9/1/2024 & Revised for 7/6/2025
Turn with me to Proverbs 17:27-28. These are our verses to study and memorize this week.
Proverbs 17:27-28 He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. 28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.
Introduction
These verses form a sort of addendum or post-script to our previous section of verses in Proverbs 17 which focused on learning lessons from the ways of fools. It also begins the transition to the next section by emphasizing the importance of self-control and silence. Thus it is a bridge that connects the previous section to the next one.
One important way to avoid following the ways of fools is to be wise with our words. Our words very often get us into foolish trouble and then lead us further along into ways of foolishness. Given this reality chapter 18 will focus on foolish and wise uses of the tongue. Proverbs 18:1-14 will primarily focus on negative uses of the tongue and then Proverbs 18:15-21 follows that up with a focus on positive uses of the tongue. Proverbs 17:27-28 thus begins the transition to these next sections by emphasizing the importance of learning to think before we speak, or to keep silent altogether.
Continuing on from that, have you ever kept yourself from saying something rash in a situation and then afterwards been doubly glad that you carefully controlled what you said when more details of the situation came out? Similarly, have you been able to keep a lid on your temper when something happened and by that been able to work through a situation calmly without it becoming a big problem? On the other side, have you ever let loose the first words that came to your mind in a situation and instantly regretted it? Perhaps you made a problem twice as bad as it otherwise would have been. To help us deal with these kinds of issues, in verse 27 we will see the importance of self-control in our words.
Have you ever kept yourself completely quiet in the face of provocations to keep a situation from escalating? Or, in other circumstances, have you ever kept silent when you did not understand something and then waited to be taught more by the other person so that you could respond intelligently and not show your ignorance? Hopefully you have. All of us have probably had the opposite happen. We jumped in too quickly with our words and completely misunderstood what was going on, or we allowed ourselves to respond to someone’s provocations and escalated a situation into a metaphorical or literal fight. To help us deal with these kinds of issues, in verse 28 we will see the importance of being silent.
With that foundation of where we are at, let’s look more closely now at verses 27-28.
27 He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
Wise people have self-control with their words and a slow temper with their behavior.
In the first part of this verse an interesting expression is used. He who restrains his words “knows knowledge.” This kind of knowledge is not just an awareness of facts. It is one which uses knowledge in the right and best way.
Like the expressions Lord of lords, King of kings, and Holy of holies this is an expression of the best, truest, deepest essence of something. Knowing knowledge is having true wisdom. It is knowing God’s view of things and living in light of it. It is knowing something so well that it directly affects our actions. It is a true belief in something’s reality that then results in action. Knowing knowledge provides motivation. When we thoroughly know something to be true and truly believe it to be best we act on it. We live in light of it. When we have self-control over our words that is applying God’s wisdom in our actual behaviors. That is true wisdom. That is knowing knowledge.
Up to this point in Proverbs we have already been given quite a number of truths about our tongues and tempers. In Proverbs 14:29 we learned that:
Proverbs 14:29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.
The beginning of chapter 15 also had several important points about the use of our tongue.
Proverbs 15:1-2, 4 A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly. 4 A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit.
Proverbs 16:32 also emphasized the importance of self control with our anger.
Proverbs 16:32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.
If we truly know knowledge, if we truly are people of understanding, if we truly have wisdom, then it will be seen in how we control our words and actions (and work towards controlling them more). If we are simply aware of what wisdom is, but do not truly believe it for ourselves, then we will not bother to restrain our words and calm ourselves when our temper rises.
This is a foundational aspect of whether we walk in the ways of fools, or in the ways of the wise. The fool does not restrain himself. He follows his feelings, his heart, and his sinful desires. He may know about what wisdom says is right and best, but he does not believe it enough to tell himself “no” and to have self-control. He does not surrender to God. He does not depend on God to change him, transform him, and enable Him to walk in the way of wisdom with his words, attitudes, and behaviors.
This is precisely what we need to do if we would avoid the dangerous ways of the fool. We need self-control. But how do we get that? Here is the irony. We only get self-control by giving up control of ourselves to God. We need to recognize the sinfulness of our wrong words, attitudes, and behaviors. We must recognize our inability to overcome our sin ourselves. Then we must turn from it to Jesus for His overcoming and cleansing power.
Surrender everything to God. Give up on following your way. Trust Jesus.
