33598894 proverbs-15-commentary

PROVERBS 15 COMME TARY

Written and edited by Glenn Pease

PREFACE

The purpose of this work is to save Bible students the enormous amount of time toresearch all of these resources. I have brought them together in one place for aquick grasp of what each proverb is saying. You will note that some commentatorsare using an old translation, and it does not seem like the same proverb we aredealing with in the IV. They were doing the best they could with an incompletetranslation, and their comments can still be useful even if they are not accurate forthe proverb they are commenting on. Just because I add a quote does not mean Iagree with it, for there are different perspectives, and I give them all for the readerto decide on their value.

It also needs to be pointed out that some of the old translations of the Proverbs werequite different than the new translations. The Hebrew text can be very complicated,and it has taken a great deal of scholarship to better understand the text. Even yetthere is uncertainty in some cases, and so commentators have a different slant onthe same proverb. This is not a problem when the several ideas that are followed alldeal with some aspect of wise or foolish living. This theme has endless possibilities,and so even if different men have varying ideas of what a proverb means, take themall in, for no idea, or even several can ever exhaust the ways men can be wise orfoolish. You might even come up with an idea of what Solomon is getting at yourself.As always, I am grateful for all who have made comments on this chapter, butsometimes I do not have their name, and so cannot give credit. If anyone can verifythey are the author, I will gladly give credit. If anyone does not wish that their workbe shared in this way, please let me know and I will remove it. My e-mail [email protected]

I TRODUCTIO

Charles Spurgeon has an introduction to one of his sermons on Proverbs that is anexcellent introduction to any study of them. I am adding it here as a reminder thatthough some proverbs seem so commonplace and earthly, they do serve a valuablepurpose in God's plan for the believer in everyday life.

Spurgeon wrote, “must have noticed how frequently godly people almost wear outtheir Bibles in certain places. The Psalms, the Gospel of John, and parts of theEpistles are favourite portions, and are thumbed in many an old believer’s Bible till

the fact is very noticeable. There are certain sheep-tracks up the slopes of Scripturewhich are much more trodden than the rest of the holy fields. I suppose it hasalways been so, and I will not quarrel with the instincts of the saints.I do howeverregret that any portion of Holy Writ should be neglected. There are Bible-readerswho keep clear of the historical parts of Scripture, and also greatly avoid the Bookof Proverbs: indeed, they almost wonder how Proverbs and Ecclesiastes come to bea part of the Word of God. Very singular it must seem to them that this Book ofProverbs should be placed so very near to Solomon’s Song ―that sacred canticlewhich is the center and climax of inspired Scripture: a book which I do not hesitateto call “the holy of holies”―the innermost sanctuary of divine love.

It is certainly remarkable that hard by such a deeply-spiritual Book there should beplaced the Book of Proverbs, which mainly consists of instructions for this life.Doubtless there is a meaning in that arrangement. The Lord would not have thehighest spirituality divorced from common-sense. God has made us body and soul,and he would have us serve him with both. There is a part of us that is material andthere is a part that is spiritual; and both need guidance such as the Holy Spiritaffords us in the inspired Book. The Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed us, not as toour soul alone, nor our spirit alone, but as to our body also; and he would have usrecognize this fact. While we are in the world we are not to regard ourselves as if wewere pure spirits, having nothing to do with earth; but we are to look to our lowernature and our earthly surroundings, and order all these in accordance with the willof the Lord. It is not enough that our hearts are cleansed; our bodies are to bewashed with pure water. We are in the world, and we must eat and drink andwork and trade even as other men do; and all this must be as much brought underthe rule of wisdom as our higher nature and its actions. The Christian’s faith doesnot come to him merely to create holy raptures and heavenly emotions, but it comesto help him in the business of every day. Grace is intended to sanctify all therelations of life. There is no necessity that a man who is wise unto salvation shouldin other respects be a fool; but the reverse should be constantly seen: sanctity shouldbeget sagacity, and purity should be the mother of prudence. We are to make thecommon things of this world sacred to God, so that the bells of the horses may be astruly “Holiness unto the LORD” as was the mitre of the consecrated priest whoserved at the altar.

As the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ is meant for this world as well as for worldsto come, so the volume of Holy Scripture is fitly made to contain Proverbs as well asPsalms. I have been told, but I do not know how true it is, that Scotland owes verymuch of its practical shrewdness to the fact that the Book of Proverbs used to beprinted in a small form, and was one of the first books read by all the children at thepublic schools. I can only say that if it was so, it showed much wisdom on the part ofthose who made the arrangement; and I have no doubt that if it were so still, itwould be a clear gain to the rising generation. It is a right thing to have practicalteaching in connection with sound doctrine, and common-sense in conjunction withdeep spirituality. Let the Gospels, and Psalms, and Prophets, and Epistles be yourbread, and let the Book of Proverbs be your salt. eglect neither the one nor the

other.”

1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

1. Scott Hoezee sees a theme in this chapter that follows this first verse. He wrote, “Verse 1 kicks things off with the well-known proverb about how a gentle wordmakes life better whereas a harsh word just makes people angry. In a similar veinverse 4 says that the wise person's tongue creates situations of healing whereas themouth of the fool crushes the spirit of those who get deceived. There are likewiseseveral other verses in chapter 15 which have something to do with how positiveforms of speech make people glad whereas foolish speech just makes peopledepressed. Wise people delight in being able to give what verse 23 calls an "aptreply" and a "timely word." Verse 28 says that the wise know how to keep theirmouths from running ahead of their brains by pausing before speaking--fools on theother hand blurt out the first thing that comes to mind and then let the chips fallwhere they may.”

1B. Here we see the power of words to effect the souls of men and their actions.Words have pacifying and provoking power. Someone wrote, “Here we see thepower of words to alter the feelings and actions of people. Words are to people whatthe switch is to electricity. They are the activators. If they are kind words theygenerate kind responses. If they are harsh they generate harsh responses. The gentle word is the water to quench the fire,The harsh word is the fuel to stir up the fire.”

1C. Bridges, “Let us ponder this valuable rule for self-discipline, family peace and Church unity. Scripture often illustrates the different effects of the tongue. The softanswer is the water to quench Grievous words are the oil to stir up, the fire. Andthis is, alas! man's natural propensity to feed rather than to quench the angry flame.We yield to irritation ; retort upon our neighbor ; have recourse to self-justification ; insist upon the last word ; say all that we could say ; and think we "do well to be angry." either party gives up an atom of the will. Pride and passionon both sides strike together like two flints ; and " behold ! how great a matter alittle fire kindleth !" Thus there is the self-pleasing sarcasm ; as if we had ratherlose a friend, than miss a clever stroke. All this the world excuses as a sensitive andlively temper. But the gospel sets before us our Savior s example ; imbues with hisspirit ; and imparts that blessed " charity, that is not easily provoked ;" and

therefore is careful nof to provoke a chafed or wounded spirit. If others begin, let usforbear from continuing, the strife. Soft and healing words gain a double victoryover ourselves, and over our brother.”

1D. J. M. Gibbon. “If anybody says a rude or angry word to you, and you answer in the same way, you are adding fire to fire, you are helping to make a bad thing worse, you are multiplying one evil by two — the very worst part ofarithmetic. But " a soft answer" is like water to fire ; it helps to put the flame out.This is what the firemen do. If you give a soft answer to angry words you will be oneof God's firemen, you will have helped to put out a fire that might have done greatharm.

It is very hard to speak softly to people sometimes, very hard indeed. But it is worth while learning to do it ; and though hard, like most other good things, it is not too hard. It can be managed. How ? First of all by making up your mind to do it, and then setting to work to practise the art of soft speaking, and asking God to help you and give you strength. It needs no courage to be angry and loud and rude. Bullies and cowards have always plenty of angry words at their com- mand. Brave boys do not brag or threaten, and the bravest thing of all is patience and self-mastery. Illustrate from the patience of the Lord Jesus in the judgment hall and on the Cross. The highest courage is the Cross of Christ. You will prove yourselves truly brave, not when you strike back, but when rising above the temptation you master yourselves and those around you.”

2. Many years ago Lavonne and I were in a motel in a very hot season and the airwas not working. We were frustrated and I went over the office to complain. Littledid I think about the fact that probably everybody else was also complaining, andthe owner would be terribly frustrated. I was the last straw. When I complainedthat our room was not getting any cool air he hit the ceiling and began to scream atme as no adult has ever screamed at me. I could tell he was on the brink of losing itand I was in no mood to get popped in the nose. The sweat was bad enough withoutblood to cope with. So I held my tongue and let him get out frustration. I spokevery gently in my apology, and because I did not add fuel to his fire he was able toget control again and he offered to give me my money back so we could go toanother motel. He did this and I thanked him and walked out feeling it is great tobe alive. I know that if I would have provoked him by screaming back he wouldhave lost control, and who knows what I would have lost as a result. He wasmurderously mad and I am grateful this proverb proved true on that occasion. Itwas my great example of appeasement.

3. A great Bible example is with Abigail in I Sam. 25:4-35. She changed history byher gentle answer. David was in such a fit of anger that he was about to kill a greatmany innocent people because he was provoked by a fool. Abigail came with hergentle words and sweet offer of food, and it calmed David down, and it saved himfrom doing what would damage his image forever by his brutal mass murder. He

was so grateful that he eventually married Abigail.

3b. Another great Bible example of the gentle answer turning away wrath is that ofGideon in Judges 8:1-2 were we read, “ 1 ow the Ephraimites asked Gideon, "Whyhave you treated us like this? Why didn't you call us when you went to fightMidian?" And they criticized him sharply. 2 But he answered them, "What have Iaccomplished compared to you? Aren't the gleanings of Ephraim's grapes betterthan the full grape harvest of Abiezer? 3 God gave Oreb and Zeeb, the Midianiteleaders, into your hands. What was I able to do compared to you?" At this, theirresentment against him subsided.” Gideon could have said, “I didn't call youbecause I didn't need you. I handled it by myself with no help from you.” Thatwould have provoked them, and there could have been another battle. Gideon waswise to be humble instead of being the hero who needed nobody's help.

4. Wouldn’t you love to know what words accounted for this entry into theBritannica back in the year 1900 under the section, “Unusual but noteworthyevents.” “The Blue Dolphin Restaurant in San Leandro, Calif. has been the sceneof numerous memorable gatherings, but none perhaps quite as unforgettable as thewedding reception that took place in mid-June. As the 300 guests chatted happilyamong themselves, they suddenly grew silent when the newlyweds began arguing inloud voices. Dismay turned to disbelief when the groom grabbed the wedding cakeand threw it in his bride’s face. By the time a police squad pulled up, guests werebreaking chairs and smashing mirrors. It took half an hour for more than 30 policeto get the crowd under control. By that time the newlyweds had disappeared.”

5. David Mace in his book Love And Anger In Marriage points out that there ismore anger generated in marriage than in any other relationship because you avoidit or walk away from others, but you have to live with your mate. Anger is viewed asheat. We talk of red hot anger and of blazing anger and of being inflamed orseething with anger. We see red and are hot under the collar or boiling mad. Like avolcano we fume, erupt and blow our top. Mates are doing things and saying thingsall the time that annoy or anger each other, and so there needs to be a great deal ofgentle answers to keep the lid on. If mates take everything critical as that whichdemands a negative response, they are failing to realize that it is one of the blessingsof marriage that you can be critical and still be loving. Mates help each other gettheir frustrations expressed and thus, released. They can't blow up at work, and lettheir anger out on fellow workers, and so they come home and often let it out on thechildren and their mate. If you can see this is happening, you need to realize thatyou are not the target. You are just a resource of release because the real targetcannot be used, for the risk is too great and might cost a good job to be lost.Sometimes we just need to let our mate get some frustration out of their systemwithout needing to fire back in defense. Don't get mad, but get gentle.

6. Jacox gives us these words from history that illustrate this proverb. “The

historian of the conquest of Peru tells us how Gasca was assailed by reproaches andinvectives which, however, had no power to disturb his equanimity; he patientlylistened, and replied to all in the mild tone of expostulation best calculated to turnaway wrath. "By this victory over himself," says Garcilasso, "he acquired more realglory, than by all his victories over his foes." As Spenser has it, — "Words well-disposed Have secret power t' appease inflamed rage." Sir Matthew Hale'scelebrated letter of advice includes this counsel, —if a person be passionate, andgive you ill language, rather to pity him than be moved to anger. We shall find, thepious judge asserts, that silence, or very gentle words, are the most exquisite revengefor reproaches; they will either cure the distemper in the angry man, and make himsorry for his passion, or they will be a severe reproof and punishment to him. " Butat any rate," adds Sir Matthew, "they will preserve your innocence, give you thedeserved reputation of wisdom and moderation, and keep up the serenity andcomposure

7. Jacox goes on, “The fact is, maintains the author of " The Gentle Life," all hardwords are a mistake: most of our quarrels arise from a total misunderstanding ofeach other; and at any rate, hard words will not mend the matter. One might aswell, he says, try to mend glass windows by pelting them with stones. Soft words, onthe other hand, fall like a healing balm on the hearts of all. "Such power," in thewords of one who loved to be written, if not to write himself, Leontius, " such powerhas the least shadow of a pleasant speech, to do away an ill-feeling of the moment, inthe complacency it produces, both in the giver and receiver." To apply, again, apassage from Spenser, descriptive of a damsel's success in deterring two doughtyknights from mortal encounter, so effective was her speech to... calm the sea of theirtempestuous spite: Such power have pleasing words! Such is the might Of courteousclemency in gentle heart! " We are all of us fond of gentle words, once more to quotean authority on all that concerns gentle living; and he denies the truth of thecommon rough proverb, " Soft words butter no parsnips," which is shown to be,after all, an apologetic proverb, meaning that the hearer is tickled with thepoliteness, albeit real satisfaction is not yet made. "Soft words do butter parsnips;and many an oily fellow, whose talent, industry, and conscientiousness are small,owes his position and advancement in life to the soft words which drop continuallyfrom his mouth." The soft answer that avails to dispel wrath, comes of practicedpatience; and when patience has its perfect work, it works miracles, as detailed bythat fine old forgotten poet, Decker: — "It is the greatest enemy to law That can be,for it doth embrace all wrongs, And so chains up lawyers and women's tongues;And last of all, to end a household strife, It is the honey 'gainst a waspish wife."

8. In I Kings 19:11-12 we read of this encounter of God with Elijah: “The LORDsaid, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for theLORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountainsapart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind.After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after

the fire came a gentle whisper.” God can speak in the wild wind, shattering rocks,fierce fire, and shaking earthquake, but he sometimes prefers the gentle whisper.There are times to be angry and sin not, but most often it is time for us to choose thegentle whisper.

9. Let God Be True, “If a party is angry with you, even if it is your fault, you canend the matter peaceably by responding gently and kindly, rather than with yourown anger in defense (12:16; 15:18; 29:22). Will you crush your pride and end thefight (13:10; 21:24; 28:25)? Our rule works with family members, job situations, thegovernment, or anyone else. Use it.

Solomon taught great fear of kings, for kings were very dreadful then (19:12; 20:2).But he also taught even their wrath could be pacified by yielding (16:14; Eccl 10:4).Gentle words are your most powerful weapon against an offended prince, or anyoneelse (25:15).

This is godly peacemaking. Jesus promised blessing on peacemakers (Matt 5:9), andHe taught those who may have offended another to go and be reconciled to them(Matt 5:23-26). He applied our proverb by teaching you to agree quickly with youradversary to bring matters to an end. The Spirit of Christ, which every true saintdesires to have, is peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, and makes peace actively(James 3:17-18).”

10. Clarke, “will often disarm the most furious, where positive derangement has nottaken place; one angry word will always beget another, for the disposition of onespirit always begets its own likeness in another: thus kindness produces kindness,and rage produces rage. Universal experience confirms this proverb.

11. Gill, “soft answer turneth away wrath,.... Mild words, gentle expressions,delivered with kindness and tenderness, humility and submission; these will workupon a man's passions, weaken his resentments, and break and scatter the storm ofwrath raised in his breast, just breaking forth in a very boisterous and blusteringmanner; so high winds are sometimes laid by soft showers. Thus the Ephraimiteswere pacified by Gideon's mild answer; and David by Abigail's very submissive andrespectful address, Jdg_8:1;

but grievous words stir up anger; such as are rough and menacing, scornful andsneering, reproachful and reviling, proud, haughty, and overbearing; like those ofJephthah to the Ephraimites; and of the Ephraimites to the Gileadites; and of abalto David's servants, concerning him; and of Rehoboam, who answered the peopleroughly: in all which instances anger was stirred up, and either were or like to havebeen attended with bad consequences, Jdg_12:1. Or a "word" causing, or ratherexpressing, "grief" (r); upbraiding others with being the cause of grief to them.

12. Henry, “, as conservator of the public peace, here tells us, 1. How the peace may

be kept, that we may know how in our places to keep it; it is by soft words. If wrathbe risen like a threatening cloud, pregnant with storms and thunder, a softanswerwill disperse it and turn it away. When men are provoked, speak gently tothem, and give them good words, and they will be pacified, as the Ephraimites wereby Gideon's mildness (Jdg_8:1-3); whereas, upon a like occasion, by Jephthah'sroughness, they were exasperated, and the consequences were bad, Jdg_12:1-3.Reason will be better spoken, and a righteous cause better pleaded, with meeknessthen with passion; hard arguments do best with soft words. 2. How the peace will bebroken, that we, for our parts, may do nothing towards the breaking of it. othingstirs up anger, and sows discord, like grievous words,calling foul names, as Raca,andThou fool,upbraiding men with their infirmities and infelicities, their extraction oreducation, or any thing that lessens them and makes them mean; scornful spitefulreflections, by which men affect to show their wit and malice, stir up the anger ofothers, which does but increase and inflame their own anger. Rather than lose a jestsome will lose a friend and make an enemy.”

13. An unknown pastor shows by the following outline how strongly this chapter hasa focus on words. “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you willbe condemned.”

KI D WORDS CREATE FRIE DSHIP.

(KJV-15:2) The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of foolspoureth out foolishness. (TLB-15:2) A wise teacher makes learning a joy; arebellious teacher spouts foolishness.

I FORMED WORDS CREATE JOY.

(KJV-15:3) The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and thegood. (TLB-15:3) The Lord is watching everywhere and keeps his eye on both theevil and the good.

OUR WORDS ARE BEI G RECORDED.

(KJV-15:4) A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breachin the spirit. (TLB-15:4) Gentle words cause life and health; griping bringsdiscouragement.

GE TLE WORDS STRE GTHE OTHERS.

(KJV-15:5) A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof isprudent. (TLB-15:5) Only a fool despises his father's advice; a wise son considerseach suggestion.

WISE CHILDRE LISTE TO PARE TAL WORDS.

(KJV-15:6) In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of thewicked is trouble. (TLB-15:6) There is treasure in being good, but trouble dogs thewicked.

RIGHT LIVI G CAUSES SPIRITUAL GAI .

(KJV-15:7) The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolishdoeth not so. (TLB-15:7) Only the good can give good advice. Rebels can't.

GOOD WORDS COME FROM GOOD HEARTS.

(KJV-15:8) The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but theprayer of the upright is his delight. (TLB-15:8) The Lord hates the gifts of thewicked but delights in the prayers of his people.

WORDS OF PRAYER PLEASE THE LORD.

(KJV-15:9) The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he lovethhim that followeth after righteousness. (TLB-15:9) The Lord despises the deeds ofthe wicked but loves those who try to be good.

2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

The Message, “Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise; fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.”

1. When the wise speak they impress others to realize how valuable it is to gainknowledge. Their use of words and great ideas make it obvious that a goodeducation is a valuable asset to living the good life. On the other hand, when a foolspeaks it is also obvious how pathetic it is to be ignorant and unlearned. They revealhow little they grasp the nature of reality, and make it look shameful to remain sounaware of what makes life more meaningful and precious. The wise tonguemotivates you to press on to upgrade your mind, and paradoxically, so does thefoolish tongue, for it makes you feel embarrassed to stay on such an ignorant level.It seems funny, but it is true, that even the speech of the fool can be an inspiration togo deeper and climb higher, for he reveals the folly of being shallow and lowly inthe knowledge department. Wisdom and folly can both be a blessing if you respondto them the way God expects you to do all through the Proverbs.

2. Bridges, “Before we had the tongue of love. Here is the tongue of wisdom. Thetongue shews the man. The wise commands his tongue. The fool his tonguecommands him. He may have a mass of knowledge in possession. But from the wantof the right use it runs to waste. Wisdom is proved, not by the quantum ofknowledge, but by its right application. Observe our Divine Master with " the spirit

of knowledge resting upon him." In condescending to the ignorance of the people ;in commanding their respect ; in silencing the gainsayers ; in alluring sinners tohimself how did this wise tongue use knowledge aright ! Thus did his great Apostlegive to all the same knowledge, but wisely not the same form or gradation. Insteadof exasperating his Heathen congregation by an open protest, he supplied theiracknowledged defect, by bringing before them the true God, " whom they wereignorantly worshiping." He pointed an arrow to Agrippa s conscience, by thekindly admission cf his candor and Intelligence.

This right use of knowledge distinguishes the " workman approved of God, and thatneedeth not to be ashamed." The want of it often gives out truth so loosely andunsuitably, as to open rather than to shut the mouth of the gainsayer ; rather to bring discredit upon the truth, than conviction to the adversary. Specially will thetongue of the wise direct a right application of knowledge to those, who have newlyentered the path of God. May we not sometimes, in our present stature, forget ourown feeble infancy ; and that, if now we " strike our roots as Lebanon," time was,when it was with us only, " the least of all seeds ?" Let our considerate instructionpluck the thorn out of their tender feet, " lest that which is lamed be turned out ofthe way ; but rather let it be healed."

But judge what must be the waters flowing from such a fool's fountain. Listen toBaal's worshipers, Rabshakeh s proud boasting: the fretting murmurings of thepeople of God, all pouring out foolishness. Oh ! for a large infusion of sound knowledge in the treasure-house within, that the tongue may be at once disciplined andconsecrated !”

3. Clarke, “Useth knowledge aright - is very difficult to know: - when to speak, andwhen to be silent; what to speak, and what to leave unspoken; the manner that isbest and most suitable to the occasion, the subject, the circumstances, and thepersons. All these are difficulties, often even to the wisest men. Even wise counselmay be foolishly given.”

4. Gill, “The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright,.... As the heart of a wise andgood man is filled with useful knowledge, civil, moral, spiritual, and evangelical; sohe takes care to communicate it, at proper times and seasons, in proper places, andto proper persons; adapting it to their case and circumstances, so as it may be fortheir comfort, edification, and instruction, and minister grace unto them; which isusing knowledge "well", as the word (s)signifies: such an use of it recommends it,and makes it appear beautiful and lovely, decorates and adorns it. Thus every goodman, out of the good treasure of knowledge in his heart, brings forth his good thingsseasonably, to the use of edifying; in like manner, ministers of the word, scribes wellinstructed in the things of God, bring forth both new and old, to the profit of thoseto whom they minister; so Christ, as man and Mediator, had the tongue of thelearned, to speak a word in season to weary souls;

but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness; their knowledge, as they take it to be,but it is no other than folly; this they throw out in great plenty, in a hurry, withoutfear or wit; they "babble" it out, as the word signifies, as water out of a fountain;their hearts are full of it, and their mouths proclaim it, Pro_12:23.

5. Henry, “ A good heart by the tongue becomes very useful. He that has knowledgeis not only to enjoy it, for his own entertainment, but to use it, to use it aright, forthe edification of others; and it is the tonguethat must make use of it in piousprofitable discourse, in giving suitable and seasonable instructions, counsels, andcomforts, with all possible expressions of humility and love, and then knowledge isused aright;and to him that has, and thus uses what he has, more shall be given. 2. Awicked heart by the tongue becomes very hurtful; for the mouth of fools belches outfoolishness,which is very offensive; and the corrupt communication which proceedsfrom an evil treasure within (the filthiness, and foolish talking, and jesting) corruptsthe good manners of some and debauches them, and grieves the good hearts ofothers and disturbs them.”

6. Let God Be True, “You can say the wrong thing. And you can say the right thingthe wrong way, or at the wrong time, or to the wrong person. Wisdom learns whatto say, how to say it, when to say it, and to whom to say it. Truth is not enough. Doyou know how, when, and to whom to speak the truth? Fools babble without regardto these four factors of godly speech.

Solomon taught often that speech is one of the most obvious signs of wisdom or folly(10:18-19; 15:28; 17:27-28; 18:6-7; 29:11; Eccl 10:11-14). A wise man or a fool canbe easily discerned by his speech, which is measured by content, manner, timing,and audience. The key to this proverb is the qualifying adverb "aright." A wise manspeaks knowledge acceptably, but a fool prates offensively without knowing what heis saying.

What is godly content? The proverb says wise men speak knowledge. They do notbelch vain opinions, which fools love to do. They study before they speak (15:28).They crave the certain words of truth (22:17-21). They know speech contrary toScripture is totally worthless (Is 8:20). They want to edify (Eph 4:29). Speak only ifyou have truth (16:23), when it is important to the hearers (29:11), and cut yourwords in half (17:27-28).”

3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keepingwatch on the wicked and the good.

