Proverbs 16:23,24

The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

Ideal eloquence

These two verses lead us to infer several things concerning true eloquence.

I. It is the utterance of the true heart. “The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth.”

1. It is when the genuinely patriotic heart “teacheth the mouth” of the statesman that his speeches are really eloquent, and that his voice bends the senate to his will.

2. It is when the genuinely justice-loving heart “teacheth the mouth” of the counsel that his address is really eloquent, and that he carries the jury with him, and makes the cause of his client triumphant.

3. It is when the genuinely Christ-loving heart “teaches the mouth” of the preacher that his sermons become eloquent, and mighty through God.

II. It is the means of useful instruction. “It addeth learning to his lips.” True eloquence does more than awaken mere emotion in the hearer. It instructs. Its spirit is in such vital alliance with eternal reality that its very sounds echo such truths as start the highest trains of thought. Who is the best religious teacher? Not the mere theologian, however vast his learning, Scriptural his theory, or perfect his language; but the Christ-loving man, however untutored his intellect and ungrammatical his speech. He dispenses the best “learning,” learning which teaches men rightly to live and triumphantly to die.

III. It is a source of soul-refreshment. Honey was prized by those of old times, not only as a luxury to the palate, but also on account of its medicinal and salutary properties. To this there is an allusion here. The words express the twofold idea of pleasantness and of benefit. Many things have the one quality which have not the other. Many a poison is like honey, sweet to the taste, but instead of being “health to the bones,” is laden with death. Words of true eloquence, indeed, fall as drops of honey on the soul, not only delicious to the taste but a tonic to the heart. (Homilist.)