A good man will think through his reply with caution.  The fool gushes out his answer.

Part 1

“The heart of the righteous studieth to answer:”
This man is not just a good man (“righteous”), but he is also a wise man because he is conscientious what comes out of his mouth when he answers someone.  He “studies” what he will say.  It is interesting that the Hebrew word translated as “study” means, “to moan, growl, utter, muse, mutter, meditate, devise, plot, speak,”1 describing the slow thought given before the answer.

This wise man isn’t quick to react, and then to regret his words later.  He is vigilant and takes his time to reply, he’s a plodder, not a sprinter.

“His tongue never runs before his wit, he never speaks rashly, and never unadvisedly; because he studies – ponders, his thoughts and his words”2 (Clarke).

James understood how important it is to think clearly through what we say before we say it.

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh, not the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).

Believers, we need to have fast ears and be slow to speak, slow to get angry.  These are good words for us in our “speak whatever comes to mind” society today.

Interestingly, Jesus said there may come a time when the believer should not think ahead about what he will say.  That is when he is being persecuted and taken before the officials.

“But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak” (Matthew 10:19).

In that hour, the Holy Spirit will tell us what to speak.

BTW, I have heard some preachers (thankfully only a very few) use this verse as their prooftext as to why they never study before they preach.  Obviously, this is wresting Jesus’ words out of context.  This He will not bless.

The good man thinks before he speaks.  What does the wicked man do?  Come back tomorrow, and let’s talk about it.

1.  Brown, Driver, Briggs.  Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.
2.  Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.