1. The little children's song says “Be careful little eyes what you see, for your Father

up above is looking down in tender love, so be careful little eyes what you see.” Itgoes on to deal with what you hear and do etc. The point is, God in all seeing, and soeverything we are and do is exposed. We are naked before God, and so it if folly tothink anything is hidden from him. Awareness of this should make us fearful to goahead and do what he forbids. How foolish could one be to do what his parentsforbid right in their presence, or for a driver to go through a stop light right in thepresence of the police car along side of his. It is obvious that we do not live with thisawareness, for we choose to do what we know is not God's will, and we think that itis unknown because no human eyes can see it. Awareness of God's all seeing eyes isthe greatest safeguard against doing what is folly. It is a powerful guide to be everpressing on to life on a higher level. Practicing the presence of God is the key toChristian maturity.

2. Bridges, “Adored be this All-seeing God ! His inspection of the universe, sominute, exact, unwearied! The first mark of the apostasy was a dread of hispresence. The ungodly try to forget it, and often succeed in banishing him out oftheir thoughts. Yet in despite of all their efforts to hide, he does see them. His eyesare in every place. Heaven, hell the secret places of the earth are all open beforehim. He beholds the evil whether the King on his throne, or in his palace ; or theservant indulging his secret sin. Yes he may shut out the sun from his retreat, buthe cannot shut out the eye of God, "from whom the darkness hideth not." Recklessindeed is he to do or think what he would hide from God ; and then such is thesecret root of atheism ! thinking he can do so.

But his eyes also behold the good. He sees them in outward destitution. in secretretirement, in deep affliction. He pierces the prison walls. He " covers their headsin the day of battle." He is with them in the furnace, and in the tempest. His eyeguides them as their journeying God, and will guide them safe home; full ofblessing, protection, and support. He fills hell with his severity, heaven with hisglory, his people with his grace. But how shall I meet these eyes ! As a rebel or as achild. Do they inspire me with terror, or with love? Do I walk carefully under their lively impression ? Conscious corruption leads me to shrink from theeyes of man. But Oh ! my God ! I would lay myself naked and open to thee. Searchme ; try me ; shew me to myself. Bring out my hidden iniquities, and slay thembefore me. How is the overwhelming thought of this piercing eye more thancounterbalanced by the view of the .great High Priest, who covers and cleanses allinfirmities and defilement, and pleads and maintains my acceptancenotwithstanding all discouragement !”

3. Henry, “The great truths of divinity are of great use to enforce the precepts ofmorality, and none more than this - That the eye of God is always upon the childrenof men. 1. An eye to discern all, not only from which nothing can be concealed, butby which every thing is actually inspected, and nothing overlooked or looked slightlyupon: The eyes of the Lord are in every place; for he not only sees all from on high

(Psa_33:13), but he is every where present. Angels are full of eyes (Rev_4:8), butGod is all eye. It denotes not only his omniscience, that he sees all, but his universalprovidence, that he upholds and governs all. Secret sins, services, and sorrows, areunder his eye. 2. An eye to distinguish both persons and actions. He beholds the eviland the good, is displeased with the evil and approves of the good, and will judgemen according to the sight of his eyes, Psa_1:6; Psa_11:4. The wicked shall not gounpunished, nor the righteous unrewarded, for God has his eye upon both andknows their true character; this speaks as much comfort to sas terror to sinners.

4. Gill, “eyes of the Lord arein every place,.... Which are expressive of hisomniscience, of the full, clear, distinct, and perfect knowledge, which he has of allcreatures and things; so that nothing is hid from him, but all open and manifest tohim; as they are to Christ the essential Word, Heb_4:13; and also of the providenceof God with respect to all persons in general, and to his own people in particular;and as he is infinite and immense, omnipresent and in all places of the world, so hisomniscience and providence reach everywhere, to places most distant and secret,and to persons in them, who cannot be concealed from him, since he fills heaven andearth, Jer_23:23;

beholding the evil and the good; meaning not evil things and good things, thoughthat is true; the one he beholds with dislike, the other with pleasure; but evil menand good men: he beholds them as from a watch tower, as the word (u)signifies,from above, from heaven, where he is; see Psa_33:13. By "evil" men may be meantboth profane sinners and carnal professors; such as are more openly wicked, anddeclare their sin, as Sodom, or more secretly so; he sees into all the wickedness thereis in their hearts, all their secret devices against his people; the works done by themin the dark, as well as their more open ones; and his eyes are upon all of them, tobring them into judgment at the last day: his eyes are particularly on the proud, toabase them; such as are under a disguise of religion, and have a form of godliness,he has his eyes upon; he sees through all their disguises; he knows on what foot theytook up their profession; he discerns between that and true grace; he sees how theyretain their lusts with their profession; observes the springs and progress of theirapostasy; and will fix his eyes on the man without a righteousness, not having on thewedding garment, and order him into outer darkness. He also beholds "good" men;he sees all their bad things, their sins, and corrects them for them; their good things,their graces, and the exercise of them; their good works, the fruits of his own grace;their weaknesses, and supports and strengthens them; their wants, and suppliesthem; their persons, and never withdraws his eyes from them: these are on themcontinually, to protect and defend them; nor will he leave them till he has broughtthem safe to heaven; see 1Ch_16:9.”

5. Clarke, “eyes of the Lord are in every place - not only sees all things, by hisomnipresence, but his providence is everywhere. And if the consideration that hiseye is in every place, have a tendency to appal those whose hearts are not rightbefore him, and who seek for privacy, that they may commit iniquity; yet the other

consideration, that his providence is everywhere, has a great tendency to encouragethe upright, and all who may be in perilous or distressing circumstances.”

6. Let God Be True, “Where will you hide from the LORD? David could not hide inheaven, hell, the farthest parts of the sea, or in darkness (Ps 139:7-12). God iseverywhere to see everything (Jer 23:24). What can you hide from the LORD?David could not hide his thoughts, dreams, or unspoken words (Ps 139:1-6). Eventhe intents of the heart are known (15:11; Heb 4:12). o matter where you go orwhat you try to hide, the LORD sees and knows it all. All your ways are naked andopened to His all-seeing eyes (5:21; Job 34:21-22; Heb 4:13). The LORD also seesyour good works. He does not miss a single prayer you make in secret (Matt 6:1-8).Every good thing you have done will be remembered in the great Day of Judgment(Eccl 12:14; II Cor 5:10; Matt 25:31-40).”

4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

1. Each of us has the power to become a tree of life to others, and all that isnecessary for this to become a reality is for us to learn how to use our tongue to be ahealing agent in the world. We see dogs licking themselves on their sores, and weare told that the tongue of the dog has healing properties that help cure the woundso it heals faster. So it is with our tongue in dealing with the wounded people in ourlife. They need what our tongue can give them to heal and be restored to a normalbalanced life instead of being oppressed and depressed by the events of life that havedamaged their spirit. What a wonderful gift we have, but beware, for this gift canalso be abused so that this same tongue can crush the depressed even deeper intodespair by our deceitful words. The wise use of the tongue can make us healers, butthe foolish use of it can make us crushers of the spirit. It is so important then thatwe study to know how to use this tool aright that we might be an asset rather than aliability in our environment. Are people glad to see us, or glad to see us go?

2. Keil, “Gentleness characterizes the tongue when all that it says to a neighbor,whether it be instruction or correction, or warning or consolation, it says in amanner without rudeness, violence, or obtrusiveness, by which it finds the easiestand surest acceptance, because he feels the goodwill, the hearty sympathy, thehumility of him who is conscious of his own imperfection. Such gentleness is a treeof life, whose fruits preserve life, heal the sick, and raise up the bowed down.”

3. Gill, “ wholesome tongue isa tree of life,.... A tongue that delivers out salutaryinstructions, wholesome advice and counsel; a "healing tongue" (w), as it may berendered, which pacifies contending parties, and heals the divisions between them;to have the benefit of such a man's company and conversation is like being inparadise. Such is the tongue of a Gospel minister, which delivers out the wholesomewords of our Lord Jesus Christ; sound speech and doctrines, which cannot becondemned; healing truths to wounded consciences, such as peace, pardon,righteousness, and atonement by the blood of Christ. These are the means ofquickening dead sinners, reviving and comforting distressed ones, and show the wayof eternal life unto them;

but perverseness therein isa breach in the spirit; impure, unchaste, unsavory, andcorrupt language, does mischief to the spirits of men; evil communications corruptthe heart and manners, defile the soul and the conversation; these and unsounddoctrines eat as a canker; and as they make the heart of God's people sad, whom hewould not have made sad; so they bring distress and despair into the spirits ofothers, and make sad wounds and breaches there, which are never healed, and thatboth in the spirits of speakers and hearers; for damnable heresies bring swiftdestruction on the propagators of them, and them that receive them.”

4. Henry, “good tongue is healing, healing to wounded consciences by comfortingthem, to sin-sick souls by convincing them, to peace and love when it is broken byaccommodating differences, compromising matters in variance, and reconcilingparties at variance; this is the healing of the tongue, which is a tree of life,the leavesof which have a sanative virtue, Rev_22:2. He that knows how to discourse willmake the place he lives in a paradise. 2. An evil tongue is wounding(perverseness,passion, falsehood, and filthiness there, are a breach in the spirit); itwounds the conscience of the evil speaker, and occasions either guilt or grief to thehearers, and both are to be reckoned breaches in the spirit.Hard words indeed breakno bones, but many a heart has been broken by them.”

5. Bridges, “Wisdom is finely portrayed as a tree of life: So is also the genialinfluence of the righteous here the fruitfulness of his little member. A high image ofwhat it ought to be not negative not harmless, but wholesome. As the salt cast intothe spring cleansed the bitter waters; so, when there is grace in the heart, there willbe healing in the tongue. "The speech will be with grace, seasoned with salt."Large indeed is the sphere, and abundant the blessing. When employed in soothingthe afflicted, calming the troubled waters with words of peace, it creates a paradisearound. It is not like the thorny bush, pricking and hurting those that are about us,but a fruitful tree a tree of life.

But if the gracious tongue be healing, the evil tongue is wounding. The meekest ofmen felt its perverseness a breach in the spirit. The tongue of Job s friends broke"the bruised reed." which needed to be bound up. Even our beloved Lord, who

never shrunk from external evil, keenly felt the piercing edge of this sword in hisinmost soul. May it be with me, as with my Divine Master, that "grace may bepoured upon my lips," so that it may be a wholesome tongue, full of blessing and ofgood fruits !”

6. Let God Be True, “What do others think when you talk? Are they delighted withpleasure and rewarded with profit? Are your words the helpful words of truth andwisdom? Do you edify your hearers with kind and uplifting speech? Are family andfriends strengthened by your gracious words? Do you motivate others to godlinessand zeal? Are they thankful to have you around? Are you asked for advice frommany quarters? Do you cause hearts to sing?

Or is your speech contrary, discouraging, and offensive? Do others consider youirritating and obnoxious and avoid you because of your mouth? Are family andfriends tired of your foolish talking, jesting, criticizing, or whining? Do you leavehearers bleeding from sarcastic cuts and defeated by negative comments? Areothers angry about your regular backbiting and tale bearing? Are you known asnever being cheerful or thankful?

You are either a tree of life to others or a breach in their spirit. You either heal andhelp with your words, or you hurt and injure. You either instruct and uplift, or youcorrupt and offend. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they thatlove it shall eat the fruit thereof" (18:21). You can be a tree of life, providing kindand useful words to help others; or you can be a breach in their spirit, discouragingand irritating them.

God gave you a tongue to glorify Him and help others (Ps 30:12; 108:1; Mal 3:16; IThess 5:14; Heb 10:24-25). Boasting in the Lord and magnifying Him is one of thegrandest ways to honor God and uplift others (Ps 34:1-3). Will your funeral because to reflect on how your tongue was a tree of life to many, or a breach of thespirit to many? Will there be grief for the loss of your words? Or relief that yournegative and stinging tongue is gone?”

5 A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.

1. Solomon is obviously referring to youth here, for adults are not usually still underthe discipline of fathers. Many a foolish teenager learns the hard way that fatherdoes, in fact, know best. They want to think that times have advanced beyond theold way of thinking, and dad is locked into a morality of the past. They cast off his

wise advice and, like the Prodigal, go off to really live the good life of fun andadventure, only to learn that it leads to the pig pen in the long run. Some come backhome and clean up their act, but many spend the rest of their lives slopping the pigs,and living the life of the fool. The wisest of them all are those who listen and learn,and are grateful for being disciplined for their wrong behavior. When they get olderthey realize just how wonderful it was to be so loved and spared from the mistakesthey see that ruined the lives of many of their friends who were never punished fortheir folly.

2. Bridges, “Alas ! We cannot wonder at this folly. Remember the birth of the fool"as a wild ass's colt," despising discipline and restraint. Yet subjection to parents isthe law of nature, recognized by the most uncivilized nations. Much more is it thelaw of God. The authority of parents is the authority of God. The wayward resistance of the ungodly will be fearfully scourged. And even the Christianpenitent has felt the smart of the rod to the end of life. If example would put thisfolly to shame, do we not read of One child able to teach yea to command hisparents, who yet exhibited the lovely pattern of filial subjection? But pride must be broken down, and the "clothing of humility worn, before the child will see thathis parents know better than himself; and that to count their word law to " bear theyoke in the youth," and to regard counsel, and even reproof as it is the path ofhonor, so it is the path of prudence. Solomon's wisdom, though the special gift ofGod, was doubtless connected with this filial regard to his wise father's instruction.Will those, who despise their earthly father's instruction, be ready to listen to theirheavenly father ? How surely therefore will this untractable spirit exclude from theKingdom of God !”

3. Henry, “Let superiors be admonished to give instruction and reproof to those thatare under their charge, as they will answer it in the day of account. They must notonly instruct with the light of knowledge, but reprove with the heat of zeal; and boththese must be done with the authority and affection of a father, and must becontinued, though the desired effect be not immediately perceived. If the instructionbe despised, give reproof, and rebuke sharply. It is indeed against the grain withgood-humored men to find fault, and make those about them uneasy; but better sothan to suffer them to go on undisturbed in the way to ruin. 2. Let inferiors beadmonished, not only to submit to instruction and reproof (even hardships must besubmitted to), but to value them as favors and not despise them, to make use ofthem for their direction, and always to have a regard to them; this will be anevidence that they are wise and a means of making them so; whereas he that slightshis good education is a fool and is likely to live and die one.”

4. Gill, “A fool despiseth his father's instruction,.... They are fools that despise anyinstruction that is wise, good, and profitable; and especially a father's instruction,whose love, tender affection, and care, will not suffer him, knowingly, to give anybut what is good and wholesome: wherefore to despise it is not only a contempt ofhis authority, but a slight of his love; which are both very aggravating, andsufficiently demonstrate his folly; and of which he may be himself convinced when it

is too late, and say, "how have I hated instruction and despised reproof?" Pro_5:12.He is a fool that despises the instruction of anyone superior to him in years andexperience; of ministers of the word; and especially of our Father which is inheaven, declared in the sacred Scriptures, which are written for instruction inrighteousness;

but he that regardeth reproof is prudent; the reproof of a father, whose correctionsare to be submitted to, and received with reverence; and especially of the Father ofspirits, whose rebukes are in love, and for profit and advantage; yea, he is a wiseman that regards the reproof of the word of God, and the ministers of it; and indeedof any Christian, whether his superior, equal, or inferior, as David did, Psa_141:5.”

5. Rich Cathers tells this story, “A man was on the golf practice course, when theclub pro, Maury, brought an important-looking man out for a lesson. Maurywatched the guy swing several times and started making suggestions forimprovement, but each time the pupil interrupted with his own versions of what waswrong and how to correct it. After a few minutes of this interference, Maury begannodding his head in agreement. At the end of the lesson, the man paid Maury,congratulated him on his expertise as a teacher and left in an obviously pleasedframe of mind.

The observer was so astonished by the performance, that he had to ask, “Why didyou go along with him?” “Son,” the old pro said with a grin as he carefullypocketed his fee, “I learned long ago that it’s a waste of time to sell answers to aman who wants to buy echoes.”

6. Let God Be True, “As is true with all the proverbs, there is also wisdom for girlsand mothers here. The same rules apply to daughters and their father's instructionand reproofs. And mothers may also give instruction and reproofs to sons anddaughters, along with fathers (1:8; 6:20; 31:1).

My son, God gave me several advantages to help you. Only foolish and wild sonsreject a father's advice and warnings. Wise sons will use their father's advantages tobe even greater in life. And this is my great desire for you, son, to outstrip andsurpass me; but you will only do it by receiving my experience and wisdom. Do Ihave your heart?

A prudent and wise son with a great future will seek his father's counsel and listeneagerly to any advice he can gather. He will not be offended by correction,restrictions, or repeated warnings. Son, can I convince you to trust me? There arereasons I can help you, and I want to give them to you. Will you consider why Godchose me to be your father?

Consider my knowledge of you, son. I was analyzing you before you knew you werealive. I have memories of years of your life that you cannot recall. I am not blinded

by the passions of your deceitful heart. You are lost in many ways right now due toyour youth, but I can see clearly what would be best for you. I have watched youreact to many situations as a child, and I know you better than you know you. Letme help you, son.”

6 The house of the righteous contains greattreasure, but the income of the wicked bringsthem trouble.

1. Both the righteous and the wicked may have an abundance of things, and evenbecome quite rich, but the righteous are to enjoy and be grateful for their treasures,and not controlled by them. The wicked rich are so often so controlled that itbecomes a pain to be rich. I remember reading the testimony of a rich woman wholeft her husband because they had so much stuff that she had to stay home almostall the time because of the many repair people that we coming to fix things. She wasa slave to her wealth, and she wanted freedom instead, so she left her rich husband.If your riches are bringing pain rather than pleasure, it is time to get rid of somestuff. The righteous are to deal wisely with their stuff, and not let it dominate theirlives as the wicked so often do.

2. Henry, “righteousness is riches are, and the comforts of them: In the house of therighteous is much treasure.Religion teaches men to be diligent, temperate, and just,and by these means, ordinarily, the estate is increased. But that is not all: Godblesses the habitation of the just,and that blessing makes rich without trouble. Or, ifthere be not much of this world's goods, yet where there is grace there is truetreasure; and those who have but little, if they have a heart to be therewith content,and to enjoy the comfort of that little, it is enough; it is all riches. The righteousperhaps are not themselves enriched, but there is treasure in their house, a blessingin store, which their children after them may reap the benefit of. A wicked worldlyman is only for having his belly filled with those treasures, his own sensual appetitegratified (Psa_17:14); but a righteous man's first care is for his soul and then for hisseed, to have treasure in his heart and then in his house, which his relations andthose about him may have the benefit of. 2. Where wickedness is, though there maybe riches, yet there is vexation of spirit with them: In the revenues of the wicked,thegreat incomes they have, there is trouble;for there is guilt and a curse; there is prideand passion, and envy and contention; and those are troublesome lusts, which robthem of the joy of their revenues and make them troublesome to their neighbors.”

3. Gill, “the house of the righteous ismuch treasure,.... God sometimes blesses therighteous with great riches, as he did Abraham; or, however, if they have but little,it is better than the riches of many wicked; because they have what they have with ablessing, and they are content with it: and they have abundance of spiritualtreasure; they have God for their portion; Christ, and all good things along withhim; the rich graces of the Spirit; a rich experience of the grace of God; and all thisis but a pledge and earnest of what they shall possess hereafter;

but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble; they have much trouble in getting theirriches, by which they pierce themselves through with many sorrows; they havemuch trouble in keeping them; cannot rest nor sleep because of their abundance,lest it should be taken away from them; and they have much trouble in parting withthem, when they are, by one providence or another, stripped of them; and, besides,they have them with a curse, and are ever attended with uneasiness, on one accountor another.

4. Bridges, “The comparison between the righteous and the wicked always turns infavor of the righteous. Even in treasure the world s idol, he exceeds. For though hishouse may be destitute of money, yet is there much treasure ; often unseen, yet suchthat the revenues of the wicked, compared with it, sink into nothing. Drop millionsof gold, boundless revenues, ample territories, crowns and sceptres ; and a poorcontemptible worm lays his One God against all of them. The treasures of thewicked are too much for their good, and too little for their lust. They cannot satisfytheir senses much less their souls. They may "take wings" at any moment; andwhile they continue, unlike the treasures of the righteous they are burdened withtrouble. But is it not the crown of the Christian s crown, and the glory of his glory,that his portion is so full, that he cannot desire more? All the excellences of thecreation are only dark shadows of its more substantial excellence. What a mercy tobe delivered from the idolatrous bait so ruinous alike to our present peace andeternal welfare I But a greater mercy still, to be enriched with that treasure beyondthe reach of harm, that raises to heaven, a portion in God his favor his image hiseverlasting joy.”

7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.

1. The wise by their very nature have something to spread to others. If not, in whatsense are they wise, and what would be the value of being so if there is nothingabout it to share to benefit others? Wise people have to spread knowledge for theycannot be wise if they do not do so. A wise man who never adds to the knowledge ofanother is not wise at all, but is just another fool who may be ahead of his class in

knowing things. So if you know something that is good for others to know, and youdo not spread the word, you fall into the class of the fools. Fools may know things ofvalue too, but they do not have the heart that cares to share it. They are selfcentered in contrast with the wise who are other centered, and want people tobenefit by their knowledge.

2. Gill, “The lips of the wise disperse knowledge,.... Scatter it about for the benefit ofothers; they are communicative and diffusive of it unto others, that fruit mayabound to their account: so the first ministers of the Gospel diffused the savor of theknowledge of Christ and his Gospel in every place; their words went into all theearth, and their sound to the end of the world; and so every Gospel minister willspeak according to the oracles of God, and according to the abilities and measure ofthe gift which he has received; and to the utmost of his power feeds souls withknowledge and understanding;

but the heart of the foolish dothnot so; does not disperse knowledge, for he has nosolid substantial knowledge in him: or, "the heart of the foolish isnot right" (x); it isfull of folly and wickedness: or "the heart of the foolish doesnot disperse that whichisright"; true and right things, and the knowledge of them; but, on the contrary, asin Pro_15:2, "pours out foolishness".”

3. Henry, “This is to the same purport with Pro_15:2, and shows what a blessing awise man is and what a burden a fool is to those about him. Only here observefurther, 1. That we then use knowledge aright when we disperse it, not confine it toa few of our intimates, and grudge it to others who would make as good use of it, butgive a portion of this spiritual alms to seven and also to eight, not only becommunicative, but diffusive, of this good, with humility and prudence. We musttake pains to spread and propagate useful knowledge, must teach some that theymay teach others, and so it is dispersed. 2. That it is not only a fault to pour outfoolishness, but it is a shame not to disperse knowledge, at least not to drop somewise word or other: The heart of the foolish does not so; it has nothing to dispersethat is good, or, if it had, has neither skill nor will to do good with it and therefore islittle worth.”

4. Keil, “What, after 7a, is more appropriate than to say of the heart of thefool, that it wants the receptivity for knowledge which the lips of the wisescatter abroad? The heart of the fool is not right, it has not the rightdirection, is crooked and perverse, has no mind for wisdom; and that whichproceeds from the wise, therefore, finds with him neither estimation noracceptance.”

5. Let God Be True, “Wise men use their mouths to give knowledge, but the speechof fools helps no one. If you are wise, others will benefit by your words; if you are

foolish, others will not profit. How will you affect others today by your talking? Willyou increase their knowledge? Or will you merely fill their ears with noise and notprofit them at all? God gave you a heart and lips to praise Him and help others.And He gave you Scripture to fill your heart with knowledge, so you can havewonderful words to speak (22:17-21; II Tim 3:16-17).

Words carefully chosen and wisely spoken are beautiful, for which both God andmen will hold you in high esteem and favor (12:14,18; 15:23; 16:13,24; 22:11; 24:26;25:11). And wise men use such words to feed many (10:21). They are trees of life tothose around them, but fools are traps of sin and death (11:30; 15:4). How many doyou feed?”

6. Bridges, “The " right use of knowledge" is first to " lay it up" in a store house; 1then out of. the store-house to disperse it. The sower scatters the seed in the furrow,and calculates upon a proportionate harvest. Thus the lips of the wise disperse theprecious seed, "giving a portion to seven, and also to eight," not discouraged by trifling difficulties, but " sowing morning and evening," and committing the resultto God. The Ministry of our Lord thus dispersed the heavenly knowledge of hisgospel. He commanded his Apostles to scatter the seed through the vast field of theworld. The persecution of the Church was overruled for this great end. I-ieReformers widely dispersed their treasures both by preaching and writing ; andrich indeed was the fruit. Do we remember that our gifts and talents are the richesof the Church, that we are blessed like our father Abraham not for our own sakesbut to " be a blessing." And does not conscience speak of the waste of many ofimportant opportunities, when Christians meet, and not an atom of knowledge isdispersed! We contend for no eccentric irregularity. We wish for no passing of ourproper boundary no iritrenchinent upon paramount obligations. But be careful, lest in quenching unnatural fire, we inadvertently damp some genuine spark of holyflame. Be mindful of small opportunities. The careful cultivation of the smallest fieldensures an abundant harvest. The acceptance is not to the number, but to the improvement of the talents ; not necessarily " where much have been given," butwhere we " have been faithful in a few things."

The sin of tlte wicked is, not always that they " pour out foolishness ;" but. thatthey do not so. They neglect to disperse. They do not abuse their talent, but theyomit to improve it. If not blots, they are blanks in the Church. They do no harm, butthey do nothing. Indeed, they can disperse nothing from their empty store-house.They can only trade with the trash of the world, not with the commerce ofsubstantial knowledge. The end of both is according to their works "Unto every onethat hath (actively improves) shall be given, and he shall have abundance ; but fromhim that hath not (uses not) shall be taken away even that which he hath."

