Luther Devotion on Psalm 51:15

O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth shall declare your praise (Psalm 51:15)

By asking the LORD to open his lips, David showed how difficult it is to offer thanks to God. This is something God demands of us (Psalm 50:14). Talking about the LORD and thanking him publicly require an extreme amount of courage and strength because the devil is constantly trying to stop people from doing this. If we could see all of Satan's traps we would know why David prayed for the Spirit's strength and asked the LORD himself to open David's lips. He wanted to tell the devil, the world, kings, princes and everyone about the LORD.

Many things can keep our lips shut: the fear of danger, the hope of gaining something, or even the advice of friends. The devil uses these ways to stop us from offering thanks to God, as I have experienced in my life. And yet, at important times, when God's honor was threatened, God stood by me, and opened my mouth in spite of obstacles. The Spirit urges you on, just as Peter says, "We cannot stop talking about what we've seen and heard" (Acts 4:20) The Spirit prays to God for us with many groans (Romans 8:26). Then the LORD opens our lips to announce his praise.

Whenever Scripture talks about praising God publicly, its talking about something extremely dangerous. This is because announcing his praise is nothing other than opposing the devil, the world, our own corrupt flesh, and everything else. For how can you praise God without first declaring that the world is guilty and condemned?Anyone who condemns the world is asking to be hated and puts himself in a very dangerous situation.