A wholesome tongue [is] a tree of life: but perverseness therein [is] a breach in the spirit.
Ver. 4. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life.] As uttering words that have a healing property in them, pure, precious, and profitable; not unlike that tree of life in the midst of God's garden, that would have given immortality to the eaters. See August. de Civit. Dei, lib. xv. cap. 20.
But perverseness therein is a breach of the spirit.] That is, in the conscience, which it goreth and gasheth; and in the heart, which it defileth and disposeth to further evil: it leaveth both a sting and a stain in a man's own soul; besides the much mischief that it doeth to the spirits and manners of other men that are corrupted by it. God's Spirit also is not a little grieved and vexed, when the godly man suddenly falls (as sometimes he doth), into bitter words, clamours, and evil speakings: these are even as smoke to the eyes, and make the Spirit of God ready to loathe and leave his lodging, as the apostle intimates, Ephesians 4:30,31. There are those who translate the text, But the mischievousness of it is as a breach made by the wind; and set this sense upon it, As a blustering wind, which throws down trees and houses, doth much harm; so a violent and venomous tongue, causing troubles and calamities, is very pernicious and hurtful. Job 8:2 Pray we therefore with David "Deliver me, Lord, from a lying lip, and a deceitful tongue." Psa 120:2