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Psalm 49:3

My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.

1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,
2both low and high, rich and poor together.
3My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.
4I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will solve my riddle on the harp.
5Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
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← Psalm 49:2Psalm 49:4 →
Notice

Mouth and heart speak together here, drawing attention to the link between the understanding a person has and the words others hear.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

What would you hope to hear from someone who promises to speak wisdom and understanding?

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Where do your spoken words reflect understanding you have taken time to gain?

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How does the speaker’s willingness to listen in verse 4 shape your reading of his promise?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.

This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Psalm 45:1For the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.” A contemplation by the sons of Korah. A wedding song. My heart overflows with a noble theme. I recite my verses …Both speakers connect the heart with spoken expression, one announcing wisdom and the other reciting a noble theme for the king.
Matthew 12:35The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.Both texts link inward resources with outward expression: understanding spoken from the heart, and good or evil brought from corresponding treasure.
Psalm 19:14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, LORD, my rock, and my redeemer.Both name mouth and heart together, joining spoken words with inward thought.
Proverbs 22:20–21Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,Both present instruction worth receiving, described as wisdom and understanding in the psalm and counsel and knowledge in Proverbs.
Proverbs 22:17Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching.Both connect wisdom with the heart, with the psalm announcing wise speech and Proverbs urging attention to wise teaching.
Job 33:33If not, listen to me. Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”Both speakers announce that their words will convey wisdom to those who hear them.
Job 33:3My words will utter the uprightness of my heart. That which my lips know they will speak sincerely.Both speakers connect what their mouths express with what their hearts contain.
Psalm 119:130The entrance of your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.Both associate words with understanding: the speaker promises to utter it, while God’s words give it to the simple.
2 Timothy 3:15–17From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.Both concern wisdom conveyed through words; Timothy’s passage specifies the holy Scriptures and salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Deuteronomy 32:2My doctrine will drop as the rain. My speech will condense as the dew, as the misty rain on the tender grass, as the showers on the herb.Both speakers announce teaching through speech, though Deuteronomy describes its effect through rain and dew.
Proverbs 4:1–2Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;Both present understanding as something communicated through instruction, with Proverbs urging sons to attend to their father’s words.
Psalm 37:30The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice.Both describe a mouth speaking wisdom; Psalm 37 also names justice as the subject of the righteous person’s speech.
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Read Psalm 49:1–5 and write down what the speaker promises

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Encouragement

The wisdom announced here is addressed to rich and poor together. Your standing does not exclude you from hearing it; God’s Word addresses people of every rank.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 49:3. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.

Keep goingPsalm 49 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).