Jeremiah 5:15Isaiah 66:18Psalm 64:2-3Psalm 45:1Proverbs 10:20Proverbs 17:20Proverbs 12:18Proverbs 18:21Proverbs 21:6Proverbs 21:23Proverbs 25:23Proverbs 26:28Proverbs 28:23James 3:3-8Psalm 34:13Psalm 37:30Psalm 109:2Psalm 120:2Psalm 140:2-3Isaiah 59:3

The tongue was seen to play a central role in the expression of a person's religious commitment. The tongue could be used to praise God (Psalm 35:28; Psalm 51:14; Psalm 71:24; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:11 ). On the other hand, the tongue could cause separation from God (Job 15:4-5; Psalm 39:1; Psalm 78:35-37 ). The potential for good or bad which is part of human nature is actualized through the tongue (James 3:9-10 ).

The word tongue is used, of course, in the basic sense of the term to refer to the organ of eating and drinking ( Judges 7:5; Isaiah 41:17 ). Tongue is, also, used figuratively to refer to objects in the material world which resemble the tongue in shape (Isaiah 11:15 ). See Spiritual Gifts; Tongues, Gift of.

Jeff Cranford