Psalms 37:30
in Psalms 37The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The mouth of the righteous talketh of wisdom, And his tongue speaketh justice.
KJV
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
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This verse in Psalms 37
Commentary
16 notes on this verseLet us speak the Lord Jesus, for he is wisdom. He is the Word, the very Word of God. Does not Scripture say, "Open your mouth to the word of God"? Echo his speech, meditate his words, and you will breathe Jesus. When we speak of wisdom, it is he.… When we speak of truth and life and redemption, it is he.
This site's exposition
Turn away from evil
on Psalms 37:27-33
The command is to turn away from evil and do good, with abiding forever attached to it as the promise. The law of his God sits in his heart. The LORD loves justice and does not leave the righteous in the power of those who lie in wait for them.
This site's exposition
his tongue speaks justice
Spurgeon read this verse as the test by which the righteous can be known, since the mouth betrays the heart. Matthew Henry heard in justice the word and providence of God. Augustine pictured the righteous man turning wisdom over in his mouth, like bread he feeds on.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Ambrose of MilanCommentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms · Written before 397.
proposed
(Verse 30 and following) When he established the just moral disciplines, to teach you what kind you ought to be, and what would be the perfect form of justice; he wants his mind to rise to wisdom and theorems; and arouse his intention, so that he may look at heavenly things with an attentive heart, and revolve the divine oracles within himself, and direct his affection towards those things which please God: let him meditate on the Law, and let no commandments of the Lord escape him; let him recognize the movement of the divine Sacrament. Finally, I saw in the teachings that the holy Prophet arose: The mouth of the just man will meditate wisdom, and his tongue will speak judgment. The law of God is in his heart; the Lord will not condemn him when he is judged. Wait for the Lord and keep his way; and he will exalt you to possess the land: when sinners are destroyed, you will see. I saw the wicked man exalted and lifted up above the cedars of Lebanon; and I passed by, and behold, he was no more; and I sought him, but his place was not found. Superior moral things, these are intelligible. For what is the just mouth that will contemplate wisdom, if not the inner man? For there are two men in each person: one inner, the other outer; the inner one thinks about things of the mind, speaks about things of the mind; the outer one about things of the body. However, the coming Lord united both; and he established two in one person; so that they would not oppose each other with conflicting movements, but rather be united to each other by the unity of their wills. Therefore, the mouth of the righteous will meditate wisdom. For now even the outer man of the righteous is transformed into the discipline of the inner man, and is conformed to its nature, and performs its duties, so that the flesh may meditate on what is of the inner mind. […]
The just, when he speaks God's judgment or when he himself utters opinions that are just and full of wisdom, never speaks in an angry, passionate way. He does not speak in bitterness of soul; he does not speak from anguish, grievance or any passion. He simply speaks out the truth and states what is honest, just and fair. He weighs things not according to personal feelings but according to truth. He carefully considers what things should be said and what should not be said. He is like the one of whom it is said, "The lips of the wise shall be bound by good sense." All that the wise say will be seen to accord with sound common sense; and such people, guided by their own prudence, understand well when they ought to remain silent. Matters that ought to be kept silent they keep confined to their own bosom and imprisoned, so to speak, by tightly closed lips. But when something ought to be said, then they loosen the bonds of their lips and come out with what they must say. Therefore the prophet aptly said, "The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom."
"The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom" (ver. 30). See here is that "bread." Observe with what satisfaction this righteous man feedeth upon it; how he turns wisdom over and over in his mouth. "And his tongue talketh of judgment."
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 9 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
"The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgment." A just judge is one who is moved by just zeal, approves all good things and condemns evil things: but he who does not have right zeal cannot judge well. Love …
"The mouth of the just shall meditate." Here he shows that the goods of the just are greater with regard to the exercise of virtue, because the unjust have a mouth prone to evil. First, therefore, he treats of the spiritual goods of the just. …
8 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
His tongue talks not of things idle and impertinent, but of judgment, that is, of the word and providence of God and the rules of wisdom for the right ordering of the conversation. Out of the abundance of a good heart will the mouth speak that which is good and to the use of edifying.