8 The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked,

but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

1. Henry, “so hates wicked people, whose hearts are malicious and their livesmischievous, that even their sacrifices are an abomination tohim. God has sacrificesbrought him even by wicked men, to stop the mouth of conscience and to keep uptheir reputation in the world, as malefactors come to a sanctuary, not because it is aholy place, but because it shelters them from justice; but their sacrifices, thoughever so costly, are not accepted of God, because not offered in sincerity nor from agood principle; they dissemble with God, and in their conversations give the lie totheir devotions, and for that reason they are an abominationto him, because they aremade a cloak for sin, Pro_7:14. See Isa_1:11. 2. God has such a love for uprightgood people that, though they are not at the expense of a sacrifice (he himself hasprovided that), their prayer is a delightto him. Praying graces are his own gift, andthe work of his own Spirit in them, with which he is well pleased. He not onlyanswers their prayers, but delights in their addresses to him, and in doing themgood.”

2. Gill, “sacrifice of the wicked isan abomination to the Lord,.... Even thosesacrifices which were of divine appointment under the former dispensation, whenoffered by wicked men, without faith in Christ, without any sense of sin, repentancefor it, and reformation from it; when these were used as a cloak for sin, under whichthey sheltered and satisfied themselves, and went on in sin; when they brought them"with a wicked mind", as in Pro_21:27; when either what they brought were notaccording to the law, the lame and the blind; or were not their own, but robbery forburnt sacrifice; or supposing that these would atone for their sins of themselves;when either of these, or all this, was the case, it was an abomination to the Lord; seeIsa_1:11. Wherefore much more must Pagan sacrifices be an abomination to him;which were not of his appointing, and were offered to devils, and not to him; andwhich were many of them very inhuman and shocking; as giving a man's firstbornfor his transgression, and the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul: Sacrifice maystand for every religious duty performed by a wicked man, being hypocriticallydone, and with no good view; and all their good works, which seem to be so; and areeither not according to the word and will of God, being never commanded by him,or they are not done in faith, and so sin, and do not spring from love to God; but aredone with a heart full of enmity to him, and are not directed to his glory: in short,whatever is done by them, let it have ever such an appearance of devotion andgoodness; yet if it is placed in the room of Christ, and used to the setting aside of hisrighteousness, satisfaction, and sacrifice, it is an abomination to the Lord;

but the prayer of the upright ishis delight: the prayer of such, whose hearts areright with God; who have right spirits renewed in them; are Israelites indeed; havethe truth of grace and root of the matter in them; are honest, sincere, and upright inheart: the prayer of such, which is an inwrought one, wrought in his heart by the

Spirit of God, and so comes from God, and is his own breathing in him, must be wellpleasing to him; that which is fervent, earnest, and importunate, which cometh notout of feigned lips, but from the heart, and is put up with a true heart, in thesincerity of it; the prayer of faith, the cry of the humble; the prayer which isaddressed to God as a Father, in the name of Christ the Mediator, which comesperfumed with the incense of his mediation, introduced with the celebration of thedivine perfections, contains humble confessions of sin and unworthiness, ascribes allblessings to the grace of God, and expresses thankfulness for favors received, is veryacceptable and delightful to God; though it is the prayer of a poor, mean, despicablecreature in his own eyes, and in the eyes of others, Psa_102:17.”

3. Keil, “the same is true of the prayer of the godless that is here said of theirsacrifice, and of the sacrifice of the righteous that is here said of their prayer (vid.,Pro_28:9, and cf. Psa_4:6with Psa_27:6), yet it is not by accident that here (line first= Pro_21:27) the sacrifice is ascribed to the godless and the prayer to the upright.The sacrifice, as a material and legally-required performance, is much more relatedto dead works than prayer freely completing itself in the word, the most directexpression of the personality, which, although not commanded by the law, becausenatural to men, as such is yet the soul of all sacrifices; and the Chokma, like thePsalms and Prophets, in view of the ceremonial service which had become formaland dead in the opus operatum, is to such a degree penetrated by the knowledge ofthe incongruity of the offering up of animals and of plants, with the object in view,that a proverb like “the sacrifice of the righteous is pleasing to God” neveranywhere occurs; and if it did occur without being expressly and unavoidablyreferred to the legal sacrifice, it would have to be understood rather afterPsa_51:18. than Ps. 51:20f., rather after 1Sa_15:22than after Psa_66:13-15. זבח,which, when it is distinguished from עולה, means (cf. Pro_7:14) the sacrifice only inpart coming to the altar, for the most part applied to a sacrificial feast, is here thecommon name for the bloody, and, per synecdochen, generally the legally-appointedsacrifice, consisting in external offering. The לרצין, Lev_1:3, used in the Tôraofsacrifices, is here, as at Ps. 19:15, transferred to prayer. The fundamental idea of theproverb is, that sacrifices well-pleasing to God, prayers acceptable to God (that areheard, Pro_15:29), depend on the relations in which the heart and life of the manstand to God. Pro_15:9”

4. Bridges, “The sacrifice of the wicked though it be part of God s own service, yet will he formed in his register in the catalogue of sins to be accounted for. Instead ofan acceptable offering, it is an insulting provocation. It is not only vain, butabominable yea abomination itself. That is wanting, " without which it is impossibleto please God ;" the lack of which stamped the sacrifice of Cain as an abomination. It is a work, that doth not now from a lively faith, and therefore hathin it the nature of sin. ot that prayer itself is a sin. ; It is -as Archbishop Usherexpounds - a good duty, but spoiled in thy carriage. And far indeed would we befrom discouraging the wicked from prayer. We would only press the awaking

conviction, that it must be done in God s order and way ; else never can it find hisacceptance.”

5. Let God Be True, “Does the LORD God despise your worship, or delight in it?What a contrast! The LORD considers the worship of some an abomination. Hedoes not just dislike their worship: He hates it! But He delights in the prayers ofothers. What a difference! Is your worship an abominable stench in His holynostrils? Or is He pleased with it and your prayers?

When wicked men worship God, no matter how accurate, sincere, or costly theeffort, it is detestable, disgusting, and loathsome to Him (21:27). He hates it! He toldIsrael, "Incense is an abomination unto me.... Your new moons and your appointedfeasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them" (Is1:12-14). "I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemnassemblies" (Amos 5:21).

God hates your sacrifices, prayers, and worship, if you come with sin in your life.Ritual without righteousness is obnoxious to Him. He wants your obedience, notyour worship! The sacrifice He seeks is a broken heart (Ps 51:17). He did not wantofferings from Israel: He wanted obedience (Jer 7:22-23). "And Samuel said, Haththe LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voiceof the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat oframs" (I Sam 15:22).

Fools put on suits, attend church, carry Bibles, sing hymns, bow heads, makeprayers, and worship with sin in their lives! They believe such religious exerciseswill appease God. They think He will overlook their wickedness, because they attendchurch. But He hates their hypocrisy. They keep up a pretense for men to thinkmore highly of them, but God will miserably expose and destroy all hypocrites(26:24-26; Job 27:8; Ps 144:11-15).

God delights in the prayer of the upright - He hears it and answers it with pleasure."The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16)."The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous"(15:29). If sinful fathers give good things to their children, how much more will Godgive good things to His children that obey and please Him (Matt 7:11)!”

6. John Piper has an excellent message on this text that I will break down into a fewparagraphs that convey the essence of it. “My first question is this: How cansomething as good as a sacrifice to God, which God ordained in the book ofLeviticus, become an abomination to the Lord? The first half of our text says, "Thesacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD." The answer seems to bethat an act that is good in itself can become ugly to God when it is done with thewrong inner disposition. An outward act that looks pious to us can look horrible in

God's eyes because it comes from a heart that is wrong. There seems to be aprinciple implied here that would go something like this: the beauty of an act is theoutworking of inward beauty, and the ugliness of an act is the outworking of aninward ugliness. Since God always looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7), he alwayssees our outward acts not as man sees them but as extensions of what he sees on theinside. Whether our acts are immoral, like stealing and adultery, or whether ouracts are moral like church attendance and community service, both will beabominable in God's eyes if the heart is not right.

Paul teaches the same thing when he says in Romans 14:23, "Whatever is not fromfaith is sin." And Hebrews 11:6 teaches this when it says, "Without faith it isimpossible to please God." In fact, in Hebrews 11:4 the very issue of sacrifices isaddressed that we have here in Proverbs 15:8, namely, why Abel's sacrifice wasaccepted by God and Cain's wasn't. The reason is that Abel's sacrifice was offeredby faith but Cain's wasn't; and without faith a sacrifice is not pleasing to God; it isan abomination.

So my second question is: what is the essence of the badness of this heart? Or moreimportantly, what is the opposite of this heart? What makes a person uprightinstead of wicked in heart so that his prayers will delight God instead of being anabomination to him? Psalm 4:5 says, "Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust inthe Lord." I take that to mean that an essential part of the upright heart whosesacrifices are not an abomination is trust.

We could easily make the mistake of thinking that when the Old Testament speaksof the "upright" or the "righteous," it cannot mean us because we are still sinners.But the righteous and the upright are not perfect. They are persons who confesstheir sin, hate it, and trust God for forgiveness and help.

One of the best places to see this is Psalm 32. It begins, "Blessed is he whosetransgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." So the psalm is about forgivensinners, not about perfect people. Then at the end it distinguishes the wicked fromthe righteous and upright. What is the difference? Verses 10–11:

Many are the pangs of the wicked;but steadfast love surrounds himwho trusts in the Lord.Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”

9 The LORD detests the way of the wicked but he loves those who pursue righteousness.

1. This is almost saying the same thing as the previous verse, but the focus is not juston sacrifice and prayer, but the whole way of life. The way of the wicked is the wayof sinful behavior that hurts all of society and drags it down. The wise who love topursue righteousness are those who benefit society and themselves, for they areliving the good life that pleases both God and man. What is not to love? God lovesthe good guy and hates the bad guy. ot too profound or insightful, but just the factof life, and spiritually educated are those who know this. God is so much easier toget approval from than men. You see it all the time in movies and books thatchildren are obsessed in trying to win their father's love, and it seems almostimpossible. There is no such struggle needed to win the approval of the heavenlyFather, for all he asks is that you be the good one and not the bad one in the crowd.God the right way doing the right and godly things God demands, and you will beloved and approved.

2. Henry, “This is a reason of what was said in the foregoing verse. 1. The sacrificesof the wicked are an abomination to God, not for want of some nice points ofceremony, but because their way, the whole course and tenour of their conversation,is wicked, and consequently an abomination to him. Sacrifices for sin were notaccepted of those that resolved to go on in sin, and were to the highest degreeabominable if intended to obtain a connivance at sin and a permission to go on in it.2. Therefore the prayer of the upright is his delight, because he is a friend of God, andhe loves him who, though he have not yet attained, is following after righteousness,aiming at it and pressing towards it, as St. Paul, Phi_3:13.”

3. Gill, “The way of the wicked isan abomination unto the Lord,.... The way hisheart devises, which he chooses and delights in, in which he walks; nor will he leaveit, nor can he be diverted from it, but by the powerful grace of God. This is a waynot good, but evil, and so an abomination to the Lord; and the whole tenor andcourse of his life, which is meant by his way being evil: hence his sacrifices, and allhis external duties of religion performed by him, are abominable to the Lord; for,while he continues in a course of sin, all his religious exercises will be of no avail,cannot be pleasing and acceptable to God;

but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness; either after a justifyingrighteousness; not the righteousness of the law, which the carnal Jews followedafter, but did not attain unto; nor is righteousness to be had by the works of the law,nor any justification by it, nor can a man be acceptable to God on account of it; butthe righteousness of Christ, which he has wrought out, and is revealed in theGospel: to follow after this supposes a want of one; a sense of that want; a view ofthe glory, fulness, suitableness, and excellency of Christ's righteousness; an eagerdesire after it, sometimes expressed by hungering and thirsting after it, as here by apursuit of it; which means no other than an earnest and importunate request to befound in it: and such, as they shall be satisfied or filled with it, so they are loved bythe Lord, and are acceptable to him through the righteousness they are seekingafter: or else it may be understood of following after true holiness of heart and life,

without which there is no seeing the Lord; and though perfection in it is notattainable in this live, yet a gracious soul presses after it, which is well pleasing inthe sight of God.”

4. Rich Cathers has put together a list of verses from the KJV that show what Godhates and despises to the point that they are an abomination to him.

(Prov 3:32 KJV) For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret iswith the righteous.

(Prov 6:16-18 KJV) These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are anabomination unto him: {17} A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shedinnocent blood, {18} An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swiftin running to mischief,

(Prov 11:1 KJV) A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight ishis delight.

(Prov 11:20 KJV) They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD:but such as are upright in their way are his delight.

(Prov 12:22 KJV) Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal trulyare his delight.

(Prov 15:8 KJV) The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but theprayer of the upright is his delight.

(Prov 15:9 KJV) The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but heloveth him that followeth after righteousness.

(Prov 15:26 KJV) The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD:but the words of the pure are pleasant words.

(Prov 16:5 KJV) Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD:though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

(Prov 17:15 KJV) He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just,even they both are abomination to the LORD.

(Prov 20:10 KJV) Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alikeabomination to the LORD.

(Prov 20:23 KJV) Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a falsebalance is not good.

5. Let God Be True, “Some say, "God hates the sin, but loves the sinner." But suchwords are not from the Bible! Men invented this jingle to tickle the ears ofunregenerate sinners and carnal Christians, who want a God that will accept themno matter what. When this proverb is understood, it confirms the message of the

rest of Scripture, that God abhors and loathes wicked persons, their prayers, andtheir lifestyle. Worship God in the beauty of holiness!

Consider the context. The previous proverb is similar and helps reveal the hatredGod has for sinful lifestyles. "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to theLORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight" (15:8). God even hates thesacrifice of the wicked - his worship and religious activities. But He loves theprayers of the upright. When a man chooses to sin against the Most High, Goddespises and loathes his worship (21:27; 28:9).

The difference is great! Either God abominates your life, or He loves it. Either youfollow the way of wickedness, or you follow the way of righteousness. How can wecomprehend the difference between God's hatred and His love? It is very great! Youcannot avoid God either despising you or favoring you. Most do not care anymore,because they have been seduced into carnal living by false teaching of God'sunconditional love for them.”

10 Stern discipline awaits him who leaves thepath; he who hates correction will die.

The Message, “It's a school of hard knocks for those who leave God's path, a dead-end street for those who hate God's rules.

1. God does not spoil and indulge his children, for when they go astray, he makessure they pay a price for their departure from his path. Many have learned the hardway that taking a detour from the path of righteousness on to the path ofwickedness is truly a choice of folly. They lose their reputation forever sometimes.They lose all the value of their previous good example to family and friends. Theylose the favor of God, that can be regained by repentance, but it is still a great lossthat will never be forgotten. There is just no winning on the path of sinning. So giveheed to correction, take your punishment and avoid going over the cliff of folly to atragic death of judgment.

2. Henry, “shows that those who cannot bear to be corrected must expect to bedestroyed. 1. It is common for those who have known the way of righteousness, buthave forsaken it, to reckon it a great affront to be reproved and admonished. Theyare very uneasy at reproof; they cannot, they will not, bear it; nay, because theyhate to be reformed, they hate to be reproved, and hate those who deal faithfully

and kindly with them. Of all sinners, reproofs are worst resented by apostates. 2. Itis certain that those who will not be reproved will be ruined: He that hatesreproof,and hardens his heart against it, is joined to his idols; let him alone. He shalldie,and perish for ever, in his sins, since he would not be parted from his sins.2Ch_25:15, I know that God has determined to destroy thee,because thou couldst notbear to be reproved; see also Pro_29:1.”

3. Gill, “isgrievous unto him that forsaketh the way,.... The right way, the way ofGod; the way of his commandments: the Vulgate Latin version is, "the way of life";the same with the way of righteousness, which apostates, having known and walkedin, turn aside from; see 2Pe_2:15. And such deserve severe correction, thechastisement of a cruel one, correction in wrath and hot displeasure; which, whenthey have, is very disagreeable to them; they behave under it like a bullockunaccustomed to the yoke, and yet they are but dealt righteously with. Or the wordsmay be rendered, "he has hadbad discipline" or "instruction (z) that forsakes theway"; due care has not been taken of him; he has not been properly instructed, norseasonably corrected; had he, he would not easily have departed from the way inwhich he should go; see Pro_22:6. The Targum is, "the discipline of an evil mancauses his way to err;'' or him to err from his way;

and he that hateth reproof shall die; that hates the reproof of parents, masters, andministers of the word; as he may be said to do that neglects and rejects it, and doesnot act agreeably to it: and such a man, dying in impenitence and without faith inChrist, dies in his sins; and sometimes shamefully, or a shameful death, as theSeptuagint and Arabic versions, or an untimely one; as well as dies the seconddeath, an eternal one.”

4. Bridges, “But correction turns back him who had forsaken the way. Then it isgrievous no more. Had not Manasseh more cause to bless God for his fetters thanfor his crown for his dungeon than for his palace ? " This man was born there." Wewould always look hopefully at a sinner under correction. For surely so long as the physician administers the medicine, there is no ground for despondency.

Child of God ! Dost not thou still need the correction ? Oh ! when the thorn is in theflesh, pray for grace in the heart. Seek thy Father s favor, more than thine ownease. Desire the sanctifying, rather than the removal, of his rod. Mock him not bythe empty ceremonial of repentance. But, in true penitence look up to thy smiter tobe thy healer yet not till his correction has fully accomplished his gracious work.Lord ! let me know the smart of thy rod, rather than the eclipse of thy love. Shewme thy love then do with me what thou wilt.”

5. Let God Be True, “Prove the character of your soul! Can you take correction?Can you take it gladly? Do you appreciate reproof? Do you appreciate thereprover? Your attitude toward correction and reproof says more about your heart

than any other measure. Fools and scorners hate correction and reproof, but bothare going to die in their folly. This measure and warning are repeated themes ofSolomon in Proverbs (9:8; 10:17; 12:1; 13:18; 15:32; 29:1)!

You arrived in this world ignorant and depraved. Your heart was dead to God andrighteousness, and it was alive to rebellion and sin. You were given parents, whocorrected your childish antics and prepared you to survive life. They reproved youryouthful folly. If you rebelled against them, then they and a harsh world punishedyou.

Your evil heart does not like to be corrected. You resent being reproved. You do notlike to be told you are wrong and need to change. You want to keep your sins. Youhate those who examine and condemn your conduct. But these are the very meansby which you acquire wisdom and are saved from life's pitfalls! Why do you resentwhat was ordained for your blessing and salvation? Because your depraved heartloves its own folly!

Two rules are taught in this proverb. First, if you dislike correction, it proves youhave forsaken the way of righteousness and wisdom. A man seeking knowledge andtruth does not have such a rebellious spirit. Second, if you hate reproof, you will die.Ignorance will trap you, and rebellion will condemn you. Folly and sin will certainlydestroy you.

How do ignorant men obtain truth and wisdom? Obviously, they need warnings andrebuke. If you resent these means for obtaining wisdom, then you are going to die inyour stupidity and stubbornness. The snares of wicked men will deceive you; thevarious authorities in life will condemn you; and the blessed God of heaven willdestroy you.”

6. The following quote from an unknown author is a brilliant insight into man'sbasic problem that the Proverbs are so often dealing with, as is the case with thisverse.

“The sin-problem in this passage is mankind s rebellion. In these verses, Solomonexplores how humanity relates to not just any god, but to a sovereign God. And thereason it is such a big deal is that man s favorite pastime may well be rebellion. ow when we come to a book of wisdom, we might be tempted to think that ourneed is that of information that if we just get the right how to steps, life will takecare of itself and we ll skip and hop right into heaven. But our need is much deeperand greater than information because we are more than simply ignorant, we arerebellious. ot only do we lack good information about reality, we are born in activerebellion against God. We are born despising God s sovereignty, bucking againstHis decrees in our life. And even after He draws us unto Himself, we find ourselvesfighting that temptation of rebellion.

God uses two major themes in the Old Testament to give our hearts a sense of sin sdevastation: the first is the theme of adultery. Often, as in the book of Hosea, the sinof God s people is represented, not as counts on a criminal record, but as a wifeforsaking her husband and giving herself to lust and adultery. The second theme isthis theme of rebellion; and not the rebellion of a soldier against his commander ora driver against the speed limit, but the hurtful rebellion of a child much loved byhis parents. Why does God use these two pictures of adultery and rebellion?Because they are tied to the closest, most intimate relationships we have on thisearth, and by meditating on how sin is adultery and rebellion, we will come to hatesin as much as God does. Rebellion is an idea that can be traced from the first to thelast sin. When Adam took the fruit, it wasn't an ignorant sin; he had to decide thathe was going to walk the opposite way from God s will. He had to dig his heels inagainst God s commandments and accuse God of being stupid and mean. After that,man s rebellion only grew; soon, the human race had a plan to dethrone God andthey began building a tower they thought would reach to heaven. At Babel men andwomen were so uncomfortable with God s rule, they did everything they could tocast off His cords and break apart His yoke.

If you looked up the words rebel and rebellion and rebellious in a concordance,you'd see after Babel a general increase of those words as history progressed towardChrist. It s found a few times in Genesis, a few more times in Joshua and the booksof Kings, then rebellion becomes more of a major theme in the Psalms, and thenthose terms pop up all over the place in the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.Why the increase? Because as the people of Israel increased in their sin, God calledit for what it was: rebellion. ot just the rebellion of pagan nations against God, butthe rebellion of a covenant people against their loving, covenant God. It s preciselythis love of God for His people that makes rebellion so horrible. Isaiah s prophecybegins this way: Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken:Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.”

11 Death and Destruction lie open before theLORD—how much more the hearts of men!

1. If God can see into the depths of death and hell like they were an open book, howfoolish for men to think that he cannot see into the depths of their hearts and knowall of the evil and folly that resides there. Pretending to hide things from God is asign that one does not have a valid conception of the God of the Bible. He is allknowing, and nothing is hid from his eyes. When you know this, it make s bigdifference in how you live.

2. Bridges, “Once more behold we the Omniscient Omnipresent God. Hell anddestruction every recess of the vast Hades the state of the dead and the place of the

damned are before the Lord before his eye ; open to his cognizance. How muchmore then the hearts of the children of men 6 unsearchable though they be ! odepth is there within, that he cannot fathom; no manner of deceit so complicated,that he cannot track them ; and yet what a mass of practical unbelief is there in thisplain demonstrative truth ! For would men dare to indulge their vain thoughts, theirlight notions, their trifles, their impurities, did they really believe that the Lordsearched their hearts? Would they attempt a forced concealment from his eye; as ifoutward service, lip-worship, would avail, while the heart was cherishing its un-repented sin? It is an awful moment, in privacy to stand the test of this searching eye. Awful is the thought of the idolatrous 9 sinner ; to the lover of pleasure,distinction, or low ambition. Thine heart is open before thy God. ever will hecondescend to occupy the second place there. Thy covering of deceit is swept away.The refuges of lies are pierced and laid bare.

The conscious sinner shrinks from this appalling view. The believer walksundismayed in the sight of this " consuming fire." His godly fear is the exercise offilial confidence. The sins that are opened to his Father s knowledge are coveredfrom his justice. When he "cannot do the things that he would;" when he finds the law; that when he would do good, evil is present with him,"he can look up " Allmy desire is before thee." Thus does the Gospel clothe the Divine attributes withlight and love.”

3. Henry, “This confirms what was said (Pro_15:3) concerning God's omnipresence,in order to his judging of evil and good. 1. God knows all things, even those thingsthat are hidden from the eyes of all living: Hell and destruction are before theLord,not only the centre of the earth, and its subterraneous caverns, but the grave,and all the dead bodies which are there buried out of our sight; they are all beforethe Lord,all under his eye, so that none of them can be lost or be to seek when theyare to be raised again. He knows where every man lies buried, even Moses, eventhose that are buried in the greatest obscurity; nor needs he any monument with aHic jacet- Here he lies,to direct him. The place of the damned in particular, and alltheir torments, which are inexpressible, the state of separate souls in general, and alltheir circumstances, are under God's eye. The word here used for destructionisAbaddon,which is one of the devil's names, Rev_9:11. That destroyer, though hedeceives us, cannot evade or elude the divine cognizance. God examines him whencehe comes (Job_1:7), and sees through all his disguises though he is sly, and subtle,and swift, Job_26:6. 2. He knows particularly the hearts of the children of men.If hesees through the depths and wiles of Satan himself, much morecan he search men'shearts, though they be deceitful, since they learned all their fraudulent arts of Satan.God is greater than our hearts,and knows them better than we know them ourselves,and therefore is an infallible Judge of every man's character, Heb_4:13.”

4. Gill, “Hell and destruction arebefore the Lord,.... Or "the grave" (a), which is thepit of destruction; where bodies being put, putrefy, and are destroyed by worms:this is known by the Lord, even the grave of everyone from the beginning; the

graves of Adam, Abel, Abraham; he knows where their dust lies, and will raise it upagain at the last day. Hades, or the invisible state of the departed, as the Septuaginthas it, is manifest before him; he knows where departed spirits are; what theircondition and employment be; and so the place and state of the damned, known bythe name of "hell"; and may be called "destruction", where soul and body aredestroyed by the Lord with an everlasting destruction; and is the destruction whichthe broad way of sin leads unto. ow though we know not where this place is, whoare there, and what the torments endured in it; yet all is before the Lord, andknown to him: "tophet" is ordained of old; everlasting fire is prepared by the Lordfor devils and wicked men; see Job_26:6;

how much more then the hearts of the children of men? which, though desperatelywicked, are known by him; who is the searcher of the hearts and the trier of thereins of the children of men: he to whom hell is naked, and can look into that outerdarkness, the blackness of darkness, can look into a man's heart, a second hell, inwhich all manner of wickedness is, and observe it all; he needs no testimony of man;he knows what is in man, all his secret thoughts, wicked purposes, designs, anddevices; see Jer_17:9.”

