The Tongue in Your Mouth
1) The tongue in your mouth reveals your heart.
When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and
understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes
out of the mouth, this defiles a man." Matthew 15:10-11
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good;
and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth
evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45
2) Wicked people will continually speak lies and threats.
In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in
the schemes he devises. He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he
blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. In his pride the wicked man
does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. His
ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at
all his enemies. He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He
swears, “No one will ever do me harm.” His mouth is full of lies and
threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. Psalm 10:2-7
3) David prayed that faithless speakers would be eliminated.
To the Chief Musician. On an eight-stringed harp. A Psalm of David.
Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from
among the sons of men. They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; With
flattering lips and a double heart they speak. May the Lord cut off all
flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things, who have
said, "With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; Who is
lord over us?" Psalm 12:1-4
4) Believers will not slander or gossip about neighbors.
LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy
mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who
despises a vile person but honors those who fear the LORD; who keeps an
oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends
money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against
the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken. Psalm
15:1-5
5) Believers will be quiet with wicked people but mediate on God.
I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a
muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.” So, I remained
utterly silent, not even saying anything good. But my anguish
increased; my heart grew hot within me. While I meditated, the fire
burned; then I spoke with my tongue: “Show me, LORD, my life’s end and
the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have
made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing
before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.
Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush
about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be. But
now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” Psalm 39:1-7
6) Senseless godless people will hate their neighbors.
With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through
knowledge the righteous escape. When the righteous prosper, the city
rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. Through the
blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the
wicked it is destroyed. Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,
but the one who has understanding holds their tongue. A gossip betrays
a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret. Proverbs 11:9-13
7) Fools will stir up anger and folly thereby crushing the spirit.
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The
tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes
folly. The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked
and the good. The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse
tongue crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:1-4
8) False believers will cause divisions and offenses.
Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses,
contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those
who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly,
and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the
simple. Romans 16:17-18
9) Believers will not destroy relationships with their tongues.
Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how
great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world
of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the
whole body and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire
by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of
the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame
the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we
bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made
in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and
cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. James 3:5-10
10) Believers will not insult people with deceitful speech.
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another,
be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with
insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you
were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would
love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their
lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they
must seek peace and pursue it.” 1 Peter 3:8-11
11) Believers will speak good that edifies and imparts grace.
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for
necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Ephesians 4:29
12) Believers will speak graceful truth to non-believers.
Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let
your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know
how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:5-6