But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
Psalm 38:13 is David’s holy contrast to the mischievous speech of his enemies. Verse 12 says they seek his life, lay snares for him, seek his hurt, speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. Then verse 13 begins, “But I.” What a glorious turn. Their mouths are busy with mischief; David’s mouth is restrained. Their minds imagine deceits all the day long; David will not let his hearing and speaking be ruled by their malice. Their words reveal wickedness; his silence reveals faith, patience, and self-government before God.
“But.” This coordinating conjunction marks a strong contrast. It joins the verse to what came before, but it joins by opposition. They speak; but David will not answer in kind. They lay snares; but David will not rush into them. They imagine deceits; but David will not let deceit govern his own words. The wicked man uses his mouth as a weapon. The righteous man, even under guilt, sorrow, and chastening, must not borrow the enemy’s tongue.
“I.” David speaks personally. He does not first describe what every man should do, but what he did under this particular assault. He is not careless about evil words. He has heard enough to know men seek his life and hurt. He is not ignorant of their snares. But he chooses his conduct before God. The enemies may be many, malicious, and persistent, but David is responsible for David’s mouth.
“As a deaf man.” David was not literally deaf. The word “as” shows comparison. He acted like a deaf man toward their provocations. He would not receive every report as something requiring his answer. He would not let every mischievous word enter deeply and command his spirit. He would not turn his soul into a courtroom where every enemy was allowed to prosecute him all day long.
“Heard not.” This is not the deafness of indifference toward truth or duty. It is the deafness of restraint toward malice. There is a time to hear correction, rebuke, warning, counsel, and faithful wounds (Proverbs 27:6). David himself will confess his iniquity and be sorry for his sin (v.18). But the speech in verse 12 is not faithful reproof; it is snares, mischief, and deceits. Such words do not always deserve the dignity of full attention.
This is great wisdom. Mischievous speech often seeks to draw the righteous man into agitation. A snare may be set by a question, accusation, insinuation, or report. If he answers hastily, he may be caught. If he explains too much, enemies may twist the explanation. If he grows angry, they may use his anger against him. Therefore, David becomes “as a deaf man.” He refuses to let wicked speech determine his spirit.
“And I was as a dumb man.” Again, this is a comparison. David could speak. He will speak in this psalm. He speaks to God, confesses sin, describes his sorrow, and prays for deliverance. But toward these enemies, he is as a dumb man. He does not open his mouth to match their mischief. He does not fight deceit with deceit, slander with slander, railing with railing, or proud accusation with proud accusation.
This does not mean silence is always required. Scripture says, “Answer not a fool according to his folly,” and also, “Answer a fool according to his folly” (Proverbs 26:4-5). Wisdom must discern the time. There are times to answer for truth, defend the innocent, stop a false report, or confess plainly. But Psalm 38:13 teaches that there are also times when speech would only feed strife, pride, and enemy triumph. David’s silence here is not weakness, but ruled speech.
“That openeth not his mouth.” This completes the picture. David’s mouth remains shut when the enemy’s mouth is full of mischief. The contrast is deliberate. Verse 12: they speak. Verse 13: David opens not his mouth. He will not give them the satisfaction of a fleshly reply. He will not step into their snare by multiplying words. He will not make his mouth servant to their evil.
This restraint is especially powerful because David is under pressure. His body is afflicted, his friends stand aloof, his enemies are active, and his conscience is burdened. A man in such a condition is easily provoked. Pain makes words quick. Fear makes words defensive. Guilt makes words confused. Loneliness makes words desperate. But David’s silence shows that the afflicted man must still keep his mouth.
The next verse confirms this: “Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs” (v.14). David is not trying to win the argument before men. He is waiting for God. Verse 15 gives the reason: “For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.” He can be deaf toward enemies because he is not deaf toward God. He can be dumb before men because he still has words for the LORD.
This is the great difference between silence from unbelief and silence from faith. Unbelief is silent because it has no hope. Faith may be silent before men because it has hope in God. David is not giving up his cause. He is committing it. He is not denying that enemies speak evil. He is choosing the higher court. If the LORD hears, David does not need to answer every tongue.
Psalm 38:13 also corrects the pride that feels obligated to answer everything. A man may think his reputation, influence, or peace depends on immediate reply. Sometimes it does not. Sometimes the safest mouth is the quiet mouth. Sometimes wisdom refuses the contest. Sometimes the holiest answer is prayer. “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).
This verse also warns against becoming like one’s enemies. Their speech was mischievous; David’s must not be. Their minds imagined deceits; David’s mouth must not serve deceit. The righteous are often tempted to fight evil with a lesser form of the same evil. Psalm 38:13 forbids it. The saint must not let wicked men teach him how to speak.
Jesus Christ is the perfect example of this holy restraint. His enemies laid snares for Him, sought to entangle Him in His talk, raised false witnesses, accused Him before rulers, and mocked Him in His sufferings (Matthew 22:15; 26:59-61; 27:12-14). Yet He did not answer with sin. Isaiah had foretold, “as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). Peter declared, “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not” (1 Peter 2:23). David was a chastened man needing mercy; Christ was the sinless Lamb committing Himself perfectly to the righteous Judge.
Psalm 38:13 therefore shows the righteous use of silence. The enemies speak mischievous things, but David does not open his mouth like them. They imagine deceits all the day long, but he does not answer deceit with deceit. He becomes as a deaf man toward their provocations and as a dumb man before their snares, while his hope rises to the LORD. Let the wicked talk; let the saint watch his mouth, commit his cause to God, and speak first where David speaks next: “In thee, O LORD, do I hope.”
