Many of us have had times of regret over words hastily spoken: judgmental words, reproachful words, untrue words, boastful words, but all words which can never be recalled, regardless of how much harm they do. Perhaps we did not mean them to be hurtful, but we were “hasty in [our] words,” for the moment forgetting that “the heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.” How well it is for us to be “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath,” for “in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.” It may seem smart and advantageous to want to have a word on every subject, but “he that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.” How very needful that “I ... take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue.” Hasty words come from a hasty spirit, and “he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.” So, “set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips,” and “let the words of my mouth ... be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”
Words spoken in anger, spoken in haste,
Words that we can never recall,
Words that cause sorrow, cause pain and cause grief,
But words that hurt us most of all.
Prov. 15:28; James 1:19; Prov. 10:19; 17:27; Psa. 39:1; Prov. 14:29; Psa. 141:3; 19:14.