Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies.
Parallel Translations
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Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies.
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Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
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(34-14) Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Cross-references (19)
Passages linked to Psalms 34:13 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- James 3:5-10 So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest! And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna. For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind; but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God. Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
- Psalms 141:3 Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips.
- Proverbs 21:23 Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.
- 1 Peter 2:22 who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.”
- Colossians 3:9 Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings,
- James 1:19 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;
- James 1:26 If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless.
- Proverbs 13:3 He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
- Psalms 39:1 I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.”
- James 3:2 For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn’t stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also.
- Proverbs 12:19 Truth’s lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only momentary.
- Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to Yahweh, but those who do the truth are his delight.
- Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.
- Matthew 12:35-37 The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things. I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
- 1 Peter 2:1 Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,
- Psalms 55:11 Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets.
- Proverbs 19:9 A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish.
- Revelation 14:4-5 These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. In their mouth was found no lie, for they are blameless.
- Isaiah 63:8 For he said, “Surely, they are my people, children who will not deal falsely;” so he became their Savior.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 13. Keep thy tongue from evil The precept which…
13. Keep thy tongue from evil The precept which David here delivers relates to a virtue which is very rare, namely, that we should be truthful and free from deceit in our discourse. Some, indeed, understand it in a much more extended sense, supposing that slander is condemned in this first clause. But it seems to me more simple, and more to the purpose, to understand this as of the same import with what he repeats in the second clause, that we should not speak deceitfully with our neighbors, so as that our words may prove the means of ensnaring them. And since nothing is more difficult than to regulate our discourse in such a manner as that our speech may be a true representation of our hearts, David calls upon us to exercise over it a strict and watchful control, not suffering it to run riot, lest it should prove the occasion of our deceiving others.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 34:13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy…
Psa 34:13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Ver. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil, &c.] This is a hard saying, think the most; who will therefore rather venture it than yield to be so tied up. The tongue is an unruly member, and can hardly be hampered. But who would not temper his tongue, and bind it to the good abearance, for true blessedness? Who would not rather bite it off, and spit it out (as that ancient martyr did his, into the face of the tyrant, who solicited him to deny Christ), than miss heaven? Ficinus after his tract De sanitate tuenda, of keeping good health; and another, of recovering health; and a third, of prolonging life; because all will not do, wisely addeth a fourth, of laying hold on eternal life; which cannot be done but by mortifying this earthly member, a loose and lewd tongue. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned, saith the Judge himself, Mat 12:37 : compare Gen 49:21, with Deu 33:23, and it will appear that good words ingratiate with God and men.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain From evil; from all manner of evil-speaking, from all…
From evil; from all manner of evil-speaking, from all opprobrious, injurious, false, and deceitful speeches; which, though men commonly use to ease and gratify their own minds, or to compass their designs, do frequently fall upon their own heads, by provoking both God and men against them.
Guile; or guileful words, contrary to thy intentions, and with a purpose of deceiving men by them.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Keep thy tongue from evil,.... This, and what follows…
Keep thy tongue from evil,.... This, and what follows in this verse and Psa 34:14, point at the things wherein the fear of God shows itself; and suggest, that those who have it, and which is known by these fruits, shall enjoy the desirable and good days before mentioned. The tongue is an instrument of much evil, an unruly member, and needs restraint; and it is from evil, and not from good, it is to be kept; from evil speaking of God, from cursing and swearing; from evil speaking of men, reproaching and reviling them; from filthy speaking, from all obscene and unchaste words, and from all lying ones; for where such evil speaking is indulged, the fear of God cannot be in that man;
and thy lips from speaking guile; hypocritical and deceitful words, speaking with flattering lips and a double heart: some speak bad words in common conversation, through an evil habit and custom; and some speak good words with an ill design; and in neither of them is the fear of God before their eyes, nor in their hearts.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Evil - From all manner of evil speaking, from…
Evil - From all manner of evil speaking, from all injurious, false and deceitful speeches.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Psa 34:13-14. Keep thy tongue from evil — From…
Psa 34:13-14. Keep thy tongue from evil — From all manner of evil speaking, from all injurious, false, and deceitful speeches; and thy lips from speaking guile — Or, guileful words, contrary to truth and sincerity, and the real thoughts and intentions of thy heart, and used with a purpose of deceiving others by them. Depart from evil — From all sin, and especially from all wicked, and injurious acts and practices against thy neighbour. And do good — Be ready to perform all good and friendly offices to all men, as thou hast opportunity. Seek peace — Study, by all possible means, to live peaceably and quietly with all men, avoiding grudges, debates, dissensions, strifes, and enmities; and pursue it — Do not only embrace it gladly, when it is offered, but follow hard after it, when it seems to flee away from thee, and use all possible endeavours by fair and kind words, by condescensions, and by the mediation or assistance of others to recover it, and to compose all differences, which may arise between thee and others.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Keep thy tongue from evil - From speaking wrong…
Keep thy tongue from evil - From speaking wrong things. Always give utterance to truth, and truth alone. The meaning is, that this is one of the methods of lengthening out life. To love the truth; to speak the truth; to avoid all falsehood, slander, and deceit, will contribute to this, or will be a means which will tend to prolong life, and to make it happy.
