A Song from the Mute Shadows (Ps. 39)

Psalm 39 says, "I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it." I am afflicted and in trouble – because of your stroke. Sometimes God puts you in a situation where you have nothing to say – indeed, he calls you to say nothing.

Sometimes, if you say anything, you will make things worse. David realizes this. Sometimes the way we engage in spiritual warfare is through silence.

So David is silent. As Ambrose said, "He had no wish whatever to do the will of him who ruins one's peace of mind."

This runs contrary to everything we think. We tend to think that if we say something – we can fix things!

But in our anger, our tendency is to react with bitter words. And sometimes there are no words that can make a situation better...