The Grace of the Lips
Henry Allon. Proverbs 22:11 He that loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend. I. PURE-HEARTEDNESS. The moral beauty, the moral affluence of it; what it is and what comes out of it; what is a purehearted man, and how does his pure-heartedness stand related to his life? The proverb speaks of love for pure-heartedness, a recognition of it, and a joy in it, as the greatest and best of possessions. II. THE OUTCOME OF PURE-HEARTEDNESS. A pure-hearted man will be pure in speech; his conversation will be seasoned with the salt of his pure feeling. Speech is the blossom of a man's life, and is fair or foul, fragrant or offensive, according to the character of the tree. 1. Conversation is the grace of the lips. Not mere religious talk; not prudery — the over-conscientiousness that detects wrong where no wrong is. Over-sensitiveness is not delicacy. 2. Prayer is a grace of the lips that springs from pure-heartedness. 3. The preaching of a pure-hearted man is a grace of the lips. Because of this grace of the lips which springs from purity of heart, special favours shall be won. "The king shall be his friend." Good men win social confidence wherever they are, and the favour of the King of kings. (Henry Allon.) Parallel Verses KJV: He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend. WEB: He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king's friend.