5. Keil, “The conclusion which is drawn in the proverb proceeds from thesupposition that in the region of creation there is nothing more separated, and by awide distance, from God, than the depth, and especially the undermost depth, of therealm of the dead. If now God has this region in its whole compass wide open beforeHim, if it is visible and thoroughly cognisable by Him (נגד, acc. adv.: in conspectu,from נגד, eminere, conspicuum esse) - for He is also present in the underworld,Psa_139:8- then much more will the hearts of the children of men be open, theinward thoughts of men living and acting on the earth being known already fromtheir expressions. Man sees through man, and also himself, never perfectly; but theLord can try the heart and prove the reins, Jer_17:10. What that means thisproverb gives us to understand, for it places over against the hearts of men nothingless than the depths of the underworld in eternity.”

6. Spurgeon, “..the doctrine of Divine Omniscience, although it is received andbelieved, has no practical effect upon our lives at all. The mass of mankind forgetGod: whole nations who know his existence and believe that he beholds them, liveas if they had no God at all. Merchants, farmers, men in their shops, and in theirfields, husbands in their families, and wives in the midst of their households, live asif there were no God; no eye inspecting them; no ear listening to the voice of theirlips, and no eternal mind always treasuring up the recollection of their acts. Ah! weare practical Atheists, the mass of us; yea, all but those that have been born againand have passed from death unto life, be their creeds what they may, are Atheists,after all, in life; for if there were no God and no hereafter, multitudes of men wouldnever be affected by the change; they would live the same as they do now―theirlives being so full of disregard of God and his ways that the absence of a God could

not affect them in any great degree.

First then, the word here translated “hell,” might just as well be translated “death,”or the state of departed spirits. ow, death, with all its solemn consequences, isvisible before the Lord. Between us and the hereafter of departed spirits a greatblack cloud is hanging. Here and there the Holy Spirit hath made chinks as it werein the black wall of separation, through which by faith we can see; for he hath“revealed unto us by the Spirit” the things which “eye hath not seen nor earheard,” and which the human intellect could never compass. Yet what we know isbut very little. When men die they pass beyond the realm of our knowledge: both inbody and in soul they go beyond our understandings. But God understands all thesecrets of death.

And as the body, so the soul when separated from the body is before the Lord. Welook upon the countenance of our dying friend, and on a sudden a mysteriouschange passes over his frame. “His soul has fled,” we say. But have we any idea ofwhat his soul is? Can we form even a conjecture of what the flying of that soul maybe, and what the august presence into which it is ushered when it is disentangledfrom its earthly coil? Is it possible for us to guess what is that state where spiritswithout bodies, perpetually blest, behold their God? It is possible for us to compasssome imagination of what heaven is to be, when bodies and souls, reunited, shallbefore God’s throne enjoying the highest bliss; but I do think that so gross are ourconceptions whilst we are in our bodies that it is almost, if not quite impossible, forany of us to form any idea whatever as to the position of souls whilst in thedisembodied state, between the hour of death and the time of resurrection.�gThis much, and this is all, we know;They are supremely blest:Have done with sin, and care, and woe,And with their Savior rest.”

7. Let God Be True, “The great and dreadful God of heaven has seen every thoughtin your heart. Why would you fear men, who cannot do anything to you, but notfear God, Who can cast your body and soul into hell (Luke 12:4-5)? How do themere thoughts of others modify your conduct, but the fearful implication of Godknowing every desire of your heart does not? An angry look from His face willinfinitely exceed any angry look from men (Rev 20:11).

The omniscient God knows the small details of hell and destruction (Job 26:6), butHe knows the intents of your heart even better. There is no aspect of destruction inthe earth, corruption of the dead in graves, or torment of a soul in hell that the Lordof creation does not know and understand altogether. He knows you perfectly! Donot deceive yourself by thinking that God does not hear or see (Ps 97:7-9). He seesyou naked and bare!

David once spoke of hiding in heaven or hell, but he knew that God would be in

both places knowing every thought of his heart, every word in his tongue, and everymovement of his body (Ps 139:1-13). All things, every thought and intent of yourheart, are naked and opened to the eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb 4:12-14).Though you cannot know the wickedness of your own heart, He knows it perfectly(Jer 17:9-10).

Reader, do you tremble before the God of heaven and His word (Is 66:2; Heb 12:28-29)? Take precious comfort in Peter's desperate appeal to Jesus Christ after Hisresurrection: "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee" (John21:17). It is just as true that the omniscient God of heaven knows your goodthoughts and intentions as well as your bad. But He has blotted out the latter andsanctified the former! Glory!”

12 A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise.

The Message, “Know-it-alls don't like being told what to do; they avoid the company of wise men and women.

1. Henry, “A scorner is one that not only makes a jest of God and religion, but bidsdefiance to the methods employed for his conviction and reformation, and, as anevidence of that, 1. He cannot endure the checks of his own conscience, nor will hesuffer it to deal plainly with him: He loves not to reprove him(so some read it); hecannot endure to retire into his own heart and commune seriously with that, will notadmit of any free thought or fair reasoning with himself, nor let his own heart smitehim, if he can help it. That man's case is sad who is afraid of being acquainted andof arguing with himself. 2. He cannot endure the advice and admonitions of hisfriends: He will not go unto the wise,lest they should give him wise counsel. We oughtnot only to bid the wise welcome when they come to us, but to go to them, as beggarsto the rich man's door for an alms; but this the scorner will not do, for fear of beingtold of his faults and prevailed upon to reform.”

2. Gill, “scorner loveth not one that reproveth him,.... He that makes a jest ofreligion; scoffs at godliness and godly men; treats the Gospel and the ministers of itwith contempt; makes a mock at good men, and all that is good; a pestilent fellow,as the Vulgate Latin version: such an one not only does not love, for more isintended than is expressed; but hates him that reproves him, and especially ifpublicly, Amo_5:10; he thinks ill of him; bears him a grudge, and abhors him; andspeaks evil of him, and reproaches him; and does all he can to the injury of hisperson and name; hence the advice of the wise man, Pro_9:7. Some render it, he

"loves not reproving himself", or "to reprove himself" (b); he does not care to lookinto his own heart and ways, or to call himself to an account for what he does; nor tocheck himself in the pursuit of sin, nor argue with and reprove himself for it;

neither will he go unto the wise; to the private houses of wise and good men; nor tothe house of wisdom, or place of public instruction, where wise dispensers of theword give good advice and counsel; scorners do not choose to go to either, lest theyshould be reproved for their evil ways, and be advised leave them; neither of whichis agreeable to them; see Joh_3:20. “

3. Bridges, “How different from David s spirit thankful for the " kind smiting of therighteous ," and from the lovely humility of an Apostle, who shewed before theChurch his honor and love to his r-prover 's Yet we had need to be wise with " thewisdom that is from above" to give reproof aright. So cleaving is the mixture of ourown spirit to every Christian exercise ! ot less grace and wisdom does it require toreceive reproof, and, instead of revolting from our re-prover to go unto him, andask the continuance of his faithful offices. The scorner has been his own flatterer solong, that he cannot bear to be brought down to his proper level. He loveth not therefore yea he hateth one that reproveth him, though before he might havereverenced him." The Pharisees derided our beloved Lord with marks of externalscorn, when he struck at their right eye, and reproved their hypocritical service. "Every one that doeth evil hateth the light ; neither cometh he to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. "

4. Let God Be True, “Good men love those who teach and reprove them (9:8; 25:12;27:5-6,9; Ps 141:5; John 3:21), but fools and scorners cannot stand them (9:7-8;12:15; 23:9; II Chron 18:7; Amos 5:10; John 3:20). When a person resents or avoidsa teacher, you have likely found a scorner. We are living in a generation of scorners.

Wise parents pursue children who avoid them or their correction. They also correctfacial expressions or body language that shows a haughty or sullen spirit towardauthority, instruction, or correction (19:25; 21:11). The bud of scorn in a child mustbe nipped quickly and totally, unless you want hell in your home and future (21:24;22:10; 24:9).

Dear reader, do you love reproof from parents? your pastor? church members?your spouse? If not, what is your problem? Wise men love reproof! What sins areyou hiding? Do you have a scornful spirit from hell fighting against authority andcorrection?

13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful,

but heartache crushes the spirit.

1. Happy heart, or heart ache. Those are the two keys to the emotional life. If yourheart is happy it will show on your face, and in all your body language, but if itaches, it will show in negative body language of sadness of face, and a depressingnegative attitude about life in general. The heart is not just about how you feel, butabout how you think, and so it is true that what you think, you are.

2. Henry, “Harmless mirth is recommended to us, as that which contributes to thehealth of the body, making men lively and fit for business, and to the acceptablenessof the conversation, making the face to shine and rendering us pleasant one toanother. A cheerful spirit, under the government of wisdom and grace, is a greatornament to religion, puts a further lustre upon the beauty of holiness, and makesmen the more capable of doing good. 2. Hurtful melancholy is what we arecautioned against, as a great enemy to us, both in our devotion and in ourconversation: By sorrow of the heart,when it has got dominion and plays the tyrant,as it will be apt to do it if be indulged awhile, the spirit is brokenand sunk, andbecomes unfit for the service of God. The sorrow of the world works death.Let ustherefore weep as though we wept not,in justice to ourselves, as well as in conformityto God and his providence.”

3. Gill, “merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance,.... Or, a "joyful heart" (c);that is joyful in the God of its salvation; that rejoices in Christ Jesus; is filled withjoy and peace through believing in him, in his person, blood, righteousness, andsacrifice; that has a comfortable view of his justification by his righteousness, ofpeace and pardon by his blood, of the atonement of his sins by his sacrifice; to whomhe has said, "be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee", Mat_9:2; who has peacein him, though tribulation in the world: as such a man's heart must be made glad,this will make his countenance cheerful, or cause him to lift up his head with joy; asit is in natural things, so it is in spiritual ones;

but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken; a man is dejected, his spirits sink,and it is seen in his countenance: there is a great sympathy between the body andmind, the one is much affected by the other; when the heart is full of sorrow, theanimal spirits are low, the nerves are loosened, the whole frame, of nature isenfeebled, and the body emaciated; this is often the case through outward troubles(d): physicians say (e) that grief weakens the strength, and destroys the spirits, morethan labor does. "The sorrow of the world worketh death", 2Co_7:10; andsometimes, through spiritual troubles, a sense of sin and guilt of it, a legal sorrow,which produces a legal contrition of spirit; and such "a wounded spirit who canbear?" Pro_18:14. This is the effect of a mere work of the law upon the conscience;and stands opposed to the spiritual joy, and the effects of it, the Gospel brings.”

4. Bridges, “How close is the sympathy between the body and soul, though framed ofsuch opposite elements ! A man s countenance is the index of his spirit. In thesensation of joy the heart sits smiling in the face, and looks merrily out of thewindows of the eyes." Yet who has a right to a merry heart, but he that is walking inacceptance with God ? It was this spring of joy. that lighted up Hannah s sorrowfulcountenance into godly cheerfulness. Stephen stood before his judge, with hisheavenly prospects beaming in his " angel s face." Everywhere does the heartyreception of the gospel " give beauty for ashes " sunshine for gloom.

Sad indeed, is the contrast of a heart broken by worldly sorrow. Too often does amischievous gloom worm itself into the vitals of the child of God. The melancholyvictim drags on a weary heavy-laden existence, clouding a distinct feature of hischaracter ; despoiled of one of the most attractive ornaments of his profession. His hands slacken : his whole energies are paralyzed for the work of God ; and hesinks into desponding apathy and indolence.

In times of depression, let sense and feeling be kept within their bounds ; and theSavior s voice, encouraging confidence, will be practically regarded. Even our very" sighing and crying for the abominations of the land" must not issue in heartlesscomplaints, but rather stimulate to the diligent improvement of present oppor- tunities. Did we realize, as we ought, our present privileges, and grasp our eternalprospects ; no sorrow of the heart would break our spirit. The gleam of sunshinewould be to us the earnest of what it will be, when as Rutherford beautifullyobserves we shall be on the sunny side of the Brae. Meanwhile the first step inreligion is not only beginning to be serious, but to be happy. To maintain ourChristian balance, even " godly sorrow" must be disciplined ; lest it break the heart,which it was intended only to humble ; lest it give advantage to the enemy, andbring hindrance to the Church.”

5. Let God Be True, “A smile is the best facial! A joyful soul enhances yourappearance more than anything else. A happy face is a wonderful thing, and it is theresult of a peaceful and contented heart. But a troubled heart clouds your face, as itsaps your features and body of energy and vitality. Wise men guard their hearts,and they learn to perceive the hearts of others.

Women spend much time, expense, and effort in being visually attractive. Yet awarm and sincere smile does more for their appearance than any hairdo, makeup,or accessories could ever do. Cheerful eyes, a relaxed face, a pleasant smile, andcontented posture are much more appealing than fine clothing and perfect features!A kind and happy smile is ten times better than a bored look, angry face, furrowedbrows, or haughty stare!

Your countenance is primarily your facial appearance, but it also includes yourbearing and demeanor. It is your face and body language combined. When you are

happy and joyful, your countenance reflects this inner condition. And when yoursoul is burdened under fear, loss, trouble, or worry, your face and body reveal it aswell (I Sam 1:10,18).

How do you get a merry heart? It is a choice! The gracious God of heaven expectsyou to be joyful (Acts 14:17; Phil 4:4). If you know Him, how can you not be content(Ps 73:25-26; Heb 13:5-6)? With your heart in the right place, Solomon's prioritiesmake sense (15:16-17). With eternal life as a gift of God and heaven waiting, whatcan get you down! And with a cheerful countenance, you give visual proof ofChristianity's superiority.

6. Cheerfulness is a key theme in this chapter as we see in these verses:

(Prov 15:13) A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of theheart the spirit isbroken.(Prov 15:15) All the days of the afflicted are evil, But he who is of a merry heart hasa continual feast.(Prov 15:30) The light of the eyes [a cheerful look] rejoices the heart, And a goodreport makes thebones healthy.(Prov 15:23) A man has joy by the answer of his mouth [by giving an apt reply],And a word spoken indue season, how good it is!

7. An unknown author wrote, “In the vestibule of a certain hospital visitors see acard bearing this advice: " ever utter a discouraging word while you are in thishospital. You should come here only for the purpose of helping. Keep yourhindering, sad looks for other places, and if you can't smile don't go in." ot in thehospitals only, but the home and on the street, there is the same need for the kindly,sunny smile. The way to have it is to get the heart right with God.”

7B. Arnot, “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance. — Mirth a medicine : —The emotions that thrill in the heart mark themselves in legible lines on the countenance. This is a feature in the constitution of man, and a useful feature it is. The wisdom of our Maker may be seen in the degree of its development. Joy in the heart can do more than make the aspect winsome. Besides enlivening a dull countenance, it heals a diseased nature. There is nothing equal to cheerful and even mirthful conversation for restoring the tone of mind and body when both have been overdone. Mirth, after exhaustive toil, is one of nature's instinctive efforts to heal the part which has been racked and bruised. Even a dull observer may see wisdom and goodness in the habitual cheerfulness of the young. To maintain a patient's cheerfulness often hastens the patient's cure. A bright hope within will sometimes do more to restore the wasted strength than all the prescriptions of thephysician. If Christians could get living hope lighted within, and let it beam like sunlight all the day through an open countenance, their lives would be more legible

as epistles of Christ, and more effectual to win souls."

8. Another unknown author said, “Cheerfulness removes the rust from the mind,lubricates our inward machinery, and enables us to do our work with fewer creaksand groans. If people were universally cheerful, there wouldn't be half thequarreling or a tenth part of the wickedness there is. Cheerfulness, too, promoteshealth and morality. Cheerful people live longest here on earth, afterward in ourhearts.”

9. SMILEA Smile costs nothing, but gives much

It enriches those who receive, without making poorer those who give

It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever

one is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it,and none is so poor, but that he can be made rich by it

A Smile creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in business,and is the countersign of friendship

It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad,and it is nature's best antidote for trouble.

Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen,for it is something that is of no value to anyone, until it is given away

Some people are too tired to give you a smile;Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more togive. Smile quotes ollected by an unknown author

10. Many have made comments on the importance of cheerfulness in life, and theyall just confirm what the Scripture says about living a good and wise life that ishelpful to others. Here are a few that I liked:

Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.- James M. Barrie

The comfortable and comforting people are those who look uponthe bright side of life; gathering its roses and sunshine and makingthe most that happens seem the best. Dorothy Dix

The clearest sign of wisdom is continued cheerfulness.- Michel Montaigne

The best way to cheer yourself up Is to cheer someone else up.- Mark Twain

What a joy it is to feel the soft, springy earth under my feetonce more, to follow grassy roads that lead to ferny brookswhere I can bathe my fingers in a cataract of rippling notes,or to clamber over a stone wall into green fields that tumbleand roll and climb in riotous gladness!- Helen Keller

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the skyAre also on the faces of people goin' byI see friends shaking hands saying, "How do you do"They're really saying "I love you."

I hear babies cry, I watch then growThey'll learn much more than I'll ever know;And I think to myself, What a wonderful world;Yes, I think to myself, What a wonderful world.Oh yeah!- Louis Armstrong

The man who radiates good cheer, who makes life happier wherever hemeets it, is always a man of vision and faith.- Ella Wilcox

Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, and its power of endurance.The cheerful man will do more in the same time, will do it better,and will preserve it longer."- Thomas Carlyle

Cheerfulness and contentment are great beautifiers and are famous preservers ofyouthful looks. Charles Dickens

Cheerfulness is the best promoter of health and is as friendly to the mind as to thebody. Joseph Addison

Cheerfulness keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind, and fills it with a steady andperpetual serenity. Joseph Addison

Mirth, and even cheerfulness, when employed as remedies in low spirits, are like hotwater to a frozen limb. Benjamin Rush (1746 - 1813) US physician, congressman

14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,

but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

1. It makes sense that the discerning person would seek knowledge, for they want tomake wise choices for their life, and you need to knowledge to make them. It is anormal desire to want to improve your awareness of what is available in this worldof so much information. It is just good sense to be ever growing in knowledge.However, there are those who do not care about that, for all they desire in life is tobe entertained, and so that is what they feed their brain. They swallow it up day byday, and that is their daily bread. It will not improve their life or future, and it willnot benefit any other person, but it is enjoyable. In the long run it is all a waste oftime and life, and so it is labeled folly. Only a fool goes through life caring not togrow in knowledge.

2. Henry, “Here are two things to be wondered at: - 1. A wise man not satisfied withhis wisdom, but still seeking the increase of it; the more he has the more he wouldhave: The heart of him that has understanding,rejoices so in the knowledge it hasattained to that it is still coveting more, and in the use of the means of knowledge isstill labouring for more, growing in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ. Si dixisti,Sufficit, periisti- If you say, I have enough, you are undone.2. A fool well satisfiedwith his folly and not seeking the cure of it. While a good man hungers after thesolid satisfactions of grace, a carnal mind feasts on the gratifications of appetite andfancy. Vain mirth and sensual pleasures are its delight, and with these it can restcontented, flattering itself in these foolish ways”

3. Gill, “The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge,.... He thathas in his heart an understanding of divine and spiritual things, of the Gospel and ofthe truths of it, will seek earnestly and diligently in the use of proper means aftermore knowledge; as he will desire to know more of Christ, his person, offices, andgrace, he will follow on to know him, and not be content with the present degree ofknowledge he has attained unto; he will hear and read the word, and pray andmeditate, in order to come to a more perfect knowledge of the son of God, and ofthose things which relate to his spiritual peace and eternal welfare;

but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness; on foolish talking and jesting; onfoolish and unlearned questions; on foolish and false doctrines; on foolish andhurtful lusts; on wind and ashes, a deceived heart having turned them aside: theytake pleasure and satisfaction in those things; feed their fancy with them and feastupon them, which shows what fools they are; and such all unregenerate men be.”

4. Bridges, “Observe the man of natural understanding. Every apprehensionquickens the appetite to seek knowledge. He is ready to learn from any quarter,even from a child. He is all eye all ear all heart for his object. Much more will

spiritual understanding stimulate the desire. Beware of the lust to be " wise abovewhat is written." But let every vigorous effort be made to be wise, up to what iswritten. David, with his high attainments, was ever crying for Divine teaching. Hiswise son sought knowledge upon his knees, and not less in the diligent habit ofapplication. The Queen of Sheba, " coining from the utmost parts of the earth ;" icodemus and Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus; the Eunuch, journeying toJerusalem ; Cornelius and his company, drinking in the precious message ofsalvation; the Bereans, carefully searching the Scriptures" do not all these shewthe understanding heart, seeking a larger interest in the blessing?

Invaluable indeed is the gift. Warm affections need the discipline of knowledge toform principle and consistency, Christian completeness and proportion : seekingfor wholesome food, not intoxicating droughts ; not deeming novelty the mostdesirable thing: but rather with the wise Sir M. Hale to be impressed and affected,and to have old and known truths reduced to experience and practice.

But while the man of understanding is never satisfied with knowledge, the fool isfully satisfied with folly. So brutish is his taste, that his mouth feeds uponfoolishness. It is his meat and his drink. His spirit " is of earth, earthy." Many suchfools we find in religion, who prefer empty speculations and disputing on mattersindifferent to the rich pasture of the children of God. a Let us ponder theresponsibility of " going on to perfection ; that, being of full age, we may have oursenses exercised to discern both good and evil."

5. J. Jortin, “The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge. —Seeking knowledge : — The desire of knowledge is in some sense natural to us all ;and it is the duty of us all to cherish that desire ; to direct it to proper objects ; andto keep it within due bounds. Knowledge is necessary. Conscience may dictate to usthat things are right or wrong, but she may be mistaken in her decisions, unless shecall in reason to her assistance ; for a clear knowledge of morality cannot beobtained without serious consideration and the exercise of our intellectual faculties ;nor can the revealed will of God be understood without application of mind. We at first receive the knowledge of things by perception, and then improve it byreflection.

The general desire of knowledge is manifested very soon ; but it varies in strength. It is meet that there should be men of smaller as well as of larger capacities, that they may be fitted for different ways of life ; and this also makes it expedient that there should be various degrees of this propensity toward knowledge. The pleasure of any creature consists in having objects suitable to his faculties. In Scripture, ignorance is styled darkness, which is disagreeable ; and truth is called light, which it is pleasant to behold. The enlargement of knowledge will be no small part of the satisfaction which the good will enjoy in a future and better state. Our natural desire of knowledge may be misused, as well as the other inclinations and passions of the human mind. It may be too little ; it may be too great ; it may

be applied to wrong objects. Some persons do not desire knowledge as much as they ought. Some persons mind things less considerable more than those of greater moment. In the Scriptures themselves, all things are not of the same importance. Some things there are which we ought not to know ; and a vain curiosity after them constitutes another abuse of our natural desire of knowledge. Sin should only be known as the rocks at sea, that it may be avoided. They also are inexcusable who in speculative points of religion rashly and proudly dogmatise about things which they cannot comprehend. Our understanding is confined within small bounds, and reason and Scripture tell us that no man by searching can find out the Almighty to perfection. Another abuse of our love of knowledge is an impetuous desire of extending it to too many objects ; which is the case of some persons who have had a liberal education. Most errors arise from laziness, or rash judgments, or prejudice, or worldly interest, or some favorite passion. Intemperate desire of knowledge, and sometimes of applause or of profit, puts persons upon studies for which they have no genius or capacity.”

6. Let God Be True, “Wise men love learning and crave knowledge; but fools loveamusing themselves with foolishness. A man of understanding is not content withknowledge; he wants more! But a fool never considers his ignorance; he continues tomake folly the goal of his life!

If you hear both talk, the wise man says little, knowing his knowledge is limited; thefool, knowing nothing, belches nonsense, declaring to all that he is a fool (Eccl10:3,12-14). Ah, reader! How is it with you? Do you want to learn? Or do you wantto talk?

Your character is visible. If you seek knowledge, you will read the Bible, lovepreaching, associate with wise men, and avoid folly in every form. If you are anignorant fool, you will emphasize business, health, hobbies, amusement, andchitchat. Which do you prefer? The Bible or your favorite newsletter? Preaching orpleasure? Or is preaching a pleasure? Do you think you know a lot? Or do youcrave knowing more? This difference is great!

Cornelius wanted truth! He gathered family and friends to hear Peter (Ac 10:24).God told him that Peter could teach him the truth, so he said to Peter, "Immediatelytherefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. ow thereforeare we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee ofGod" (Ac 10:33).

15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

1. In verse 14 we see the fool feeding on folly, but here we see the cheerful alsoeating, but it is not garbage that he is eating, for it is a feast, and that means anabundance of good and delicious food. It is no wonder that the fool is depressed, forhe lacks meaning to his life, and when that reality gets a hold on your mind it makesyou depressed and oppressed with the fact of meaninglessness. This is a wretchedlife, for there is no ultimate value in life. Those who have that ultimate value in God,and the Lord Jesus Christ, have a basis for cheerfulness that goes beyond this lifeinto eternity. We don't always feel cheerful, but it is there in our hearts for we havea trust in God's promises that rise above all of the negatives of life that may put usunder a temporary cloud.

