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“The heart of the wise instructs his mouth,
and adds learning to his lips.”
— Proverbs 16:23
“A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
— Proverbs 15:1
These two verses together form a central principle of Scripture:
**The state of your heart determines the power of your words,
and your words shape the atmosphere of your life.**
The Bible makes a direct connection between your inner life (the heart) and your outward speech (the mouth). No area of life is neutral. Your words are either instruments of wisdom or tools of destruction. They either turn away wrath or stir up anger. They either agree with the Spirit of God or cooperate—often unknowingly—with the powers of darkness.
Scripture does not treat words as light or trivial. Jesus said:
> “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
> — Matthew 12:37
So we must ask:
What is in our heart?
From what source are our words flowing?
And how do we come into alignment with the wisdom of God in our speech?
Let us look at what the Word of God says.
---
These verses come from the book of Proverbs, largely attributed to King Solomon, the son of David. Solomon was given a unique gift from God:
> “Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart…”
> — 1 Kings 3:12
Proverbs is not a collection of religious slogans. It is divinely inspired wisdom for practical daily living. It addresses money, relationships, authority, emotions, speech, work, integrity, and the fear of the Lord.
### Who was speaking?
In Proverbs 16:23 and Proverbs 15:1, the speaker is Solomon, but the wisdom is not merely human. It is the Spirit of God instructing His people in how to live skillfully. We are not dealing with suggestions. We are dealing with spiritual laws—God’s built-in principles for how life functions.
### What was the situation?
Israel in Solomon’s time was a flourishing kingdom. There was prosperity, peace, and influence. But God understood that the greatest threats to His people would not always come from foreign armies. Often the greatest damage would come from within—from foolishness, pride, unrestrained anger, and careless speech.
You see a consistent theme in Proverbs:
> “Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
> and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
> — Proverbs 18:21
Solomon is training God’s people to live as wise men and women in the fear of the Lord. These two verses—Proverbs 16:23 and 15:1—stand as pillars of that training.
They tell us:
1. Where wise speech comes from – the heart.
2. What wise speech accomplishes – it turns away wrath rather than stir up anger.
Your tongue is the steering wheel of your life (cf. James 3:4–6). These verses show you how to place that steering wheel under the control of godly wisdom instead of human impulse.
---
To understand these verses deeply, we need to look at two key Hebrew words.
### 1. “Heart” – לֵב (lev)
“The heart of the wise instructs his mouth…”
— Proverbs 16:23
The Hebrew word here is לֵב (lev).
In the Bible, “heart” does not mean mere emotion. It is the inner person—the seat of:
Proverbs 4:23 says:
> “Keep your heart with all diligence,
> for out of it spring the issues of life.”
So when Scripture speaks of “the heart of the wise,” it means:
The inner life of a person who fears God, submits to His Word, and aligns his thoughts and desires with God’s wisdom.
This heart “instructs his mouth.”
That is, your inner life becomes your teacher. The word translated “instructs” has the sense of training, guiding, correcting.
The wise person does not speak impulsively. His words have passed through the filter of a God-trained heart.
### 2. “Gentle” – רַךְ (rakh)
“A gentle answer turns away wrath…”
— Proverbs 15:1
The Hebrew word for “gentle” is רַךְ (rakh).
It means:
This does not mean weak. It means controlled strength. A soft answer is an answer that has passed through humility. It is not self-defensive. It is not driven by pride or the need to be right.
Such a soft answer “turns away” wrath. The Hebrew verb here has the meaning of causing something to turn back or recede. Wrath approaches like a storm front, but a gentle answer diverts it, deflects it, turns it away.
On the other hand,
“a harsh word” (literally, “painful, grievous, hurtful”) “stirs up” anger.
It does not create peace. It agitates the situation like a stick thrust into a hornet’s nest.
So we see:
These words show us that:
---
Let us now take the lyrics line by line and examine them in the light of Scripture.
### “The heart of the wise instructs his mouth,
and adds learning to his lips.”