But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
Psalm 38:13 is David’s holy contrast to the mischievous speech of his enemies. Verse 12 says they seek his life, lay snares for him, seek his hurt, speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. Then verse 13 begins, “But I.” What a glorious turn. Their mouths are busy with mischief; David’s mouth is restrained. Their minds imagine deceits all the day long; David will not let his hearing and speaking be ruled by their malice. Their words reveal wickedness; his silence reveals faith, patience, and self-government before God.
“But.” This coordinating conjunction marks a strong contrast. It joins the verse to what came before, but it joins by opposition. They speak; but David will not answer in kind. They lay snares; but David will not rush into them. They imagine deceits; but David will not let deceit govern his own words. The wicked man uses his mouth as a weapon. The righteous man, even under guilt, sorrow, and chastening, must not borrow the enemy’s tongue.
“I.” David speaks personally. He does not first describe what every man should do, but what he did under this particular assault. He is not careless about evil words. He has heard enough to know men seek his life and hurt. He is not ignorant of their snares. But he chooses his conduct before God. The enemies may be many, malicious, and persistent, but David is responsible for David’s mouth.
“As a deaf man.” David was not literally deaf. The word “as” shows comparison. He acted like a deaf man toward their provocations. He would not receive every report as something requiring his answer. He would not let every mischievous word enter deeply and command his spirit. He would not turn his soul into a courtroom where every enemy was allowed to prosecute him all day long.
“Heard not.” This is not the deafness of indifference toward truth or duty. It is the deafness of restraint toward malice. There is a time to hear correction, rebuke, warning, counsel, and faithful wounds (Proverbs 27:6). David himself will confess his iniquity and be sorry for his sin (v.18). But the speech in verse 12 is not faithful reproof; it is snares, mischief, and deceits. Such words do not always deserve the dignity of full attention.
This is great wisdom. Mischievous speech often seeks to draw the righteous man into agitation. A snare may be set by a question, accusation, insinuation, or report. If he answers hastily, he may be caught. If he explains too much, enemies may twist the explanation. If he grows angry, they may use his anger against him. Therefore, David becomes “as a deaf man.” He refuses to let wicked speech determine his spirit.
“And I was as a dumb man.” Again, this is a comparison. David could speak. He will speak in this psalm. He speaks to God, confesses sin, describes his sorrow, and prays for deliverance. But toward these enemies, he is as a dumb man. He does not open his mouth to match their mischief. He does not fight deceit with deceit, slander with slander, railing with railing, or proud accusation with proud accusation.
This does not mean silence is always required. Scripture says, “Answer not a fool according to his folly,” and also, “Answer a fool according to his folly” (Proverbs 26:4-5). Wisdom must discern the time. There are times to answer for truth, defend the innocent, stop a false report, or confess plainly. But Psalm 38:13 teaches that there are also times when speech would only feed strife, pride, and enemy triumph. David’s silence here is not weakness, but ruled speech.
“That openeth not his mouth.” This completes the picture. David’s mouth remains shut when the enemy’s mouth is full of mischief. The contrast is deliberate. Verse 12: they speak. Verse 13: David opens not his mouth. He will not give them the satisfaction of a fleshly reply. He will not step into their snare by multiplying words. He will not make his mouth servant to their evil.
This restraint is especially powerful because David is under pressure. His body is afflicted, his friends stand aloof, his enemies are active, and his conscience is burdened. A man in such a condition is easily provoked. Pain makes words quick. Fear makes words defensive. Guilt makes words confused. Loneliness makes words desperate. But David’s silence shows that the afflicted man must still keep his mouth.
The next verse confirms this: “Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs” (v.14). David is not trying to win the argument before men. He is waiting for God. Verse 15 gives the reason: “For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.” He can be deaf toward enemies because he is not deaf toward God. He can be dumb before men because he still has words for the LORD.
This is the great difference between silence from unbelief and silence from faith. Unbelief is silent because it has no hope. Faith may be silent before men because it has hope in God. David is not giving up his cause. He is committing it. He is not denying that enemies speak evil. He is choosing the higher court. If the LORD hears, David does not need to answer every tongue.
Psalm 38:13 also corrects the pride that feels obligated to answer everything. A man may think his reputation, influence, or peace depends on immediate reply. Sometimes it does not. Sometimes the safest mouth is the quiet mouth. Sometimes wisdom refuses the contest. Sometimes the holiest answer is prayer. “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).
This verse also warns against becoming like one’s enemies. Their speech was mischievous; David’s must not be. Their minds imagined deceits; David’s mouth must not serve deceit. The righteous are often tempted to fight evil with a lesser form of the same evil. Psalm 38:13 forbids it. The saint must not let wicked men teach him how to speak.
Jesus Christ is the perfect example of this holy restraint. His enemies laid snares for Him, sought to entangle Him in His talk, raised false witnesses, accused Him before rulers, and mocked Him in His sufferings (Matthew 22:15; 26:59-61; 27:12-14). Yet He did not answer with sin. Isaiah had foretold, “as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). Peter declared, “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not” (1 Peter 2:23). David was a chastened man needing mercy; Christ was the sinless Lamb committing Himself perfectly to the righteous Judge.
Psalm 38:13 therefore shows the righteous use of silence. The enemies speak mischievous things, but David does not open his mouth like them. They imagine deceits all the day long, but he does not answer deceit with deceit. He becomes as a deaf man toward their provocations and as a dumb man before their snares, while his hope rises to the LORD. Let the wicked talk; let the saint watch his mouth, commit his cause to God, and speak first where David speaks next: “In thee, O LORD, do I hope.”