"Umma Do Me"

Scripture: “I said, I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence." –Psalms 39:1, NIV

In this world we live in in the year 2010, many phrases have been captured within various songs. One of those phrases is today’s title “Umma Do Me”. This song was done by an artist named Rocko (famously known to be Monica’s ex-fiancé) back in December of 2007. The single topped out at #7 on the Billboard U.S. Rap Charts and #12 on Billboard’s U.S. R&B Charts. The emphasis of this song is that you handle your business and I’ll handle mine. As I looked at today’s text, I felt David’s sentiment of “Umma Do Me” here. Oftentimes, as believers, we are geared towards helping others and getting them through their crises. Today, the intent is for you and do you that will lead you to be a greater help to someone else! Let’s examine the text.

Psalms 39 is the focal chapter of today. This psalm was written by King David. As I fore stated in the introduction, the introductory verse of Psalms 39 provides the train of thought that David was going to do him. How can I make such a statement? Well, the text begins this way, “I said, I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin”. Didn’t he just say a mouthful there? In other words, David is saying that he is going to watch HIS ways and keep HIS tongue from sinning! In other words, David is doing David! Oftentimes, we get in people’s business when it isn’t warranted and because of that, sin flies out of mouth and sin comes from us. It’s important to check yourself on a daily basis. It’s important to really look in the mirror and say, “What do I like about me?” “What do I dislike about me?” “Am I a good husband?” “Am I a good wife?” “Am I a good friend?” “Did I speak to my friend in a good tone?” “Did I handle that situation in a manner pleasing unto God?” These are real questions we should ask ourselves regularly as we strive to do ourselves! If we are truthful to ourselves and most importantly to God, then He will free you (John 8:32) from your sins and forgive you (1 John 1:9)!

David completes his “Umma Do Me” thought process within the text by saying this lastly, “I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence”. As I read this portion of scripture, I am reminded of the old cliché that if you give someone an inch, they will take a mile. Oftentimes, the wicked look for the “inch” in our lives in order for them to take a mile. The enemy looks to kill, still, and destroy and he can start that trend when you give him a morsel to eat off of when it comes to you. David, being the smart man that he was, stated that in his doing him, that he would muzzle his mouth as long as the wicked was in his presence. Ladies and gentlemen, there will be times and seasons where it won’t be necessary for you to run your mouth in a situation! There will come times and seasons where all you have to do is be still and know that He is God (Psalms 46:10)! There will be times where God wants you to shut up and allow Him to do the work! In your “Doing You” mentality, learn to keep your mouth close appropriately when enemies are around because the enemy is always looking for something to hang God’s people on.

In closing, I often tell my wife and Mama that if they focus their energy on God and stay out of people’s business, then they’ll be fine and God would be pleased. Today’s main scripture in Psalms provides further clarity of this thought. It’s on you, my brother, and you, my sister to do you! Do you in the sense of watching your ways, keeping your tongue from sin, and muzzling your mouth when enemies are around. When you work on you, then you can be a better and more effective part of the body of Christ!