Consider using this as a litany in one of your church services. What do you think would be the response? Feel free to copy and make use of this adaption of Psalm 64. You might reference it from coming from my blog at www.smccutchan.com .
When Gossip Threatens Your Church
Psalm 64 (Adapted)
64:1 Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from the dread of gossip.
2 Hide me from the secret plots of the gossiper, from the scheming of gossip mongers
3 who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows,
4 shooting from ambush at the blameless; they shoot suddenly and without fear.
5 They hold fast to their gossiping; they talk of laying snares secretly, thinking, “Who can see us?”
6 “Who can search out our crimes? We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot.” For the human heart and mind are deep.
7 But God will shoot his arrow at them; they will be wounded suddenly.
8 Because of their tongue he will bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake with horror.
9 Then everyone will fear; they will tell what God has brought about, and ponder what he has done.
10 Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him. Let all the upright in heart glory.
what if you use this without warning
My guess is that if you make use of this version of Psalm 64 without any warning introduction, you will cause an interesting stir within your congregation.
You might want to follow its use with a sermon on the destructive power of gossip in congregations. If you use the litany first, they will probably listen with a new intensity.
