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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 form the backbone of the lyrics you have presented. They are short, but they open up a vast area of spiritual reality. They touch three central themes:
1. The heart
2. The mouth
3. The consequences of our words
Scripture consistently reveals that the mouth is not an independent instrument. It is an overflow pipe of the heart. Jesus said:
> “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
> — Matthew 12:34
So when the Bible talks about “the heart of the wise instructing his mouth,” it is describing a spiritual process: the inner life governing the outer expression. And when it tells us that “a gentle answer turns away wrath,” it reveals the spiritual power of words either to calm or to inflame, to heal or to wound, to open a door to God or to Satan.
In many areas of spiritual warfare, believers lose the battle not because of demons out there, but because of undisciplined words in here. The tongue becomes either a weapon for God or a weapon against His purposes.
These verses, repeated in the lyrics, are not merely moral advice. They are instructions for spiritual survival and spiritual effectiveness.
Let us look at what the Word of God says.
---
Both Proverbs 16:23 and Proverbs 15:1 come from the book of Proverbs, most of which is attributed to King Solomon, the man whom God endowed with extraordinary wisdom.
> “And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.”
> — 1 Kings 4:29
Solomon ruled over Israel at a time of peace, prosperity, and influence. Yet in the midst of military strength and national success, God’s focus was not merely on armies or wealth, but on character and speech.
These proverbs are part of a collection of short, concentrated statements of divine wisdom. They were designed to be remembered, recited, and applied. This is why they are so brief and so pointed. They function almost like spiritual “laws” governing cause and effect in human relationships and in spiritual realities.
### Who is speaking?
Primarily, it is Solomon, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. But behind Solomon stands the Spirit of wisdom Himself. Proverbs personifies wisdom as a voice crying out, calling men and women to live in the fear of the Lord.
> “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
> and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
> — Proverbs 9:10
So, when Solomon speaks about the heart and the mouth, he is not merely sharing human psychology. He is revealing how God designed human communication to function under divine order.
### What was the situation?
Israel lived in a real world of conflict, tension, and high-stakes decisions. Kings negotiated, leaders commanded, families disagreed, neighbors offended one another. Words could make peace or provoke war. They could preserve a kingdom or destroy it.
In that context, Proverbs 15:1 is intensely practical:
> “A gentle answer turns away wrath,
> but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Here we see a situation of confrontation—someone is angry, tension is high, wrath is present. At that critical moment, the Scripture reveals that the outcome is not predetermined. The direction can be changed. How? By a “gentle answer.” In Hebrew, the word used suggests something soft, tender, not abrasive.
Proverbs 16:23, however, moves a step deeper:
> “The heart of the wise instructs his mouth,
> and adds learning to his lips.”
This speaks of preparation. Before the moment of confrontation, before the words are spoken, something has been happening in the heart. The wise person does not let his mouth run ahead of his heart. His heart “instructs” his mouth.
In other words:
Proverbs 15:1 shows the moment of conflict.
Proverbs 16:23 shows the lifestyle that prepares you for that moment.
---
To understand these truths more deeply, we will look at two key words: “heart” and “gentle answer.”
### 1. “Heart” – לֵב (lev)
“The heart of the wise instructs his mouth…”
— Proverbs 16:23
The Hebrew word here is lev. In the Bible, the “heart” is not limited to emotions. It is the inner core of a person—the center of thought, will, conscience, and desire. It includes:
So when the Scripture speaks of “the heart of the wise,” it is referring to an inner life that has been shaped by the fear of the Lord and the knowledge of His ways.
The heart is the control center of speech. This is why:
> “Keep your heart with all diligence,
> for out of it spring the issues of life.”
> — Proverbs 4:23
If your heart is not governed, your mouth will not be governed. If your heart is wise, your mouth will be wise.
### 2. “Gentle answer” – רַךְ מַעֲנֶה (rakh ma’aneh)
“A gentle answer turns away wrath…”
— Proverbs 15:1
“Gentle” here translates the Hebrew word rakh, which means “soft, tender, delicate, not hard or severe.” It does not imply weakness or compromise. It refers to the manner, the tone, the softness of approach.
“Answer” is ma’aneh, from a root that means “to respond, to reply.” So we are dealing not with silence, but with a response—yet a soft response.
This is very important:
The Bible does not say, “No answer turns away wrath,” but “a gentle answer.” There is speech, but the kind of speech is crucial.
