Psalms 37:30
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
Original Language Analysis
פִּֽי
The mouth
H6310
פִּֽי
The mouth
Strong's:
H6310
Word #:
1 of 7
the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with prepos
יֶהְגֶּ֣ה
speaketh
H1897
יֶהְגֶּ֣ה
speaketh
Strong's:
H1897
Word #:
3 of 7
to murmur (in pleasure or anger); by implication, to ponder
וּ֝לְשׁוֹנ֗וֹ
and his tongue
H3956
וּ֝לְשׁוֹנ֗וֹ
and his tongue
Strong's:
H3956
Word #:
5 of 7
the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame,
Cross References
Colossians 4:6Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.Proverbs 15:7The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.Ephesians 4:29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.Matthew 12:35A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.Proverbs 10:21The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.Psalms 71:15My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.Proverbs 10:31The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.Psalms 71:24My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.Proverbs 27:9Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
Historical Context
Wisdom literature (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job) emphasized speech ethics as central to covenant faithfulness. In David's court, wise counselors (like Ahithophel, later Hushai) wielded enormous influence through speech. The righteous king's mouth established justice, while fool's speech brought destruction (Proverbs 10:31-32).
Questions for Reflection
- What does your habitual speech reveal about your inner meditation—are you rehearsing God's wisdom or the world's folly?
- How can you cultivate speech that promotes mishpat (justice) rather than gossip, complaint, or corrupt talk?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom (פִּי־צַדִּיק יֶהְגֶּה חָכְמָה, pi-tsaddiq yehgeh chakhmah)—hagah (meditate/mutter/speak) suggests continuous meditation producing wise speech. Proverbs links speech to heart: "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matthew 12:34). And his tongue talketh of judgment (וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ תְּדַבֵּר מִשְׁפָּט, ulshono tedaber mishpat)—mishpat (justice/judgment) again; righteous speech promotes justice, not gossip or slander. James 3:1-12 expounds tongue's power for blessing or cursing.
This verse connects internal meditation (Psalm 1:2, meditating on Torah day and night) to external expression. Wisdom and justice aren't merely intellectual but manifest in speech, revealing heart transformation. Ephesians 4:29 commands: "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying."