9 Therewith bless we the Lord and Father, and therewith curse we men made after [the] likeness of God.
For man indeed ought not to have his head covered, being God's image and glory; but woman is man's glory.
Then he began to curse and to swear, I know not the man. And immediately [the] cock crew.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over the whole earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth on the earth. And God created Man in his image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Therefore has my heart rejoiced and my tongue exulted; yea more, my flesh also shall dwell in hope,
For also thine own heart knoweth that oftentimes thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
So will I bless thee while I live; I will lift up my hands in thy name.
Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his great mercy, has begotten us again to a living hope through [the] resurrection of Jesus Christ from among [the] dead,
But *I* say unto you, Love your enemies, [bless those who curse you,] do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who [insult you and] persecute you,
{A Psalm of praise. Of David.} I will extol thee, my God, O King, and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
And he loved cursing; so let it come unto him. And he delighted not in blessing; and let it be far from him. And he clothed himself with cursing like his vestment; so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones;
My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day; for they shall be ashamed, for they shall be brought to confusion, that seek my hurt.
This is the book of Adam's generations. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him.
[Because of] the sin of their mouth, the word of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride; and because of cursing and lying which they speak.
Awake, my glory; awake, lute and harp: I will wake the dawn.
And my tongue shall talk of thy righteousness, [and] of thy praise, all the day.
{[A Psalm] of David; when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.} I will bless Jehovah at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Therefore my heart rejoiceth, and my glory exulteth; my flesh moreover shall dwell in hope.
His mouth is full of cursing, and deceit, and oppression; under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
And David blessed Jehovah in the sight of all the congregation; and David said, Blessed be thou, Jehovah, the God of our father Israel, for ever and ever.
And Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Jehovah's anointed?
And they went out into the field, and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them, and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank and reviled Abim'elech.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on James 3
Commentary on James 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
The apostle here reproves ambition, and an arrogant magisterial tongue; and shows the duty and advantage of bridling it because of its power to do mischief. Those who profess religion ought especially to govern their tongues (v. 1-12). True wisdom makes men meek, and avoiders of strife and envy: and hereby it may easily be distinguished from a wisdom that is earthly and hypocritical (v. 13-18).
Jam 3:1-12
The foregoing chapter shows how unprofitable and dead faith is without works. It is plainly intimated by what this chapter first goes upon that such a faith is, however, apt to make men conceited and magisterial in their tempers and their talk. Those who set up faith in the manner the former chapter condemns are most apt to run into those sins of the tongue which this chapter condemns. And indeed the best need to be cautioned against a dictating, censorious, mischievous use of their tongues. We are therefore taught,
Jam 3:13-18
As the sins before condemned arise from an affectation of being thought more wise than others, and being endued with more knowledge than they, so the apostle in these verses shows the difference between men's pretending to be wise and their being really so, and between the wisdom which is from beneath (from earth or hell) and that which is from above.