Proverbs 10:32

Pro 10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked [speaketh] frowardness.

Ver. 32. The lips of the righteous.] He carries, as it were, a pair of balances between his lips, and weighs his words before he utters them. Et prodesse volens et delectare - willing to speak things both acceptable and profitable. The wicked throws out anything that lies uppermost, though never so absurd, obscene, defamatory, &c.

“ Aera puto nosci tinnitu, sed pestora verbis:

Sic est, namque id sunt utraque quale sonant. ”

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro_10:32

ACCEPTABLE WORDS

I. The righteous man knows what words are acceptable to God from a study of Divine laws. The courtier knows how to approach his king—in what words to address him—because he has made himself acquainted with the laws of the court. The righteous man is well acquainted with the laws of the kingdom of God, and, being so, he knows how to draw near to the Divine King—he sets his words in order before Him as the wood is laid in order upon the altar for the sacrifice. God has not left man in ignorance of what kind of words are acceptable to Him (Hos_14:2; Mal_3:16; Mat_6:9; Eph_5:19-20, etc).

II. He knows what words are acceptable to men from a study of their character. Man’s character is a prophecy of the kind of words that will be acceptable. The righteous man makes it his business, and regards it as his duty to frame his speech—so far as is consistent with righteousness—in such a manner that those to whom he speaks will be won to listen to his words.

III. He speaks what are acceptable words from the habit of his heart. It is natural for a good tree to bear good fruit, and it is the nature of a righteous man to speak words of humility and faith to his God and of kindness to his fellow-men. As the tree is, so is the fruit. As the man’s heart is, so, with rare exceptions, are his words. (See on Pro_10:20).

OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS

Pro_10:32. The plain sense is, that the righteous speak those things whereby they have the favour both of God and man, and whereby they are in friendship and peace both with heaven and earth. But the mouth of the wicked careth not to offend either God or man, and seeketh not for love anywhere, being wholly pleased in perverseness. But many know what is acceptable to God and man, but their lips do not know it. So the liar knoweth truth to be acceptable to God and man, but their lips do not know it: the profane person knoweth prayer to be acceptable, but his lips do not know it: the ill governor knoweth the reproof of vice to be acceptable, but his lips do not know it: the brawler knoweth mildness of speech to be acceptable, but his lips do not know it. Yea, the lips also of many speak that which is acceptable, but their lips do not know it; their speaking of it being in such a manner as maketh that which is acceptable not to be acceptable. But the righteous man speaketh that which pleaseth God and pleaseth man, and he speaks it in a pleasing manner. Or else as Clemens Alexandrinus readeth, the lips of the righteous know high things in speaking the high praises of the highest God, and in opening the truth of high things unto men.—Jermin.

How, what, when, to whom to speak, is a matter of great wisdom. Yet this consideration of acceptableness must involve no sacrifice of principle. Let it be a considerate accommodation of mode to the diversities of tastes; a forbearance with lesser prejudices and constitutional infirmities; avoiding not all offences (which faithfulness to our Divine Master forbids), but all needless offences, all uncalled-for occasions of design and irritation. “The meekness of wisdom” should be clearly manifested in Christian faithfulness (Jas_3:13.) Thus Gideon melted the frowardness of the men of Ephraim (Jdg_8:2-3). Abigail restrained David’s hands from blood (1Sa_25:23; 1Sa_25:33). Daniel stood fearless before the mighty monarch of Babylon (Dan_4:27). Their lips knew what was acceptable, and their God honoured them.—Bridges.

HOMILY ON THE ENTIRE CHAPTER. The pious and ungodly compared in respect—

1. To their earthly good; 2 To their worth in the eyes of men;

3. To their outward demeanour in intercourse with others;

4. To their disposition of heart as this appears in their mien, their words, their Acts 5. To their diverse fruits, that which they produce in their moral influence upon others;

6. To their different fates as awarded to them at last in the retribution of eternity.—Lange’s Commentary.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

know--regard and provide for (Psa 1:6).

frowardness--all kinds of deceit and ill-nature. The word is plural.

Next: Proverbs Chapter 11

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 32. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable] And what they believe to be most pleasing and most profitable, that they speak, but the wicked man knows as well what is perverse, and that he speaketh forth. As the love of God is not in his heart, so the law of kindness is not on his lips.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(32) What is acceptable.—To God and man. (Comp. the gracious words which proceeded out of Christ’s lips, Luk_4:22.)

Speaketh frowardness.—Rather, is mere falsehood, misrepresentation. (See above on Pro_8:30.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

32. speaketh] So R.V. text: “is,” R.V. marg. Others supply the verb “knoweth” from the first clause, as in Pro_10:29.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,.... To God and man; what is well pleasing to, God, and what ministers grace to the hearers, or what is grateful: and such things they will deliver out; they are used and accustomed to them; not only the righteous know in their judgment what is acceptable, but they use themselves to say those things; they not only know them in theory, but practise them: some men know what is acceptable, but their lips do not know it; they are not used to it, but the contrary;

but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness; or perverse things, as before. Or, "the mouth of the wicked knoweth frowardness" (b); or perverse things; or is used only to speak froward things; things contrary to truth and righteousness, and which they know to be so; their mouth speaks things contrary to their hearts; their hearts and mouths do not agree, when they both flatter and lie.

(b) "Novit tantum perversa", Michaelis,

Next: Proverbs Chapter 11

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Know - i. e., “Know, and therefore utter.” So, in like manner, the “mouth of the wicked” knows, and therefore speaks frowardness, and that only.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Know, to wit, practically, so as to consider and speak. Knowledge is here ascribed to the lips, as it is to the hands Psa 78:72, because they are conducted by knowledge and wisdom.

What is acceptable to God and good men, or what is truly worthy of acceptation; for this is opposed to what is froward or wicked in the next clause.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

32. Lips of the righteous know — Distinguish and relish — have a taste for that which is רצון, (ratson,) acceptable, pleasing, that which is good, right, and kind.

But… speaketh frowardness — Relishes perversities — that which is bad. The righteous finds, as if instinctively, what is acceptable; his lips naturally utter it, while the wicked man knows only that which is distorted or perverse, and his mouth speaks only this. As is his character so is his speech. Miller’s translation is worthy of respect: “The lips of the righteous man are instinct with kindness, but the mouth of the wicked with subversive things.” Compare Ecc_12:10; Mal_2:7.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Know. A good man"s lips are conversant with what is acceptable to God and man. Such a person considers what will please God and edify his neighbour, and speaks in conformity therewith. The LXX has," The lips of the righteous distil graces;" apostazei caritav , but probably the right verb is epistatai , which is found in some manuscripts. Speaketh frowardnsss; rather, knoweth, or is perverseness; (comp. Eph_4:29) Septuagint, apostrefetai , or, according to the Sinaitic correcter and some other scribes, katastrefetai , "is turned aside," or "is overthrown." Delitszch translates, "is mere falsehood."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The lips - Knowledge is here ascribed to the lips, as it is to the hands, Psalm lxxviii, 72, because they are conducted by knowledge and wisdom. Acceptable - What is truly worthy of acceptation.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

21 The lips of the righteous edify many;

But fools die through want of understanding.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

v. 32. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, they are familiar with it, they are continually meditating upon it; but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness, only such things as are full of distortion, malice, and deceit. He who follows the precepts of God’s eternal wisdom in His Word will avoid both foolishness and deceit.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

the lips of a righteous man know how to please They know how to please and placate his Creator, and they know how to please the people and how to make peace among them.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.