*TONGUE
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By Willie Wong
1.) Jas 3:5, “So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great
a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!”
Even so the tongue is a little member – Little compared with the body, as the bit or the rudder is, compared with the horse or the ship.
And boasteth great things – The design of the apostle is to illustrate the power and influence of the tongue. This may be done in a great many respects: and the apostle does it by referring to its boasting; to the effects which it produces, resembling that of fire, James 3:6; to its untameableness, James 3:8-9; and to its giving utterance to the most inconsistent and incongruous thoughts, James 3:9-10. The particular idea here is, that the tongue seems to be conscious of its influence and power, and boasts largely of what it can do. The apostle means doubtless to convey the idea that it boasts not unjustly of its importance. It has all the influence in the world, for good or for evil, which it claims.
Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! – Margin, “wood.” The Greek word ὕλην hulēn, means a wood, forest, grove; and then fire-wood, fuel. This is the meaning here. The sense is, that a very little fire is sufficient to ignite a large quantity of combustible materials, and that the tongue produces effects similar to that. A spark will kindle a lofty pile; and a word spoken by the tongue may set a neighborhood or a village “in a flame.”
Jas 3:6, “And the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our body’s parts as that which defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire
by Hell.”
James 3:6. The tongue is a fire — Which often produces a great conflagration; a world of iniquity — This is a metaphor of the same kind with a sea of troubles, a deluge of wickedness. The meaning is, that a great collection of iniquity proceeds from the tongue. Indeed “there is no iniquity which an unbridled tongue is not capable of producing; either by itself, when it curses, rails, teaches false doctrine, and speaks evil of God and man; or by means of others, whom it entices, commands, terrifies, and persuades, to commit murders, adulteries, and every evil work.” So is the tongue — Such is the rank and place it holds among our members, that it defileth the whole body — The whole man, all our members, senses, and faculties. In this, and in what follows, the similitude of the fire and wood is carried on. For as the fire, put among the wood, first spotteth or blackeneth it with its smoke, and then setteth it on fire, so the tongue spotteth or blackeneth, and then setteth on fire the natural frame, termed here the course, τροχον, the wheel, of nature — “The wonderful mechanism of the human body, and its power of affecting and of being affected by the soul, is in this passage aptly represented by the wheels of a machine which act on each other. The pernicious influence of the tongue, in first spotting, and then destroying, both the bodies and the souls of men, arises from the language which it frames, whereby it inflames men’s passions to such a degree, that, being no longer under the direction of their reason, those passions push them on to such actions as are destructive both of their bodies and souls.” Some writers, by the natural wheel, or course of nature, understand the successive generations of men, one generation going, and another coming, without intermission; according to which interpretation the apostle’s meaning is, that the tongue hath set on fire our forefathers, it inflameth us, and will have the same influence on those who come after us. And it is set on fire of hell — Put here for the devil; as, by a like metonymy, heaven is put for God. Satan influences the heart, and its wickedness overflows by the tongue, and tends, by its fatal consequences, to produce a very hell upon earth. “The use we ought to make of the doctrine taught in this highly figurative passage is obvious. Being surrounded with such a mass of combustible matter, we should take great care not to send from our tongues the least spark by which it may be kindled, lest we ourselves, with those whom we set on fire, be consumed in the flames which we raise.” — Macknight.
Jas 3:8, “But no one among mankind can tame
the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
8. but the tongue can no man tame] There is a special force in the Greek tense for “tame”, which expresses not habitual, but momentary action. St James had learnt, by what he saw around him, and yet more, it may be, by personal experience, that no powers of the “nature of man” were adequate for this purpose. He had learnt also, we must believe, that the things which are impossible with man are possible with God.
an unruly evil] Literally, uncontrollable. Many of the better MSS., however, give the adjective which is rendered “unstable” in ch. James 1:8, and which carries with it, together with that meaning, the idea of restlessness and turbulence. So in the Shepherd of Hermas (11.2) calumny is described as a “restless demon.”
full of deadly poison] Literally, death-bringing. For the idea comp. “the poison of asps is under their lips,” Psalm 140:3. The adjective is found in the LXX. version of Job 33:23, for “angels or messengers of death.”