2. Henry, “here what a great difference there is between the condition and temper ofsome and others of the children of men. 1. Some are much in affliction, and of asorrowful spirit, and all their days are evil days, like those of old age, and days ofwhich they say they have no pleasure in them.They eat in darkness(Ecc_5:17) andnever eat with pleasure,Job_21:25. How many are the afflictions of the afflicted inthis world! Such are not to be censured or despised, but pitied and prayed for,succored and comforted. It might have been our own lot, or may be yet, merry as weare at present. 2. Others enjoy great prosperity and are of a cheerful spirit; and theyhave not only good days, but have a continual feast;and if in the abundance of allthings they serve God with gladness of heart, and it is oil to the wheels of theirobedience (all this, and heaven too), then they serve a good Master. But let not suchfeast without fear; a sudden change may come; therefore rejoice with trembling.”

3. Gill, “the days of the afflicted areevil,.... And some are afflicted all their days,from their youth up; so that not only the days of old age are evil days, in which theyhave no pleasure, but even the days of their youth; all their days, as Jacob says,"few and evil have the days of the years of my life been", Gen_47:9; because theyhad been filled up with affliction and trouble of one sort or another. Or, "all thedays of the poor" (f); either in purse, who want many of the good things of life; or inknowledge, as Gersom and Aben Ezra observe;

but he that is of a merry heart hatha continual feast; a heart that has "the kingdomof God" in it, which lies "not inmeat and drink, but inrighteousness, peace, and joyin the Holy Ghost", Rom_14:17, which has the love of God shed abroad in it by theSpirit, where Christ dwells by faith; and that lives by faith on him, and on theprovisions of his grace; all this is a constant continual feast to a gracious soul, madejoyful hereby.”

4. Keil, “ עני (the afflicted), vid., 21b. They are so called on whom a misfortune, orseveral of them, press externally or internally. If such an one is surrounded by everso many blessings, yet is his life day by day a sad one, because with each new day thefeeling of his woe which oppresses him renews itself; whoever, on the contrary, is ofjoyful heart (as Pro_11:13; Pro_12:8), such an one (his life) is always a feast, a

banquet. true and real happiness of a man is thus defined, not by external things,but by the state of the heart, in which, in spite of the apparently prosperouscondition, a secret sorrow may gnaw, and which, in spite of an externally sorrowfulstate, may be at peace, and be joyfully confident in God.”

5. Bridges, “The abounding consolation of Christian affliction, does not blot out itspenal character. As the fruit and chastening of sin, it is an evil ; and therefore all thedays of the afflicted are evil. Yet the child of God in affliction is not so miserable ashe seems to be. The darkest of these evil days can never make " the consolations of God small with him." He can sing in the prison as in a "palace. He can " takejoyfully the spoiling of his goods." He can praise his God, when he hath strippedhim naked. He can rejoice in him, as his portion in earthly destitution. Who is it said the heavenly Martyn in a moment of faintness that maketh my comforts to be asource of enjoyment? Cannot the same hand make cold, and hunger, and nakedness,and peril, to be a train of ministering angels conducting me to glory ? u What realevil then can affliction bring? Or rather, what does it bring b. t many feast- days ? Afew days feasting would soon weary the epicure. But here the merry heart hath acontinual feast. And all his trouble is but the rattling hail upon the tiles of his house,12 not disturbing his enjoyment. Fed with this heavenly portion, shall I not thank my God, that he hath rooted me up from present satisfactions ? " Let me not eat ofthis world s dainties. Thou hast put gladness into my heart, more than in the timethat their corn and their wine increased."

6. Let God Be True, “A wonderful life is a choice - choosing to have a godly andjoyful heart. An evil life - filled with trouble, pain, and misery - is also a choice. Fornegative and discontented people choose to let circumstances and foolish feelingsdestroy their lives.

Here is one of the greatest proverbs. Read it again. Think about its words. Read itagain. Consider its value. It teaches the difference between a miserable life and awonderful life. What more could you want? And the Preacher gave it to us in 20precious words of beauty and rhythm. o wonder David said God's word was morevaluable than gold, sweeter than honey, and brings great reward (Ps 19:10-11)!

Context, not often significant in Proverbs, gives inside wisdom from the wisest kingand the only wise God (15:16-17). After spending his life and fortune tryingeverything to find happiness and purpose in life, Solomon contrasts and ranks mealsand lives. A continual feast is within the reach of every reader! It is your choice toavoid the pain, darkness, and sorrow of the hopeless life (Eccl 5:10-20)!

Evil in this proverb is not sin: it is trouble, without peace or pleasure. An evil life inthis sense is hard, painful, and miserable. Scripture uses the word evil this way (Job2:10; Is 45:7; Amos 3:6). It is how Jacob described his troubled life (Gen 47:9). Hisbrother and father-in-law hated him; his four wives were envious; he had a

perpetual limp; his sons were liars, incestuous, envious, and murderers; his favoritewife died in childbirth; and his favorite son was supposedly killed by wild beasts.

7. The continual feast is based on the awareness that “this is the day that the Lordhas made, let us be glad and rejoice in it.” And so the believer is one who wants tomake every day count. I like the way Jean Kyler McManus expresses it:

The day before tomorrowIs a very special dayAnd I feel that I should live itIn a happy kind of way...

Tomorrow's so mysteriousThat I really can't foreseeThe things that might be happeningAnd the way that life might be

But the Day Before TomorrowThat's quite a different thing...Those hours are so much closerI can guess what they might bring...

I'd rather be a sparrowOr a lily of the fieldAnd just wait til God's will for meIs finally revealed...

I'll put aside the griefs and cares --The trouble I won't borrowAnd just be glad I'm living inThe Day Before Tomorrow!

16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.

1. Little is better than big in some situations, and this even includes your bankaccount, and all wealth. You can have an enormous amount of riches, but if all youdo is argue about it, and have fights as to how to use it, then it is a burden ratherthan a blessing. A small bank account with the peace of God in your life makes your

life a song with a sweet melody compared to the fighting rich who have no song atall, for it is drowned out by the constant uproar over their money.

2. Henry, “Solomon had said in the foregoing verse that he who has not a largeestate, or a great income, but a cheerful spirit, has a continual feast;Christiancontentment, and joy in God, make the life easy and pleasant; now here he tells uswhat is necessary to that cheerfulness of spirit which will furnish a man with acontinual feast,though he has but little in the world - holiness and love.

I. Holiness. A little,if we manage it and enjoy it in the fear of the Lord,if we keep agood conscience and go on in the way of duty, and serve God faithfully with the littlewe have, will be more comfortable, and turn to a better account, than great treasureand trouble therewith.Observe here, 1. It is often the lot of those that fear God tohave but a little of this world. The poor receive the gospel,and poor they still are,Jam_2:5. 2. Those that have great treasure have often great trouble therewith; it is sofar from making them easy that it increases their care and hurry. The abundance ofthe rich will not suffer them to sleep. 3. If great treasure bring trouble with it, it is forwant of the fear of God. If those that have great estates would do their duty withthem, and then trust God with them, their treasure would not have so much troubleattending it. It is therefore far better, and more desirable, to have but a little of theworld and to have it with a good conscience, to keep up communion with God, andenjoy him in it, and live by faith, than to have the greatest plenty and live withoutGod in the world.”

3. Gill, “islittle with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and troubletherewith. ot that a "little" is better than "much" of that which is good, as thethings of this world are in themselves; poverty is not better than riches, simplyconsidered; but as these are attended with different circumstances: if a man has butlittle of worldly substance, yet if he has "the fear of God" in his heart, and beforehis eyes; that fear which has God for its author and for its object, and which is itselfa treasure; and may be here put for all grace, for the riches of grace saints arepartakers of; such a man's little is better than another man's abundance without thefear of the Lord, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions render it: for such a man,though he has but little, which is the common portion of good men, yet he does notlack; be has enough, and is content; what he has he has with a blessing, and heenjoys it, and God in it, and has communion with him; and has also other bread toeat, the world knows nothing of: and particularly having the fear of God, the eve ofGod is upon him with pleasure; his heart is towards him, and sympathizes with himin all his troubles; his hand communicates unto him both temporal and spiritualmeat, which is given to them that fear the Lord; his angels encamp about him, hispower protects him; his secrets are with him, and inconceivable and inexpressiblegoodness is laid up for him: wherefore he is better off with his little, having the fearof God, than another with his great abundance and affluence, being destitute of it:and besides, having a great deal of "trouble" along with his treasure; trouble inamassing and getting it together; trouble in keeping it from being lost, or takenaway by thieves and, robbers, for fear of which he cannot sleep; trouble through an

insatiable desire of having more; he has no rest nor peace because he has not somuch as he would have, or others have. Besides, he has what he has with curse; Godsends upon him cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all he sets his hand to, Deu_28:2;where the same word is used as here: and he has it also with the cry of the poor; sosome render the word, "a noise" or "tumult" (g); and interpret it of the cries andtears of those that are oppressed and injured; so Jarchi and Gersom; or, "withterror" (h), as some render it; with the terrors of a guilty conscience, with the fearof hell and everlasting damnation. Better have a little with a good conscience, thanever so much attended with such circumstances; it is not any man's little, but thegood man's little, that is preferable to the wicked man's much; see Psa_37:16.”

4. Bridges, “Here are the sources of the merry heart the fear of the Lord and love toman. And here also is the continual feast, so satisfying, that the saint s little is betterthan the worldling's all. It is his Father s gift; the fruit of his Savior s love; enjoyedby special promise, and sweetened with the " great gain of godly contentment." Ifit be only little, it is not from lack of his Father s care and love ; but because hiswisdom knows what he really needs, and that all beyond would be a temptation andsnare. Truly " a man s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which hepossesseth." The universe will not fill a worldly ; while a little will suffice for anheavenly, heart. There must be trouble with great treasure, without the fear of theLord. And far more destitute is its possessor in his unsubstantial happiness, than theman of God, who is eating his bread in the sweat of his brow. Jacob s ladder, whichconveys to heaven, may have its foot in the smoking cottage.”

5. Mark Copeland, “Instilling a fear of the Lord - Pro 15:16 a. More important than riches is providing for your family through your own example a deep and abiding respect for the Lord b. For the fear of the Lord provides: a. The beginning of knowledge - Pro 1:7 b. A means to prolong life - Pro 10:27 c. The key to avoiding sin - Pro 16:6 d. The key to true wealth - Pro 22:4 c. The fear of the Lord, then, is perhaps the most important "provision" that one can give to his or her family.

6. Let God Be True, “Get your priorities right! Solomon, who tried everything lifecan offer, compared things for us, so we can avoid perplexity and the pain of wrongpriorities. What is better - being poor with the fear of the LORD, or being richwithout it? The answer is simple! Make the fear of the LORD most important inyour life, for it has great reward and will save you from trouble. In other words,"Godliness with contentment is great gain" (I Tim 6:6).

Who cares what's in the bank, if you know the living God and His Son Jesus Christ?

It does not matter what you are eating or wearing, or where you live! The fear of theLORD is a gift from heaven in your soul, for the world has none (Rom 3:18). Manythousands of martyrs burned slowly and painfully at the stake with great hope andpeace, for their hearts were filled with the fear of the LORD. They would not bow toany man, confess any heresy, nor defraud their Savior or His scriptures of even onejot or tittle of glory.

What did Solomon conclude after testing every possible means for human happinessand purpose in life? Read it: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: FearGod, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man" (Eccl 12:13).There should be no questions in your mind. This is the most important thing for youto find and keep.

This is no servile fear of miserable anxiety and debilitating intimidation - this is theawestruck reverence and overwhelming affection for the blessed and glorious Godthat fills the soul with confident joy! It leads to angry hatred for sin and passionatecraving for holiness. It causes sober trembling before His blessed word and eagerdesire to learn more. It leads to a life of godliness and love with fruit the world cannever bear.”

17 Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.

1. Wait a minute Solomon; are you implying that a vegetarian meal is of less valuethan a beef meal. Is it only love that makes it tolerable? Is it the lesser of the two,and enjoyed only as second class, and the favorite of those less fortunate? Thatappears to be the clear implication. If you have the very best meal without love, youare still falling short of the blessing of those with any kind of meal in fellowshipwith those who love them. The saying is that you can't live on love, but Solomon issaying that you can live happier than the rich on a lot less when love comes to thetable with you. Solomon is somewhat anti-vegetarian here, but his point is not thatat all. His point is pro-love. You can get by with a lot less of worldly goods when youhave love. Solomon is just dealing with the better here, But, of course, the best of allis the fatted calf, with vegetables at the table of loving people.

2. Henry, “. ext to the fear of God, peace with all men is necessary to the comfortof this life. 1. If brethren dwell together in unity,if they are friendly, and hearty, andpleasant, both in their daily meals and in more solemn entertainments, that willmake a dinner of herbsa feast sufficient; though the fare be coarse, and the estate sosmall that they can afford no better, yet love will sweeten it and they may be asmerry over it as if they had all dainties. 2. If there be mutual enmity and strife,

though there be a whole ox for dinner, a fat ox, there can be no comfort in it; theleaven of malice, of hating and being hated, is enough to sour it all. Some refer it tohim that makes the entertainment; better have a slender dinner and be heartilywelcome than a table richly spread with a grudging evil eye.”

3. Bridges, “And as to this world s comforts the dinner of herbs the homely meal oflove, is better than the stalled ox, prepared for a sumptuous. but unbrotherly, feast.Love sweetens the meanest food. Hatred embitters the richest feast. How did thepresence and converse of the Lord of angels dignify the humble fare! 15 How muchmore refreshing were the social meals of the Pentecostal Christians, than the well-furnished tables of their enemies ! 16 When the Lord s ordinance is marred by man s selfishness When wealth, rank, or adventitious accomplishments, govern thechoice of life s companion, rather than the fear of the Lord ; what wonder, if thestalled ox, and hatred therewith be the order of the house ? Mutual disappointmentis too often the source of criminal indulgence abroad ; always the bane of peace andunity at home. Few alas ! practically believe this divine testimony. Parents ! Do youseek the solid happiness of your children ? Then lead them to expect little from theworld; every thing from God.”

4. Let God Be True, “Collard greens, anyone? If love unites the hearts at the table, itsounds like a feast! But if there is hatred in any heart, even filet mignon is a bitterdisappointment! A tossed salad enjoyed in love is better than a steak dinner wherethe parties hate each other.

Our Preacher teaches wisdom by comparisons. By showing one action better thananother, he teaches us wise priorities. In this case, we should value love over dinnerfare and material things. Keeping our relationships loving and peaceful is moreimportant than picking the right restaurant and spending a fortune. Even the verypoor can do this.

Our greedy society emphasizes material things as the measure of success. ButSolomon teaches here that the good life is not dependent on what you have, butrather the love you share with others. Godliness with contentment is great gain (ITim 6:6)!

5. Gill, “Better [is] a dinner of herbs, where love is. What Plautus calls "asperam etterrestrem caenam", "a harsh and earthly supper", made of what grows out of theearth; which is got without much cost or care, and dressed with little trouble; atraveler's dinner, as the word signifies, and a poor one too to travel upon, such as iseasily obtained, and presently cooked, and comes cheap. ow, where there are loveand good nature in the host that prepares this dinner; or in a family that partakes ofsuch an one, having no better; or among guests invited, who eat friendly together;or in the person that invites them, who receives them cheerfully, and heartily bidsthem welcome: such a dinner, with such circumstances, is better than a stalled ox,

and hatred therewith; than an ox kept up in the stall for fattening; or than a fattedone, which with the ancients was the principal in a grand entertainment; hence theallusion in ( Matthew 22:4 Matthew 22:4 Matthew 22:4 ) ( Luke 15:23 Luke 15:23 Luke 15:23 ) .

In the times of Homer, an ox was in high esteem at their festivals; at the feasts madeby his heroes, Agamemnon, Menelaus, and Ajax, an ox was a principal part of them,if not the whole; the back of a fat ox, or a sirloin of beef, was a favorite dish. Indeedin some ages, both among Greeks and Romans, an ox was abstained from, through asuperstitious regard to it, because so useful a creature in ploughing of the land; andit was carried so far as to suppose it to be as sinful to slay an ox as to kill a man :and Aratus represents it as not done, neither in the golden nor silver age, but thatin the brasen age men first began to kill and eat oxen; but this is to be confuted bythe laws of God, ( Genesis 9:3 Genesis 9:3 Genesis 9:3 ) ( Deuteronomy 14:4 Deuteronomy 14:4 Deuteronomy 14:4 ) ; and by the examples of Abraham and others. ow if there is hatred, either in the host, or in the guests among themselves,or in a family, it must stir up strifes and contentions, and render all enjoymentsunpleasant and uncomfortable; see ( Proverbs 17:1 Proverbs 17:1 Proverbs 17:1 ) ( Ecclesiastes 4:6 Ecclesiastes 4:6 Ecclesiastes 4:6 ) ; but where the love of God is, which is better than life, and the richest enjoyments of it; which sweetens everymercy, and cannot be purchased with money; and secures the best of blessings, theriches of grace and glory, and itself can never be lost; where this is, the meanest dietis preferable to the richest and most costly banquets of wicked men; who are hatedand abhorred by the Lord, for their oppression and injustice, their luxury, or theircovetousness; for poor men may be loved of God, and the rich be abhorred by him, (Psalms 10:4 Psalms 10:4 Psalms 10:4 ) ( Luke 15:19-23 Luke 15:19-23 Luke 15:19-23 ) .”

18 A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.

Bridges, “A wrathful man slirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.” “This Proverb requires no explanation. But observe the principles of hatredand love, contrasted in active exercise. Some persons make it their occupation to sitby the fire, to feed and fan the flame, lest it be extinguished An useful and friendlyemployment, were it a fire to warm. But when it is an injurious, consuming, anddestructive element, it would seem difficult to discover the motive of theseincendiaries, did we not read, that " out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,murders, wickedness, an evil eye, pride, foolishness."

What then is the Christian's experience? Instead of stirring up to appease strife ; to

bring water -not fuel to the fire ; by " a soft answer to turn away wrath ;" by ayielding spirit to melt, subdue, and bring peace. Let me remember that I owe myvery salvation to this attribute slow to anger. And shall I not endeavor to imbue myprofession with this lovely adorning, and to " be a follower of God, a? his dear child,walking in love ?" Will not this temper of the gospel secure my earthly enjoyment ofgodliness ? Will it not also seal my title as a child of God ?

2. Henry, “the great make-bate. Thence come wars and fightings.Anger strikes the firewhich sets cities and churches into a flame: A wrathful man,with his peevish passionatereflections, stirs up strife,and sets people together by the ears; he gives occasion to others toquarrel, and takes the occasion that others give, though ever so trifling. When men carrytheir resentments too far, one quarrel still produces another. 2. Meekness the great peace-maker: He that is slow to angernot only preventsstrife, that it be not kindled, but appeasesitif it be already kindled, brings water to the flame, unites those again that have fallen out,and by gentle methods brings them to mutual concessions for peace-sake.”

3. Gill, “wrathful man stirreth up strife,.... A man of a wrathful disposition, of afurious spirit, of an angry temper; that is under the power and dominion of such apassion, and indulges it, and takes all opportunities to gratify it; he stirs up strifeand contention where there was none, or where it was laid; as a man stirs up coals offire and raises a flame; see Pro_26:21. He stirs up strife in families, sets one relationagainst another, and the house in an uproar; he stirs up contentions inneighborhoods, and sets one friend and neighbor against another, whence proceedquarrels and lawsuits: he stirs up strife in churches, breaks brotherly love, andcauses animosities and divisions; he stirs up strife in kingdoms and states, whencecome wars and fighting, confusion, and every evil work;

but he that isslow to anger appeaseth strife: a man of a quiet and peaceabledisposition, possessed of the true grace of charity; who is not easily provoked, longsuffering, bears and endures all things; he allays the heat of anger; he quenches thecoals of contention; he calms the storm and makes it quiet, as the word (o) signifies;he "mitigates strifes raised,'' as the Vulgate Latin version renders it; he composesdifferences, reconciles the parties at variance, and makes all hush and still; and soprevents the ill consequences of contention and strife.”

4. Let God Be True, “All men will fight at the drop of a hat! And they may drop itthemselves! This fighting spirit is from man's depraved nature inherited from Adam(Titus 3:3; Rom 1:29-31; 3:13-18). It is based in man's pride and selfishness, whichdemand preeminence over others (13:10; Phil 2:3-4). It is based in hasty anger froman impulsive spirit, which instantly reacts to discredit or dominate others andrevenge any offense or wrong (Jas 4:1-5).

A wrathful man is one that gets angry quickly. At even slight provocations, he reactsimmediately against the person that offended him. Of course, this provokes theoffending party to greater anger as well. Therefore, what might have been solved

easily or might have simply disappeared becomes a major conflict. The wrathfulman has stirred up strife beyond what it would have been. His quick anger increasesconflicts wherever he goes.

However, a man that gets angry slowly can calm feelings and end fights. Ratherthan react with haste or violence, he gently and patiently absorbs the offenses ofaggressors and causes their fury to dissipate. It is impossible to fight with a pillow!If it takes two to fight, which it does; then the slow-to-anger person ends fights bycalming the escalating emotions and attacks. His lack of anger appeases the strifethat briefly appeared.

Jesus Christ taught that offering the other cheek was a godly response toprovocation (Matt 5:38-42). He condemned anger without a righteous cause (Matt5:21-26). The great ones in the kingdom of heaven are peacemakers, not fighters(Matt 5:9; Jas 3:17-18). They are the meek of the earth, and they rejoice to give in toothers whenever possible.

Hatred stirs up strife by anger; but love covers all the offenses and sins that occuramong men (10:12; I Pet 4:8). Jesus Christ gave the ultimate example of being slowto anger during his outrageous trial and crucifixion (I Pet 2:19-23; Mark 15:5). Areyou like him?”

19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,but the path of the upright is a highway.

1. Bridges, “The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns; but the way of (he righteous is made plain.” “Another picture of the slothful man drawn to life ! Heplants his own hedge, and then complains of its hindrance. Every effort to breakthrough his difficulty, like afresh thorn-bush in his way, tears his flesh. He isbrought to a stand. Indecision, delav, reluctance, sluggishness, paralyze hisexertions. He not only exaggerates his real, but pictures to his mind imaginary,difficulties ; so that, after a feeble struggle of conscience, with much to do, but noheart to do any thing, he gives himself up to idleness or pleasure.

This sloth is a ruinous evil in temporals. Young men ! remember, that one or twohills of difficulty, vigorously climbed in youth, will make the way plain for futureand successful progress. But to put half the soul to the work; to drag to it as anunavoidable task ; to avoid present difficulties in order to find a smoother path, will make a hedge of thorns, harassing to the end of the journey. Much more ruinous is this evil in the Christian life. The sluggard in religion is

miserable never at ease. He knows his need of a change. He makes an effort to pray.But all withers for want of purpose of heart. His way is a hedge of thorns. Exertionis absolutely impossible. He sees no hope of overcoming, and lies down in despair.Child of God! Beware of yielding to a sluggish spirit. Soon will nothing remain butthe dead form of religion ; the bare walls of the house, instead of the temple filled with the glory ; the heartless externals of godliness, while the spirit that breathedlife into them is gone.

After all the difficulties are more in the mind than in the path. For while the slothfulsits down by the side of his hedge in despondency ; the righteous, in the habit ofdiligence, finds his way made plain. 14 An honest desire and effort make the wayeasy. Faith brings him to the strong for strength. Hope, love, and joy are conqueringprinciples. " The mountains are threshed" by the energy of faith. Religion, with allits crosses, is found to be a practicable thing. 2 The victory over sloth opens a happyand prosperous way to heaven.”

2. Henry, “those difficulties arise which men pretend to meet with in the way oftheir duty, and to be insuperable; they arise not from any thing in the nature of theduty, but from the slothfulness of those that have really no mind to it. Those thathave no heart to their work pretend that their way is hedged up with thorns, andthey cannot do their work at all (as if God were a hard Master, reaping where hehad not sown), at least that their way is strewed with thorns, that they cannot dotheir work without a great deal of hardship and danger; and therefore they goabout it with as much reluctance as if they were to go barefoot through a thornyhedge. 2. How these imaginary difficulties may be conquered. An honest desire andendeavor to do our duty will, by the grace of God, make it easy, and we shall find itstrewed with roses: The way of the righteous is made plain;it is easy to be troddenand not rough, easy to be found, and not intricate.”

3. Gill, “way of the slothful man isas an hedge of thorns,.... Or, "strewed withthorns", as the Septuagint and Arabic versions; the Targum is, "the ways of theslothful are briers and thorns.'' Either really being made so by his own conduct;who, by his slothfulness, has implicated and entangled himself in such difficulties,that he cannot extricate himself; his way is not passable, at least not very easily; it isas it were hedged up with thorns; see Hos_2:6; or in his own apprehensions; whoraises such difficulties about doing business, which to him seem insurmountable; atleast which discourage him from attempting it, it being like breaking through thornsand briers; hence he will not plough because of the cold, nor go abroad becausethere is a lion in the streets, Pro_20:4; or the way of his duty, especially of virtueand religion, is as troublesome and disagreeable to him as breaking through a thornhedge, or treading upon briers and thorns; to attend the duties of public worship,prayer, and hearing the word, is very irksome to him; to be present at familyworship, at prayer, and hearing the Scriptures or religious discourses read, is likesitting upon thorns unto him. This, as Aben Ezra observes, is to be understood of a

wicked man, as the opposition in the next clause shows;

but the way of the righteous ismade plain: it is a castup way, as the word(p)signifies; a causeway, a highway, and a plain one, in which a truly righteous andgood man finds no difficulty; yea, it is so plain, that men, though fools in otherrespects, shall not err therein, Isa_35:8; nor is it grievous and troublesome, but, onthe contrary, very delightful, as the ways of Christ and wisdom are; hiscommandments are not grievous, his yoke is easy, and his paths pleasant; and therighteous man walks at liberty and with pleasure in them; and without offence orstumbling, as the Vulgate Latin version renders it.