And thy lips from speaking guile - Deceit. Do not “deceive” others by your words. Do not make any statements which are not true, or any promises which you cannot and will not keep. Do not flatter others; and do not give utterance to slander. Be a man characterized by the love of truth: and let all your words convey truth, and truth only. It cannot be doubted that this, like all other virtues, would tend to lengthen life, and to make it prosperous and peaceful. There is no vice which does not tend to abridge human life, as there is no virtue which does not tend to lengthen it. But probably the specific idea here is, that the way to avoid the hostility of other people, and to secure their favor and friendship, is to deal with them truly, and thus to live in peace with them. It is true, also, that God will bless a life of virtue and uprightness, and though there is no absolute certainty that anyone, however virtuous he may be, may not be cut off in early life, yet it is also true that, other things being equal, a man of truth and integrity will be more likely to live long - (as he will be more certain to make the most of life) - than one who is false and corrupt.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Sins of thought included in those of speech (Luk…
Sins of thought included in those of speech (Luk 6:45), avoiding evil and doing good in our relations to men are based on a right relation to God.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 13. Keep] Guard. Cp. Pro_13:3 (R.V.); Pro_21:23; Psa_39:1; Jas_3:2…
13. Keep] Guard. Cp. Pro_13:3 (R.V.); Pro_21:23; Psa_39:1; Jas_3:2 ff.
guile] Deceit. Cp. Psa_35:20; Psa_36:3.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from…
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. If the end be happiness, the means will be right moral conduct; and, first of all, right government of the tongue. Sins of the tongue are numerous, and abundantly noted in the Psalms. (Psa_5:9 Psa_10:7 Psa_12:3 Psa_15:3 Psa_57:4 Psa_73:8, Psa_73:9, etc.) They are more difficult to avoid than any others; they cling closer to us; they are scarcely ever wholly laid aside. "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body". (Jam_3:2) The meek Moses "spake unadvisedly with his lips". (Psa_106:33) Job "darkened counsel by words without knowledge". (Job_38:2) St. Peter"s words on one occasion drew upon him the rebuke, "Get thee behind me, Satan". (Mat_16:23)
Here are three great things.
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I A GREAT GIFT. Speech is one of our highest endowments. It enables us to utter our thoughts and to converse one with another. Man"s advancement in knowledge and virtue has mainly followed from his possessing this faculty. There have been many ingenious speculations as to how speech has been obtained, but it is enough for us to say that it is from God. When we see a dumb man, we may learn the worth from the want, and should bless God for his goodness in having given us this noble gift.
II A GREAT PERIL. The best things may be turned to bad uses. So with the tongue. If rightly used, it is a great blessing; if wrongly used, it is a great curse. "Evil" and "guile" are the common ways in which speech is abused, much to the hurt of the speaker and of the hearers. There is thus not only great waste, but manifold and great evils. "Life and death are in the power of the tongue". (Pro_18:21)
III A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT. It is possible to "keep" the tongue. To do this we must go back from the tongue to the heart. (Pro_4:23) When the heart is right, the tongue will be right also. (Mat_12:33, Mat_12:34) Such mastery can only be acquired by earnest effort and patience and loving contemplation of Christ. St. James says he who has attained to this rare power is a "perfect man". W.F. (Jam_3:5, Jam_3:6)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil. Guard with…
Ver. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil. Guard with careful diligence that dangerous member, the tongue, lest it utter evil, for that evil will recoil upon thee, and mar the enjoyment of thy life. Men cannot spit forth poison without feeling some of the venom burning their own flesh. And thy lips from speaking guile. Deceit must be very earnestly avoided by the man who desires happiness. A crafty schemer lives like a spy in the enemy's camp, in constant fear of exposure and execution. Clean and honest conversation, by keeping the conscience at ease, promotes happiness, but lying and wicked talk stuffs our pillow with thorns, and makes life a constant whirl of fear and shame. David had tried the tortuous policy, but he here denounces it, and begs others as they would live long and well to avoid with care the doubtful devices of guile.
Ver. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil, etc. Ficinus, after his tracts, De sanitate tuenda, of keeping good health; and another, of recovering health; and a third, of prolonging life; because all will not do, wisely addeth a fourth, of laying hold on eternal life; which cannot be done but by mortifying this earthly member, a loose and lewd tongue. "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned, "saith the Judge himself. Mt 12:37. Compare Ge 49:21, with De 33:23, and it will appear that good words ingratiate with God and man. John Trapp.
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Ver. 13. And thy lips from speaking guile. Perhaps David is warning us that we speak no guile, reflects upon his own sin in changing his behaviour. They that truly repent of what they have done amiss, will warn others to take heed in doing likewise. Matthew Henry.
Ver. 13. Sins of the tongue--their mischief, their cause, and their cure.
Psalms 34:14*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 34:13 Godly people control their words; speaking evil and…
34:13 Godly people control their words; speaking evil and telling lies are foolish (see 10:7; cp. 17:1).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.