He went to the cross to pay the penalty of our sin and to free us from it. In Him we can have the power to bridle our tongues and not respond wrongly to the circumstances we experience and the behaviors of others. We must trust Him as our Lord and Savior. Then we must continue to see our need to trust Him day by day and to walk in His wisdom. We should daily remember and realize His powerful presence with us, and His amazing love for us. As we do this, we will truly “know knowledge.” We will know the truth and the truth will set us free. It will impact our thoughts, our words, and our actions.
Thus self control, which comes from this true knowledge of wisdom and is really being spirit controlled, is an important protection against the ways of the fool. Day by day it guides us into God’s redeemed way of living.
Scriptural Example: In Scripture we see an example of the restraint and patience of this proverb in the very character of God which is described in Exodus 34:5-7. This was when God re-gave the stone tablets to Moses.
Exodus 34:5-7 The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD. 6 Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; 7 who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”
The only reason God has not judged the whole world for their sin is because God has self-control. He has temporarily delayed His final judgment in light of His work of redemption through Jesus Christ. The wisdom of God’s eternal plan guides His actions carefully to both fulfill the patience of His justice and the patience of His merciful love.
To take into account the big picture of what is truly happening in our circumstances and what is truly best to do about it we too must exercise self-control and not behave rashly in our words or actions. If we would follow in God’s way of wisdom and His perfect example of self control, then we must look beyond our immediate situations. We must look beyond our immediate pain, frustration, and anger to what a righteous and best response would be.
David did this in Psalm 38:12-15.
Psalm 38:12-15 Those who seek my life lay snares for me; And those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction, And they devise treachery all day long. 13 But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; And I am like a mute man who does not open his mouth. 14 Yes, I am like a man who does not hear, And in whose mouth are no arguments. 15 For I hope in You, O LORD; You will answer, O Lord my God.
In this Psalm David’s enemies were seeking to capitalize on his situation and destroy him. David ended up realizing that in this situation it was best for him not to respond at all. He needed to trust in the Lord and let the Lord answer in His way and timing. (cf. Isaiah 36:21/ 2 Kings 18:36/2 Chronicles 25:14-16)
The Lord Jesus Himself, when He was here on this earth, sometimes exercised this same kind of self-control with His words and did not always respond to people. There is an interesting account of this in Matthew 15:21-28.
Matthew 15:21-28 Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.” 23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.” 24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26 And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.
In this passage it might strike us as quite odd that Jesus did not initially respond to this woman’s cries. It specifically says that “He did not answer her a word.” Yet, as the story unfolds we come to see that Jesus was going to use this event to accomplish much more than just heal this ladies daughter. Through the way that He handled this situation truth about His purpose in coming was revealed, as well as this woman’s great faith. None of that would have been seen if He had immediately responded. The truth does not change, but when and how things are said can make a big difference on what is learned and how people receive it.
Proverb in Comparison: When we compare this proverb on self-control in our words and behavior with the rest of Scripture we see that this self-control is very much needed by us as followers of Jesus in our day and age. 1 Peter 2:12-15 highlights this in relation to unbelievers around us.
1 Peter 2:12-15 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
People are going to slander and mistreat us as Christians. In those times what we really need is self-control. If we respond with anger, harsh words, and evil they will not see God’s life-transforming work in us. They will not see God’s way of wisdom. They will just see the same fleshly reality in us that is present in the rest of the world. In contrast to that, if we walk in self-control then they will see our good deeds and know that this kind of power over words and behaviors is indeed from God’s work in us.
Likewise, when we walk in obedience to the governing authorities over us those self-controlled, intentional behaviors will put to silence the lies and ignorance of those who foolishly mistreat us. Notice that in both of these situations it is our actions which do this. It is our deeds. It is obeying the government. It is not our protesting and endless words which convince people. It is the truth lived out in our lives.
We also see this same principle in the next chapter in 1 Peter with the way that wives are to relate to their unbelieving or disobedient husbands.
1 Peter 3:1-2 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.
Oftentimes what is needed is not words, but actions. When the truth has already been expressed, then what people need to see is its reality in our lives. Words without the actions behind them are empty. Self-control enables us to faithfully live out our words and to discern the right time to stop speaking.