4. Clarke, “way of the slothful man is as a hedge of thorns - he is slothful, heimagines ten thousand difficulties in the way which cannot be surmounted; but theyare all the creatures of his own imagination, and that imagination is formed by hissloth.”

5. Keil, “..that he goes not forwards, and sees hindrances and difficultieseverywhere, which frighten him back, excusing his shunning his work, hisremissness of will, and his doing nothing; on the contrary, the path of those whowait truly and honestly on their calling, and prosecute their aim, is raised up like askilfully made street, so that unhindered and quickly they go forward.”

6. Spurgeon, “then first of all that a slothful man is the opposite of a righteous man.In the text they are in opposition. “The way of the slothful man” is placed incontrast, not with the way of the diligent man, but with “the way of the righteous,”as if to show that the slothful man is the very opposite of being a righteous man. Asluggard is not a righteous man, and he cannot be, he missesa main part of rightness. It is very seldom that a sluggard is honest: he owes at leastmore labor to the world than he pays. He is guilty of sins of omission, for he fails inobedience to one of the laws laid upon manhood since the fall: “In the sweat of thyface shalt thou eat bread.” He aspires to eat his bread without earning it: he wouldif he could eat bread for nought, or eat the bread for which others toil, and thisverges upon coveting and stealing and generally leads up to one or both of thesesins. The sluggard evades the common law of society; and equally does he offendagainst the rule which our apostle promulgated in the church: “If any would notwork, neither should he eat.”

The sluggard is not righteous for he does not render to God according to thestrength lent to him, nor to man according to the work assigned him. A slothful manis a soldier who would let others fight the battle of life while he lies under thebaggage-wagon asleep, until rations are served out. He is a husbandman who onlyhusbands his own strength, and would eat the grapes while others trim the vines. Hewould, if possible, be carried on his bed into the kingdom of heaven; he is much toogreat a lover of ease to go on pilgrimage over rough and weary ways. If the kingdomof heaven sufferethviolence from others it will never suffer violence from him. He is

too idle to be importunate, too to be earnest.

He cannot be a righteous man for slothfulness leads to the neglect of duty in manyways, and very soon it leads to lying about those neglects of duty, and no liar canhave a portion in heaven. Idleness is selfishness, and this is not consistent with thelove of our neighbor, nor with any high degree of virtue. Every good thing withersin the drought of idleness. In fact, all kinds of vices are comprehended in the onevice of sloth, and if you tell me that a man is a sluggard I have his whole characterbefore me in the blackest of letters. His fallow fields are well adapted for evil seed,and no doubt Satan will raise a fine crop of weeds in every corner of his life. Whatthis world would have been if we had all been gentlemen with nothing to do, Icannot tell. The millions that have to work are largely kept out of mischief by theirtoil, and although crimes are abundant enough in our great city as it is, what wouldthey have been if there had not been daily tasks to keep men from excessiveindulgence in drink and other forms of evil? Without labor, the ale-houses wouldhave been crammed every one of the twenty-four hours; folly would have heldunbroken carnival, and licentiousness would have burst all bounds. Amongst thesanitary and salutary regulations of the moral universe there is none much betterthan this―that men must work. He who does not work is not a righteous man for heis out of accord with that which makes for righteousness. In some form or other,with either brain or hand, either by working or enduring, we share the commonlabors of the race appointed them of heaven; and if we are not doing so, we are notrighteous.

I call to your remembrance the remarkable words of the Savior, “Thou wicked andslothful servant.” Those two adjectives are nearly related―“wicked and slothful.”Might not our Lord have said “slothful” alone? He might, but he knew how much ofwickedness goes with sloth and is inherent in it, and therefore he branded it with thecondemning word. second observation is this: if we avoid sloth we have not doneenough, we must also be righteous. If it had been sufficient to shake off idleness andbecome industrious the text would have run thus: “The way of the slothful is as anhedge of thorns: but the way of the diligent is made plain.” Ah, dear friends! a manmay be very industrious, and energetic, and earnest, but if it is in wrong cause hemight have been less mischievous had he been slothful. To be exhibiting industryby doing a great deal of mischief is not commendable. To be actively disseminatingyour opinions if those opinions are false is to be doing grievous harm. To rise upearly, and to sit up late, and to eat the bread of carefulness merely for selfish ends isnot to secure a blessing. There is a diligence which is produced by greed orambition; and this is no better than the selfishness which is the cause of it. Manywear themselves to skin and bone to gather that which is not bread, to hoard up thatwhich can never satisfy them. We are to become the servants of righteousness whenwe escape from the servitude of sloth. “ ot slothful in business” is very well; but tocomplete the change we must be gracious in our diligence, being “fervent in spirit,serving the Lord.” We must do that which is right, and kind, and holy; and so wemust live to the honor and glory of him to whom we owe things.”

7. Let God Be True, “Has your life been rough or smooth the last year? What isyour outlook? Does the future frighten you, or welcome you? There is a reason foryour answers to these questions. Lazy people have two problems in life - things donot work out well for them, and they are afraid of the future. Diligent men find lifeis smooth and easy, and they rejoice in the opportunities it provides. How manythorns are in your way? You can remove them!

There are two important similes - or identified comparisons - in this proverb. A lazyman's life is like a hedge of thorns, which is a difficult and painful obstacle toprogress and travel. He has a hard time going forward, and he dreads the effort andtrouble. A righteous man's life is like a smooth, paved highway, which makes histravel comfortable and fast. He finds progress in life to be easy, and he looksforward to the future.

The proverb contrasts slothful men and diligent men, wicked men and righteousmen. The slothful man is contrasted to the righteous man to teach that slothful menare wicked and righteous men are diligent. God and good men despise lazy men, forslothfulness is a terrible sin (6:6-11; 10:26; 18:9; 24:30-34; 26:16; Gen 3:19; Matt25:26-28; Rom 12:11; I Thess 4:11-12). God's solution for lazy men is their fullstarvation (20:4; II Thess 3:10).

How is a slothful man's life like a hedge of thorns? By his procrastination andneglect of things needful for his progress and success! Laziness creates numeroushardships that make life much more difficult than God ever intended. Byprocrastinating and excusing himself from preparing for the future, he arrives atthe future without assets, credit, skills, or reputation. He is defenseless beforeadversity; he has no capital to invest in anything; he is worthless in the job market;and he has no friends to vouch for him.

How is a diligent man's life made plain? By his past efforts that make the presentmuch easier! By careful planning and hard work, he has provided those thingsnecessary for his progress and success. He knows where he is going, and he hastaken the steps to get there. He accumulates assets, credit, skills, and reputation. Hecan handle adversity, invest in offered opportunities, obtain replacementemployment if necessary, and call upon any number of excellent references to helphim.

How is a diligent man's life made plain? By his cheerful and righteous attitudetoward work! Hard work is a joy to him! He rejoices at the opportunity to work. Heis thankful for his job. He offers to work overtime. He enjoys helping a business. Heappreciates and respects his employers. He sleeps well, but only at night (6:6-11;Eccl 5:12). He looks forward to rising and going to work in the morning. He divesinto projects and finishes them, better than anyone else. He is committed tooutworking others (I Cor 15:10).

20 A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

1. Bridges, “A wise son maketh a glad father : but a foolish man despiseih hismother.”“Do not the brightest joys, and the bitterest tears in this world of tears,flow from parents hearts ? Whatever be the delight to see a son prospering in life,the Christian father finds no rest, until a wise son maketh him glad. And here weneed not any development of talent or superior attainment, but the true wisdom ;humble and docile, marked (as the contrast suggests) by filial reverence, specially bythe cleaving choice of that fear of the Lord which " is the beginning of wisdom."*Such a son does indeed rejoice his father, as he watches with equal pleasure andthankfulness the daily growth and healthiness of his choice vine.

But what if folly, instead of gladdening, despise, a mother ? She whose tender love,and yearning faithfulness, is a faint picture of the heart of God She is despised by "the son of her womb !" The law of God commands honor and reverence ; and the transgression of. the law will not be forgotten. But is not this neglect achastening rebuke for capricious indulgence ? What grace and wisdom is needed, sothat parents may be a valuable blessing to their children for their highest interests !

2. Henry, “the praise of good children, that they are the joy of their parents, whoought to have joy of them, having taken so much care and pains about them. And itadds much to the satisfaction of those that are good if they have reason to think thatthey have been a comfort to their parents in their declining years, when evil dayscome. 2. To the shame of wicked children, that by their wickedness they putcontempt upon their parents, slight their authority, and make an ill requital fortheir kindness: A foolish son despises his mother,that had most sorrow with him andperhaps had too much indulged him, which makes his sin in despising her the moresinful and her sorrow the more sorrowful.”

3. Gill, “a foolish man despiseth his mother; that bore him and brought him up, andperhaps was too indulgent to him; which aggravates his sin and her sorrow; See Gillon Pro_10:1; or causes her to be despised by others, as Jarchi interprets it; such aman's sin, which is great folly, and shows him to be a foolish man, is highly resentedby the Lord, and will be severely punished; see Pro_30:17. The Targum is, "afoolish son despises his mother;'' and so the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions,which makes the antithesis more clear; and the Hebrew text designs one grown upto man's estate.”

4. The following is a series of thoughts from an unknown author:

"You can make your parents very happy by being wise, and God will bless you forit. Your future depends on pleasing your parents. God ordained parents, and Heexpects you to reverence them for their office and what they have done for you. Afoolish son despises his mother indirectly by being a source of heaviness andbitterness to her through his foolish living. If you choose to be foolish, you offendGod, you hurt yourself, you offend other men, and you hurt your parents. Beware!What is wisdom? The power of right judgment! Wise men fear God and learn Hisword to know and do the perfect will of God in all situations. They are diligent,gracious, just, merciful, noble, prudent, righteous, and virtuous. Parents see suchchildren living wisely, and it gives them great joy (10:1; 17:21; 19:13; 23:15-16,24-25; 27:11; 29:3). Rather than think you have done your duty toward your parentsby getting them a card or taking them out to eat, make the fear of the Lord andBible wisdom the most important things in your life. This will give godly parentsmuch greater joy than any gift. It is a win-win-win proposition! God will be pleasedand bless you for it; wisdom will bring you prosperity and save you from trouble;and your parents will be thrilled."

21 Folly delights a man who lacks judgment, but aman of understanding keeps a straight course.

1. Keil, “..is to the fool as the sport of a child. Here אולת is folly and buffoonery,drawing aside in every kind of way from the direct path of that which is good, andespecially from the path of one's duty. This gives joy to the fool; he is thereby drawnaway from the earnest and faithful performance of the duties of his calling, and thuswastes time and strength; while, on the contrary, a man of understanding, whoperceives and rejects the vanity and unworthiness of such trifling and suchnonsense, keeps the straight direction of his going, i.e., without being drawn aside orkept back, goes straight forward, i.e., true to duty, prosecutes the end of his calling.”

2. Bridges, “Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom : but a man ofunderstanding walkelh uprightly.” “Let this Book of instruction probe ourprofession. What think we of folly ot only does the ungodly practice it. But it is joyto him. He sins without temptation or motive. He cannot sleep without it. It is "thesweet morsel under his tongue." He "obeys it in the lusts thereof." He "works itwith greediness. He hates the gospel, because it proposes to "save him from it." But hear the humbling confessions of a child of God " I am carnal, sold under sin. Owretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me ?" Verily would he sink under hishated burden, but for the confidence " I thank God There is no condemnation."

What greater proof can there be of being destitute of wisdom, than this appetite ofsin ? That which hath turned this fair and blooming world into a sepulchre nay thatwhich hath kindled " everlasting burnings" is his joy. And thus he goes on, intent upon the trifles of the day ; and trifling with eternal concerns ; preferring shadowyvanities to everlasting glory. Will he not open his eyes to the discovery ; that " theythat observe lying vanities, forsake their own mercy? The Lord save him ere it betoo late from reaping the bitter fruits of his foolish choice ! Just how know we theman of understanding ? He gives his heart and mind to the word of God. He has joyin wisdom, as the sinner in folly. Even his painful discoveries of indwelling corruption, ground him deeper in solid religion, than those who know only the surface.He is taught of God, and his upright walk is a bright " shining path." Give me, Omy God, understanding that my joy may be in thy wisdom not in my own folly.”

3. Henry, “is the character of a wicked man that he takes pleasure in sin; he has anappetite to the bait, and swallows it greedily, and has no dread of the hook, nor feelsfrom it when he has swallowed it: Folly is joy to him;the folly of others is so, and hisown much more. He sins, not only without regret, but with delight, not only repentsnot of it, but makes his boast of it. This is a certain sign of one that is graceless. 2. Itis the character of a wise and good man that he makes conscience of his duty. A foollives at large, walks at all adventures, by no rule, acts with no sincerity orsteadiness; but a man of understanding,the eyes of whose understanding areenlightened by the Spirit (and those that have not a good understanding have nounderstanding), walks uprightly,lives a sober, orderly, regular life, and studies inevery thing to conform himself to the will of God; and this is a constant pleasureand joy to him.But what foolishness remains in him, or proceeds from him at anytime, is a grief to him, and he is ashamed of it. By these characters we may tryourselves.”

4. Gill, “isjoy to him that isdestitute of wisdom,.... Or "that wants a heart" (q), awise and understanding one; by "folly" is meant sin, for all sin is folly; and that isvery pleasing and joyous to a wicked he chooses it and delights in it; instead of beingashamed of it, and sorry for it, he glories in it, and makes his boast of it; and notonly takes pleasure in committing it himself, but also in those that do it; seePro_10:23;”

but a man of understanding walketh uprightly; he who has his understandingenlightened by the Spirit of God; who has an understanding given him by the Son ofGod; who has a spiritual and experimental understanding of the Gospel, and thetruths of it: he walks according to the rule of the divine word; he walks as he hasChrist for an example, and by faith on him; and after the spirit, and not after theflesh: or "directs himself in walking" (r), his goings, as the Vulgate Latin version,according to the above rule, example, and guidance, by the assistance of the spiritand grace of God; otherwise it is not in man that walketh of himself to direct hissteps, Jer_10:23.”

5. Let God Be True, “Fools defy God and waste their lives, because they arerebellious and stupid. But worse than that, they think their idiotic and imbecilic sinsare amusing, funny, and pleasant! Life is a joke to fools, and they laugh themselvesright into the grave and hell. But wise men know life is serious, and they delight tolive soberly according to God's rules.

Sin is bad enough ... bringing instant death (Gen 2:17), pain and trouble (Gen 3:17-19), lingering death (Gen 5:5), dysfunction (Job 14:1), and eternal death (Rev 21:8).But to greedily run after sin and laugh at it reveals the dark and profane heart of afool (10:23; 14:9; Eph 4:17-19). In spite of their laughter, a wise man knows hell iscoming for them!

It is horrible enough to watch a man swallow the devil's bait with his hook; butwhen that man boasts and laughs about the wonderful taste of the bait, you knowyou are watching a mindless fool. In contrast, the wise man examines everything toavoid the devices of the devil (II Cor 2:11; Eph 4:27). If he foolishly takes a bite, hespits it out with disgust!

If the Bible is only half true, sin is a terrible thing, and meeting God after death as asinner is a horrible prospect. But deceived fools believe confidently that there isneither God nor sin ... until it is too late (Ps 36:1-2). Men with understanding knowlife is very serious, and they are grave and sober about it (14:16; Titus 2:2,4,6; I Pet1:13; 4:7; 5:8).

As the world gets stupider, it rejoices more. Most great grandparents of thisgeneration would gasp to watch the folly of modern sitcoms, but they would beshocked even worse to hear staged studio laughter every 10 seconds! The generationof the information age is more destitute of wisdom than ever, and they bark andcackle about it like rabid hyenas!

Consider cool high school fools. They laugh about getting drunk and racing! Theylaugh about sexual conquests! They laugh about cheating! They laugh aboutvandalism! They laugh about gluttonous gorging! They laugh about everything, ornothing! They are fools!

Reader, what is folly to you? Do you rejoice to sin (Job 15:16)? Is life a joke and sina pleasure? If you love folly, you hate wisdom; if you hate wisdom, you love death(8:36). You forfeit God's mercy in your life by choosing the lies of folly, or sin(Jonah 2:8)!

Or are you like Paul, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from thebody of this death?" (Rom 7:24). A wise man rejoices both in the wisdom of God'swords (21:15; Ps 119:111,162; Jer 15:16) and in God saving him from folly (Rom7:25; Titus 3:3-7)!”

22 Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

1. Henry, “Of what ill consequence it is to be precipitate and rash, and to actwithout advice: Men's purposes are disappointed,their measures broken, and theycome short of their point, gain not their end, because they would not ask counselabout the way. If men will not take time and pains to deliberate with themselves, orare so confident of their own judgment that they scorn to consult with others, theyare not likely to bring any thing considerable to pass; circumstances defeat themwhich, with a little consultation, might have been foreseen and obviated. It is a goodrule, both in public and domestic affairs, to do nothing rashly and of one's ownhead. Plus vident oculi quam oculus- Many eyes see more than one.That often provesbest which was least our own doing. 2. How much it will be for our advantage to askthe advice of our friends: In the multitude of counsellors(provided they be discreetand honest, and will not give counsel with a spirit of contradiction) purposes areestablished.Solomon's son made no good use of this proverb when he acquiesced notin the counsel of the old men, but because he would have a multitude ofcounsellors,regarding number more than weight, advised with the young men.”

2. Gill, “counsel purposes are disappointed,.... If a man determines and resolvesupon a matter, and at once hastily and precipitately goes about it, without maturedeliberation, without consulting with himself, and taking the advice of others informing a scheme to bring about his designs, it generally comes to nothing; seeLuk_14:28; or "without a secret" (s) without keeping one; if a man divulges hisintentions, it is much if they are not frustrated; so the Targum, "vain are thethoughts (or designs) where there is no secret;'' if a man makes no secret of what hedesigns to do, he is easily counter worked, and his purposes disappointed; but in the multitude of counsellors they are established; his purposes are, as inPro_20:18; having the advice of others, and these many, he is confirmed that he isright in what he has thought of and purposed to do; and therefore goes about it withthe greater spirit and cheerfulness, and is most likely to succeed, and generally does;see Pro_11:14.”

3. Keil, “..is and remains a rule of morals: not stubbornly to follow one's own heart(head), and not obstinately to carry out one's own will, and not in the darkness ofwisdom to regard one's own plans as unimproveable, and not needing to beexamined; but to listen to the counsel of intelligent and honest friends, and,especially where weighty matters are in hand, not affecting one's own person, butthe common good, not to listen merely to one counsellor, but to many. ot merely

the organism of the modern state, but also of old the Mosaic arrangement of theIsraelitish community, with its representative organization, its courts and councils,rested on the acknowledged justice and importance of the saying uttered inPro_11:14, and here generalized.”

4. Bridges, “22. Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude ofcounselors they are established. “Consider how weak and ignorant we are. Were ourjudgment perfect, the first impressions would be infallibly right. But feeble andshaken as it is by the fall, every dictate needs pondering. How much evil has beendone by acting upon impulse in a few hasty moments, or by a few warm words orlines without consideration ! Our wisdom lies in self-distrust, at least leaning to thesuspicion that we may be wrong. Yet, guard also, on the other side, against thatindecision of judgment, which is carried about by every per son s opinion. Upon thewhole, Christian prudence suggests the expediency especially in important mattersof experienced counsel. By the neglect of this advantage, many good purposes have been disappointed. 5 God has ordained the commerce of wisdom for mutual benefit,and by the multitude of counselors many valuable purposes have been established. 6But as the wisest of these are fallible, and often in error, is it not our only safe path,in the use of human means, to look up to the great " Counselor" of his Church forguidance, and in reverential thankfulness, to take " his testimonies as the men ofour counsel ?" Blessed be God for this special privilege of counsel always at hand !In humility and confidence, we shall not materially err.”

5. An unnamed pastor wrote, “I asked around this week to inquire as to “Whypeople may shy away from seeking advice from others.” Here are some responses Igot:

Pride People don’t realize the benefits of getting wise counsel

Fear

Prone to take easy road or simply follow the path of least resistance

ot want to hear last 10%

Don’t want to be held accountable

Simple lack of intentionality

Individualist mind set…”I did it my way”

Instead of taking the time or making the effort to get wise counsel for any of thereasons just mentioned, there can be a tendency to simply trust your gut…go withyour instincts. Sometimes I witnessed people simply relying on circumstances.Whatever ends up unfolding in the circumstances they face is interpreted as “God’sWill”…it must have been God’s will and so without thinking it through any furtherthey move forward.”

6. Gf. Hutchinson Smyth, “ Without counsel purposes are disappointed. —Disappointments: — 1. Disappointments are the common lot of man. Prince and peasant, prophet and people, wise and unwise, rich and poor, young and old — all have suffered disappointment. Eve was disappointed in the good promised her if she ate of the tree of knowledge. The builders of Babel were disappointed. Solomon sought to find happiness in all human inventions, but had to write on them all, " Vanity I " So we might pass through the whole range of human history, from Alexander to apoleon, and find disappointment the common lot of all. 2. The number of disappointments are incalculable. 3. The variety of disappointments which men suffer is very great. Men are disappointed in carrying out schemes of ambition, in securing preferment, in amassing and holding wealth ; yes, even in carrying out plans of good, benevolence and charity. 4. The bitterness and melancholy results of these disappointments are worthy of note. Many a bright and happy life has been for ever clouded and depressed by early disappointment. Many a life has been shortened, and many another tragically ended, because of some over- powering disappointment. 5. The sources of disappointments are many. In general terms we may say they belong to a sinful world, where all is confusion, uncertain, and deranged. Disappointments arise from man's shortsightedness, mistakes, failures, and weakness. The connection of our text reads : " Without counsel purposes are disappointed." We cannot control events, or foresee contin- gencies that may intervene or insure the capacity, integrity, and fidelity of others. We are constantly taken by surprise at things springing up that we never dreamed of, and made no provision for. 6. The use to be made of disappointments. (1) They teach us the uncertainty of all human expectations and our absolute dependence upon God (Jas. iv. 13-1-5). (2) Our own impotence. (3) We are to expect disappointments. (4) When they come accept them resignedly, not stoically but look at them rationally. (5) Disappointment may sometimes be better than success. (6) There is one thing that can make all disappointments blessings. It is said that Croesus had some magic power about him by which he turned every- thing he touched to gold. There is more than a magic power which the believer wields over the trying dispensations of life ; there is a Divine power. " All things " — disappointments included — "work together for good to them that love God."

7. Let God Be True, “A sure rule for success in life is to submit decisions to thereview of wise counselors. King Solomon, seeking to prepare his son to governIsrael, repeated this axiom several times in his manual of wisdom (11:14; 20:18;24:6). He knew that many factors could distort a man's decision making, especiallywhen he is personally involved in the matter.

People make plans - to get married, change jobs, respond to an enemy, go back toschool, buy a house, find a new church, teach children at home, invest in a business,etc. If you push ahead without using wise friends who are not emotionally involved

to criticize your ideas, you will be disappointed. But if you humbly allowknowledgeable acquaintances to review your plans, you can settle on a sure coursefor your life.

This rule for success is basic and simple. Why do most ignore it? They are too proudto ask anyone else (26:12,16). They do not want to hear any negative criticism(18:17). They are too impatient (19:2). They are already committed, and it is toohumbling to turn back. They do not have any wise counselors. They have baddecision-making habits. considering the matter!

You need more than one counselor. Safety and success depend on the multipliedwisdom of many counselors. It takes more humility and time to consult severalcounselors, but the benefits gained cannot be appreciated, until you have beenburned a few times by your own decisions. King Ahasuerus of Persia wisely trustedseven men to guide him in a matter of passion (Esther 1:10-22). God gave you royaladvice by inspiring Solomon.”

23 A man finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!

1. Henry, “speak wisely when we speak seasonably: The answer of the mouthwill beour credit and joy when it is pertinent and to the purpose, and is spoken in dueseason,when it is needed and will be regarded, and, as we say, hits the joint. Many agood word comes short of doing the good it might have done, for want of being well-timed. or is any thing more the beauty of discourse than to have a proper answerready off-hand, just when there is occasion for it, and it comes in well. 2. If we speakwisely and well, it will redound to our own comfort and to the advantage of others:A man has joy by the answer of his mouth;he may take a pleasure, but may by nomeans take a pride, in having spoken so acceptably and well that the hearers admirehim and say, “How good is it,and how much good does it do!”

2. Gill, “A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth,.... When his advice is asked,and he gives good and wholesome counsel, and that being taken succeeds; it is apleasure to a man that he is capable of assisting his friend, and doing him service, ora common good, whether it be in things natural, civil, or religious; when his speechis with salt, seasoned with grace, and he knows how he ought to answer every man;when that which is good proceeds from him, and is to the use of edifying, andministers grace to the hearers, and is acceptable to them; when with readiness he

gives an answer to every man that asks him a reason of the hope that is in him, withmeekness and fear, Col_3:6, Eph_4:29;

and a word spokenin due season, how good is it? whether by way of advice andcounsel to such who stand in need of it, or of exhortation and instruction to thosethat want it, or of comfort to those that are distressed; such is a word of promisespoken and applied by the Spirit of God to the hearts of his people in a time of need;and such is the Gospel of peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation, as spoken byChrist and his ministers to weary and wounded souls; it cannot be well and fullyexpressed how sweet, how good, how suitable, as well as seasonable, it is: seePro_25:11.”

