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in Your sight.

My Rock.

My Redeemer.
