Bridges on Proverbs 15:4
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 15:4
 
 1 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 5 
 6 
 7 
 8-9 
 10 
 11 
 12 
 13 
 14 
 15 
 16-17 
 18 
 19 
 20 
 21 
 22 
 23 
 24 
 25 
 26 
 27 
 28 
 29 
 30 
 31-32 
 33 
 
4.  A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. {A wholesome...: Heb. The healing of the tongue}
 
Wisdom is finely portrayed as a tree of life. (Chapter 3:18.) So is also the genial influence of the righteous (Chapter 11:30) — here the fruitfulness of this “little member.” A high image of what it ought to be; not negative, not harmless, but wholesome. As the salt, cast into the spring, cleansed the bitter waters (2 Kings 2:21); so when there is grace in the heart, there will be healing in the tongue. (Chapter 12:18.) “The speech will be with grace, seasoned with salt.” (Colossians 4:6.) Large indeed is the sphere, and abundant the blessing. When employed in soothing the afflicted, calming the troubled waters with words of peace, it creates a paradise around. It is not like ‘the thorny bush, pricking and hurting those that are about us, but a fruitful tree — a tree of life.’†
But if the gracious tongue be healing, the evil tongue is wounding. The meekest of men felt perverseness a breach in the spirit. (Numbers 16:8-15.) The tongue of Job's friends broke “the bruised reed,” which needed to be bound up. (Job 13:1-5.) Even our Beloved Lord, who never shrunk from external evil, keenly felt the piercing edge of this sword to his inmost soul. (Psalm 69:19, 20.) May “grace be poured upon my lips,” as upon my Divine Master's (Ib. 45:2), so that it may be a wholesome tongue, full of blessing and of good fruits! ‘Everlasting benediction be upon that tongue, which spake, as no other ever did, or could speak, pardon, peace, and comfort to lost mankind! This was the tree of life, whose leaves were for the healing of the nations.’†
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 3:18
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
 
 
Proverbs 11:30
30 ¶ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. {winneth: Heb. taketh}
 
 
2 Kings 2:21
21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
 
 
Proverbs 12:18
18 ¶ There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
 
 
Colossians 4:6
6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
 
 
Footnote:
Leighton's Exposition of the Ninth Commandment, vol. iv.
 
 
Numbers 16:8-15
8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: 9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? 10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? 11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him? 12 ¶ And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up: 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? 14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up. {put...: Heb. bore out} 15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
 
 
Job 13:1-5
1 ¶ Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it. 2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. 3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. 4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. 5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
 
 
Psalm 69:19, 20
19 Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee. 20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. {to take...: Heb. to lament with me}
 
 
Psalm 45:2
2 Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
 
 
Footnote:
Bishop Horn's Sermon on the Tree of Life.