3. Keil, “has happened to one in his reply to hit the nail on its head, and he has joyfrom that ( שמPro_23:24), and with right; for the reply does not always succeed. Areply like this, which, according to circumstances, stops the mouth or bringeth akiss (Pro_24:26), is a fortunate throw, is a gift from above. The synonymous parallelline measures that which is appropriate, not to that which is to be answered, butfrom a general point of view as to its seasonableness; is “the ethically right,becoming time, determined by the laws of wisdom (moral)” . Pro_16:16; both ideaslie in it: that such a word is in itself well-conditioned and successful, and also that itis welcome, agreeable, and of beneficial influence.”

3B. "A word spoken In reason, how good it is ! — A word in season is a word spoken just when wanted. It is a word spoken just in the right way and manner. Such a word, how good it is! It is good because — 1. It has often kept men back from a career of vice. 2. It has often instructed them under doubts and difficulties. 3. Cheered them under sorrows. 4. Weaned them from earth and pointed them to heaven. Who would not say that such a word was good ? How good it is — I. In reproof. II. In counsel. o one is shut out from this blessed path of usefulness. Masters and servants, even the humble, may use the talent. aaman was healed through the wisdom of his attendants. But, like rebuke, counsel must be spoken in season." author unknown

4. Bridges, “A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth : and a word spoken in dueseason, how good is it ?” “A word for our Divine Master to our fellow-sinners hewill condescend to bless. The remembrance "Who made man s mouth?" puts awaypride. Bat have we joy by the answer of our mouth ? The pain that every right-minded Christian feels in giving " open rebuke," is abundantly compensated by thejoy of the happy issue. Even an unsuccessful effort brings the joy in " the testimonyof our conscience." It must however be a word spoken indue season. "How forcibleare right words;" well timed, though from feeble lips ! There are some happyseasons, when the most rugged natures are accessible. Yet many a good word is lostby being given out of season. Would we bring true conviction ? Then pass by themoment of irritation, and wait for the return of calmness and reason. Give reproofprivately, not exasperating, except when the occasion calls for it, by public

exposure. ever commence with an attack an enemy s position, that naturallyprovokes resistance. Study a pointed application.

A word spoken for every one, like a coat made for every one, has no individualfitness. When "the. wise man s heart discerneth both time and judgment," the wordis doubly effective. Manoah s wife-upheld her husband s faith. Abigail restrainedDavid s murderous intent. aainan s servants brought their Master to soberreason. Paul withheld the jailor s hand from self-destruction, and opened salvationto his soul. 12 Sweet indeed also is the Minister s joy from the answer of his mouth,when his gifted tongue " speaks a word in season to him that is weary." And will itnot be an element of his consummating joy " at that day," when he shall welcomethose, instrumentally saved by the answer of Ids mouth, as his " glory and joy ?"

5. Let God Be True, “Answering well is a wonderful thing, especially when it is doneat the right time! It is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl (25:11)! Knowinghow to answer others is a great skill wise men will diligently pursue. The ability tohelp another with the right words is serving in a precious and profitable way (12:14;16:13; 23:16; 24:26; 25:12).

The Lord Jesus taught that giving is more blessed than receiving (Acts 20:35). Andone of the finest ways to give and support others is with a kind or wise word whenthey need it. There is righteous joy in helping someone with good counsel. But suchability only comes by careful preparation before the opportunity presents itself.

Jesus Christ had this ability. "The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of thelearned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary" (Is50:4). It is our duty and privilege to seek this wise tongue, so we also might helpothers. We can learn how to answer every man and take pleasure in doing it (Col4:6; Gal 6:1-5; I Pet 3:15).

How? Listen very attentively and speak cautiously (18:13; James 1:19).

How? Reduce words to only valuable ones (10:19; 17:27-28; Eccl 5:3).

How? Spend time examining speech by prayer (Ps 19:12-14; 139:23-24).

How? Keep your heart and thoughts pure and wise (4:23; Luke 6:45).

How? Always be gracious in your speech (22:11; Eccl 10:12; Col 4:6).

How? Make the glory of God the object of speech (Col 3:17; I Cor 10:31).

How? Study to make sure all your answers are right (15:2,28; 16:23).

How? Make sure the words fit the occasion (10:32; 25:20; I Cor 13:5).

How? Choose words that build others up (12:18; Eph 4:29; I Cor 10:24).

How? Use gentle words when a person is angry (15:1; Judges 8:1-3).

How? Give certain words of truth rather than opinions (22:17-22).

How? Learn wisdom to solve dilemmas for others (10:21; 16:21; 27:9).

How? Be encouraging and uplifting to others (12:25; I Sam 23:16).

How? Use pleasant rather than harsh words (16:24; Col 4:6; Luke 4:22).

How? Do not debate or dispute with fools (23:9; 26:4-5; II Tim 2:23).

How? Avoid complaining or negative speech (17:20; Phil 2:14; Col 3:17).

How? Reject pride and contention in speech (13:10; 18:6; I Cor 6:7).

How? Let negative words only season speech (James 3:9-12; Col 4:6).

The true purpose of the church is the mutual help members give one another whilewaiting for the return of Jesus Christ (Heb 3:12-13; 10:23-25). But this great goalwill only be realized where members learn to answer well at the right time. If godlyspeech is learned by all, a church can grow up to the full measure of Jesus Christ(Eph 4:13-16).”

24 The path of life leads upward for the wise to keep him from going down to the grave.

1. Gill, “way of life isabove to the wise,.... Of "the way of life"; See Gill onPro_10:17; this is said to be "above", or it tends "to what isabove"; it leads toheaven and happiness above; the life itself it is the way of or to is above, it is hidwith Christ in God; eternal life, glory, and happiness, is above; it is a house eternalin the heavens, an inheritance reserved there, and will be there enjoyed by thesaints: the way to it is above; Christ is the way, and he is in heaven, at the Father'sright hand, through whom only men can come at this life; wherefore those who arein the way of it have their thoughts, their hearts, their affections and conversations,above, Mat_6:21. Faith, which deals with Christ the way, and by which men walk inhim, is signified by soaring aloft, mounting up with wings as eagles, by entering

within the vail, and dwelling on high, and by looking upwards, and at things unseen,and being the evidence of them. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "the way oflife is above the learned man", or wise man; the man that has no other than naturallearning and wisdom, this way of life and salvation by Christ lies out of hisknowledge; it is what the most sagacious and penetrating man could never discover;it is hid from the wise and prudent, and revealed to babes; or this is only known tosuch who are truly wise unto salvation; it is plain to them, and they highly esteem it,and choose to walk in it; it is an "ascent to him that understands", as the Syriacversion renders it; it is a going up hill, it is an ascending upwards and heavenwards;such a man is continually looking upwards unto Christ, the author and finisher ofhis faith; pressing towards him, the mark for the prize; keeping his eye, not onthings on earth, things temporal, which are seen here below, but on things above,things unseen, which are eternal in the heavens;

that he may depart from hell beneath; not from the grave, as "sheol" sometimessignifies: for wise men die as well as fools, and come to the grave, which is the houseappointed for all living; even those who are in the way of life that is above do notescape death and the grave: but such are secured from everlasting ruin anddestruction, from being destroyed soul and body in hell; they steer quite a differentcourse and road from that; every step they take upwards carries them so far offfrom hell; which is the contrary way; the broad road of sin is the lower way, or whatleads to hell and destruction beneath; the narrow way of faith in Christ is the upperway, and that leads to eternal life above.”

2. Henry, “way of wisdom and holiness is here recommended to us, 1. As very safeand comfortable: It is the way of life,the way that leads to eternal life, in which weshall find the joy and satisfaction which will be the life of the soul, and at the end ofwhich we shall find the perfection of blessedness. Be wise and live. It is the way toescape that misery which we cannot but see ourselves exposed to, and in danger of.It is to depart from hell beneath,from the snares of hell, the temptations of Satan,and all his wiles, from the pains of hell, that everlasting destruction which our sinshave deserved. 2. As very sublime and honorable: It is above.A good man sets hisaffections on things above,and deals in those things. His conversation is in heaven;hisway leads directly thither; there his treasure is, above,out of the reach of enemies,above the changes of this lower world. A good man is truly noble and great; hisdesires and designs are high, and he lives above the common rate of other men. It isabove the capacity and out of the sight of foolish men.”

3. Keil, “O.T. reveals heaven, i.e., the state of the revelation of God in glory, yet notas the abode of saved men; the way of the dying leads, according to the O.T.representation, downwards into Sheôl; but the translations of Enoch and Elijah arefacts which, establishing the possibility of an exception, break through the darkmonotony of that representation, and, as among the Greeks the mysteriesencouraged ἡδυστέρας ἐλπίδας, so in Israel the Chokmaappears pointing the

possessor of wisdom upwards, and begins to shed light on the darkness of Sheôl bythe new great thoughts of a life of immortality, thus of a ζωὴ αἰώνιος(Pro_12:28)(Psychologie, p. 407ff.), now for the first time becoming prominent, but only as aforeboding and an enigma. The idea of the Sheôl opens the way for a change: thegathering place of all the living on this side begins to be the place of punishment forthe godless (Pro_7:27; Pro_9:18); the way leading upwards, εἰς τὴν ζωὴν, and thatleading downwards, εἰς τὴν ἀπωλειαν(Mat_7:13.), come into direct contrast.”

4. Bridges, “The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hellbeneath.” “The way of life the way in which alone life is found the way to God theway to glory is but one. That way is Christ. If therefore I come to him renouncing allother hope, casting all my hope on Him, and every step of my way "looking untoHim" am not I in this way? And if I follow Him in "the obedience of faith," am not Iadvancing in that way ? This way is above of heavenly origin. Fools rise not highenough to discern it ? much less to devise and walk in it. Their highest elevation is grovelling. God does not allow them even the name of life. Cleaving to the dust ofearth, they sink into the hell beneath. But this is the way of the wise born fromabove taught from above therefore walking above, while they are living upon earthA most transcendent life ! " partaker of the Divine nature !" the life of God himselfin humble sublimity, ascending above things under the sun above the sun itself Thefurther we walk in this way above, the further we depart from hell beneath. Heavenand Hell are here before us Soon will our state be fixed for eternity. What am I ?Where am I ? Those " who mind earthly things, their end is" the hell beneath.Those who walk in the way above " their conversation is in heaven ;" their hope isfixed on the Lord s coming from thence ; their everlasting joy will be this completetransformation into his own image.”

Children of God ! walk like yourselves ; with " your hearts lifted up in the ways ofthe Lord ;" with a holy loftiness above the debasing pleasures of earth ; " looking atthe things that are unseen ;" " having respect unto the recompense of the reward ;"walking in the way above where your hope is where your treasure where your homeabove all where your ascended Saviour is ; and where one golden ray of his favor,one reflected beam of his glory will outshine all the glare of a shadowy world. Grant,we beseech thee, that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son, our Lord JesusChrist, to have ascended into the heavens ; so we may also in heart and mind thitherascend, and with him continually dwell.”

5. J. H. Evans, “I. Certain characters here spoken of. " The wise." God's Word sets two characters before us— the godly and the ungodly. But there are various grades of both. The godly, or wise, are not so by natural intellect. They are the wise whom God esteems to be wise, and whom God makes wise. Though wise, they have much foolishness at times still in them ; but they know the plague of their own heart. They know Christ. And they know something of the world's emptiness. II. The course that they take. "Depart from hell beneath." God's Word says hell is a place, just as heaven is a place. Then they are wise who fear

that dreadful place, and seek to depart from it, and avoid all peril of it. But the wise also take the " way of life." By this we understand the place to which they go, the way by which they go to it, and their mode of walking in it. III. A descrip- tive CHARACTER GIVE OF THAT COURSE. " Above." This is applicable aswell to the end of the way, which is life ; and the way to it, which is Christ ; andtheir mode of walking in it, which is by faith.”

25 The LORD tears down the proud man's house but he keeps the widow's boundaries intact.

1. Bridges, “The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish theborder of the widow.” “The administration of the Divine Government is to humblethe proud, and to exalt the humble. The contrast seems to mark the proudoppressor an usurper of God s rights. He deals with him therefore as a traitor, anddestroys not only his person, but his house. And who can but acknowledge theretributive vengeance of the Judge of the earth !

But the widow, whom many care not for, many are ready to trample on what aFriend and Protector has she ! "Let thy widows trust in me." God condescends tolink himself with them in a special relation, concentrating all his care andtenderness on their bereaved condition. 16 Did not he provide for sorrowing aomi, a staff in her faithful daughter ; and ultimately establish her border in Israel? Didhe not supply the pressing need of the Minister s widow (a cheering warrant of faithin similar affliction), and take up the Shunamite s oppression, and again establishher border ? And shall we forget, how he teaches the returning penitent to pleadthe gracious manifestation " In thee the fatherless findeth mercy ?"

2. Henry, “that are elevated God delights to abase, and commonly does it in thecourse of his providence: The proud,that magnify themselves, bid defiance to theGod above them and trample on all about them, are such as God resists and willdestroy,not them only, but their houses,which they are proud of and are confident ofthe continuance and perpetuity of. Pride is the ruin of multitudes. 2. Those that aredejected God delights to support, and often does it remarkably: He will establish theborder of the poor widow,which proud injurious men break in upon, and which thepoor widow is not herself able to defend and make good. It is the honour of God toprotect the weak and appear for those that are oppressed.

3. Gill, “Lord will destroy the house of the proud,.... To whom he has the utmostaversion; he sets himself against them and resists them, and will not only destroy

them, but their stately houses too, which their have fancied shall continue for ever;and also their families, their children and posterity; these shall be as stubble, andshall be burnt up in his wrath, and neither root nor branch left. Moreover, the manof sin, the son of perdition, may be more especially intended, that exalts himselfabove all that is called God, with all the sons of pride supported by him; his house,which is the house of the foolish and adulterous woman, the idolatrous church ofRome, shall be rooted up; the city of Rome, the seat of the beast itself, where hishouse or palace is, shall be destroyed, and all that belong unto him, even all theythat have destroyed the earth, Rev_11:18;

but he will establish the border of the widow; whose advocate, judge, and defenderhe is; when men, rich, proud, and oppressive, attempt to remove the landmark ofthe widow's border, and so lessen her land and enlarge their own, God will notsuffer it to be done, but will establish it in its place; that is, such who are weak andhelpless, as widows are, and cannot defend themselves and their property, he willprotect them and secure it for them. So the church of Christ, during the reign ofantichrist, being obliged to flee into the wilderness, looks like a widow deprived ofher husband, and has but "little strength" to support and defend herself, as is saidof the church of Philadelphia, Rev_3:8; yet the Lord will secure and preserve her,and firmly settle and establish her, yea, enlarge her borders, and make them ofpleasant stones; spread the kingdom of Christ from sea to sea, and from the river tothe ends of the earth. Frequent mention is made of the establishing of the church inthe latter day, Psa_48:8, Isa_2:2.

4. Barnes, “widow - , as elsewhere Deu_10:18; Psa_68:5, the widow, as the mostextreme type of desolation, stands as the representative of a class safer in theirpoverty under the protection of the Lord, than the proud in the haughtiness of theirstrength.”

5. Keil, “possession of land in Israel was secured by severe punishment inflicted inhim who removed the “landmark” (Deu_19:14; Deu_27:17), and theChokma(Pro_22:28; Pro_24:2) as well as the prophets (e.g., Hos_5:10) inculcate theinviolability of the borders of the possession, as the guardian of which Jahve hereHimself appears.

6. Let God Be True, “Pride brings the LORD's destruction, regardless of popularityand strength. Humility brings the LORD's blessing, regardless of disrespect andweakness. The LORD loves to rescue the helpless, and He loves to destroy those whotake confidence in themselves and their own power (Deut 10:17-18; Job 40:9-14; Ps18:27; 146:9; Luke 1:51-53).

The LORD hates pride. He cannot stand a man thinking he is something, when he isnothing. A man lies to himself with such thoughts (Gal 6:3). Anything a man is or

has was God's gift; and he should not glory in it, as if he accomplished anythinghimself (I Cor 4:7). ot only will God destroy the wicked, but He will also destroyhis house - his family and estate, which he vainly thought would endure to allgenerations (Ps 49:11).

He cast Lucifer out of heaven for pride (Is 14:14; I Tim 3:6; Jude 1:6). He crushedthe great King ebuchadnezzar and left him crawling for seven years (Dan 4:25;5:20); He had Haman and his ten sons hung on his own gallows (Esth 7:10; 9:14).Can any man find the house of Alexander the Great? It was utterly destroyed withinfifteen years of his untimely death! Where is the madman's Third Reich that wouldlast a thousand years?

The LORD loves humility. He will bless the man who trembles before Him (Is 57:15;66:2). He loves to take the beggar from the dunghill and set him among princes toinherit the throne of glory, as Hannah gloriously described (I Sam 2:1-10). He is theProtector of all orphans and widows (Ps 10:14,18; 68:5). The very idea of altering awidow's property boundaries is fatal folly (22:22-23; 23:10-11).

God sent Elijah to preserve the starving widow of Zarephath (I Kgs 17:8-16; Luke4:25-26). He sent Elisha to save another widow from her creditor (II Kgs 4:1-7).Consider aomi, whose borders were confirmed and male descendants includedDavid (Ruth 4:14-17)! Consider carefully the abbreviated story of the Shunamite'sborders (II Kgs 8:1-6)!

The LORD says, "Let thy widows trust in me" (Jer 49:11). The ew Testament,with all its doctrine and strictness, takes special notice and care of widows (Matt23:14; Luke 2:36-38; 7:11-18; 21:1-4; John 19:26-27; Acts 6:1-7; 9:36-41; I Tim 5:3-10; Jas 1:27).”

26 The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him.

1. Bridges, “The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord : but thewords of the pure are pleasant words, (words of pleasantness, Marg.)” “ Howlightly do the mass of men think of the responsibility of their thoughts ! as if theywere their own, and they might indulge them without restraint or evil. But they arethe seminal principles of sin. 1 And as the cause virtually includes its effects ; so dothey contain, like the seed in its little body, all the after fruit. They are also the index

of character. Watch their infinite variety- not so much those that are under thecontrol of circumstances, or thrown up by the occasion, as the voluntary flow,following the habitual train of our associations. " For as a man thinketh in his heart,so is he." Let the Christian yield himself up to the clear radiance of " the word, as adiscerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart ;" and what a mass of vanity doesonly one day one hour bring to account ! What then is the result with the wicked ! " Evil thoughts" are the first bubbling of the corrupt fountain. The tide of evil rollson unceasingly. Thoughts of iniquity" " vain thoughts lodging within" all are anabomination.

Very different is his mind towards his own people. The words of the pure theexpressions of their thoughts are pleasant words. How pleasant is manifest from hisinviting call to their intercourse with him ; 8 yet more from the open rewardprepared for them before the assembled world " They that spake often one toanother and thought upon his name they shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day,when I make up my jewels."

2. Let God Be True, “Your mouth is the vent of your heart. Your words are chosenand formed there. Are your thoughts and speech an abomination to the LORDJehovah? Or are your words the gracious and pleasant words that rejoice God andmen? Every time you speak, you reveal to God and man what is in your heart.Every time you speak, God and men appreciate and delight in your words, or theyabominate and despise them. You have been warned!

Your thoughts are not your own. You are duty bound by your Creator to thinkupon Him with all your heart (Deut 6:4-7). But the wicked never think of Him (Ps10:4; Rom 1:20-28). Their throat is an open grave, revealing decay and death intheir hearts (Rom 3:13).

Even when you lie, your lying words do not lie ... they tell the truth about yourheart. You are a liar! Your heart, whether black with wickedness or gold withpurity and white with righteousness, is clearly revealed to God and men by yourwords. Fools say, "You cannot know my heart." They deceive themselves. Everyone,including God, knows their hearts by their words (Matt 12:33-37; Jas 3:5-16). Whatcolor is your heart, reader?

Solomon warned that God sees everything done in the earth (15:3). But Davidtaught earlier that God hears and analyzes every thought, even before they areexpressed in words (Ps 139:1-6). The great and dreadful God knows the thoughtsand intents of your heart (Heb 4:12), and you will give an account for every idleword (Matt 12:34-37). He counts foolish thoughts as sin (24:9). Guard your thoughtsand words starting right now!

The thoughts and words of pure men are cheerful, gracious, helpful, kind,knowledgeable, merciful, peaceful, virtuous, and wise (10:20-21; 15:2,4; 16:23-24;Eccl 10:12). They speak carefully and slowly. Their words are formed in a pure

heart, for it is a pure heart that generates gracious words, and even kings desire tobe around such men (22:11). Their words are pleasant to God and men (15:23;24:26; 25:11).

3. Henry, “former part of this verse speaks of thoughts, the latter of words, but theycome all to one; for thoughts are words to God, and words are judged of by thethoughts from which they proceed, so that, 1. The thoughtsand words of thewicked,which are, like themselves, wicked, which aim at mischief, and have some illtendency or other, are an abomination to the Lord;he is displeased at them and willreckon for them. The thoughts of wicked men, for the most part, are such as Godhates, and are an offence to him, who not only knows the heart and all that passesand repasses there, but requires the innermost and uppermost place in it. 2. Thethoughts and words of the pure,being pure like themselves, clean, honest, andsincere, are pleasant wordsand pleasant thoughts, well-pleasing to the holy God, whodelights in purity. It may be understood both of their devotions to God (the words oftheir mouth and the meditations of their heart,in prayer and praise, are acceptable toGod,Psa_19:14; Psa_69:13) and of their discourses with men, tending to edification.Both are pleasant when they come from a pure, a purified, heart.”

4. Gill, “The thoughts of the wicked arean abomination to the Lord,.... They areknown unto the Lord, who is the searcher of the heart, and a discerner of thethoughts and intents of it; he knows they are vain and sinful, yea, that they are onlyevil, and that continually, and therefore are hateful and abominable to him; it maybe rendered "the thoughts of evil", as by the Targum; or evil thoughts, as theSeptuagint, Vulgate Latin, and the Oriental versions; but Aben Ezra interprets aswe, the thoughts of a wicked man, which are never otherwise but evil; whereas in agood man, though there are many evil thoughts which are abominable to himself,yet there are some good thoughts, and which are pleasing to the Lord, as follows;

but the wordsof the pure arepleasant words; that is, unto the Lord; which are thesame with their thoughts, and are the effect of them, and so stand opposed to thethoughts of the wicked; these, expressed either in a way of prayer or of praise, aresweet and pleasant, and acceptable unto God through Christ; as likewise theirwords and discourse in religious conversation, which also minister grace unto thehearer, and are very delightful and pleasing to saints; the words may be suppliedthus, "but the thoughtsof the pure", of such who are pure in heart, whose hearts arepurified by faith in the blood of Christ, are "words of pleasantness", so Gersom;there is a language in thought which is known to a man's self, and by the Lord;there is the meditation or discourse of the heart, and this being about divine andspiritual things is pleasing to God; he hearkens to it, and writes a book ofremembrance for them that fear him, and have thought on his name; see Psa_19:14.

5. Keil, “Thoughts which are of a bad kind and of a bad tendency, particularly(what the parallel member brings near) of a bad disposition and design against

others, are an abomination to God; but, on the contrary, pure, viz., in His eyes,which cannot look upon iniquity (Hab_1:13), are the of compassion and offriendship toward men, which are (after 26a) the expression of such thoughts, thussincere, benevolent words, the influence of which on the soul and body of him towhom they refer is described, Pro_16:24.”

27 A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live.

1. Bridges, “He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house : but he that hatethgifts shall live.” “ What an awful stamp has God fixed upon covetousness !Idolatry , abomination, an evil eye, and the cause of poverty; " the root of all evil !" ot only is it a curse to the sinner, but often a trouble to his house. So did Lot,Achan, Saul, Ahab, Gehazi, Jehoiakim, and the Jews, find it. And often in our own day has greediness of gain plunged whole families into misery in ruinousspeculations ! For where the enriching blessing of God is not desired or sought, wecannot wonder that it be withheld ! gifts, not only in the corrupting influence ofbribes, but in any case, that would bring dishonor upon his God, For this reasonAbraham refused the gifts of the king of Sodom, and Peter the enticement of Simon.The man who thus walks in integrity, does not he live on high in the special favor ofhis God ? Does not he, who hateth this world s gifts for the affliction of the crossreceive an hundred-fold recompense in this life, and, in the world to come,everlasting life ?" Let their money perish with them (was the noble confession ofthe Marquis of Vico, nephew to Paul V.) that prefer all the world s wealth beforeone day s communion with Jesus Christ and his despised people.

2. Let God Be True, “The desire to be rich is dangerous to a man's family. He willbe tempted to accept bribes or compromise righteousness, which will bring troubleto his wife, children, and estate. But a man that hates bribes or financialcompromise will preserve and prosper his family. Greed is excessive ambition andcovetous desire for more than you have or should reasonably expect (1:19; Isaiah56:11). Gain is financial success or wealth. The proverb condemns desiring to berich, which leads to compromising godliness and wisdom.

The gifts here are bribes, which are given to pay a man to compromise the law orfinancial wisdom (29:4; Ex 23:8; Deut 16:19; Is 33:15). A virtuous man will hatesuch gifts, for he will not sell his integrity or the approval of God for any price.

There are many temptations associated with desire for financial success, and theyoften bring pain and trouble to a man's family. But a man who is content with hisincome, and would never consider cheating for any advantage, will protect andprosper his family.