Truth in Connection: As we apply this to our lives, questions arise which we need to ask ourselves. Do I have the self-control to restrain my words according to the truth and wisdom of God’s Word? Do I truly believe God’s Word about what it says about speaking the truth in love and speaking words which impart grace to the hearer? Do I truly believe what it says about the evil of lying, reviling, slandering, course jesting, foolish talk, and losing my temper? (Ephesians 4-5)
If I do, if you do, it will impact our actions. If we “know knowledge” about these truths and are not just aware of them as facts then we will begin to have self-control. We will work on restraining our words and having a cool spirit. We will repent of our sin when we fail at this. We will turn back to God and surrender our lives day by day to Him. We will seek Him to allow His truths to set us free. We will seek Him for the enablement to walk in His new way of redeemed life that His Spirit seeks to work inside of us. Are you doing this? Will you commit to doing this? Will you daily surrender to Him?
This kind of self-control is essential for the life of wisdom. It will protect us from the ways of fools. It will lead us towards the godly life that God designed for us. As James 1:19 reminds us,
James 1:19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
We need to be aware of the truth of God’s wisdom for life (Study His Word!). We need to believe it. When we actually do believe it then it will be seen in what we say and do not say. It will be seen in our control over our temper and attitudes. Do your words and behaviors reflect that you actually believe God’s Word?
Our next proverb moves from having self-control in our words and behaviors to the times when silence itself is what is best.
28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.
Silence can be mistaken for wisdom because learning when to be quiet is such a foundational aspect of wisdom.
This proverb is not about a fool pretending to be wise by being silent. Rather it is a lesser to greater than argument. Since even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent, how much more will those who are pursuing wisdom know and appreciate when to be silent. If the fool can sometimes do it, how much more will the wise one make a study of when to speak and when to be silent.
The wise know the value of silence. They know when to listen, and when to speak. They know when words would do more harm than good. When comforting those going through hard times sometimes people need our presence more than our words. Some words may hurt more than they help. Sometimes what is needed is a silent presence, a gentle touch, or a caring gift. Deeper instruction and teaching may need to wait for a better time when it can actually be received and considered. Grief and pain can overwhelm the mind and make silence the wisest course of action.
In other cases, some accusations or statements of fools are simply not worth responding to at all. They are not worth our time and energy or should not be dignified with a response. Similarly, some verbal attacks are meant to escalate a situation and provoke strife. Responding to those will only make things worse and provide further excuses for evil or violent behavior. Some words just need to be completely ignored.
Beyond that, sometimes even speaking truth into a situation is just casting pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6). Those who are not teachable will not learn from our words. Because of that, in some situations our words are not worth sharing at all. (cf. Proverbs 26:4-5)
Those who are pursuing wisdom learn the importance of when to be altogether silent. Ecclesiastes 3:7 points out the need for this. There is:
Ecclesiastes 3:7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak.
One of those times to be silent is when we stand before our holy God. Habakkuk 2:20 depicts this.
Habakkuk 2:20 “But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.” (Cf. Zephaniah 1:7 and Zechariah 2:13)
When we are facing God we will have nothing to boast of. Likewise, we will have no valid excuses for our sin. Job learned this the hard way. There is no room for pride before God. There is no room for talking back to Him or expecting Him to answer to us. He is God. He is good, just, righteous, holy, omniscient, and omnipotent. We need to come to Him humbly for salvation, realizing the extent of our sin and the fact that only through faith in what Jesus did on the cross with His death, burial, and resurrection will we be forgiven and saved from God’s judgment.
After salvation we also need to continually come to Him with humility recognizing that everything we have comes from Him and is because of Him. Everything that He says or does is perfectly right. He is the definition and source of all wisdom. Before Him we must learn humility and to silence our hearts of any sinful thoughts or accusations against Him. We need to have the appropriate reverence and fear of God. (Cf. also Psalm 50:16-23)
Scriptural Example: In Scripture we see a powerful example of this in Leviticus 10:1-3 with Aaron after Nadab and Abihu’s sin and destruction.
Leviticus 10:1-3 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “It is what the LORD spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.’” So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.
When trials happen to us or when God allows things to occur in our lives or to our family we may be tempted to play the fool and blame God. We may be tempted to think or say things about Him that are wrong. We may be tempted to lash out and say mean things to people who are present or who may even be trying to help with their words. In those moments silence is especially important. It is the way of wisdom. As many of us have been told by our parents, “if you do not have anything kind to say then do not say anything at all.” As we foolishly desire to say something mean, or as we wrongly want to blame God and be angry at Him for our circumstances, the way of wisdom is to silence our tongues. It is to turn from any sinful thoughts we are having.