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom,....
The law of God must be a commanding ruling principle in the heart; it must be a light there, a spring there, and then the conversation will be regular and uniform: None of his steps will slide; it will effectually prevent backsliding into sin, and the uneasiness that follows from it. What is assured to us, as instances of our happiness and comfort, upon these conditions.
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom. Where the whole Psalm is dedicated to a description of the different fates of the just and the wicked, it was meet to give a test by which they could be known. A man's tongue is no ill index of his character. The mouth betrays the heart. Good men, as a rule, speak that which is to edifying, sound speech, religious conversation, consistent with the divine illumination which they have received. Righteousness is wisdom in action, hence all good men are practically wise men, and well may the speech be wise.
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom. Where the whole Psalm is dedicated to a description of the different fates of the just and the wicked, it was meet to give a test by which they could be known. A man's tongue is no ill index of his character. The mouth betrays the heart. Good men, as a rule, speak that which is to edifying, sound speech, religious conversation, consistent with the divine illumination which they have received. Righteousness is wisdom in action, hence all good men are practically wise men, and well may the speech be wise. His tongue talketh of judgment. He advocates justice, gives an honest verdict on things and men, and he foretells that God's judgments will come upon the wicked, as in the former days. His talk is neither foolish nor ribald, neither vapid nor profane. Our conversation is of far more consequence than some men imagine.
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom. Where the whole Psalm is dedicated to a description of the different fates of the just and the wicked, it was meet to give a test by which they could be known. A man's tongue is no ill index of his character. The mouth betrays the heart. Good men, as a rule, speak that which is to edifying, sound speech, religious conversation, consistent with the divine illumination which they have received. Righteousness is wisdom in action, hence all good men are practically wise men, and well may the speech be wise.
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom - Foolish and corrupt conversation cannot come out of their mouth. They are taught of God, and they speak according to the wisdom that is from above.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom - That is, It is a characteristic of the righteous to speak “wise things;” not to utter folly. His conversation is serious, earnest, true, pure; and his words are faithful, kind, and just. This, as a part of human conduct, is one of the reasons why God will bless him with prosperity and length of days. And his tongue talketh of judgment - That is, of just or righteous things. See Mat 12:35.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| פִּֽי־ | pi- | [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| צַ֭דִּיק | tzadik | [the] righteous | H6662 → | 206 times |
| יֶהְגֶּ֣ה | yehgeh | it utters | H1897 → | 25 times |
| חָכְמָ֑ה | chokhmah | wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
| וּ֝לְשׁוֹנ֗וֹ | uleshono | and tongue his | H3956 → | 117 times |
| תְּדַבֵּ֥ר | tedaber | it speaks | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ | mishpat | justice | H4941 → | 422 times |
פִּֽי־[the] mouth of
pi-H6310 →498 times
צַ֭דִּיק[the] righteous
tzadikH6662 →206 times
יֶהְגֶּ֣הit utters
yehgehH1897 →25 times
חָכְמָ֑הwisdom
chokhmahH2451 →153 times
וּ֝לְשׁוֹנ֗וֹand tongue his
uleshonoH3956 →117 times
תְּדַבֵּ֥רit speaks
tedaberH1696 →1141 times
מִשְׁפָּֽט׃justice
mishpatH4941 →422 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 4:29Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 10:12
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Colossians 4:6
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
- Proverbs 15:7
The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but not so the hearts of fools.
- Colossians 3:8–9
But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
- Ecclesiastes 10:12
Through
Colossians 4:6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
- 1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and…
- Mark 9:50
Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
- Ephesians 4:29
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, COMMENTARY ON TWELVE PSALMS 37:65; Ambrose of Milan, Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms; Ambrose of Milan, COMMENTARY ON TWELVE PSALMS 37:68; Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 37; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 9; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.