Psalms 5:9

In addition to my other post about life, I thought I would also go after some other topic that could ruffle a few feathers.
This morning at church, our pastor continued taking us through Romans, and we hit 3:13 which is from Psalms 5:9
For there is nothing reliable in what they say; destruction is within them; their throat is an open grave...
In case you are not a Bible aficionado, this is David asking God to keep the unrighteous enemies away from him. Since the Bible is timeless, it works today and I am praying for the same thing.
It seems to me there is a group of people that have self-righteousness at the forefront of their mind, and they are willing to step on their brothers and sisters to gain a higher altitude on their "pillar of righteousness".
If we look back to the verse, let's pull out the grave analogy and look at it.



To me this is saying that our words (coming from our throat) can have as much harm as murder. When we talk about our fellow humans in awful ways, whether it be about the names we pick for our children, or the friends we choose to have, or if we choose to have a few drinks with a friend, or even how we would raise other people's children, we are cutting into them. Maybe not literally, but when we gossip about people, we give them no chance to defend themselves, or to show who they truly are to other people. We can ruin friendships before they can even start. When harmful words are said and taken as truth, even when there is no truth in them, we are producing destruction.



So to those that are gossiping (and sharing "prayer requests" without that person asking for prayer in that area is gossip) and to their spouses that are allowing it or even participating in it: Your gossip buddies do not see it, but the rest of us are avoiding you because of the stench of death escaping your "open grave" and we do not want to be any part of it.