Psalms 34:13

_KEEP THY TONGUE FROM EVIL, AND THY LIPS FROM SPEAKING GUILE._ Keep thy tongue. This verse refers to words. [camekh (c)]...

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....

11-22 Let young persons set out in life with learning the fear of the Lord, if they desire true comfort here, and eternal happiness hereafter. Those will be most happy who begin the soonest to serve so good a Master. All aim to be happy. Surely this must look further than the present world; for man's life on earth consists but of few days, and those full of trouble. What man is he that would see the good of that where all bliss is perfect? Alas! few have this good in their thoughts. That religion promises best which creates watchfulness over the heart and over the tongue. It is not enough not to do hurt, we must study to be useful, and to live to some purpose; we must seek peace and pursue it; be willing to deny ourselves a great deal for peace' sake. It is the constant practice of real believers, when in distress, to cry unto God, and it is their constant comfort that he hears them. Th...

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...

EXPOSITION THIS is the third of the alphabetical psalms, and appears to have a special connection with the second of them, Psalms 25:1. Like that psalm, it omits the _vav_, and has a second _pe _at the end, which, moreover, is furnished by the same word (_podeh_). According to the title, it is a psalm of David, and written on the particular occasion of his dismissal by Achish (Ahimelech), when he had foolishly feigned himself mad in consequence of what he had heard the servants of Achish say (1 Samuel 21:10-9). As there is nothing in the psalm specially suggestive of this occasion, the statement in the title must, it would seem, embody an ancient tradition. It is a composition of a mixed character, being in part didactic ...

KEEP THY TONGUE FROM EVIL,.... This, and what follows in this verse and Psalms 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 cust

Psalms 34:1. _I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth._ «Others may do what they please, and murmur, and complain, and be filled with dread and apprehension of the future; but I will bless the Lord at all times. I can always see something for which I ought to bless him. I can always see some good which will come out of blessing him. Therefore will I bless him at all times. And this.» says the Psalmist, «I will not only do in my heart, but I will do it with my tongue His praise shall continually be in my mouth,» that others may hear it, that others may begin to praise him, too, for murmuring is contagious, and so, thank God is praise; and one man may learn from another take the catchword and the keyword out of another man's mouth, and then begin to praise God with him. «His praise shall continually be in my mouth.» What a blessed mouthful! If so

Psalms 34 The Perfect Praise of His Redeemed People _ 1. His praise for salvation (Psalms 34:1)_ 2. The instructions of the righteous (Psalms 34:11) 3. His redemption remembered (Psalms 34:17) This is another alphabetical Psalm, only one letter is omitted. It is primarily the praise of David after his escape from Gath, as the inscription tells us. Prophetically it is the praise of His redeemed and delivered people, delivered from all their fears (Psalms 34:4) and saved out of all their troubles ...

XXXIV. YAHWEH'S CARE FOR HIS OWN. An acrostic Ps., the letter Waw being omitted as in Psalms 25. Yahweh's care of the poor who fear Him. Psalms 34:5. Read with LXX, look to him, be radiant, your faces. Psalms 34:7. The angel, _i.e._ the angel who represented Yahweh (_cf._ Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 63:9). The acrostic is complete with Psalms 34:21; Psalms 34:22 is an addition for liturgical use (_cf._...

KEEP, &C. Figure of speech _Apostrophe._...