Psalm 34 (33):14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Our existence is rife with tongue-related sins: slander, foolishness, indecency, gossip, empty chatter, false oaths, and perjuries—these and many more evils arise from our speech. Those who elevate their voices to diminish the majesty of God, and ‘speak unrighteousness in high places’ (cf. Ps. 72:8), utilize no other instrument for their malevolence than their tongues! Therefore, since ‘by your words you will be condemned’ (Matt. 12:37), guard your tongue against evil and 'do not amass treasures with a deceitful tongue of vanity’ (cf. Proverbs 21:6). Furthermore, keep ‘your mouth from speaking flattering words,’ ensuring that the entire instrument entrusted to you for the ministry of the word remains untainted by wicked actions. Flattery masks a hidden vice against your neighbor, presented under the guise of virtue.

Ultimately, he underscores the significance of the fear of God in overcoming malice. Restraining the tongue from speaking harm signifies a commitment to avoid causing distress to others, refraining from slander, and steering clear of inciting hostility. Your speech must avoid deceit; flattery, according to Basil, is a covert form of evil that masquerades as goodwill. It is crucial to recognize that when David previously urged to ‘keep thy tongue from evil,’ he encompassed all destructive speech but now focuses primarily on flattery due to its insidious nature, making it particularly challenging to eradicate. The devil first introduced this toxin through flattery to Eve, asserting, “In the day that you shall eat of it, you shall be like gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5), which has since allowed this vice of flattery to permeate humanity more than any other wrongdoing. Saint Dorotheus avers that refraining from flattery entails resisting the temptation to deceive one’s neighbor.

God’s voice echoes in your conscience, "Come back!" Are you considering leading your neighbor astray or deceiving him? God urges you, "Return!" Do you wish to speak ill of, judge, or malign your brother? God draws you back, saying, "Come back! 'Keep your tongue from evil' (Psalm 33:14)." Likewise, God guides you away from other sins, beckoning you with His conscience, "Return! 'Turn away from evil and do good' (Psalm 33:15)." What He expresses in your conscience, He also articulates in His sacred Word. The unwavering conscience and the Word of God are in complete harmony. Whatever is conveyed by your conscience is echoed by Scripture. What your conscience condemns, the Word of God condemns as well. Similarly, what is praised by your conscience is affirmed by the Word. For instance, if your conscience corrects you for theft, the Word of God does so too. If your conscience commends your kindness towards your neighbor, it aligns with the teaching of Scripture: "Blessed are the merciful" (Matthew 5:7). Therefore, when our conscience directs us away from wrongdoing, it is the voice of God speaking within us, guiding us away from evil! Believers! Let us heed the voice of God and turn away from wickedness, heeding the guidance of the Holy Spirit: "Now if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts" (Psalm 94:7-8). Then we shall cry out, and the Lord will respond to us.

If one inquires about how to prepare and present such a gift to the King, my response is this: firstly, if your speech is righteous, yet the words of righteousness have not yet become yours; if you have not set a firm discipline for yourself, nor acquired the skill to consistently speak truthfully, kindly, and sincerely, then strive to attain this gem. You need not seek out vendors or spend money; this treasure lies within your heart, attainable through a focus of mind and will. Should you take firm intention and act steadily, recalling God, who cherishes truth and righteousness, and the concern for His displeasure at breaking His commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness.”

Secondly, if your speech embodies righteousness, and the love for what is right propels your words; utilize those words with fidelity and consistency, both publicly and privately, free from fear or arrogance, and without hypocrisy or animosity. Speak forth the pure and unfeigned truth, whether addressing a ruler, subordinate, judge, defendant, teacher, student, author, merchant, or conversational partner.

Many might argue: we recognize the significance of truth, but what impact does our modest expression of truth have within our close circle? How can it ascend to the King and serve as a blessed offering? Farmers plant their seeds beyond the confines of cities, yet God provides an abundance, allowing their yield to travel through villages, nourish cities, and end up at the King's table. Likewise, sow the seeds of truth and righteousness wherever possible, despite the size of your field; encourage one another in this endeavor, so that such sowing can expand and flourish. The enthusiastic dissemination of truth in society should yield a bounty of public integrity and honesty, in turn fostering a growing abundance of peace and well-being—a worthy gift from subjects to a benevolent King, who is devoted to their well-being.

