THE POWER OF THE
TONGUE

"Death &
life are in the power of the tongue" (Pro.18:21)

1. The power of
positive speech:

A. Loving,
wholesome speech has a great effect:

2Chr.10:7                If
thou be kind unto this people...& speak good words to them, they will be
thy servants forever

Pro.15:1a                A
soft answer turneth away wrath

Pro.15:23                A
word spoken in due season, how good is it

Pro.25:15                By
long forbearing is a prince persuaded, & a soft tongue breaketh the bone

B. Wise speech is
health & life:

Pro.10:11a              The
mouth of the righteous man is a well of life

Pro.12:18b              The
tongue of the wise is health

Pro.15:4a                A
wholesome tongue is a tree of life

Pro.16:24                Pleasant
words are...sweet to the soul, & health

C. Other points on
wholesome speech:

Pro.8:6    The opening of my lips shall
be right things

Pro.14:3b                The
lips of the wise shall preserve them

Pro.31:26b              In
her tongue is the law of kindness

Eccl.10:12a             The
words of a wise man's mouth are gracious

Jam.3:2   If any man offend not in word, the
same is a perfect (complete, mature) man

(See
also Psa.37:30; Pro.10:31; 15:7; 24:26; Mal.2:6,7.)

D. Speaking the
right things at the right time:

Pro.10:32a              The
lips of the righteous know what is acceptable

Pro.25:11                A
word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver

Eccl.8:5b                A
wise man's heart discerneth both time & judgment

E. Speaking
encouraging words to strengthen others:

Gen.50:21b             And
he comforted them, & spake kindly unto them

Deut.3:28a             Encourage
him, & strengthen him

Job
4:4    Thy words have
upholden him that was falling, & thou hast strengthened the feeble knees

Job
16:5  I would strengthen you with my
mouth

Isa.35:3,4                Strengthen
the weak hands...say to them, Be strong

Isa.50:4   Speak a word in season to him that
is weary

F. Speaking &
talking about the Lord's Word:

Deut.6:6,7              Thou
shalt talk of (the Word) when thou sittest...when thou walkest...when thou liest
down...& risest up

Psa.119:172            My
tongue shall talk of Thy Word

Jn.6:63    The Words I speak unto you,
they are spirit, &...life

Eph.5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms & hymns
&...songs

1Pet.4:11                If
any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God

G. Sharing
testimonies about the great things God has done:

Psa.9:11  Sing praises...declare among the people
His doings

Psa.35:28                My
tongue shall talk of Thy righteousness & of Thy praise all the day long

Psa.66:16                I
will declare what He hath done for my soul

Psa.145:1-7,           I
will speak of...Thy majesty, & of Thy wondrous works

10,12,21...make
known to men His mighty acts

Acts
12:17             He...declared
unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison

(See
also Psa.37:30; 40:9,10; 71:17; Isa.12:4.)

H. Have a sense of
humour & be able to laugh:

Pro.17:22                A
merry heart doeth good like a medicine (See also Pro.15:13,15)

Psa.126:2                Then
was our mouth filled with laughter (See Job 8:21)

(See
also Gen.21:6; Eccl.3:4; 10:19a.)

2. Silence &
restrained speech:

Eccl.3:7   [There is] a time to keep silence,
& a time to speak

A. The dangers of
speaking too much:

Pro.10:19a              In
the multitude of words there wanteth (lacks) not sin

Pro.14:23                In
all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury
(poverty)

B. The wisdom of
being slow to speak:

Jam.1:19 Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak

Pro.18:13                He
that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly & shame unto him

Eccl.5:2,6                Be
not rash (hasty) with thy mouth...wherefore should God be angry...& destroy
the work of thine hands?

Jn.8:1-9   [Example of Jesus avoiding being
rushed into answering]

C. It is usually
wise to speak little:

Pro.17:27                He
that hath knowledge spareth his words

Eccl.5:3b                A
fool's voice is known by multitude of words

(See
also Mat.5:37)

D. It is often wise
not to speak at all:

Job
13:5  O that ye would altogether hold
your peace. And it should be your wisdom

Pro.10:19b              He
that refraineth his lips is wise

Pro.11:12b              A
man of understanding holdeth his peace

Pro.17:28                Even
a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: & he that shutteth lips
is...a man of understanding

Pro.21:23                Who
keepeth...his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles

E. Watch your
words:

Psa.39:1b               To...sin
not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is
before me

Psa.141:3                Set
a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep...my lips

Pro.13:3a                He
that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life

Mat.12:36               Every
idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of
judgment

F. Keeping secrets:

Pro.11:13                A
talebearer (gossip) revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit
concealeth the matter

Pro.25:9  Debate thy cause with thy neighbour
himself; & discover (disclose) not a secret to another

Mic.7:5   Keep the doors of thy mouth from
her that lieth in thy bosom (See also Judg.14:15-17; 16:4-6; 15-21.)