This is a direct quotation of Proverbs 16:23.
#### a) “The heart of the wise…”
We must first define the wise. In Proverbs, the wise person is not primarily the intellectually brilliant. The wise person is one who:
> “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…”
> — Proverbs 9:10
Wisdom begins with a right attitude toward God:
Without the fear of the Lord, human cleverness becomes deception.
James contrasts two kinds of wisdom:
> “This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
> But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits…”
> — James 3:15, 17
So when Proverbs speaks of “the heart of the wise,” it is referring to a person whose inner life is governed by the fear of the Lord and the wisdom that comes from above.
#### b) “…instructs his mouth…”
Notice the order:
First the heart, then the mouth.
Jesus said:
> “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
> — Matthew 12:34
Your mouth never speaks in isolation. It is the overflow of your inner reservoir. The heart is like a storage tank; the mouth is the outlet.
If you want to change your speech, you must first change your heart. You cannot permanently fix your words while leaving your inner life untouched.
The wise person allows his heart—shaped by God’s Word and Spirit—to instruct his mouth:
The foolish person reverses this order. He lets the mouth instruct the heart—he speaks first, repents later. He follows his impulses and emotions, then suffers the consequences.
Proverbs warns:
> “A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
> and his lips are the snare of his soul.”
> — Proverbs 18:7
#### c) “…and adds learning to his lips.”
The Hebrew word for “learning” here includes the idea of teaching, discipline, correction.
The wise heart adds—that is, increases, multiplies, enriches—what comes from the lips.
The more a person yields to God’s wisdom, the more weight, authority, and accuracy his words carry. His speech becomes:
Paul speaks similarly:
> “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt,
> that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”
> — Colossians 4:6
The Spirit-trained heart adds something to the lips—grace, wisdom, authority.
The lyrics repeat this line. That repetition is not accidental. It presses the point:
You cannot bypass the heart. If you want wise lips, you must have a wise heart.
---
### “A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
This is Proverbs 15:1.
Here we move from the source of words (the heart) to the effect of words (what they produce in others).
#### a) “A gentle answer…”
Note: It says “answer,” not “silence.” There is a time to be silent (Ecclesiastes 3:7), but here we are taught how to respond when there is tension or potential conflict.
The key feature of the answer is gentleness (rakh).
This is not weakness. This is self-control under the Holy Spirit.
The New Testament describes the fruit of the Spirit:
> “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
> — Galatians 5:22–23
Gentleness is not the absence of conviction. It is conviction expressed without aggression, pride, or provocation.
Paul tells Timothy:
> “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all,
> able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition…”
> — 2 Timothy 2:24–25
This is the spirit of Proverbs 15:1 in New Testament terms.
#### b) “…turns away wrath…”
Wrath is like a fire. It seeks fuel.
A gentle answer has a spiritual effect: it deflects wrath. It does not simply keep you calm; it changes the atmosphere of the interaction.
This is a principle of spiritual warfare in relationships. When someone approaches you in anger, there is more at work than just human emotion. Often, spiritual forces of strife and division are pushing, seeking entry.
If you respond in kind—with harshness—you give those forces a foothold. If you respond with Spirit-led gentleness, you shut the door.
Romans 12:21 expresses the same principle:
> “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
The gentle answer is good overcoming evil in speech.
#### c) “But a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Whereas gentle words turn anger away, harsh words stir it up. The Hebrew picture is of something that is agitated, aroused, made to boil.
We must recognize:
Harsh words are not just unfortunate. They are dangerous.
James 3:6 says:
> “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity…
> and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.”
Hell seeks to use your tongue as a match. A harsh word can ignite anger, division, broken relationships, even violence. Many homes, churches, and marriages have been devastated because of one pattern: harsh words stirring up anger.
The lyrics repeat both verses:
This repetition itself is instructive:
1. The heart must be wise.
2. The lips must be trained.
3. The response must be gentle.
4. Or else anger will be stirred.
It is a cycle of wisdom versus a cycle of destruction.