If we are prudent, we will think through our thoughts before we speak them. We will examine whether they are right or best. We will check to see whether they build other people up, or not. We will check to see if they are true, or not. In the heat of the moment with our emotions running high we can all very readily say things that we ought not to say. The wise person puts a guard on their tongue and keeps themselves quiet to prevent the battle raging within them from spilling out. Then they work to speak truth to themselves and overcome their sinful impulses. They work to truly have the wisdom and peace of God reign in their heart (Colossians 3:15-16).
We see another example in Scripture of silence with Jesus in His trials. This silence was actually foretold by Isaiah hundreds of years before Jesus came in Isaiah 53:7.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.
Matthew 26:62-66 records His silence in the face of the accusations by the Jewish leaders.
Matthew 26:62-66 The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; 66 what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!”
Jesus was silent and did not answer all the false accusations made against Him. He went without protest to give His life a ransom for many as He willingly went to the cross on our behalf. Think about it, what was the point of protesting anyway? They were determined to put Him to death regardless of what He said or did. It was also all part of God’s plan. So He did not participate in the foolish charade of a trial that they put Him through. The only time He spoke here was to acknowledge who He was as the promised messiah. Jesus was not a fool. He knew perfectly well when to be quiet and when to speak. He did this again when He was brought before Pilate during the Roman phase of His trials.
Matthew 27:13-14 Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” 14 And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed.
We do not need to answer everything that people say against us or do to us. We can look at the big picture of what is going on and determine whether something will be truly helpful or not. We can entrust ourselves to God, to His perfect plan, and to His ultimate vindication.
Proverb in Comparison: When we compare this proverb with the rest of Scripture we see another situation with Jesus and the disciples where they should have been silent much sooner than they were. This is recorded in Mark 9:33-37.
Mark 9:33-37 They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”
Here the disciples stayed quiet, because to speak would have revealed how petty, selfish, and foolish their discussion had truly been. By not saying anything they concealed that foolishness. Now, of course, nothing is hidden from God. So Jesus went ahead and dealt with the issue in their hearts where they were misunderstanding what it meant to truly follow Him. In God’s kingdom it is foolish to try to exalt ourselves. It is wise to quietly and humbly serve others.
Ironically, here the disciples were silent in order to preserve their pride. In reality, they should have been quiet to begin with and not exalted themselves. They should have been silently serving each other and following Jesus.
Truth in Connection: As we connect this to our lives it becomes readily apparent that there are many times when we simply need to be silent. All too often our words get us into trouble as we allow the foolishness that is in our thoughts come out of our mouths. Instead of that we need to come and sit at Jesus’ feet. We need to go to God’s Word and learn from it. We need to seek out its wisdom on how we are to think. In essence, we need to see what God says is foolish, wrong, and evil. Then we need to turn from those thoughts, words, and behaviors. We need to see what God says is wise, right, and holy. Then we need to pursue those thoughts, words, and behaviors.
As we do this, allowing God to transform and renew our minds by the truth of His Word, we will learn when to be silent, and when to speak. We will learn what to say, and what not to say. All of this in turn will protect us from the dangerous ways of the fool and keep us on God’s redeemed way of wisdom.
This is why it is so important to meditate on God’s Word day and night as God commanded Joshua (Joshua 1:8). This is why Paul’s command in Philippians 4:8 is so important.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
This is why we need to daily offer up our lives to God as a living sacrifice as Romans 12:1-2 says.
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
We must daily ask ourselves whether we will take up our cross and follow Jesus, or follow the way of the fool. If we follow the way of the fool it will be seen in our fleshly, sinful words and behaviors. If we let God transform our thoughts we will begin to have victory over our words and learn when to be silent and how to exercise self-control in what we do and say. May we humbly follow Jesus and learn His wisdom.
Conclusion
If you have not trusted in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then that is where learning this wisdom begins. On our own we do not have wisdom. We have rebelled against God and His wisdom through our sin. Because of that we are under God’s judgment and will receive it unless we come to Jesus in repentance and faith. We cannot undo this sin and judgment ourselves. The only way of forgiveness and salvation is through Jesus and His work on our behalf on the cross. Trust Him as your Lord and Savior. Then learn from Him true wisdom and have in Him true life.
If you have any questions on any of this or want help in coming to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior please come talk with us. We are available. Let’s pray.
© 2025, Kevin A. Dodge, All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
English (US) · 