The organ of speech, which Scripture stresses can be the source of both praise and blame. The tongue is to be kept under control, on account of its capacity for evil words.
The tongue as a bodily organ
As part of the body
James 3:5 See also Judges 7:5; Job 41:1; Mark 7:33; Luke 16:24; Revelation 16:10
In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze.
Used for eating
Numbers 22:4; Job 12:11, Job 34:3; Psalm 68:23
Used for drinking
Used for licking
1 Kings 21:19, 1 Kings 22:38; Luke 16:21
Parched with thirst
Psalm 22:15, Psalm 137:6; Isaiah 41:17; Lamentations 4:4
The tongue as an organ of speech
It is God-given
Exodus 4:10–11 See also Ezekiel 3:26; Luke 1:20–22, Luke 1:62–64
“Please, Lord,” Moses replied, “I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and tongue.” And the LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, the sighted or the blind? Is it not I, the LORD?
God is able to loose the tongue of the mute
Mark 7:33–35 See also Isaiah 32:4, Isaiah 35:6; Matthew 15:30–31; Luke 1:64
So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!” ). Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak plainly.
Reasons for holding one's tongue
To restrain sin
Proverbs 10:19 See also Proverbs 11:12, Proverbs 17:27–28, Proverbs 21:23; James 1:26; 1 Peter 3:10
When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
As a mark of respect and awe
The tongue's potential for good
Right use of the tongue requires an act of the will
Job 27:4 See also Psalm 39:1, Psalm 141:3
my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will not utter deceit.
The tongue can praise God
Psalm 35:28 See also Psalm 16:9, Psalm 45:1, Psalm 51:14, Psalm 66:17, Psalm 71:24, Psalm 119:172, Psalm 126:2; Acts 2:26; James 3:9
Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness and Your praises all day long.
The tongue can speak God-given words
2 Samuel 23:2 See also Proverbs 16:1; Isaiah 50:4; Micah 3:8; Luke 21:14–15
The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on my tongue.
Every tongue will acknowledge God
Isaiah 45:23 See also Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10–11
By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.
The tongue can speak wisdom
Psalm 37:30 See also Proverbs 10:19–20, Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 15:23, Proverbs 31:26
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
The tongue can bring healing
Proverbs 15:4 See also Proverbs 12:18
A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
The tongue's potential for evil
The tongue's power needs to be controlled
Proverbs 18:21; James 3:3–10 See also Job 27:4; Psalm 34:13; Proverbs 11:12; James 1:26
Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can guide the whole animal. Consider ships as well. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot is inclined. In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!
The tongue can speak deceitfully
Psalm 5:9 See also Psalm 50:19, Psalm 52:4, Psalm 120:2–3; Proverbs 15:4, Proverbs 17:20; Jeremiah 9:8; Micah 6:12; Romans 3:13
For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.
The tongue can speak lies
Jeremiah 9:3 See also Proverbs 6:17, Proverbs 21:6, Proverbs 26:28
“They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD.
Other evil uses of the tongue
Psalm 10:7 See also Psalm 12:3–4, Psalm 52:2; Proverbs 6:24; Isaiah 57:4, Isaiah 59:3; Jeremiah 18:18
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
The punishment for a perverse tongue
Tongue in the sense of language
As a foreign language
Acts 2:8–11 See also Esther 1:22; Psalm 114:1; Isaiah 28:11, Isaiah 33:19, Isaiah 66:18; 1 Corinthians 14:10
How is it then that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism; Cretans and Arabs— we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
As a language given by the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:4 See also Mark 16:17; Acts 10:46, Acts 19:6; 1 Corinthians 12:10, 1 Corinthians 12:28, 1 Corinthians 12:30, 1 Corinthians 13:1, 1 Corinthians 13:8, 1 Corinthians 14:2–23
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Metaphors used to describe the tongue
The tongue as a dangerous weapon
Psalm 57:4, Psalm 64:3; Jeremiah 9:3, Jeremiah 9:8
Other metaphors
Psalm 140:3; Proverbs 10:20; Isaiah 5:24; Acts 2:3; James 3:6
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.