2.) Job 20:16, “He sucks the poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue kills him.”
He shall suck the poison of asps – That which he swallowed as pleasant nutriment, shall become the most deadly poison; or the consequence shall be as if he had sucked the poison of asps. It would seem that the ancients regarded the poison of the serpent as deadly, however, it was taken into the system. They seem not to have been aware that the poison of a wound may be sucked out without injury to him who does it; and that it is necessary that the poison should mingle with the blood to be fatal.
The viper’s tongue shall slay him – The early impression probably was, that the injury done by a serpent was by the fiery, forked, and brandished tongue, which was supposed to be sharp and penetrating. It is now known, that the injury is done by the poison ejected through a groove, or orifice in one of the teeth, which is so made as to lie flat on the roof of the mouth, except when the serpent bites, when that tooth is elevated, and penetrates the flesh. The word “viper” here (אפעה ‘eph‛eh), “viper,” is probably the same species of serpent that is known among the Arabs by the same name still – El Effah. See the notes at Isaiah 30:6. It is the most common and venomous of the serpent tribe in Northern Africa and in South-western Asia. It is remarkable for its quick and penetrating poison. It is about two feet long, as thick as a man’s arm, beautifully spotted with yellow and brown, and sprinkled over with blackish specks. They have a large mouth, by which they inhale a large quantity of air, and when inflated therewith, they eject it with such force as to be heard a considerable distance. “Jackson.” Capt. Riley, in his “Authentic Narrative,” (New York, 1817,) confirms this account. He describes the viper as the “most beautiful object in nature,” and says that the poison is so virulent as to cause death in fifteen minutes.”
3.) Job 27:4, “My lips certainly will not speak unjustly,
Nor will my tongue mutter deceit.”
My lips shall not speak wickedness – This solemn profession made on oath might have done something to allay the suspicions of his friends in regard to him, and to show that they had been mistaken in his character. It is a solemn assurance that he did not mean to vindicate the cause of wickedness, or to say one word in its favor; and that as long as he lived he would never be found advocating it.
Nor my tongue utter deceit – I will never make any use of sophistry; I will not attempt to make “the worse appear the better reason;” I will not be the advocate of error. This had always been the aim of Job, and he now says that no circumstance should ever induce him to pursue a different course as long as he lived. Probably he means, also, as the following verse seems to imply, that no consideration should ever induce him to countenance error or to palliate wrong. He would not be deterred from expressing his sentiments by any dread of opposition, or even by any respect for his friends. No friendship which he might have for them would induce him to justify what he honestly regarded as error.”
4.) Psa 5:9, “For there is nothing trustworthy in their mouth; their inward part is destruction itself.
Their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.”
Verse 9. – For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; or, no steadfastness – “no sincerity” (Kay, Cheyne); see the comment on ver. 6. Their inward part is very wickedness; literally, wickednesses; i.e. nothing but wickedness. Their throat is an open sepulchre. “Emitting the noisome exhalations of a putrid heart” (Bishop Horns). They flatter with their tongue; literally, they make smooth their tongues, which may, perhaps, include flattery, but points rather to smooth arguments, specious reasonings, and the habit of making the worse appear the better cause (see the comment of Bishop Horsley, ‘Book of Psalms,’ vol. 1. pp. 154, 155). The last two clauses of this verse are quoted by St. Paul (Romans 3:13), and applied generally to the character of the ungodly. Psalm 5:9.”
- ) Psa 10:7, “His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue is harm and injustice.”
