Hello fellow citizens of heaven,
Today, let’s hear this wise advice of King Solomon to his son:
Open your mouth for the mute,
For the justice of all those passing away.
— Proverbs 31:8
Speaking Out
In this proverb, he essentially tells his son to take care of and show grace to those who are disenfranchised. He first opens by telling his son to open his mouth. Here, opening one’s mouth speaks to speaking out. We see similar phrasing in the book of Job:
Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
— Job 3:1
Here, we see Job opening his mouth and cursing the day he was born. This follows the calamities that befell him. Another usage of this phrase is in the Psalms when the psalmist asks God to open his mouth in order to praise the Lord:
O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.
— Psalm 51:1
The advice that the king offers to his son begins with this phrase, instructing him to speak out. This phrase also implies an intentional action that he asks his son to take on.
The Mute
The next word is a conjunction, “for.” This is a purpose clause. It functions to show the reason why these intentional words need to be spoken. It points to whom this speaking out is for. This specific group that this speaking out is for is the mute.
The word “mute” is literally “silent, dumb, unable to speak.” The same word is used by the psalmist to identify his own inabilities left to himself without the help of God as he waits for God to answer him:
But I, like a deaf man, do not hear;
And I am like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
I am like a man who does not hear,
And in whose mouth are no reproofs.
For I wait on You, O Yahweh;
You will answer, O Lord my God.
— Psalm 38:13-15
The author of Proverbs is telling his son that there is a group that cannot speak for themselves. They are essentially mute, unable to speak for themselves. They are weak, they are abused, and the world is not exactly fair towards them. They are the people who fall victim to partiality, prejudice, racism, isolation, and all kinds of suffering that come as a result of their lower position in society.
This group is also identified as those who are passing away in the second part of the proverb. The author says that this is their justice.
The instruction to the son is that he ought to open his mouth and speak out for them.
I pray this simple proverb reminds us to show grace and speak out to those who are going through tough times in life.
May grace and peace be with you.
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