Words like arrows

Psalms 64

1 Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
3 Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
And bend their bows to shoot their arrows — bitter words,
4 That they may shoot in secret at the blameless;
Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.

7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow;
Suddenly they shall be wounded.
8 So He will make them stumble over their own tongue;
All who see them shall flee away.
9 All men shall fear,
And shall declare the work of God;
For they shall wisely consider His doing.
NKJV

This is one of those Psalms that I'd rather not think about, but know I must.  I'm not sure which hurts more being talked about behind my back, or having someone point out that I just said something I shouldn't have.  Gossip is everywhere you go and it's sooo tempting to say that little tidbit about someone.  Something you'd just love to share.  But honestly, it doesn't feel good.  When I do this I walk away wishing I could use an eraser on my words, or click the delete key on my keyboard.  You can't.  It's also horrible to be the subject of gossip.  I had a job where I managed to become the most exciting topic in the office.  I could hear people saying things behind my back.  It was hard to focus on my work.  Each day the stories would become more exciting.  So I started asking people up front, "Any new gossip about me today?"  It put some people at ease, caused a few to blush, and helped me let them know I knew what was going on.    It actually influenced my boss who believed it.  It's so damaging.  And so hard to resist at times.  Here's what it says in James:

James 3:8-9
8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
NKJV

In my case God used this to help me move on to a better life.  I love this verse "He will make them stumble over their own tongue." Ps 64:8  (As long as it's not me doing the stumbling...) Hard as it is, the Bible is true, things go much better when I think before I speak.  When I do mess up, God will forgive me like it says in 1 John 1:9.  But I just can't take back what I said.