Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Parallel translations
- WEB Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies.
- BSB Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech.
- NKJV Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.
- NASB Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit.
- NLT Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The way of life begins with guarding the tongue from evil and lies.
Overview
David answers his question by pointing first to controlled speech, free from evil and deceit. The pursuit of a good life starts with honest, godly words. This call to truthful speech is taken up in the New Testament for those who follow Christ, the truth.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Jas 3:5–10Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
- Ps 141:3Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
- Prov 21:23Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
- 1 Pet 2:22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
- Jas 1:26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
- Jas 1:19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
- Col 3:9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
- Prov 13:3He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
- Ps 39:1I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
- Jas 3:2For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
- Prov 12:19The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
- Prov 12:22Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.
- Matt 12:35–37A 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.
- Prov 18:21Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
- 1 Pet 2:1Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
- Ps 55:11Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.
- Rev 14:4–5These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
- Prov 19:9A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.
- Isa 63:8For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.
- Prov 12:7The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 34:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.