Regrettably, the tendency to thoughtlessly cast words into the void diminishes our awareness of the treasure we often waste, causing detriment to ourselves and others. Take a moment to reflect on the concept of speech. The manuscript originally stated: ‘creation’. I am unsure whether this highlights the majesty of your nature or critiques your verbosity. Have you contemplated the essence of the word, its origins, dignity, and the immense power it possesses?

Where does the word originate? It is found in heaven, transcending the heavens, existing in eternity, and rooted in God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1-2). What then is the dignity of the word? It is a Divine dignity: “And the Word was God.” The Son of God used the term that best encompassed His Divine attributes within human vernacular: “His name is called the Word of God” (Rev. 19:13). What about its power? “All things were made through it” (John 1:3). The visible creation itself came into being by the Word; “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made” (Ps. 32:6).

You might claim that our words pale in comparison to His. This is true. The word of God is infinitely superior to that of man. Yet, as you are created in God’s image, something of this divine essence must be present within your words, along with its power—provided you do not diminish it through careless speech or misuse.

The word elevates humanity in the hierarchy of creation above earthly beings and celestial bodies; it binds individuals together in community, giving rise to cities and nations. Knowledge, wisdom, and law are active within the word; virtue is fostered and spread through it. The word lifts prayers to God, engages in conversation with Him, and receives His divine response. It is evident that the words of men, when united with divine truth and faith, can govern nature, heal the afflicted, banish darkness, and raise the dead to life. Observe how humanity squanders this treasure, how this great gift is cast aside or trampled upon, rendering its life-giving potential dormant or, worse, malevolent due to the misuse of words.

Yet, too often there are careless utterances: idle talk, gossip, falsehoods, deceit, slander, the perversion of oaths, and the spread of wickedness! Remain vigilant and concerned for the worth of the spoken word, honoring the significance of our communication and our societal bonds. Nurture your speech with truth and righteousness. Commit to acting faithfully and consistently, refusing to let “the flattery of the tongue” (Psalm 51:6) emerge unchecked.

Lies and falsehoods, deeply inscribed in hearts as innate truths, draw condemnation from everyone when revealed. Yet, often these same falsehoods are cloaked in allure, becoming commonplace among people. What an irony, what a degradation of self, when one permits within themselves what they decry in others; how one constricts and sullies their conscience by condoning the very actions they recognize as vile. Thus, if one believes to possess “a righteous mouth” (Proverbs 16:13), one ought to “guard their lips” (Psalm 140:3) with discernment and prudence.

The twists away from truth may start subtly, leading one far from it eventually. Near the path of truth lie two evident divergences: the path of flattery to the right and the path of malice to the left. One proclaims it is essential to please others, particularly those of higher status, and thus resorts to flattery. The other contends that one must aptly name the faults of others. Beware: should the admirer of flattery lack discernment, one dreaming of securing favor through empty words merely acquires scorn.

Flattery can ensnare the unwary, clouding their judgment, diverting them from necessary corrections and bolstering harmful misdirections. Malice, mistaken for laudable correction, is equally ineffective against evil, as wrongdoings are amended through goodness. Just as dirty water cannot cleanse dirty clothing, the portrayal of vice with all its filth cannot purify society of evils; rather, it diminishes the abhorrence of wrongdoing.

While pointing out vice should not overwhelm the senses, it is crucial to depict virtue in its true light—its strength, purity, and heavenly nature—so that those ensnared by vice might glimpse the beauty of virtue and yearn for liberation from their moral confinement. Even prior to the fullness of Christian doctrine, those in the Old Testament were warned against the careless use of speech: “Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit” (Psalm 33:14). Our Savior Christ forbade trivial uses of words: “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). The Apostle urges us to speak only that which enriches: “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Eph. 4:29).