---
### Spiritual Realities Behind These Verses
1. Words are spiritual containers.
They carry either life or death (Proverbs 18:21). They are not mere sounds; they are vehicles of blessing or cursing.
2. The tongue can be a weapon or a tool of healing.
3. The enemy targets your mouth.
If Satan can move you to speak out of anger, fear, pride, or bitterness, he can multiply harm far beyond the initial problem.
4. The Holy Spirit also targets your mouth.
At Pentecost, the first member of the body that the Holy Spirit took control of was the tongue (Acts 2:3–4). God wants to make your tongue an instrument of righteousness.
These verses call us to yield our hearts and our mouths to the Lordship of Christ.
---
We must not be content with knowledge. Wisdom in Scripture is always practical. Here are some steps and proclamations to help you walk in this truth.
### First, we must submit our heart to God’s Word.
If the heart instructs the mouth, then the heart must first be instructed by the Word.
Proclamation 1:
“I submit my heart to the authority of God’s Word. I choose the fear of the Lord. I receive His wisdom in the inner parts.”
### Second, we must invite the Holy Spirit to govern our tongue.
Self-effort alone cannot tame the tongue. James says:
> “No man can tame the tongue.”
> — James 3:8
But what man cannot do, the Holy Spirit can.
Proclamation 2:
“My tongue belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit, set a guard over my mouth and keep watch over the door of my lips.”
### Third, we must practice gentle answers intentionally.
Gentleness does not happen automatically. It is a discipline of the new nature.
Remember, you are not just trying to “win an argument.” You are seeking to “turn away wrath” and honor God.
Proclamation 3:
“I choose a soft answer. I renounce harsh, bitter, and cutting speech. My mouth will be used to speak life, not death.”
### Fourth, we must repent of past misuse of our words and break their effects.
Many believers are living under the consequences of their own words—or the words of others spoken over them. Harsh, angry, or careless words can become like curses.
We must:
Proclamation 4:
“Lord, I repent for every harsh, angry, and destructive word I have spoken. I ask You to forgive me and cleanse me. In the name of Jesus, I cancel the negative effects of my words and of words spoken against me that are not from You. I choose to speak in line with Your truth.”
---
### Proclamation (Confessing the Word Aloud)
Speak this out clearly and deliberately:
“I confess that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom in my life.
The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.
Therefore, I yield my heart to the wisdom of God, and I yield my mouth to the Holy Spirit.
Death and life are in the power of my tongue,
so I choose to speak life, truth, and blessing.
A gentle answer turns away wrath,
so I refuse harsh and angry words.
My tongue will not stir up anger, division, or strife.
My heart is being filled with the Word of God,
and my lips are being trained by His wisdom.
From this day forward, my speech will glorify God,
edify others, and align with the truth of Scripture.
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
I dedicate my heart and my mouth to the purposes of God. Amen.”
### Prayer
“Father, in the name of Jesus, I come to You as one who needs Your wisdom. Your Word declares that the heart of the wise instructs his mouth and adds learning to his lips. I ask You to make my heart wise. Fill my inner life with the fear of the Lord, with Your Word, and with the Holy Spirit.
Lord Jesus, I confess that my tongue has often been used wrongly. I repent for every harsh word, every angry outburst, every cutting remark, every lie, every complaint, and every word that did not reflect Your character. I ask You to cleanse me by Your blood.
Holy Spirit, I invite You now: take control of my tongue. Set a guard over my mouth and keep watch at the door of my lips. Teach me to answer gently, to speak truth in love, to bless and not curse. When wrath approaches me, give me a soft answer that turns it away. When my flesh wants to react, let Your Spirit restrain and rule me from within.
Father, I ask that You reverse and heal the damage caused by my careless words in my home, in my marriage, in my family, in my church, and in my relationships. Bring restoration where my speech has wounded others. Let my tongue from now on be an instrument of peace, healing, and righteousness.
I receive Your wisdom. I receive Your correction. I receive Your grace.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
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