His mouth is full of cursing – Profaneness; blasphemy against God. In the former verse the writer had described the feelings of the “heart;” he now proceeds to specify the open acts of the wicked. The meaning is, that the wicked man, as here described, was one who was full of imprecation, swearing, execration; a “profane” man; a man who, whatever was his belief about God, would constantly call upon his name, and imprecate his wrath on himself or others. An atheist, strange as it may seem, is as likely to make a frequent use of the name of God, and to call upon Him, as other people; just as profane people, who have no belief in the Saviour, swear by Jesus Christ. This passage seems to be referred to by the apostle Paul in Romans 3:14, not as a direct quotation, as if the psalmist referred to the point which he was arguing, but as language which expressed the idea that the apostle wished to convey. See the note at that passage.
And deceit – Margin, as in Hebrew, “deceits.” The meaning is, that he was false and treacherous; and perhaps also that his treachery and fraud were accompanied with the solemn sanction of an oath, or an appeal to God, as is likely to be the case among fraudulent and dishonest people.
And fraud – The word used here – תך tôk – is now commonly supposed to mean rather “oppression or violence.” See Gesenius’ Lexicon. When this is attributed to his mouth, it means that what he says – what he requires – what he commands, is unjust, unreasonable, and oppressive.
Under his tongue – Perhaps alluding to the serpent, whose poison is concealed at the root of the fang or tooth, and therefore under the tongue. The meaning is, that beneath what the wicked say, though it seems to be harmless, as the tongue of the serpent does, yet there lies mischief and iniquity, as the poison is hidden beneath the serpent’s tongue.
Is mischief – The word used here means properly labor, toil; then trouble, vexation, sorrow. The meaning here seems to be that there lies under the tongue that which gives or causes distress; to wit, wrong-doing; injustice to others.
And vanity – Margin, iniquity. This expresses the idea in the original word. Whatever he says is evil, and is fitted to produce trouble and sorrow, as the concealed poison in the mouth of the serpent causes pain and death.”
Do you know any politician or world leader, under his tongue is not harm and injustice?
6.) Psa 34:13, “Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.”
Verse 13. – Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. If the end be happiness, the means will be right moral conduct; and, first of all, right government of the tongue. Sins of the tongue are numerous, and abundantly noted in the Psalms (Psalm 5:9; Psalm 10:7; Psalm 12:3; Psalm 15:3; Psalm 50:19; Psalm 57:4; Psalm 73:8, 9, etc.). They are more difficult to avoid than any others; they cling closer to us; they are scarcely ever wholly laid aside. “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body” (James 3:2). The meek Moses “spake unadvisedly with his lips” (Psalm 106:33). Job “darkened counsel by words without knowledge “(Job 38:2). St. Peter’s words on one occasion drew upon him the rebuke, “Get thee behind me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23). Psalm 34:13.”
A curret case that iillustrates the Scripture.The super power attacked a small and weak country under false pretense and covered up by speaking deceit because of the profit of oil. They used military force to seize oil tankers which operate lawfully. When the ringleader lies shamleesly, all its gang members speak deceit. Little they know, the Bible says, Rev 21:8, “But for the
cowardly, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and sexually immoral persons, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” I would not trade a million takers of oil for Hell which is the second death — eternal suffering in Hell.
7.) Psa 35:28, “And my tongue shall proclaim Your righteousness and Your praise all day long.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
- shall speak] ‘Shall speak musingly, in the low murmur of one entranced by a sweet thought.’ Cheyne.
of thy righteousness] For Jehovah’s righteousness (Psalm 35:24) will have been manifested in delivering His servant.
all the day long] ‘Tota die Deum laudare quis durat? Suggero remedium, unde tota die laudes Deum, si vis. Quidquid egeris bene age, et laudasti Deum.… In innocentia operum tuorum praepara te ad laudandum Deum tota die.’ St Augustine.”
- ) Psa 37:30, “The mouth of the righteous utters
wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.”
Verse 30. – The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom. (On the essential union of wisdom with goodness, see the Proverbs, passim.) And his tongue talketh of judgment; i.e. utters only what is morally right, and,, in accordance with’ truth and goodness. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” A good man out of the good treasure of his heart can only bring forth good things (Matthew 12:34, 35). Psalm 37:30.”
