Lord Set a Watch to Guard My Soul
"Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips!
Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
and let me not eat of their delicacies!
(Psalm 141:3-4)
1. Lord, set a watch to guard my soul,
Teach me Your Word and make me wise,
And let no sinful thoughts take hold,
Nor evil passions sprout and rise.
The seeds for ev'ry heinous sin
Within my carnal nature lie,
But for God's grace I'd surely fall,
But for His mercy I would die.
2. Lord, when my hours become consumed
With the pursuit of worldly gain,
And when amusements lure my heart
To love what's fleeting, false and vain.
Surround my life with truth and grace
For I am prone to sin and weak
Guard my affections, hopes, desires,
That I Your truth may always seek.
3. Lord, let not sin destroy my soul,
When darkness comes and clouds my mind,
When fierce temptations rise and rage,
The way to flee help me to find.
When all within my heart seems dark,
When sin and guilt is all I see,
Lord, lift my eyes to Christ who died,
Whose righteousness now covers me.
4. Lord, when I feel conviction less,
When praying wanes and love turns cold,
When preaching grows laborious,
And truth seems dark and hard to hold.
Lord, hold me fast that I not fall,
Without Your grace I would not stand,
But plunge headlong down into sin,
Were I not held firm by Your hand.
5. Let me not underestimate
The strength of my remaining sin
For who can know the heart of man?
Or plumb the wickedness within?
Lord, keep me in the way of truth,
Watch o'er my path lest I should stray,
Subdue each sin still in my heart,
Help me with joy Your Word obey.
"Lord, Set a Watch to Guard My Soul"
WORDS: Ken Puls, September 20, 2002
MUSIC: Tom Wells, 2002
TUNE: BEEKE (L.M.D.)
THEME: The Battle Against Remaining Sin
The idea for this hymn came after a message preached on Thursday, July 18, 2002 by Joel Beeke at the Southern Baptist Founders Conference in Birmingham, AL. The message was entitled "Enduring Satan's Siftings Through Christ" on Luke 22 and was a sober warning to set a watch on our thoughts, imaginations and affections. It followed a message I had heard Sunday, July 14, 2002 at Heritage Baptist Church by Larry Vincent on the same passage, entitled "The Wickedness of Remaining Sin and the Intercession of Christ."
Words ©2002 Kenneth A Puls
Music ©2002 Tom Wells
Recorded at Grace Baptist Church, Cape Coral, September 17, 2011
Classical Guitar Accompaniment
Permission is granted to churches to make additional copies
of the lyrics and sheet music for this hymn for use in worship.
Above image from Unsplash