Proverbs 8:7

Pro 8:7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness [is] an abomination to my lips.

Ver. 7. For my month shall speak truth.] Heb., Shall meditate truth; i.e., I will neither speak falsely nor rashly, but upon due deliberation and undoubted certainty. See my "True Treasure," p. 122.

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.

Pro_8:7

For my mouth shall speak truth.

The doctrines of religion have their evidence in themselves

I. Confirm and illustrate this proposition.

1. Those things which religion requires of us are such as Reason herself, when she forms her judgment aright, cannot but approve, or, at most, cannot justly refuse her assent to them. This will appear with respect to the practical commands and duties of religion. The duties which seem to bear hardest upon human nature are repentance, mortification, contempt of this world, loving our enemies, suffering persecution for righteousness sake, and the like; which do all recommend themselves to our minds by their reasonableness. Though we have not the same clue of reason to conduct us through all the high mysteries of our faith, yet here also reason will justify us in yielding a firm and uncontroverted assent of mind to them, as having solid grounds of authority to rely upon, for the belief of them, which cannot possibly deceive us.

II. The concurrent judgment and approbation of all wise and good men both as to the evidence and reasonableness of these doctrines and laws. The judgment of such persons ought to be of great weight and moment, as being a judgment based on personal experience. These men not only know the truth, but feel such a sensible force and power of it upon their minds, as both enlightens their understanding to discern its real excellency, and gently bends their wills to receive and embrace it. Faith is no hasty and blind credulity, but a sober and rational assent of mind, built upon sure and solid principles.

III. Such persons as have no unjust prejudices against religion prevailing in their minds will sooner be brought to examine the several proofs and testimonies of its truth and divine authority. A fair examination of these proofs will not fail of giving them entire satisfaction. In dealing with the Jews, our Lord Jesus appealed to the consonancy of His doctrine with their own established law. He submitted His life and doctrine to their trial.

IV. they who fairly examine the truths of religion, and are disposed to embrace them upon sufficient evidence, shall have that internal illumination of Gods Holy Spirit which shall clearly discover the excellency and agreeableness of them to their minds. God will not give them a full and intuitive view into the great and sublime mysteries of religion. God will give such knowledge as our present faculties can receive.

1. Religion is very plain and intelligible to all those who are willing to understand it.

2. Prejudice gains an almost invincible power over the minds of men.

3. The more men improve in the knowledge and practice of religion, the greater will be their satisfaction in it. The best men will have the most important secrets of Gods will revealed to them. (John Cornwall, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pro 8:7-10. For my mouth shall speak truth — Hebrew, יהגה, shall meditate, that is, shall speak, not rashly and hastily, but what I have well considered and digested. Wickedness is an abomination, &c. — I hate to speak it; therefore you may be assured I shall not deceive you. All the words of my mouth — All my precepts, promises, threatenings; are in righteousness — Are perfectly just and holy, and conformable to the rules of everlasting righteousness. There is nothing froward or perverse, &c. — Not the least mixture of vanity, or error, or folly in them, as there is in the words of the wisest philosophers. They are all plain — Evident and clear, or right, just, and good; to him that understandeth — To him who, with an honest mind, applies himself to the study of them, in the diligent use of all the means appointed by God to that end: or to him whose mind God hath enlightened by his Spirit, though they seem otherwise to ignorant and carnal men; to them that find knowledge — That are truly wise and discerning persons, and taught of God. Receive my instruction, and not silver — Rather than silver, that is, preferably to silver: or, the meaning may be, “Give not your heart to money, if you would possess wisdom.” For he seems to intimate the inconsistency of these two studies and designs, and the great hinderance which the love of riches gives to the study of wisdom. Indeed, it is impossible to join these two things together, the love of the world and the love of God, which is here implied in the love of wisdom.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For . . . truth--literally, "My palate shall meditate," or (as Orientals did) "mutter," my thoughts expressed only to myself are truth.

wickedness--specially falsehood, as opposed to truth.

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 7. My mouth shall speak truth] TRUTH, without falsity, or any mixture of error, shall be the whole matter of my discourse.

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

For my mouth shall speak truth,.... And nothing but the truth; and nothing more or less can be spoken by Wisdom, or Christ, who is truth itself; nothing else can come out of his mouth, or drop from his lips; all the doctrines of Christ are agreeable to the Scriptures of truth, and are what the Spirit of truth leads into; and the whole is called "the word of truth": there are many very particular and special truths, but the principal one is salvation by Jesus Christ;

and wickedness is an abomination to my lips; the sin of lying more especially, as opposed to truth; this is detestable to wisdom, what Christ never suffered his lips to utter; for no lie is of the truth, but of Satan the father of lies; and, as it is abhorred by Christ, it ought to be by all good men.

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

Shall speak, Heb. shall meditate, i.e. shall speak not rashly and hastily, but what I have well considered and digested.

Is an abomination to my lips: I hate to speak it; therefore you may be assured that I shall not deceive you.

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

7. My mouth shall speak — More literally, my palate meditates truth; only that which is true חךְ, (hhekh,) mouth or palate means the inner part of the mouth, the seat of taste, often used for the mouth as the organ of taste and speech. Job_31:30; Son_5:16. The language, says Zockler, implies rather the inward moulding of the word; the reflective consideration that precedes speech.

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

Another coordinate reason for attention. My mouth; chek, "palate"; (Pro_5:3, where see note) the organ of speech. Shall speak truth; emeth. (see on Pro_3:3) The verb hgh (hagah) properly means "to speak with one"s self," "to meditate;" and so the versions translate here, meditabitur, melethsei ; but this idea is not appropriate to the word joined with it, "the palate," and it must be taken to signify to utter, as in Psa_35:28 Psa_37:30, etc. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. Resha, "wickedness," is the contrary of moral truth and right. Septuagint, "False lips are abominable in my sight."

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