- ) Psa 39:1, “For the music director, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will keep watch over my ways so that I do not sin with my tongue; I will keep
watch over my mouth as with a muzzle while the wicked are in my presence.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
1. I said] To myself: I resolved, as the result of self-communing. Cp. Psalm 30:6; Psalm 31:14.
I will take heed to my ways] Lit. I will keep my ways: keep watch and ward over thought word and action. Cp. Proverbs 16:17; and the often repeated exhortation in Deuteronomy to ‘take heed’ (Deuteronomy 4:9; &c.). He fears that he may sin with his tongue (Job 31:30) by murmuring against God as he contrasts the prosperity of the wicked with his own lot of trial. Cp. Job 1:22; Job 2:10; and generally Psalms 37, 73.
I will keep &c.] Lit. I will keep a muzzle for my mouth. Cp. Psalm 141:3. Perhaps with the LXX, we should read I will put … on.
while the wicked is before me] For the sight of their prosperity is a temptation. Cp. Habakkuk 1:3. This seems to be the sense, rather than that he was afraid of giving way to complaints in the hearing of the wicked, which might give occasion for ridicule or blasphemy.”
10.) Psa 45:1, “For the music director; according to the Shoshannim. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love. My heart is moved with a good theme; I address my verses to the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.”
Verse 1. – My heart is inditing a good matter; literally, bubbleth with a good matter – is so full of it that the matter will burst forth. I speak of the things which I have made touching the king; or, I utter that which I have composed concerning the king. My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. It is noted that only “psalms of high and solemn import” have formal exordia of this kind, announcing the intention of the writer. Psalm 45:1.”
11.) Psa 50:19, “You let your mouth loose in evil,
and your tongue harnesses deceit.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
- Thou hast let loose thy mouth for evil,
And thy tongue contriveth deceit.
Giving way to unbridled speech, evil in substance and mischievous in aim: contriving a whole structure of deliberate falsehoods.”
12.) Psa 51:14, “Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, the God of my salvation; then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.”
Psalm 51:14-15. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness — Hebrew, מדמים, middamim, from bloods, because he had been the cause of the death, not only of Uriah, but of others of the Lord’s people with him, 2 Samuel 11:17. My tongue shall sing of thy righteousness, of thy faithfulness in making good thy promises; or, rather, of thy clemency and goodness, as the word righteousness often signifies. Open thou my lips — Which are shut with shame, and grief, and horror. Restore unto me the opportunity, ability, and liberty which I formerly had of speaking to thee in prayer and praise, and to my fellow-creatures, by way of instruction, reproof, or exhortation, with freedom and boldness. And my mouth shall show forth thy praise — In thy mercy and thy faithfulness remember thy gracious promises, and accomplish them, notwithstanding my unworthiness, and, as I shall be furnished with new motives and occasions for gratitude and thankfulness, my mouth shall everywhere declare thy goodness, to thy perpetual praise and glory.
13.) Psa 52:2, “Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.”
Psalm 52:2. Thy tongue deviseth mischief — That is, expresses what thy wicked mind had devised. Thus skilfulness is ascribed to those hands which are governed by a skilful man, Psalm 78:72. Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully — Wherewith a person, pretending only to shave off the hair, doth suddenly and unexpectedly cut a man’s throat. So Doeg, pretending only to vindicate himself from the imputation of disloyalty, 1 Samuel 22:8, really intended to expose the priests, who were friends to David, to the king’s fury and cruelty.
14.) Psa 52:4, You love all words that devour,
You deceitful tongue.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
4. devouring words] Lit., words of swallowing up. Cp. the use of the verb in Psalm 35:25, “We have swallowed him up”: and Psalm 53:4.
O thou deceitful tongue] This rendering is certainly preferable to that of the margin, ‘and the deceitful tongue.’ The bold identification of the offender with the offending member is far more vigorous, and perfectly legitimate. Cp. Psalm 120:2-3; Psalm 12:3; 1 Kings 19:18.”
