Charles Spurgeon Commentary James 1:19

"Ye know [this], my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:" — James 1:19 (ASV)

Slow to speak, slow to wrath:

For, sometimes, when men are very quick to speak, they are also very quick in other respects as well; and volubility may be accompanied by a tendency to heat or passion: Slow to speak, slow to wrath.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear,

It is a great thing to have an open ear. Some are very slow to hear, especially to hear the Word of God, and the voice of God speaking that Word. Oh, to have our ears unstopped, that we may hear every syllable of truth gladly, cheerfully, retentively! God grant us that swiftness of hearing tonight!

Therefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear,

Because it is by the Word that we are begotten: let us be swift to hear it. Be slow to speak, because there is so much sin in us that the less we speak, the better. In the multitude of words sin is not lacking. Great talkativeness is seldom dissociated from great sinfulness.

Be slow to wrath.