The gap between what a person plans in their mind and what actually happens in reality highlights the limits of human ability compared to Divine guidance. Humans have the freedom to think, organize, and arrange their internal ideas. However, turning those thoughts into spoken words or actions requires God's help.
The primary approach among commentators points to a clear division of roles between humans and God. A person can carefully arrange their thoughts, but when it comes time to speak, they rely on God to express themselves clearly and avoid stumbling. Often, ideas are perfectly organized in the mind but become tangled when spoken aloud. Not everyone possesses the natural talent to perfectly express their thoughts, as this ability itself depends entirely on God [עמנואל הרומי]. Furthermore, before a person even opens their mouth, God already sees their thoughts and is the one who ultimately brings the speech into reality [אבן עזרא].
A person might prepare many possible responses in advance without knowing which one will work best. When they manage to say the exact right thing at the right time, especially in highly important situations like standing before a king, they must recognize that God guided their tongue to choose the most successful option. They cannot credit their own personal wisdom for the success [אלשיך, מלבי״ם].
Beyond simply helping a person speak what is on their mind, God may actively step in and completely change the words in a person's mouth. In these cases, the person ends up saying something entirely different from what they originally planned. This intervention ensures that the spoken words align with God's will, much like the Biblical account of Balaam, who intended to curse the Israelites but found himself blessing them instead [עמנואל הרומי].
While much of this focuses on the act of speaking, some commentators expand this concept to include all human actions. In this broader view, people constantly make plans, dream, and shape their ambitions. However, the final outcome of the entire process rests solely with God. A person initiates an action in their mind, but the final decision and the way things actually unfold in reality are completely in His hands [ביאור שטיינזלץ, אמרי דעת].