15.) Psa 57:4, “My soul is among lions;
I must lie among those who devour,
Among sons of mankind whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue is a sharp sword.”
Psalm 57:4. My soul is among lions — I live in the midst of a generation of fierce and bloody men; I lie — That is, I have my abode; among them that are set on fire — Namely, of, or from hell, James 3:6, who are mere firebrands and incendiaries, that are continually breathing out their wrath and threatenings. Even the sons of men — Whereby he explains what he meant by lions, and tells us that they were beasts in the shape of men; whose teeth — With which they gnash upon me, and with which they would, as it were, tear me to pieces, or eat me up; are spears and arrows — Fitted for mischiefs and murders; and their tongue — With which they wound my reputation, and load me with their curses, is a sharp sword — To cut and give deadly wounds.
16.) Psa 66:17, “I cried to Him with my mouth,
and He was exalted with my tongue.”
Verse 17. – I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue; rather, and praise was under my tongue; i.e. I was so confident of being heard that a song of praise was already in my mouth, on the point of bursting forth. Psalm 66:17.”
17.) Psa 71:24, “My tongue also will tell of Your righteousness all day long; for they are put to shame, for they are humiliated who seek my harm.”
Verse 24. – My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long. The musical utterance of praise can only be occasional, but the tongue can “talk” of God continually (see ver. 15). For they are confounded and brought unto shame, that seek my hurt (comp. Psalm 35:4; Psalm 40:14; Psalm 70:2).”
18.) Psa 119:172, “Let my tongue sing about Your
Word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.”
Verse 172. – My tongue shall speak of thy Word; or, “let my tongue respond to thy promise ” – return praise, i.e., for the fulfillment of thy promise. For all thy commandments are righteousness. And therefore are worthy objects of praise. Psalm 119:172.”
19.) Psa 120:2, “Rescue my soul, LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.”
Verse 2. – Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips. Such as Sanballat’s (Nehemiah 6:6 – 8). And from a deceitful tongue; literally, a tongue that is fraud – a mere variant of the expression in the preceding clause. Psalm 120:2.”
20.) Psa 126:2, “Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting;
then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
Verse 2. – Then was our mouth filled with laughter. The Orientals weep when they are disappointed, and, when they are pleased, laugh (Genesis 21:6; Job 8:21) and shout for joy (Herod., 8:99). And our tongue with singing; rather, with a cry of joy. Then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them; literally, hath magnified to do with them. The heathen, among whom the Israelites had dwelt, marveled at their deliverance. It was an event without a parallel. Psalm 126:2.”
Pro 6:16-19, “There are six things that the LORD hates,
Seven that are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run
rapidly to evil, a false witness who declares lies,
and one who spreads strife among brothers.”
Verse 16. – The whole structure and arrangement of the thoughts which occur in vers. 16-19 clearly show that this is not an independent section, but one closely allied to that which has just preceded. The object is to show that those evil qualities of deceit and malice which are disastrous to man are equally odious in the sight of Jehovah, and consequently within the scope of the Divine displeasure. These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him. The use of the numerical proverb, though common to the gnomic literature of Persia and Arabia, as Umbreit shows, is by our author confined to this single instance. Other examples occur in our book in the words of Agur the son of Jakeh (see Proverbs 30:7-9, 24-28), and the midda, the name given by later Jewish writers to this form of proverb, is observable in the ape-cryphal Book of Ecclesiasticus (see Proverbs 23:16; Proverbs 20:7 and Proverbs 26:5-28). When, as in the present instance, two numbers are given, the larger number corresponds with the things enumerated. So in Job 5:19. In Amos 1 and 2, however, there is an exception to this rule, where the numbers appear to be used indefinitely. As to the origin of the numerical proverb, the most probable explanation is that given by Hitzig and adopted by Zockler, namely, that it is due to the exigencies of parallelism. The author first adopts one number optionally, and then a second is employed as a parallel to it. Here, however, the number determined on in the writer’s mind is the larger number seven, and the smaller number six is used as a rhetorical parallel. An examination of the following verses will show that the seven exactly measures the things which are described as odious to the Lord. The Authorized Version, so far as the numbers are concerned, exactly represents the original, which, by the use of the cardinal number “seven” (sheva), and not the ordinal “seventh,” which would be sh’vii, shows that the things enumerated are equally an abomination in God’s sight. The view therefore, that the seventh vice is odious to God in an especial degree above the others, is untenable, though it has found defenders in Lowenstein, Bertheau, and von Gerlach, and is supported by the Vulgate, Sex sunt quae odit Dominus, et septimum detestatur anima ejus. All the seven things are execrable, all are equally objects of the Divine abhorrence. Besides, we cannot imagine that the vice of sowing discord among brethren, of ver. 19, is more odious to God than the crime of shedding innocent blood of ver. 17. Unto him (Hebrew, naph’sho); literally, of his soul. Proverbs 6:16.”