Mat.9:30 Jesus straitly charged them...See that no man
know it

Mat.12:14-16         (Jesus)
charged them they should not make Him known

Mk.1:43-45             See
thou say nothing to any man (See also Mat.8:4a)

Mk.9:9,10               (Jesus)
charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen (See also
Mat.17:9; Lk.9:36.)

Lk.8:56    He charged them that they
should tell no man what was done (See also Mk.5:43)

Lk.9:20,21               He...commanded
them to tell no man that thing (See also Mat.16:20)

Acts
23:22             Tell
no man that thou hast shewed these things to me

(See
also Josh.2:14,20)

G. Learning how to
be quiet:

Job
6:24a                Teach
me, & I will hold my tongue

1Thes.4:11             Study
to be quiet, & to do [mind] your own business

H. The foolish
simply cannot keep their mouth shut:

Pro.15:2b                The
mouth of fools poureth forth foolishness

Pro.20:3  Honour...to cease...but every fool will
be meddling

Pro.29:11a              A
fool uttereth all his mind

3. The damage an
uncontrolled tongue will do:

A. An uncontrolled
tongue will defile you & others:

Mat.15:11               That
which cometh out of the mouth...defileth a man

Mat.15:18               Those
things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; & they
defile a man

Jam.3:6   The tongue is...a world of
iniquity...it defileth the whole body

B. A talebearing
(gossiping) tongue is a fire:

Jam.3:5,6                The
tongue is a fire...it setteth on fire...& is set on
fire of hell

Pro.16:27                Ungodly
man...in his lips there is as a burning fire

C. A slanderous,
wicked tongue is deadly poison:

Jam.3:8   The tongue...is...full of deadly
poison

Psa.140:3                Adders'
poison is under their lips

Eccl.10:11               The
serpent will bite without enchantment; & a babbler is no better

Rom.3:13b              The
poison of asps is under their lips

D. A vainbabbling
tongue destroys like cancer:

2Tim.2:16,17          Profane
& vain babblings...their word will eat as doth a canker (cancer)

E. A sharp,
malicious tongue can inflict deep wounds:

Pro.12:18a              There
is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword

Pro.25:18                Man
that beareth false witness...is a maul, & a sword

Pro.26:22                The
words of a talebearer are as wounds, & they go down into the innermost
parts (deep)

F. A malicious
tongue destroys & kills:

Pro.11:9a                An
hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour

Pro.18:21                Death
& life are in the power of the tongue

Pro.26:28                A
flattering mouth worketh ruin

G. It destroys love
& friendship:

Pro.16:28b              A
whisperer (gossiper) separateth chief friends

Acts
14:2               Made
their minds evil affected against the brethren

4. Foolish &
evil speech:

A. Evil speech
comes from an evil heart:

Pro.15:2b                The
mouth of fools poureth out foolishness

Pro.15:28b              The
mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things

Mat.12:35b            An
evil man out of (heart) bringeth forth evil things

B. Evil, foolish
speech corrupts & stinks:

Eccl.10:1 Dead flies...send forth a stinking...so doth a
little folly in him that is in reputation for wisdom

1Cor.15:33              Evil
communications corrupt good manners

C. The perverse
(polluted) & froward (defiant) tongue:

Pro.8:13  The froward (defiant, contrary) mouth do
I hate

Pro.15:4  Perverseness [in a tongue] is a breach
in the spirit

Pro.26:18,19           As
a madman who casteth firebrands & death, so is the man that
deceiveth...& saith, Am not I (joking)?

