Solomon has often shown what mischief bad men do to others with their
ungoverned tongues; here he shows what mischief they do to themselves.
1. They embroil themselves in quarrels: A fool's lips, without any
cause or call, enter into contention, by advancing foolish notions
which others find themselves obliged to oppose, and so a quarrel is
begun, or by giving provoking language, which will be resented, and
satisfaction demanded, or by setting men at defiance, and bidding them
do if they dare. Proud, and passionate men, and drunkards, are fools,
whose lips enter into contention. A wise man may, against his will, be
drawn into a quarrel, but he is a fool that of choice enters into it
when he might avoid it, and he will repent it when it is too late. 2.
They expose themselves to correction: The fool's mouth does, in effect,
call for strokes; he has said that which deserves to be punished with
strokes, and is still saying that which needs to be checked, and
restrained with strokes, as Ananias unjustly commanded that Paul should
be smitten on the mouth. 3. They involve themselves in ruin: A fool's
mouth, which has been, or would have been, the destruction of others,
proves at length his own destruction, perhaps from men. Shimei's mouth
was his own destruction, and Adonijah's, who spoke against his own
head. And when a fool, by his foolish speaking, has run himself into a
premunire, and thinks to bring himself off by justifying or excusing
what he has said, his defence proves his offence, and his lips are
still the snare of his soul, entangling him yet more and more. However,
when men by their evil words shall be condemned at God's bar their
mouths will be their destruction, and it will be such an aggravation of
their ruin as will not admit one drop of water, one drop of comfort, to
cool their tongue, which is their snare and will be their tormentor.