21.) Pro 6:24-25, “To keep you from the evil woman,
from the smooth tongue of the foreign woman.
Do not desire her beauty in your heart, nor let
her capture you with her eyelids.”
Proverbs 6:24-29. To keep thee from the evil woman — Which is mentioned as a great commendation of God’s word, because neither worldly discretion, nor a good education, nor moral precepts, nor any other considerations, are sufficient preservatives against this lust, as is manifest from daily experience. Lust not after her beauty — Do not give way to, or delight thyself with, unchaste thoughts or affections: compare Matthew 5:28. Neither let her take thee with her eyelids — With her wanton glances. For by means, &c., a man is brought to a piece of bread — To extreme poverty, so as to want, and be forced to beg his bread. And the adulteress will hunt for the precious life — To take away a man’s life; either by consuming his body and spirits, and so shortening his days; or more directly and strictly when she hath any great provocation to do it, or any prospect of considerable advantage thereby. Can a man take fire in his bosom and not be burned? — The question implies a denial; he cannot escape burning. No more can he who burns in lust avoid destruction. Whosoever toucheth her — In any immodest way; shall not be innocent — He is in imminent danger of adultery, as he that takes fire in his bosom, or goes upon hot coals, is in danger of being burned. The way of sin is down hill, and those that venture upon the temptation to it will hardly escape the sin itself; and certainly shall not escape punishment, but shall meet with it either from God or man.”
22.) Pro 10:20, “The tongue of the righteous is
like choice silver, the heart of the wicked is
worth little.”
Proverbs 10:20-21. The tongue of the just is as choice silver — Of great worth and use, bringing credit to himself, and great benefit to others; the heart of the wicked is little worth — And consequently his tongue, which speaketh out of the abundance of the heart, Matthew 12:34. The lips of the righteous feed many — By their wise and pious discourses, counsels, and comforts, which are so many evidences of their wisdom: but fools die for want of wisdom — They have not wisdom to preserve themselves, much less to feed others.”
23.) Pro 12:18, “There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise
brings healing.”
Verse 18. – There is that speaketh. The word implies speaking thoughtlessly, rashly; hence we may render, “a babbler,” “prater.” Such a one inflicts wounds with his senseless tattle. Like the piercings of a sword. The point of the simile is seen when we remember that the edge of the sword is called its “mouth” in the Hebrew (Genesis 34:26; Exodus 17:13, etc.; comp. Psalm 59:7; Psalm 64:3). The Greek gnome says –
Ἀλλ οὐδὲν ἕρπει ψεῦδος εἰς γῆρας χρόνου
“A sword the body wounds, a word the soul.” Vulgate, est qui promittit, which restricts the scope of the clause to the making of vain promises (Leviticus 5:4; Numbers 30:7-9), continuing, et quasi gladio pungitur conscientiae, “And is pierced as it were by the sword of his conscience.” where “conscience” is added to make the meaning plain. Such a man suffers remorse if he breaks his promise, or if, like Jephthah, he keeps it. The tongue of the wise is health; it does not pierce and wound like that of the chatterer, rather it soothes and heals even when it reproves (Proverbs 4:22; Proverbs 10:11). Proverbs 12:18.”