D. Foolishness
& vain talk leads to mischief & ungodliness:

Pro.14:7  Go from the presence of a foolish man,
when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge

Pro.15:14b              The
mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness

Eccl.10:13               The
beginning of (his) words...is foolishness: & the end of his
talk is mischievous madness

2Tim.2:16               Shun
profane & vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness

E. An uncontrolled
tongue brings disaster:

Psa.109:17-20        As he
loved cursing, so let it come unto him

Pro.10:14b              The
mouth of the foolish is near destruction

Pro.10:10b              A
prating (idly chattering) fool shall fall

Pro.12:13a              The
wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips

Pro.13:3b                He
that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction

Pro.17:20                He
that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief

Pro.18:7  A fool's mouth...& his lips are the
snare of his soul

Eccl.10:12b            The
lips of a fool will swallow up himself

5. Controlling your
tongue:

A. Refrain from
corrupt communication:

Pro.4:24  Put away from thee a froward
mouth, & perverse lips

Eph.4:29a               Let
no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth

Eph.5:4   Neither filthiness (obscenity), nor
foolish talking, nor jesting, but rather giving of thanks

Col.3:8    Put...filthy communication out
of your mouth

1Tim.6:20a             Avoiding
profane & vain babblings

B. Speak edifying
things, not corrupt:

Eph.4:29 No corrupt communication....but that which
is...edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers

Col.4:6    Let your speech be alway with
grace, seasoned with salt

Tit.2:8     Sound speech, that
cannot be condemned

Pro.8:8,9 All the words of My mouth are in righteousness;
there is nothing froward or perverse in them

(See
also Rom.15:2)

C. You can't
control your own tongue by yourself:

Jam.3:8   The tongue can no man tame

D. Only God
can, so yield to Him:

Psa.45:1b               My
tongue is the pen of a ready writer [the Lord]

Pro.16:1  The preparations of the heart of man,
& the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord

Isa.50:4   The Lord God hath given me
the tongue of the learned, that I...know how to speak [an encouraging] word

Lk.12:12  The Holy Ghost shall teach you...what ye
ought to say

1Pet.4:11a              If
any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God

E. Read & obey
God's Word, & let it change you:

Psa.119:9                (How)
shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed...to Thy Word

Jn.15:3    Now ye are clean through the
Word

Eph.5:26 That He might sanctify & cleanse it with
the washing of water by the Word

1Pet.1:22a              Ye
have purified your souls in obeying the truth

(See
also Pro.6:20-23; Heb.10:22.)

6. Gossiping,
backbiting & slander:

A. The Lord forbids
you to gossip:

Lev.19:16               Thou
shalt not go up & down as a talebearer (gossip or slanderer) among
thy people: I am the Lord

Exo.23:1a                Thou
shalt not raise a false report

Eph.4:31 Let all...evil speaking, be put away...with all
malice

Tit.3:2a   Speak evil of no man

Jam.4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren

1Pet.2:1  (Lay) aside all malice, &
guile...& all evil speakings

B. Warning against
backbiting:

Pro.25:9  Debate thy cause with thy neighbour
himself; & [tell] not a secret to another

2Cor.12:20              I
fear...I shall not find you such as I would...lest there be ...backbitings,
whisperings

C. Gossiping shows
a lack of true faith & love:

Pro.10:18                He
that uttereth a slander, is a fool

1Tim.5:11-13          When
they have begun to wax wanton against Christ ...they learn to be...tattlers
& busybodies

Jam.1:26 If any man seem to be religious, & bridleth
not his tongue...this man's religion is vain

D. Gossiping is
born of hatred:

Psa.38:12                They
that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, & imagine deceits

Psa.41:7  All that hate me whisper together against
me

E. Gossiping is of
the devil:

1Tim.3:11               So
must their wives be grave, not slanderers [literally: "diabolos",
meaning false accuser, devil]

Rev.12:10               [The
devil,] the accuser of our brethren

7. The punishment
for gossiping:

A. Scriptural
response to backbiters & talebearers:

Tit.1:10,11              There
are many unruly & vain talkers...whose mouths must be stopped

Psa.32:9  [They] have no understanding: whose mouth
must be held in with bit & bridle

Pro.25:23                Angry
countenance (driveth away) a backbiting tongue

B. Part company
with them if they don't change:

Psa.101:5                [King
David said:] Whoso (privately) slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off

Psa.101:7                He
that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight

Pro.20:19                He
that goeth about as a talebearer (gossip) revealeth secrets: therefore [have
nothing to do] with him

Pro.22:10                Cast
out a scorner, & contention shall go out

Pro.26:20                Where
there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth

C. The Lord will
judge them:

Mat.12:36,37          Every
idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of
judgment

