Bridges on Proverbs 25:23
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 25:23
 
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23.  The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue. {The north wind bringeth forth rain: so doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance, margin.†}
 
Who should tolerate the backbiter? He is a pest in society;† in the circle of friendship;† in the church of God.† Neither his plausible garb, nor the good company who give him the hearing, can hide his real character. If the north wind driveth away the rain, let an angry countenance frown him from our presence. If it brings the rain, let the very sight of him bring a rebuke of holy indignation. This is to “be angry, and not sin.”† Indeed not to be angry here, would be to sin. Holy anger is a property in God.† It was manifested in the humanity of Jesus.† When God's name was dishonored, “the meekest man upon earth waxed hot”† in anger, even while his heart was melting in love to the rebels. (Exodus 32:30-32.) And should not we feel this, when the backbiting tongue breaks his law of love, dear to him as his own Godhead? And yet rare indeed is the exception — alas! — even with Christians, when the faults of others, real or imagined, do not occupy the conversation: or at least, when some lowering of the absent, or some ridicule of their infirmities, is not admitted!
This tongue wounds four at one stroke — the backbiter himself, the object of his attack, the hearer, and the name of God. All involves the Christian professor in the fearful guilt of “offending the little ones.” (Matthew 18:6.) For how can the weak and inexperienced but be stumbled at so inconsistent an exhibition of the gospel of love?
But if he be rather welcomed than repelled, is not the willing listener thus partaker of his sin? Flee this deadly pest. Keep thine ears, as well as thy mouth, from the poison. Let thine angry countenance drive away either the slander from him, or the slanderer from thee. Where remonstrance cannot be given, a marked displeasure of countenance is often an effective rebuke to the shameless offender.†
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Many valuable critics, after the LXX, prefer the marginal to the received reading. The ordinary meaning of the Hebrew word is to produce or bring forth, chapter 8:24. And yet Compare Job 7:22. Homer also speaks of the north wind bringing fine weather — Il. O. 170. The meaning however is the same with either rendering.
 
 
Proverbs 8:24
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
 
Job 37:22
22 Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty. {Fair...: Heb. Gold}
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 26:20.
 
 
Proverbs 26:20
20 ¶ Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. {Where no...: Heb. Without wood} {talebearer: or, whisperer} {ceaseth: Heb. is silent}
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 16:28.
 
 
Proverbs 16:28
28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. {soweth: Heb. sendeth forth}
 
 
Footnote:
2 Corinthians 12:20.
 
 
2 Corinthians 12:20
20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
 
 
Footnote:
Ephesians 4:26. ‘You know,’ said Philip Henry — ‘what an angry countenance doth; and we may sometimes give a reproof by our looks, when we have not opportunity of giving it otherwise.’ See his Life.
 
 
Ephesians 4:26
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
 
 
Footnote:
Deuteronomy 9:8. Psalm 7:11. Nahum 1:2.
 
 
Deuteronomy 9:8
8 Also in Horeb ye provoked the LORD to wrath, so that the LORD was angry with you to have destroyed you.
 
Psalm 7:11
11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. {judgeth...: or, is a righteous judge}
 
Nahum 1:2
2 ¶ God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. {God...: or, The LORD is a jealous God, and a revenger, etc} {is furious: Heb. that hath fury}
 
 
Footnote:
Mark 3:5; 8:33.
 
 
Mark 3:5
5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. {hardness: or, blindness}
 
Mark 8:33
33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
 
 
Footnote:
Exodus 32:19, with Numbers 12:3.
 
 
Exodus 32:19
19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
 
with
Numbers 12:3
3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)
 
 
Exodus 32:30-32
30 ¶ And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. 31 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. 32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. 33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
 
 
Matthew 18:6
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
 
 
Footnote:
Augustine's biographer mentions of him, that these two lines were written in his dining room —
 
‘Quisquis amat dictis absentum rodere vitam,
 
Hanc mensam vetitam noverit esse sibi.’
 
It is added, that he said to a bishop, indulging this habit at his table, ‘Either I will blot out these verses on the wall, or begone from my table.’ Bishop Burnet, in his Essay on Queen Mary, mentions her effectual rebuke of calumny. If any indulged it in her presence, she would ask, if they had read Archbishop Tillotson's Sermon on Evil Speaking, or give them other pointed reproof. — See the fine description, Ecclesiasticus 28:13-20.
 
 
Ecclesiasticus 28:13-20
An hasty contention kindleth a fire: and an hasty fighting sheddeth blood. If thou blow the spark, it shall burn: if thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched: and both these come out of thy mouth. Curse the whisperer and doubletongued: for such have destroyed many that were at peace. A backbiting tongue hath disquieted many, and driven them from nation to nation: strong cities hath it pulled down, and overthrown the houses of great men. A backbiting tongue hath cast out virtuous women, and deprived them of their labours. Whoso hearkeneth unto it shall never find rest, and never dwell quietly.