Psalm 34: Keep Your Tongue from Evil

Psalm 34:13, Matthew 12:37 - Practice countdowns before you speak or react to something. Never deceive!

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“Keep your tongue from evil

And your lips from speaking deceit.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭13‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

I don’t know how many times we are admonished by Scripture to keep our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking deceit. Why is it so hard? And why should we endeavor to do this? The internet world that we all seem to spend most of our time in is exploding at an exponential rate with nasty posts, nasty comments, lies, false information, and deceitful news reporting. If we believe and we wish to model the fruit of the Holy Spirit, we don’t need to add to the poison. As our pastor said in a recent sermon on 1 Thessalonians 5, to bring God’s presence, first be at peace with one another. That means keeping your tongue and lips under control!

Let’s do some word studies, so we can see the Hebrew origins.

From evil comes from the Hebrew word רַע or rah (Strong’s H7451) with the following Biblical usages as an adjective or noun:

adjective

1. bad, evil

   1. bad, disagreeable, malignant

   2. bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery)

   3. evil, displeasing

   4. bad (of its kind - land, water, etc)

   5. bad (of value)

   6. worse than, worst (comparison)

   7. sad, unhappy

   8. evil (hurtful)

   9. bad, unkind (vicious in disposition)

   10. bad, evil, wicked (ethically)

       1. in general, of persons, of thoughts

       2. deeds, actions

masculine noun

1. evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity

   1. evil, distress, adversity

   2. evil, injury, wrong

2. evil (ethical)

feminine noun

1. evil, misery, distress, injury

   1. evil, misery, distress

   2. evil, injury, wrong

   3. evil (ethical)

Well, that pretty much covers it. Letting your tongues unleash evil with your words is hurtful, unpleasant, miserable, malignant, unkind, wrong, injurious, adverse, and just plain sad.

Deceit comes from the Hebrew noun מִרְמָה or mirmâh (Strong’s H4820) with the following Strong’s definitions (more comprehensive than the Biblical usages): In the sense of deceiving; fraud:—craft, deceit(-ful, -fully), false, feigned, guile, subtilly [subtlety], treachery.

Lips that speak deceit are full of guile, subtlety, treachery, fraud and falsehoods and this creates a state of anxiety. David is obviously speaking from experience to his followers in the cave at Adullam.

Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash

Here are the Charles Spurgeon Exposition/Explanatory Notes from Precept Austin:

EXPOSITION

Ver. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil. Guard with careful diligence that dangerous member, the tongue, lest it utter evil, for that evil will recoil upon thee, and mar the enjoyment of thy life. Men cannot spit forth poison without feeling some of the venom burning their own flesh. And thy lips from speaking guile. Deceit must be very earnestly avoided by the man who desires happiness. A crafty schemer lives like a spy in the enemy's camp, in constant fear of exposure and execution. Clean and honest conversation, by keeping the conscience at ease, promotes happiness, but lying and wicked talk stuffs our pillow with thorns, and makes life a constant whirl of fear and shame. David had tried the tortuous policy, but he here denounces it, and begs others as they would live long and well to avoid with care the doubtful devices of guile.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Ver. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil, etc. Ficinus, after his tracts, De sanitate tuenda, of keeping good health; and another, of recovering health; and a third, of prolonging life; because all will not do, wisely addeth a fourth, of laying hold on eternal life; which cannot be done but by mortifying this earthly member, a loose and lewd tongue. "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned, "saith the Judge himself. Matthew 12:37. Compare Genesis 49:21, with Deuteronomy 33:23, and it will appear that good words ingratiate with God and man. John Trapp.

Ver. 13. And thy lips from speaking guile. Perhaps David is warning us that we speak no guile, reflects upon his own sin in changing his behaviour. They that truly repent of what they have done amiss, will warn others to take heed in doing likewise. Matthew Henry.

As Jesus said:

“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭37‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

When someone trips your trigger, perhaps it would be best to count to ten before responding (good rule for in-person exchanges or dealing with other flawed humans on the road); as another good habit, wait 24 hours before responding and reacting to something egregious on-line. In 24 hours, that slight or wicked opinion will be old news! We can also be humble and honest with others so that we are not wandering on a difficult trail of one deceit after another and trying to keep it all straight. We can pick and choose our battles. Our battlefield is to bring the Good News to others. That is impossible if we let evil and deceit escape our mouths.

My next devotional examines Psalm 34: 14 - Depart from evil and do good.

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Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:

Dear Lord - Please help me to keep my tongue from spewing evil and keep my lips from deceiving others. Amen.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

The Blue Letter Bible was accessed on 09/01/2025 to review the lexicon for from evil, deceit.

Precept Austin was accessed on 09/01/2025 to review the commentary for Psalm 34:13.