The Parts:

flows – “bears fruit,” “brings increase”

perverted – root means to “turn, over turn.” Often used of sin connected with the mouth, Pr2.12; heart, Pr6.14; eyes, Pr16.30; mind, Pr23.33.

cut off – also cut out, cut down. Beyond its literal meaning, it pictures: root out, eliminate, remove, excommunicate, destroy.

References to consider:

Pr15.9
⁹ The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves one who pursues righteousness.

Num15.30
³⁰ ‘But the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the Lord; and that person shall be cut off from among his people.

Gen9.11
¹¹ “I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.”

Ex12.15
¹⁵ ‘Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.

Sharpening for my life today:

This gem of wisdom opens for us the fruit of speech. Wisdom, skill in living, involves a right attitude and approach to all areas of life, speech being one of the very important ones! At the core of this wisdom is edification, that is, building up others, which is fundamentally what loving someone is about.

A distinct way of not loving is “words turned upside down.” Here we would find all facets of untruth, deception, “white lies” (where did such foolish thinking ever come from? It takes the blood of the Savior to cleans “white lies”! There is no such thing!), denials, etc. It is very much worth noting that this motivation to harm others is met with God’s harm of the one who so practices this perversion! This truth of life is called talionic justice, or, by the measure which you measure it will be measured to you, or, what you sow you reap!

Take some time and think about “fruit bearing words.” This isn’t the “form” of the words, it’s the “results” of the words. Are your words bearing fruit, building up, bringing a blessing?

Consider the New Testaments’ direction, Eph4.29-31 . . . 
²⁹ Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. ³⁰ Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Col4:6
⁶ Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

 The Parts

choice – “to take a keen look at” – almost always used with theological overtones (Dt12.5; 14.2), involves careful and thoughtful choices (1Sam17.40; 1Ki18.45; Isa1.29; 40.20), key is serviceability, not just arbitrariness (Isa41.8-16; 43.10).

words of the righteous – What is “righteous”? Spend some time considering your answer.

words of the righteous – Who puts them out? Spend some time considering where the “words” your taking in are coming from.

“Righteous” makes a straight path (Pr11.5); guards integrity (Pr13.6); hates what is false and dishonest (Pr13.5; 29.27); committed to justice (Pr29.7); disapproves any miscarriage of justice (Pr18.15; 17.15); gives honest and accurate testimony (Pr12.17); generous (Pr21.26); bold (Pr28.1); wise (Pr8.20); keeps getting up after falling (Pr24.16); displays stability (Pr10.25); experiences joy (Pr10.28); attains life (Pr11.19). He blesses and responds to the prayers of the righteous (Pr10.6; 15.29).

Sharpening for life today:

Could you describe a “choice” car, or horse, or weapon, or guitar, or golf course? Now, what would “choice” speech be?

Where would you look for “words of the righteous”? A good place to start would be godly company, godly writers, godly singers . . . by the way, who’ve you been listening to on a regular basis? “Take a keen look at” the words that are filling your heart and head!

The words of the righteous come from the heart (mind) of the righteous! The words of the world are common at best, deceptive and resistive of the Lord’s Word and Ways at worst.

So, if the tongue of the righteous is choice silver, how is your bank account today?

Suppose, after balancing your “choice silver” account you’ve found your account a little short, maybe even deeply overdrawn, where would you look for some solid deposits?

If you don’t have a church home where they regularly teach the Bible and present Jesus as the Lord of life, look around and find that church. Ask the Lord to lead you to some godly mentoring, find some counsel in your church for direction for some godly reading. Also, don’t forget to stop taking in all the “cheap” things that have been taking your time and attention! Take that “keen look” right now!