So we can paraphrase:
“A soft, tender, non-hard reply causes wrath to turn aside, to be diverted from its course.”
The opposite, “a harsh word,” uses a term that means “painful, grievous, hard, offensive.” Such words are not neutral; they stir up, arouse, and inflame anger. They energize strife.
Now, apply this to the repeated lyrics:
> “A gentle answer turns away wrath,
> but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
The repetition underscores that we are dealing with a law of spiritual cause and effect:
This is not mood or accident. It is spiritual principle.
---
The lyrics:
> The heart of the wise instructs his mouth,
> and adds learning to his lips.
> A gentle answer turns away wrath,
> but a harsh word stirs up anger.
> The heart of the wise instructs his mouth,
> and adds learning to his lips.
> A gentle answer turns away wrath,
> but a harsh word stirs up anger.
The song simply repeats God’s Word, but that is often the most powerful form of teaching. Let us take the themes one by one.
### A. “The heart of the wise instructs his mouth”
Here we have three elements:
1. The heart – the inner life
2. Wisdom – alignment with God’s perspective
3. Instruction of the mouth – governance of speech
#### 1. The heart as the root
Jesus confirms this principle:
> “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
Whatever fills your heart in abundance will eventually come out of your mouth. This is unavoidable. Religious language can cover it for a time, but when pressure comes, your words will reveal what is really inside.
Therefore, the key to wise speech is not merely technique, but transformation of the heart.
#### 2. The wise heart
Wisdom in Scripture begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10). The wise heart is a heart that has surrendered to God’s authority, that values His Word above personal opinion, and that is teachable.
Such a heart:
#### 3. Instructs his mouth
“Instructs” implies discipline, training, correction. The wise person does not allow his mouth to run wild. His heart gives commands to his mouth. His inner convictions set boundaries on his speech.
This means there is a process inside you:
The fool reverses this:
> “A fool vents all his feelings,
> but a wise man holds them back.”
> — Proverbs 29:11
The wise person says inside:
“I feel angry, but I will not let my mouth be ruled by this anger. I will speak only what is right before God.”
This is one of the central areas of spiritual warfare. Many believers are defeated not in their doctrine, but in their everyday speech. Our speech can open doors:
James says:
> “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.”
> — James 3:6
Notice that phrase: “set on fire by hell.” When our speech is uncontrolled—harsh, bitter, deceitful—it can become an instrument for satanic purposes. This is why wise believers must allow their hearts to instruct their mouths before words are spoken.
### B. “And adds learning to his lips”
“Learning” here can also mean “insight, teaching, instruction.” The lips of the wise are not merely restrained; they are enriched. Their speech carries content, understanding, and grace.
Compare:
> “The lips of the righteous feed many…”
> — Proverbs 10:21
> “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”
> — Colossians 4:6
When the heart is filled with God’s Word, the lips speak words that:
So, in the lyrics, when we repeat, “and adds learning to his lips,” we are declaring that our speech is not aimless. It is a channel of divine wisdom, if our hearts are under God’s discipline.
### C. “A gentle answer turns away wrath”
Now we move from inner preparation to outward interaction.
In this line, we see the spiritual power of response. It does not say, “A gentle answer makes God happier.” It says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath.” The primary effect is in the situation, the other person, the atmosphere.
This is an important spiritual principle: your words can redirect emotional and spiritual currents.
Wrath is like a river flowing with great force. A gentle answer alters its course. It is as if wrath is heading straight toward conflict, but a soft response causes it to bend aside.
This aligns with New Testament instruction:
> “Repay no one evil for evil… If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
> — Romans 12:17–18
> “…speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.”
> — Ephesians 4:15
Notice: we still speak truth. We do not deny reality. But the *manner* is gentle, not aggressive. This is not natural; it is supernatural. It requires the Holy Spirit.
By speaking gently when attacked, we refuse to let the flesh govern our tongue. We choose the cross. We deny self. We align with Christ, who:
> “…when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten…”
> — 1 Peter 2:23
### D. “But a harsh word stirs up anger”
The second half of Proverbs 15:1 reveals the opposite power. “Stirs up” describes agitation, awakening, arousing. Harsh words act like a stick stirring a pot of boiling water. The boiling was there, but the stirring increases its intensity, causes it to overflow.