24.) Pro 12:19, “Truthful lips will endure forever,
but a lying tongue is only for a moment.”
Verse 19. – The lip of truth shall be established forever. Truth is consistent, invincible, enduring; and the fact belongs not only to Divine truth (Psalm 117:2; Matthew 24:35), but to human, in its measure. Septuagint, “True lips establish testimony,” pointing the last word ad as ed. Is but for a moment; literally, while I wink the eye (Jeremiah 49:19; Jeremiah 50:44). Lying never answers in the end; it is soon found out and punished (Proverbs 19:9; Psalm 52:5). Septuagint, “But a hasty (ταχύς; repentinus, Vulgate) witness hath an unjust tongue.” One who gives his testimony without due consideration, or influenced by evil motives, readily fails into lying and injustice. With the latter half of the verse we may compare the gnome –
Ἀλλ οὐδὲν ἕρπει ψεῦδος εἰς γῆρας χρόνου
“Unto old age no lie doth ever live.” A lie has no legs, is a maxim of wide nationality; and “Truth may be blamed, but shall ne’er be shamed.” Proverbs 12:19.”
Although lying tongue is for a moment, it can bring you eternal disaster.
25.) Pro 15:2, “The tongue of the wise makes
knowledge pleasant, but the mouth of fools
spouts foolishness.”
Proverbs 15:2-4. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright — Expressing what he knows prudently and gracefully; taking due care both what, and when, and to whom, and in what manner he speaks; but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness — Plentifully, continually, promiscuously, and vehemently, as a fountain doth waters, as the word יביעsignifies. A wholesome tongue — Which utters sound and useful counsels; is a tree of life — Is very useful to preserve the present life, and to promote the spiritual and eternal life, both of the speaker and the hearers; but perverseness therein — False or corrupt speeches; is a breach in the spirit — Disturbs and wounds the spirit both of the speaker and hearers.”
Many do not know sound knowledge can be pleasant.
26.) Pro 15:4, “A soothing tongue is a tree of life,
but perversion in it crushes the spirit.”
Verse 4. – A wholesome tongue is a tree of life; a tongue that brings healing, that soothes by its words. Septuagint, “the healing of the tongue.” But the Vulgate rendering is better, lingua placabilis, “the gentle, mild tongue” (see on Proverbs 14:30). Speech from such a source refreshes and vivifies all who come under its influence, like the wholesome fruit of a prolific tree (comp. Proverbs 3:18; Proverbs 11:30).
Ψυχῆς νοσούσης ἐστὶ φάρμακον λόγος
“The sick soul by a healing word is cured.” But perverseness therein – in the tongue – is a breach in the spirit. The perverseness intended must be falsehood, perversion of the truth. This is ruin and vexation (Isaiah 65:14, where the same word is used) in the spirit, both in the liar himself, whose higher nature is thus terribly marred and spoiled, and in the case of his neighbour, who is injured by his slander and falsehood to the, very core. The LXX., with a different reading, translates, “But he who keepeth it [the tongue] shall be filled with the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4.”
27.) Pro 16:1, “The plans of the heart belong to a person, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
- The preparations &c.] Rather:
To man belong the preparations (or plans) of the heart;
But from Jehovah is the answer of the tongue.
This cannot mean that wise thoughts are human, but wise words divine, that man unaided can plan well, but only by God’s help can speak well; but rather that after man has done his utmost in planning, his wisest plans may come to nought in the comparatively easy act of giving utterance to them with a view to their accomplishment, unless Jehovah guides his tongue. And the implied moral of the proverb is, If you cannot do the less without God, do not attempt to do the greater without Him; “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths,” Proverbs 3:5-6. Comp. Proverbs 16:9 of this chapter.”
