
Proverbs 16:23 connects heart and speech: The heart of the wise instructs his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips (v. 23). Wise speech does not begin at the lips; it begins in the inner person.
The heart of the wise instructs his mouth because wisdom governs expression from within. The mouth is not left to impulse. The wise heart trains it, directing what is fitting, truthful, and timely.
That inner order adds persuasiveness. Speech becomes effective when it is shaped by genuine understanding. This is not rhetoric detached from truth, but truth made compelling by a wise and formed interior life.
Used with permission from TheBibleSays.com.
You can access the original article here:Proverbs 16:23 Meaning
The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.
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