Keeping Your Mouth and Tongue - Proverbs 21:23

In the book of Proverbs Solomon said, “A wise man scales the city of the mighty, and casts down the strength of the confidence thereof”, and in chapter twenty-one and verse twenty-three of Proverbs Solomon shared about, “whoso keeps his mouth and his tongue” where we read,

Whoso keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

The verse begins, “Whoso keeps his mouth and his tongue ...” Solomon began with the words, “whoso keeps his mouth” or “whatever person whether male or female who watches over, guards and protects their orifice in the face used for eating, drinking and speaking” “and his tongue” which means “and the person's wedge in the mouth used for speaking” does the following. Solomon referred to the person who watches over what they say and has the following results. 

The verse goes on to say, “... keeps his soul from troubles.” Solomon continued with the words, “keeps his soul” or “watches over, guards and protect their own personal heart, mind, will, desires, living being, conscience and seat of emotions and passions” “from troubles” which means “separate and apart from straits, distresses, vexations, anguishes, adversities and afflictions”. Solomon said the guarded “mouth and tongue” protects and watches over the heart, mind and will of a person. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we discover through Solomon how important it is for us to watch what we say. Our “souls” depend upon it. King David said, “death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof”. (See Psalms 18:21) Jesus said, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (See Matthew 12:34), and because God loves us, He sent His Only Begotten Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for our sins. When we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us the ability to “guard our mouths and tongues” and preserve our “souls” from afflictions while doing so.

Next time Solomon says, “proud and haughty scorner is his name”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".