Harsh words:
Now, connect this to spiritual warfare.
Where there is unresolved anger, there is an opening for the enemy:
> “Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.”
> — Ephesians 4:26–27
“Give place” means give a foothold, a legal ground. Harsh words that prolong and deepen anger can literally create a landing place for demonic activity—in homes, in marriages, in churches.
So, we can summarize:
### E. The Repetition in the Lyrics
The lyrics repeat:
> The heart of the wise instructs his mouth,
> and adds learning to his lips.
> A gentle answer turns away wrath,
> but a harsh word stirs up anger.
This repetition serves as meditation. Scripture often uses repetition to engrave truth in our hearts (see Psalm 136).
By repeating these lines, we are:
There is a spiritual law here: what you repeatedly confess from the Word renews your mind and retrains your inner life.
---
The Bible is not satisfied with theory. These truths must shape how we live and speak. Here are four practical steps.
### 1. First, we must submit our hearts to God’s wisdom
Since the mouth is governed by the heart, the first step is not “try to talk nicer,” but “bring your heart under God’s authority.”
Pray Psalm 139:23–24:
> “Search me, O God, and know my heart;
> try me, and know my anxieties;
> and see if there is any wicked way in me,
> and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Then, begin to fill your heart with God’s wisdom—especially from Proverbs, the Gospels, and the epistles. The more Scripture you store in your heart, the more your mouth will be instructed by truth instead of emotion.
Make a practice of daily meditation:
### 2. Second, we must deliberately place a guard on our mouths
The psalmist prayed:
> “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
> keep watch over the door of my lips.”
> — Psalm 141:3
This implies decision and cooperation. You need to consciously slow down your speech, especially in moments of pressure or conflict.
Very practical steps:
This is not weakness. This is spiritual discipline.
### 3. Third, we must choose gentle answers as an act of spiritual warfare
You are not just “being nice.” You are closing doors to the devil.
When someone speaks harshly to you:
At that moment, you have a choice:
Will your tongue be an instrument of the flesh or of the Holy Spirit?
Paul writes:
> “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…”
> — Galatians 5:22–23
Notice “gentleness” and “self-control.” Both directly affect the way we speak. By choosing a gentle answer, you cooperate with the Holy Spirit and resist the devil.
Remember this:
A gentle answer is not weakness. It is strength under control. It is meekness—power governed by the fear of God.
### 4. Fourth, we must repent of past harsh words and break their effects
Harsh words are not simply “events that passed.” They can lodge in hearts, create wounds, and empower the enemy.
You may need to:
Pray something like:
“Lord, I repent of every harsh, angry, and destructive word I have spoken. I ask You to forgive me, cleanse me, and cancel the spiritual consequences of those words. I renounce them in the name of Jesus, and I ask You to heal those whom my words have wounded.”
This brings your past speech under the blood of Jesus and breaks chains that may still be operating.
---
### Proclamation
Speak this aloud, slowly and deliberately, in faith:
> “The heart of the wise instructs his mouth,
> and adds learning to his lips.
> A gentle answer turns away wrath,
> but a harsh word stirs up anger.
>
> In the name of Jesus, I declare:
> My heart is being filled with the wisdom of God.
> My heart will instruct my mouth.
> My lips will speak words of knowledge and grace.
> I reject harsh, angry, and destructive speech.
> I choose gentle answers that turn away wrath.
> My tongue will no longer be an instrument of the flesh or of the devil.
> My tongue will be an instrument of the Holy Spirit,
> speaking truth in love,
> building up, not tearing down,
> bringing peace, not stirring up anger.
> This is my portion in Christ,
> and I receive it by faith.
> Amen.”
### Prayer
“Father, in the name of Jesus, I come to You.
I acknowledge that my words have often been careless, harsh, or foolish.
I ask You to forgive me for every word that has stirred up anger,
every word that has wounded,
every word that has opened the door to the enemy.
Lord Jesus, You are the Wisdom of God.
Fill my heart with Your wisdom.
Let my heart instruct my mouth.
Holy Spirit, set a guard over my lips.
Teach me to answer gently, even when I am attacked or provoked.
I submit my heart and my tongue to Your Lordship.
Let my speech be seasoned with grace,
let my words turn away wrath,
and let my mouth be an instrument for healing,
for peace, and for righteousness.
I receive Your cleansing, Your discipline, and Your empowerment now.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.”
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