8. How to avoid
criticising & gossiping about others:

A. Think about
their virtues:

Phi.4:8    Whatsoever things
are...pure...lovely...if there be any virtue...think on these
things

(See
also Phi.1:3)

B. Remember the
blessings for not backbiting:

Psa.15:1,3               Who
shall abide [before God]? He that backbiteth not ...nor taketh up a reproach
against his neighbour

1Pet.3:10                He
that will...see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, & his lips
(from) guile

Rev.14:5 In their mouth was...no guile: they are before
the throne

C. Make an effort
to not speak evil:

Psa.17:3b               I
am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress

Psa.39:1a                I
will take heed...that I sin not with my tongue

Pro.30:32                If
thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth [before you speak
what you were thinking]

D. Don't even think
evil:

Psa.19:14                Let
the words of my mouth, & the meditation of my heart, be acceptable
in Thy sight

Eccl.10:20               Curse
not the king, no not in thy thought

Mk.7:21  For out of the heart of men, proceed evil
thoughts

2Cor.10:5                Bringing...every
thought to the obedience of Christ

E. You can't speak good
if your heart is full of evil:

Mat.12:34               How
can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaketh

F. Beware of
hypocritical flattery:

Psa.12:2  They speak vanity...with flattering lips
& double heart

Psa.28:3  Wicked...speak peace, but mischief is in
their hearts

Psa.55:21                The
words of his mouth were smoother than...oil, yet were they drawn swords

Psa.62:4  They bless with their mouth, but curse
inwardly

Pro.26:23                Burning
(fervently agreeing) lips (with) a wicked heart are like (earthenware) covered
with silver

Pro.26:25,26           When
he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are ...abominations in his heart

Ezk.33:31b              With
their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness

9. Warning against
judging others:

Mat.7:1   Judge not, that ye be not judged

Mat.7:2   With what judgment ye judge, ye
shall be judged

Mat.7:3-5               Why
beholdest the mote...in thy brother's eye, but considerest not beam that is in
thine own eye?

Jn.7:24    Judge not according to
appearance...but righteous

Rom.2:1,2               Thou
art inexcusable...wherein thou judgest another...for thou that judgest doest
the same things

Rom.2:3  Thinkest thou...that judgest...&
doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

Rom.14:13a            Let
us not therefore judge one another any more

10. What to do when
others speak evil of you:

A. Ignore it if you
can; don't be offended:

Eccl.7:21,22            Take
no heed unto all words spoken...thine own heart knoweth thou thyself likewise
hast cursed others

Psa.119:165            Great
peace have they which love Thy (Word): & nothing shall offend them

B. Don't speak evil
of them in return:

1Pet.2:21-23           Follow
(Christ's) steps...Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again (See also
Isa.53:7,9 )

1Pet.3:9  Not rendering evil for evil, or railing
for railing: but contrariwise blessing

C. Let your good
works disprove their lies:

Tit.2:7,8  Sound speech, that cannot be condemned;
that he that is...contrary...(have) no evil thing to say of you

1Pet.2:12                Whereas
they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, glorify God

1Pet.2:15                With
well doing...put to silence...foolish men

1Pet.3:16                Having
a good (way of life); that, whereas they speak evil of you...they may be
ashamed

D. Jesus remained
silent before His accusers:

Isa.53:7   He was oppressed...yet He opened
not His mouth

Mat.27:14               (Jesus)
answered him (Pilate) to never a word

Lk.23:9    He (Herod) questioned Him
(Jesus) in many words; but He answered him nothing

Lk.22:67,68             [Jesus
knew that answering His enemies was pointless]

E. But there are
times to speak out & give answer:

Acts
21:40             [Paul
gave his defense to the mob in Jerusalem]

Acts
24:10             [Paul
defended himself from his accusers before Felix]

Acts
26:1               [Paul's
self-defense before Governor Festus & Agrippa]

1Pet.3:15                Be
ready always to give an answer to every man that [sincerely] asketh you a
reason

(See
also Mat.10:18-20)

11. Arguments &
contentions:

A. Avoid getting
drawn into arguments:

Pro.17:14                Leave
off contention, before it be meddled with

Pro.26:4  Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest thou also be like unto him

Pro.29:11b              A
wise man keepeth [his comments] in till afterwards

Phi.2:3    Let nothing be done through
strife

2Tim.2:24               The
servant of the Lord must not strive; but be patient

1Pet.3:9  Not rendering evil (insult) for (insult),
or railing (reviling) for (reviling): but contrariwise blessing

