The TONGUE
That little thing inside our mouth may be little but it has many important functions. James 3:5 tells us that the tongue is a little member that boasts great things.
In the physical arena, the tongue:
Acts as an agent of taste
Aids in chewing
Aids in swallowing
Aids in cleaning teeth
Is essential for speech (see Ezekiel 3:26)
The word "Tongue" is also used to refer to a language or dialect (Ezra 4:7)
However, by and large, and this is true throughout the Bible (129 times), "tongue" generally refers to "speech", i.e. the words that come out of the mouth. It is in that context that Job asks in Job 6:30 "Is there iniquity in my tongue?"
The Bible gives us some general characteristics of a "tongue":
1. It can be soft or hard - Prov. 25:15
2. You can hide things under it - Job 20:12
3. It has power over life and death - Proverbs 18:21
4. It can vow, thus binding one to an oath - Is. 45:23
5. It is not sufficient in and of itself - 1 John 3:18
6. God knows every word on our tongue - Ps. 139:4
7. "Whoever guards his mouth and tongue, Keeps his soul from troubles." - Prov. 21:23
8. “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit." - 1 Peter 3:10
9. "Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue," - Ps.15:3-5
10. The Lord will cut off the tongue of the proud - Ps. 12:3-4; Prov. 10:31
The Bible gives us some general characteristics of a "bad tongue":
1. It can be slow to respond to God - Exodus 4:10
2. It can scourge (whip, or lash; that which harasses or destroys) - Job 5:21
3. It can kill - Job 20:6
4. It can smite (i.e. strike, hit hard; can effect mentally, morally, emotionally) Jer. 18:18
5. It can be untamed - James 3:8
6. It can be an unruly evil thing - James 3:8
7. It can be full of poison - James 3:8
8. It can be a fire - James 3:6
9. It can be a "world of iniquity" - James 3:6
10. It can be "crafty" - Job 15:5
11. It flatters - Psalm 5:9
12. It hides wickedness - Job 20:12
13. It hides mischief and vanity - Ps. 10:7
14. It devises mischief - Ps. 52:2
15. It frames deceit - Ps. 50:19; Ps. 52:4
16. It is a sharp razor - Ps. 52:2
17. It is a sharp sword - Ps. 57:4
18. It lies - Ps. 109:2 (cf Prov. 6:17)
19. It is against the Lord - Is. 3:8
20. It is like an arrow - Jer. 9:8
The Bible gives us some general characteristics of a "good tongue":
1. It can sing - Psalm 51:14; Psalm 126:2
2. It can be "held" (i.e. controlled) - Eccl. 3:7; Job 13:19; Heb. 1:13
3. It can be glad - Acts 2:26
4. It can confess to God - Psalm 14:11
5. It can confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father - Philippians 2:11
6. It contains the word of God - 2 Sam. 23:2
7. It speaks of His Word - Ps. 119:172
8. It doesn't utter deceit - Job 27:4
9. It utters truth from the heart - Job 33:1-3
10. It speaks justice - Ps. 37:30
11. It doesn't get used for sinful purposes - Ps. 39:1
12. It uses knowledge - Prov. 15:2
13. It contains the law of kindness - Prov. 31:26
14. It is like choice silver - Prov. 10:20
15. It is a tree of life - Prov. 15:4
16. It extols/praises God - Ps. 66:17
17. It is like the pen of a ready writer - Ps. 45:1
So, "Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit." Psalm 34:13
In the physical arena, the tongue:
Acts as an agent of taste
Aids in chewing
Aids in swallowing
Aids in cleaning teeth
Is essential for speech (see Ezekiel 3:26)
The word "Tongue" is also used to refer to a language or dialect (Ezra 4:7)
However, by and large, and this is true throughout the Bible (129 times), "tongue" generally refers to "speech", i.e. the words that come out of the mouth. It is in that context that Job asks in Job 6:30 "Is there iniquity in my tongue?"
The Bible gives us some general characteristics of a "tongue":
1. It can be soft or hard - Prov. 25:15
2. You can hide things under it - Job 20:12
3. It has power over life and death - Proverbs 18:21
4. It can vow, thus binding one to an oath - Is. 45:23
5. It is not sufficient in and of itself - 1 John 3:18
6. God knows every word on our tongue - Ps. 139:4
7. "Whoever guards his mouth and tongue, Keeps his soul from troubles." - Prov. 21:23
8. “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit." - 1 Peter 3:10
9. "Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue," - Ps.15:3-5
10. The Lord will cut off the tongue of the proud - Ps. 12:3-4; Prov. 10:31
The Bible gives us some general characteristics of a "bad tongue":
1. It can be slow to respond to God - Exodus 4:10
2. It can scourge (whip, or lash; that which harasses or destroys) - Job 5:21
3. It can kill - Job 20:6
4. It can smite (i.e. strike, hit hard; can effect mentally, morally, emotionally) Jer. 18:18
5. It can be untamed - James 3:8
6. It can be an unruly evil thing - James 3:8
7. It can be full of poison - James 3:8
8. It can be a fire - James 3:6
9. It can be a "world of iniquity" - James 3:6
10. It can be "crafty" - Job 15:5
11. It flatters - Psalm 5:9
12. It hides wickedness - Job 20:12
13. It hides mischief and vanity - Ps. 10:7
14. It devises mischief - Ps. 52:2
15. It frames deceit - Ps. 50:19; Ps. 52:4
16. It is a sharp razor - Ps. 52:2
17. It is a sharp sword - Ps. 57:4
18. It lies - Ps. 109:2 (cf Prov. 6:17)
19. It is against the Lord - Is. 3:8
20. It is like an arrow - Jer. 9:8
The Bible gives us some general characteristics of a "good tongue":
1. It can sing - Psalm 51:14; Psalm 126:2
2. It can be "held" (i.e. controlled) - Eccl. 3:7; Job 13:19; Heb. 1:13
3. It can be glad - Acts 2:26
4. It can confess to God - Psalm 14:11
5. It can confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father - Philippians 2:11
6. It contains the word of God - 2 Sam. 23:2
7. It speaks of His Word - Ps. 119:172
8. It doesn't utter deceit - Job 27:4
9. It utters truth from the heart - Job 33:1-3
10. It speaks justice - Ps. 37:30
11. It doesn't get used for sinful purposes - Ps. 39:1
12. It uses knowledge - Prov. 15:2
13. It contains the law of kindness - Prov. 31:26
14. It is like choice silver - Prov. 10:20
15. It is a tree of life - Prov. 15:4
16. It extols/praises God - Ps. 66:17
17. It is like the pen of a ready writer - Ps. 45:1
So, "Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit." Psalm 34:13