When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience, but he who restrains his lips does wisely.In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; But he that refraineth his lips doeth wisely.
3 sermons cite this verse
… sensuality. That's why Solomon warned in Proverbs 10, 19, when there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise. Star that verse, memorize it this week. It will protect you more than any other verse I know in Proverbs about your speech. Where there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise. Isn't it interesting in our culture, we tend to equate verbal skill with intelligence. A little nine-year-old girl talks all the time, and we say, oh, she is so smart. Her IQ must be through the roof. She is so verbal. That's what we think. We think being verbal is a sign of being intelligent. Solomon says just the opposite. He says, not the person who talks a lot who's wise. It's the person who learns to be silent. In Proverbs 11 verse 12, Solomon said, he who despises his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding keeps silent. We often think that words are a way to talk our way out of a problem. We talk our way out of a problem. Solomon says more than often than not, we talk our way into problems. Proverbs 13 verse 3, he says, the one who guards his mouth preserves his life, but the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. I think Solomon would agree with comedian Will Durant who said, nothing is often a good thing to do and almost always a clever thing to say. Learn the importance of refraining from unnecessary speech. …
… verse 19, jot that down. Proverbs 10, verse 19 says, in the multitude of words, sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise. Ooh, that's a powerful verse right there. In the multitude of words, sin is not lacking. The more you talk, if you keep on talking, you won't eventually say something you ain't had no business saying. But if you learn to restrain your lips, if you learn to shut it down, it's wise. Here's Proverbs 17, 27. Jot that down, 17, 27. Here's what it says. He who has knowledge spares his words. and a man of understanding is a calm spirit. That's profound too. He who has knowledge spares his word. He holds his words and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. I think this is profound and true. God wants us to be in a posture or position especially for the people who we want to see one to the kingdom. We can start off by praying for them and number two, listening to what they're paying and issues and challenges are in life. …
Especially I would advise those who are young to employ themselves in this way. Men are never too old to learn; but the time of youth is especially the time for learning; it is peculiarly proper for gaining and storing up knowledge.—Further, to stir up all, both old and young, to this duty, let me entreat you to consider, 1. If you apply yourselves diligently to this work, you will not want employment, when you are at leisure from your common secular business. In this way, you may find something in which you may profitably employ yourselves. You will find something else to do, besides going about from house to house, spending one hour after another in unprofitable conversation, or, at best, to no other purpose but to amuse yourselves, to fill up and wear away your time. And it is to be feared that very much of the time spent in evening visits, is spent to a much worse purpose than that which I have now mentioned. Solomon tells us, Prov. x. 19. “That in the multitude of words, there wanteth not sin.” And is not this verified in those who find little else to do but to go to one another’s houses, and spend the time in such talk as comes next, or such as any one’s present disposition happens to suggest? …