28.) Pro 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Verse 21. – Death and life are in the power of the tongue; literally, in the hand of the tongue. The tongue, according as it is used, deals forth life or death; for speech is the picture of the mind (comp. Proverbs 12:18; Proverbs 26:28). The vast importance of our words may be learned from James 3; and our blessed Lord says expressly (Matthew 12:36, etc.), “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Hence the gnome –
Γλῶσσα τύχη γλῶσσα δαίμων
intimating that the tongue is the real controller of man’s destiny; and another –
Λόγῳ διοικεῖται βροτῶν βίος μόνῳ
By words alone is life of mortals swayed.” And they that love it (the tongue) shall eat the fruit thereof. They who use it much must abide the consequences of their words, whether by kind and pure and edifying conversation they contribute health and life to themselves and others, or whether by foul, calumnious, corrupting language they involve themselves and others in mortal sin. For “they that love it,” the Septuagint has, οἱ κρατοῦντες αὐτῆς, “they who get the mastery over it.” Proverbs 18:21.”
The power of the tongue can determine death and life.
29.) Pro 21:23, “One who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles.”
Verse 23. – We have had similar maxims before (Proverbs 13:8 and Proverbs 18:21, where see notes). He keepeth his mouth, who knows when to speak and when to be silent; and he keepeth his tongue, who says only what is to the purpose. We have all heard the proverb, “Speech is silver, silence is gold.” One who thus takes heed of his words, keepeth his soul from troubles. The troubles (angores, Vulgate) are such as these – remorse for the evil occasioned, distress of conscience, vexation and strife with offended neighbours, danger of liberty and life, and, above all, the anger of God, and retribution in the judgment. Proverbs 21:23.”
To guard your mouth and your tongue is to guard your soul from troubles.
30.) Luk 16:24, “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.”
Luke 16:24. Αὐτὸς, himself). No longer now does he enjoy the attendance of slaves, but is a beggar himself.—πάτερ, father) Implying his “glorying in the flesh” [boasting of mere outward privileges of descent from the father of the faithful]: ‘Son’ in Luke 16:25 corresponds to ‘Father’ here.—πέμψον, send) Even as yet the self-indulger holds in little esteem Lazarus, even as yet in little esteem Moses: Luke 16:30.—ἵνα βάψῃ, that he may dip) This verb does not always imply a great abundance of water: from it is derived βαπτίζω. Not even the slightest mitigation is vouchsafed. This truly is “the wine of the wrath of God poured out, ἄκρατον, without mixture.” Revelation 14:10, (Chrysostom observes, ἡ τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης σταγὼν ἀμίκτως ἔχει πρὸς τὴν ἀπήνειαν, A drop of the Divine compassion is not mixed with the unfeeling hard-heartedness of this rich feaster.—γλῶσσαν, tongue) His tongue it was that had especially sinned.”
Jesus says, Mat 13:42, “and they will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Mar 9:43, “And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed, than, having your two hands, to go into Hell, into the unquenchable fire.”
Jesus makes sure you understand that Hell fire is unquenchable fire. Hell fire is real fire, material fire that makes you in agony in the flame. By the same token, salvation is a gift of God. Rom 10:9,
“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” You can do it now.
WILLLIE WONG THOUGHT
WILLIE WONG
JANUARY 20, 2026
Copyright © 2018 – 2026 by Willie Wong
All African nations, South America, Asia and the world, where can you find a country which does not have large national debts and deficits? Africa is different because for 500 years, not one country has become self-sufficient and solvent, they glorify with their primitive cultures and brag about their scientists and experts, joy to kill each other. International aid actually fuel their official corruption. Any nation that shares destinies with Africa will be doomed! No resources can fill the Black holes! The international community should leave Africa alone, let them do or die.
China modernization must focus that every village will have:
- ELECTRICTY
- RUNNING WATER TO DRINK AND WASH
- GAS TO COOK & HEAT
- INTERNET
- LIVELIHOOD
- NEW TOILET BY LAW