Do not dismiss the importance of these warnings. From an abundance of righteous words, much good fruit will spring forth for you, your neighbors, and society. Conversely, from a surfeit of evil words flows a multitude of detrimental consequences. “By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked” (Proverbs 11:11).

Similarly, Psalm 33 advises, “You shall keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.”

The command regarding the tongue is paramount, for it is the primary means through which we engage with others. The tongue has the power to forge strong relationships, dissolve them, and even restore them. A well-organized speech leads to harmony, while unbridled words can corrupt both ourselves and our surroundings. The Wise Sirach acknowledges this in chapter 28, where he warns of the consequences of reckless speech that can destroy communities and bring anguish. Moreover, he illustrates the devastation of slander and gossip, noting that many have fallen by the sword, but none compare to those who have succumbed to the harm of the tongue.

He who can shield himself from its destructive tendencies is truly blessed. Therefore, the Sirach declares the need to guard one's possessions and to carefully measure one's words—treating speech as a door to both opportunities and threats. St. Basil the Great expounds on how the tongue can be a source of manifold sins, often serving as a conduit for various passions and leading one into temptation. Whether through anger or lust, the tongue often precedes our actions, marking itself as an instrument of unrighteousness when it speaks deceitfully rather than truthfully from the heart. Our lives are filled with the failings of speech: slander, coarse jesting, gossip, false oaths, and various other forms of wickedness.

Those who speak against the glory of God and engage in injustice do so primarily through their words. As the Apostle Matthew reminds us, “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Thus, St. Basil's enumeration of tongue-related sins serves as a sober reminder of the deeper evils that arise from our speech. His descriptions of slander, falsity, and petty flattery expose the numerous corruptions that stem from the mouth, all of which culminate in a great moral decay that manifests outwardly.

Certainly, the first sinner who wielded deceitful words was the devil himself, who led our ancestors into ruin through flattery. This poison has since spread throughout mankind. For one who manages their speech wisely, the path to virtue in all other areas becomes easier. The Prophet asserts, “I will watch my ways, so that I do not sin with my tongue,” underscoring the significance of self-control in all matters of conduct. Furthermore, as St. James points out, one who does not stumble in their words is indeed a perfect person, capable of exercising authority over their entire being.

Each individual is familiar with the tongue's misdeeds, infrequently recognizing the havoc wreaked by their own words, nor do they consistently adhere to the principles that govern righteous speech. Many act impulsively, allowing their tongues to speak without caution. Blessed Augustine challenges us by asking if we desire life and favor. His response is clear: we must guard our tongues from evil and refrain from speaking falsehoods. Responding in folly to the divine, one would not expect good outcomes while engaging in wrongdoing.

Thus, it is essential that we resolve to keep our speech pure and refrain from deception, as true goodness cannot grow from a foundation of evil.

He cautions to refrain from evil speech, starting with the sins associated with the tongue, because they are prevalent and harder to control. The Holy Apostle James reinforces this in James 3:2, stating, "If anyone sins in words, he is a perfect man." Guard your tongue against wrongdoing, advising that one should be vigilant to avoid provoking God through sins of the tongue such as lying, slander, deceitful speech, cursing, and gossiping. Additionally, one should refrain from flattery, a particularly grievous sin that often leads to various other wrongdoings.

Moving from verbal sins, he calls attention to transgressions committed through actions, like murder, fornication, and adultery. The Prophet encourages virtuous deeds, which include honoring parents, praying, giving to the needy, attending worship services, listening to God's teachings, and observing fasts. He also highlights the importance of striving for peace and unity. This serves as a reminder to guard against the sinful inclinations that can dwell within the heart, such as anger, hatred, and envy, urging us to maintain inner peace and serenity at all times.

Moreover, the Prophet states that seeking peace is essential, reminding us that it is the hallmark of a good person to aspire for peace, even if it cannot always be achieved due to the malice of others. The Apostle similarly exhorts in Romans 12:18, "If it is possible to have peace with you, have peace with all men."