(See
also 2Ki.18:36)

B. Listen carefully
& think about what you say:

Pro.15:28                The
heart of the righteous studieth to answer

Pro.18:13                He
that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly & shame unto him

Jam.1:19 Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath

C. Don't get
provoked & answer rashly:

Pro.15:18b              He
that is slow to anger appeaseth strife

Pro.16:32                He
that is slow to anger is better than the mighty

Pro.25:8  Go not forth hastily to strive

Pro.29:20                Seest
thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him

Eccl.5:2   Be not rash with thy mouth...(nor)
hasty to utter any thing...let thy words be few

D. Speak calmly:

Pro.15:1a                A
soft answer turneth away wrath

Pro.22:11                For
the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend

E. What causes
arguments & contention:

Pro.10:12a              Hatred
stirreth up strifes

Pro.13:10                Only
by pride cometh contention

Pro.15:1b                Grievous
words stir up anger

Pro.15:18a              A
wrathful man stirreth up strife

Pro.18:6  A fool's lips enter into contention

Pro.26:21                As
wood to fire; so a contentious man (kindles) strife

Pro.28:25a              He
that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife

Pro.29:22                An
angry man stirreth up strife

Acts
13:45             They
were filled with envy, & spake against those things ...contradicting &
blaspheming

1Tim.6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about
questions &...words, whereof cometh...strife

Jam.4:1   Wars & fightings...come..of
your lusts

(See
also Pro.26:17)

F. The futility of
arguing:

Job
6:25  How forcible are right words!
But what doth your arguing reprove?

Pro.9:7,8 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to
himself...shame ...reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee

Pro.23:9  Speak not in the ears of a fool: he will
despise wisdom

Pro.29:9  If a wise man contendeth with a foolish
man, whether he (the foolish man) rage or laugh, there is no rest

G. Ending an
argument:

Pro.17:9  He that covereth (lets pass) a
transgression seeketh love

Pro.20:3a                It
is an honour for a man to cease from strife

Pro.22:10                Cast
out the scorner, & contention shall...cease

Col.3:13  Forbearing (putting up with) one another,
& forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any

(See
also Gen.50:20,21)

H. Warning to those
who "love a good argument":

Pro.17:19                He
loveth transgression that loveth strife

1Cor.3:3  Whereas there is among
you...strife....are ye not carnal, & walk as [carnal, worldly] men?

Jam.3:14,15            If
ye have bitter...strife in your hearts, glory not...this wisdom is devilish

I. The bad fruit of
arguments:

Psa.106:33              They
provoked his (Moses') spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with this lips

Pro.18:19                A
brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city...contentions are like
bars of a castle

Acts
15:39             The
contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the
other

Gal.5:15  If ye bite & devour one another, take
heed that ye be not consumed one of another

Jam.3:16 Where...strife is, there is confusion & every
evil work

J. When it is right
to contend:

Pro.26:5  Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own conceit

Pro.28:4  Such as keep the law contend with (the
wicked)

Pro.28:23                He
that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth

Acts
15:1,2            "Except
ye be circumcised, ye cannot be saved." Paul ...had no small dissension
& disputation with them

Jude
3b  Ye should earnestly contend for
the faith

K. Humbly explain
to, correct & instruct the receptive:

Gal.6:1    Restore such an one in the
spirit of meekness

2Tim.2:25               In
meekness instructing those that oppose themselves (See also Jam.5:20 )

1Pet.3:15                Be
ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason...with
meekness

12. Lying, deceit
& bearing false witness:

A. God's Word warns
us not to lie:

Lev.19:11               Neither
deal falsely, neither lie one to another

Pro.24:28                Be
not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; & deceive not with thy
lips

Eph.4:25 Putting away lying, speak every man truth with
his neighbour

Col.3:9    Lie not to one another,
seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds

B. What God thinks
about lying:

Pro.12:22a              Lying
lips are an abomination to the Lord

C. God's judgment
on wicked liars:

Psa.63:11b             The
mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped

Pro.19:5  A false witness shall not be unpunished,
& he that speaketh lies shall not escape

Pro.19:9  He that speaketh lies shall perish

Acts
5:1-10            [Ananias
& Sapphira lied to the Holy Ghost & died]

(See
also Psa.31:18; 35:11-20; Pro.12:19.)

Special chapter on
the tongue: James 3