Beyond bribes, desiring riches brings temptation to compromise in dealings, breakthe law, violate financial wisdom, overwork, be tempted by investment scams,mistreat employees, cheat on giving, neglect charity, over-expand, deprive thefamily of affection and time, forget your soul, worry about tomorrow, be carnallyminded, associate excessively with the world, be puffed up, despise others, andnumerous other sins.

Here is Paul's sober warning: "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and asnare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction andperdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some covetedafter, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with manysorrows" (I Tim 6:9-10).

3. Henry, “Those that are covetous entail trouble upon their families: He that isgreedy of gain,and therefore makes himself a slave to the world, rises up early, sitsup late, and eats the bread of carefulness, in pursuit of it - he that hurries, and putshimself and all about him upon the stretch, in business, frets and vexes at every lossand disappointment, and quarrels with every body that stands in the way of hisprofit - he troubles his own house,is a burden and vexation to his children andservants. He that, in his greediness of gain, takes bribes, and uses unlawful ways ofgetting money, leaves a curse with what he gets to those that come after him, whichsooner or later will bring trouble into the house, Hab_2:9, Hab_2:10. 2. Those thatare generous as well as righteous entail a blessing upon their families: He that hatesgifts, that shakes his hands from holding the bribes that are thrust into his hand topervert justice and abhors all sinful indirect ways of getting money - that hates to bepaltry and mercenary, and is willing, if there be occasion, to do good gratis - he shalllive; he shall have the comfort of life, shall live in prosperity and reputation; hisname and family shall live and continue.

4. Gill, “that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house,.... Or "that covets acovetousness" (t), an evil one, as in Hab_2:9; that seeks riches by unlawful means,that gathers the mammon of falsehood, or unrighteousness, as the Targum; heentails a curse and brings ruin and destruction upon his family; the Septuagint andArabic versions are, he "destroys himself"; or "his own soul", as the Syriac version;it may be understood of a man that is over anxious and eager to be rich, and hurrieson business, and gives his servants no proper time for food and rest; See Gill onPro_11:29;

but he that hateth gifts shall live; that rejects them with abhorrence, when offered tobribe him to pervert judgment, or to do an unjust thing; otherwise gifts may be

lawfully received from one friend by another; the sin is when they are given andtaken for the sake of doing what is base and sinful; and a man that shakes his handfrom receiving gifts on such a basis, he and his family shall prosper and increase inworldly things; and, doing this from a right principle of grace, shall live comfortablyin a spiritual sense, and thrive and flourish in his soul, and live an eternal lifehereafter; see Psa_16:5.”

5. Barnes, “- is a special application to the office of the judge. The Aramaic Targumparaphrases the first words of this passage as: “he who gathers the mammon ofunrighteousness,” using the words with special reference to wealth obtained byunjust judgments. May we infer that Christ’s adoption of that phrase Luk_16:9hada point of contact with this proverb, through the version then popularly used in thesynagogues of Palestine?”

6. Covetousness is what the issue is here. It means, "an evil craving, or a compulsivelust". “Its objects are wealth and its attending pleasures, comfortable homes,expensive cars, exotic vacations, private schools, luxuries, ease, dignity, influence,and the like. Thus in brief, covetousness may be defined as "An inordinate desirefor earthly things". It must not therefore, be confused with the mere accumulationof wealth, financial interest, or general ambition. It is a preoccupation with wealthor an excessive interest in temporal objects.” author unknown

28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

1. Bridges, “The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wickedpoureth out evil things.” “ Consideration is an important part of the Christiancharacter ; nowhere more important than in the discipline of the tongue. Think twice before we speak once. " The wise man s heart is in his right hand,"that he may weigh his words, and study how to answer, and be ready "always togive an answer to him that asketh a reason of the hope that is in him." Thoughthere may be " good treasure" within, yet we must carefully ponder to draw from it " a w r ord in due season." Often may we reflect upon ourselves, for speakinghastily. And indeed, when that comes out which is uppermost, nothing but the drossof evil can be looked for? Many stumblings have been made by speaking from thehasty feeling of the moment, rather than from a well-balanced and considerate judgment. In this haste, Joshua was beguiled by the Gibeonites; David indulged aburst of murderous revenge ; Peter would fain have dissuaded his master from thework, which he came down from heaven to do, and without which we should havebeen a world eternally lost. Cultivate a pondering mind. If ever asked to open an

important subject, throw it not off hastily ; nor give an answer, till it has beenobtained from God. For the heart s study to answer, necessarily implies prayer theonly medium of receiving the "wisdom that is profitable to direct." ehemiahdarted up his prayer for the answer for the moment, and how graciously was itvouchsafed ! This is more especially a Ministerial responsibility for the many casesof conscience, that require " the tongue of the learned" a word of wisdom,conviction, or consolation. How can " the priest s lips keep knowledge," unless theheart, under his Master s teaching, studieth to answer ?

The wicked have no such restraint. He cares not what he may say. It is of littleconsequence to him, whether it be true, or well-timed, or whom it wounds. Hispoisoned fountain poureth out poisonous waters. 1 Yet fearful is it to think, howevery light word brings it. account, 2 and will be found a hot coal to make the fire ofhell burn more fiercely. Such a plague often infests the Church. " From suchwithdraw thyself." 5 Separation is the keeping of the soul.”

2. Let God Be True, “Which is better? A quick answer to a question? Or the rightanswer? Do you feel pressure to answer questions quickly? Kill the need for speed tomake sure you are right.

A righteous man may take a while to answer a question, but he will give the rightanswer in the end; while a foolish and wicked man will blurt out whatever firstcomes to mind. To the untrained eye, the righteous man may appear bewildered,while the wicked man may seem to be a great source of knowledge for the speed andquantity of his response.

But a wise man will consider this: haste makes waste and quantity usually covers fora lack of quality. The speed and length of an answer are not proofs of a rightanswer.

Wise men hear and consider questions before forming an answer; for answering amatter before hearing it is folly and shame (18:13; 25:8). icodemus appealed tothis wisdom of the law to protect Jesus (John 7:51; Deut 13:12-18). If you answer byfirst impressions, you will often judge by appearance, rather than righteousjudgment (John 7:24).

To avoid getting only one side of a story, at least two witnesses to any event is thewisdom of God (Matt 18:16; I Tim 5:19; Heb 10:28). This is certainly true in allmatters of marriage, business deals, and other two-party controversies. Rememberthis rule well.

Searching out a matter is the honor of kings (25:2), which is to study all the detailsof a situation before judging. Wisdom requires circumspection, which is lookingcarefully in all directions (Eph 5:15). Perfect Job searched out matters beforejudging (Job 29:16).”

3. Henry, “A good man proved to be a wise man by this, that he governs his tonguewell; he that does so the same is a perfect man,Jam_3:2. It is part of the character ofa righteous man that being convinced of the account he must give of his words, andof the good and bad influence of them upon others, he makes conscience of speakingtruly (it is his heartthat answers,that is, he speaks as he thinks, and dares not dootherwise, he speaks the truth in his heart,Psa_15:2), and of speaking pertinently andprofitably, and therefore he studies to answer,that his speech may be with grace, eh_2:4; eh_5:7. 2. A wicked man is proved to be a fool by this, that he neverheeds what he says, but his mouth pours out evil things,to the dishonour of God andreligion, his own reproach, and the hurt of others. Doubtless that is an evil heartwhich thus overflows with evil.”

4. Gill, “The heart of the righteous studieth to answer,.... He thinks before hespeaks, meditates what he shall say, what answer to give to men; whether in thingscivil, natural, or religious; and what to return to the Lord when he is reproved byhim; or what to say in prayer to him, or by way of thankfulness for mercies receivedfrom him; see Pro_3:6; though our Lord advises his disciples, when summonedbefore their persecutors, not to meditate beforehand what they should answer, sincethey should have immediate assistance, Luk_21:14; but this was in extraordinarycases; in common ones the observation of the wise man should be attended to. AJewish (u)writer renders the words, "the heart of the righteous meditateswormwood", or bitter things; see Pro_5:4; as the judgment of God, death, and hell;this sense is mentioned by Aben Ezra, but rejected;

but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things; without any previous thoughtand consideration, without fear or wit; in great abundance, as water out of afountain; thus an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evilthings readily and at once, having no concern about the consequences of things,Mat_12:25;”

5. Keil, “Instead of the righteous, the wise might be named, and instead of thegodless, fools (cf. 2b); but the poet places the proverb here under the point of viewof duty to neighbours. It is the characteristic of the righteous that he does not givethe reins to his tongue; but as Luther has translated: the heart of the righteousconsiders [tichtetfrom dictare, frequently to speak, here carefully to think over] whatis to be answered, or rather, since מה־לענות is not used, he thinks thereupon toanswer rightly, for that the word ענות is used in this pregnant sense is seen from23a. The godless, on the contrary, are just as rash with their mouth as the righteousare of a thoughtful heart: their mouth sputters forth (effutit) evil, for they do notfirst lay to heart the question what may be right and just in the case that hasarisen.”

6. “Wise men hear and consider questions before forming an answer; for answeringa matter before hearing it is folly and shame (18:13; 25:8). icodemus appealed to

this wisdom of the law to protect Jesus (John 7:51; Deut 13:12-18). If you answer byfirst impressions, you will often judge by appearance, rather than righteousjudgment (John 7:24). To avoid getting only one side of a story, at least twowitnesses to any event is the wisdom of God (Matt 18:16; I Tim 5:19; Heb 10:28).This is certainly true in all matters of marriage, business deals, and other two-partycontroversies. Remember this rule well. Searching out a matter is the honour ofkings (25:2), which is to study all the details of a situation before judging. Wisdomrequires circumspection, which is looking carefully in all directions (Eph 5:15).Perfect Job searched out matters before judging (Job 29:16).” author unknown

7. “As we all know, there is a class of people who are so gullible that they believealmost everything they hear, every story that is told, every promise that is madethem. They are easily imposed upon, for they do not think for themselves, and neverproperly outgrow their infancy. Thoroughly unsophisticated, they are ready victimsfor any retailers of fairy-tales who come along.

God has bidden His people to "Believe not every spirit, but test the spirits whetherthey are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John4:1); and "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thes. 5:21). O howgreat is the need for so doing: never more requisite and urgent than in these evildays. How often does that warning occur in the ew Testament, "Take heed that noman deceive you" (Matt. 24:4; Eph. 5:6; 1 John 3:7 etc.) To take things on trust isthe height of folly. Emulate those spoken of in Acts. 17:11, "These were more noblethan those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness ofmind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." authorunknown

29 The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

1. Bridges, “The Lord is far from the wicked : but He heareth the prayer of therighteous.” “Such is the Lord s difference between these two classes. He is equally near to them both in his essence. But in his favor he is far from the wicked?and rejects their prayer. He is near to the righteous, and heareth them. Hisdistance from the wicked is to their hearts desire. Yet does he sometimes makethem. groan, as they will sink hereafter, under its final and everlasting curse. Butwho can estimate the grace that calls these " stouthearted, that are afar off. tohearken, and brings near righteousness and salvation to them?" Inexpressible mustbe the guilt of despising such free, abounding, mercy !

But to the righteous^ he is most graciously near. He heareth their breath, whenthere is no voice; their desire and weeping, when there are no words; theirstammering, when there is no gift. Wonderful indeed is it, that he should hear suchprayers, polluted as they are in their very breath. Yet does our compassionate HighPriest wait for these vile offerings at the door of the oracle ; and in his golden censerthey appear spotless -before the throne. For his sake we are not only borne with,but accepted. Add to which our prayers his own Spirit has dictated. How then canhe turn away from them ?

Yet the enemy will suggest the doubt. Does he hear ? Well he knows, what a shelterprayer is from his assault ; and gladly would he drive us from it. Am I righteous? Beit so that thou art not. But is not thine advocate so? Then put thy prayer in hishands. Thou canst not doubt his access to God ; or that the ear, that may be shut tothee, is open to him. "Wouldst thou be spoken for to the king?" Stammer out theprayer to thy Friend " O Lord, I am oppressed ; undertake for me." But I see noanswer. Correct the errors of sense by faith in his word, which declares whateverappearances may be He heareth. Judge not by thy feelings or conceptions, but by hisown unchangeable word by the manifestation of his name; that he will refuse theenothing that is really good ; that thou dost obtain, if not what thou desirest, yet whatupon the whole is best and fittest for thee. Have patience with God. Dictate nothing.Commit thy will to him. Say not " I will that thou give me by and by." Leave timeand all to him. If he does not answer in thy time, he will in his own far better season.

Study the character of God. It is not the Judge on his seat ; or the King on histhrone of state ; but the Father in the full flowing of his love. Is not this attraction ?In the sharpest trial not all the world not all the power of hell can bar thine access tohim. o child runs to his Father with such a confidence as thine. ever will he chillthe heart, that throws itself upon his love. Then honor him in this confidence. Shewthat you really mean what you say. Bring to him no general petitions (the signs of an heartless frame) but definite objects. Tell him what you want, and all that youwant. Prize his presence supremely the pleasures of the closet above all privileges. o creature not even the company of Apostles can compensate for the loss of Him. Wrestle in prayer, but sit still in faith. He has bound himself by his own promises.And the fulfillment of them in answer to prayer will quicken confidence and praise.

2. Let God Be True, “Prayer is not a right. Prayer is a privilege, a blessed privilege.The LORD is not obligated to hear the prayer of any man, and He will reject theprayer of the wicked. But as He has promised, He will hear the prayer of therighteous. He will answer them tenderly, mightily, and speedily. This axiom wasperfectly understood by the Jews (John 9:31).

The wicked are those continuing in sin, any sin, even one sin. They know they aresinning, but they do not care. They do not confess and forsake it. They ignore thewarnings of God's Word, His minister, their whispering conscience, and theconviction of the Holy Spirit. They think they can get away with their sin. They do

not think it important enough to forsake and repudiate. They hide it under a cloakof hypocrisy.

You can hide sin from your parents, your spouse, your children, your church, andyour pastor. They will continue to treat you with the same kindness and affection asin the past. You can snow friends and family with hypocrisy, but you cannot snowthe LORD.

The LORD sees the very thoughts and intents of every heart (Heb 4:12). There isnothing hid from His holy eyes (Heb 4:13). He sees and knows perfectly every sin ofthought, word, and deed. And He does not overlook them. They grieve and offendHim, and unless they are confessed and forsaken, He will not hear your prayers.You are doomed to a life without His blessing, and He will bring severe chasteningupon you.

The LORD is not far from the wicked in location and knowledge, for He fills heavenand earth, and no one can hide from Him (Jer 23:24). But He is far from helpingthem, comforting them, blessing them, and having fellowship with them. He is nearat hand to see their wickedness, but He is far away from answering their prayers.And in the great Day of Judgment, He will tell them to depart from Him into eternalhellfire (Matt 7:23).

Dear reader, you do not have to be perfect for God to hear your every prayer, butyou do need to confess your failures. Consider Elijah, the wild man that he was.When reviewing the power of his prayers, the LORD comforts us by declaring thatElijah was a man subject to the same passions we face every day (James 5:16-18).Thank you, Lord!

The LORD heard every prayer of our blessed Lord Jesus (John 11:42), for Healways did those things that pleased Him (John 8:29). In His deepest hour of need,though the cross was unavoidable, His Father sent an angel to strengthen Him(Luke 22:43). And the angel of the LORD encamps around us, and delivers us, whenwe fear Him (Ps 34:7). Glory!”

3. Henry, “sets himself at a distance from those that set him at defiance: The wickedsay to the Almighty, Depart from us,and he is, accordingly, far fromthem; he does notmanifest himself to them, has no communion with them, will not hear them, will nothelp them, no, not in the time of their need. They shall be for ever banished from hispresence and he will behold them afar off. Depart from me, you cursed.2. He willdraw nigh to those in a way of mercy who draw nigh to him in a way of duty: Hehears the prayer of the righteous,accepts it, is well pleased with it, and will grant ananswer of peace to it. It is the prayer of a righteous manthat avails much,Jam_5:16.He is nigh to them,a present help, in all that they call upon him for.”

4. Gill, “Lord isfar from the wicked,.... ot as to his essence or powerful presence,which is everywhere, for he is God omnipresent; but with respect to his favour and

good will, he is far from helping in distress, and from hearing their cries when theyapply unto him in desperate circumstances; nor does he admit them to nearness andcommunion with him now, as he does the righteous; nor will he receive them tohimself at the last day, but bid them depart from him; they are far from him andfrom his law, and from all righteousness; and he is far from them, and keeps themat a distance from him;

but he heareth the prayer of the righteous; they draw nigh to him, and he drawsnigh to them; he is nigh to all that call upon him in truth; and there is none likethem that has God so nigh them as they have; his eyes are upon them, and his earsare open to their cries; he is a God hearing and answering their prayers, andbestows upon them the favors they ask for, and stand in need of.”

5. Keil, “has withdrawn Himself from them, Hos_10:6, so that if they pray, theirprayer reaches not to Him. The prayer of the righteous, on the contrary, He hears,He is graciously near to them, they have access to Him, He listens to their petitions;and if they are not always fulfilled according to their word, yet they are not withoutan answer (Psa_145:18).”

30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.

1. Bridges, “The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart ; and a good report maketh thebones fat.” “The eye is the medium of the most rational enjoyment. Most elevatingis the sight of the wonders of the creation ! The Psalm first s Hymns of praise finelyportray his delight. Glowing. was the joy, which burst from the wise man s heart inthe sight of the morning glory " Truly light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for theeyes to behold the sun." Look also at gracious and unexpected providences How didthe light of the aged Patriarch s eyes rejoice his heart, when he embraced his long-lost son ! A sun beam truly was it in the cloud of despondency ! And when the eyefastens upon the one object of attraction, does not one look clothed with light, cast aglory on the soul, and fill it with life and joy? " They looked unto him and werelightened." And what will it be, when the whole soul, animated with Divine Power,shall centre in the eye, when the light of the eyes shall present him to uncloudedview, whom all heaven adores with everlasting praise !

But let us look at the joy of hearing. See how the Patriarch s heart bounded at thegood report of his beloved Joseph. The absent Minister seems to live again in thegood tidings of his thriving people. How delightful must it be to the humbled sinner

to hear the good report of salvation, and to have his eyes enlightened to behold theglory of God in the face of Jesus Christ! The animating delight with which theShepherds saw the good report realized before their eyes, can scarcely be conceived.So joyful is it still to the humbled sinner, that the very "feet of its messengers arebeautiful" in his eyes. "Blessed are the people, that know the joyful sound."

2. Henry, “things are here pronounced pleasant: - 1. It is pleasant to have a goodprospect to see the light of the sun (Ecc_11:7) and by it to see the wonderful worksof God, with which this lower world is beautified and enriched. Those that want themercy know how to value it; how would the light of the eyes rejoice their hearts!Theconsideration of this should make us thankful for our eyesight. 2. It is more pleasantto have a good name,a name for good things with God and good people; this is asprecious ointment,Ecc_7:1. It makes the bones fat;it gives a secret pleasure, and thatwhich is strengthening. It is also very comfortable to hear (as some understand it) agood reportconcerning others; a good man has no greater joy than to hear that hisfriends walk in the truth.

3. Gill, “light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart,.... ot so much the visive power, thefaculty of seeing, a strong and clear eyesight; though this is a great mercy, and fromthe Lord, and to be prized, and does give joy of heart; but rather the objects seen bythe light of the eyes, as Jarchi; as green gardens, flowing rivers, pleasant meadows,rising hills, lowly vales, herbs, plants, trees, birds, beasts, and creatures of everykind; nor is the eye ever satisfied with seeing; especially light itself beheld rejoiceththe heart, and particularly that grand luminary and fountain of light, the sun."Light is sweet", says the wise man, Ecc_11:7, "and a pleasant thing it is for theeyes to behold the sun", which is a proper comment on this text: and much morepleasant and delightful, cheering and rejoicing, must be the spiritual light of theeyes of the understanding, when opened by the Spirit of God at conversion; it ismarvellous light souls are then called into, and wonderful things do they thenbehold, which rejoice their hearts; as Christ the sun of righteousness himself, thelight of the world, the glories of his person and office, the fulness of grace that is inhim, pardon of sin by his blood, justification by his righteousness, and free and fullsalvation through him for the worst and chief of sinners: in the light which isthrown into them they see light; the light of God's countenance, his face and favour,which put gladness into them; the light of the divine word, and the precious truthsof it; yea, the light, joy, and happiness of the world to come, in the hope of whichtheir hearts rejoice. Jarchi mystically interprets this of the light of the eyes in thelaw; but it is much better to understand it of the light of the eyes in the Gospel, andthe mysteries of it;

and a good report maketh the bones fat; or "a good hearing" (w); not the sense ofhearing, or a quick exercise of that, though a very great blessing; but things heard.Some understand this of a good or "fame" (x), which is sometimes the sense of thephrase; either a good report which a man hears of himself, which makes his spiritcheerful; and this affects his body and the juices of it, which fill his bones withmarrow, and cover them with fatness; or which he hears of his friends, and is

pleasing to him, as it was to the Apostle John that Demetrius had a good report ofall men, 3Jo_1:12. But rather this is to be understood of the good news, or goodhearing, from a far country, as the same phrase is rendered in Pro_25:25; and herein the Arabic version is so translated, even the Gospel, which is a report; seeIsa_53:1; a report concerning God, the perfections of his nature, the purposes of hisheart, the covenant of his grace, his love, grace, and mercy towards men in ChristJesus; a "report" concerning Christ, concerning his person and offices, concerninghis incarnation, obedience, sufferings, and death; concerning his resurrection,ascension, sitting at the right hand of God, intercession for his people, and secondcoming to judgment; and concerning salvation, peace, pardon, righteousness, andeternal life by him; a report concerning the good land, the heavenly Canaan, andthe glories of it, the way unto it, and the persons that shall possess it: and this is a"good" report; it is good tidings of good things, a report of good things laid up incovenant, which are come by Christ the great High Priest, which saints areinterested in, and shall partake of here and hereafter; it is a true report, and to bebelieved, since it is made by God himself, by Jesus Christ the faithful witness, andby the apostles of Christ, who were eye and ear witnesses of the things theyreported; and such a report being heard, received, and embraced, greatlycontributes to the spiritual health and prosperity of the children of God, it makesthem fat and flourishing; such pleasant words are as the honeycomb, sweet to thesoul, make glad the heart, and are marrow and health to the bones; see Pro_3:8.

4. Keil, “But the clear brightness of one's own eye cannot be meant, for then thatwere as much as to say that it is the effect, not that it is the cause, of a happy heart,but the brightness of the eyes of others that meet us. That this gladdens the heart ofhim who has a sight of it is evident, without any interchanging relation of the joy-beaming countenance, for it is indeed heart-gladdening to a man, to whomselfishness has not made the χαίρειν µετὰ χαιρόντωνimpossible, to see a countenanceright joyful in truth. But in connection with Pro_16:15, it lies nearer to think on alove-beaming countenance, a countenance on which joyful love to us mirrors itself,and which reflects itself in our heart, communicating this sense of gladness.”

31 He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.

1. Bridges, “The ear that hearelh the reproof of life abideth among the wise. 32. Hethat refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof gettethunderstanding (possesseth an heart, Marg.)

“What a contrast to the " scorner," lately described, who " goeth not unto the wise"

The circumcised ear heareth the reproof that tends to life* and welcomes it as aprobing medicine, needful for the soul s health. It is indeed the absolute law of sociallife, a component part of the love of our neighbor, the bounden obligation to be "ourbrother s keeper" to the utmost of our power. And yet for its discharge there shouldbe a special office or relation, or concurrent providential circumstances. So wiselyhas God fenced its exercise from needless or willful provocations. o wise manwould incur the reproach of a tale-bearer, by thrusting himself into this ungraciouswork. But beautiful indeed is the sight of "a wise re-prover upon an obedient ear."The man of God abode with the wise. He took his meek re-prover to his wife. Hehonored the faithful messenger of his Father s rod with his highest confidence. The Apostle saffectionate testimony to his reproving brother showed, that he had heard thereproof of life. This considerate and humble temper always gets understanding. o thing teaches like experience, and no experience is more useful, because none soabasing, as rebuke.

But he that refuseth instruction, despiseth his own soul. He will not indeed own thecharge. But does he not underrate its high value and imminent danger, when hedespises God s warning and provision for its salvation? "Be thou instructed, OJerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee."

2. Henry, “is the character of a wise man that he is very willing to be reproved, andtherefore chooses to converse with those that, both by their words and example, willshow him what is amiss in him: The ear thatcan take the reproofwill love thereprover. Faithful friendly reproofs are here called the reproofs of life,not onlybecause they are to be given in a lively manner, and with a prudent zeal (and wemust reprove by our lives as well as by our doctrine), but because, where they arewell-taken, they are means of spiritual life, and lead to eternal life, and (as somethink) to distinguish them from rebukes and reproaches for well-doing, which arerather reproofs of death, which we must not regard nor be influenced by. 2. Thosethat are so wise as to bear reproof well will hereby be made wiser(Pro_9:9), andcome at length to be numbered among the wise men of the age, and will have bothability and authority to reprove and instruct others. Those that learn well, and obeywell, are likely in time to teach well and rule well.

3. Gill, “ear that heareth the reproof of life,.... That is given according to the word oflife, in a warm, fervent, and lively manner, with zeal, and in good earnest; whichreproves the life of another by his own, as well as by words; and which tends to thespiritual and eternal life of the person reproved; being taken, a man that diligentlyhearkens to, kindly and cordially receives, and cheerfully obeys such reproof givenhim,

abideth among the wise; he not only chooseth to be among them, that he may havethe advantage of their wise counsels and reproofs, but he becomes wise himselfthereby, and attains to the character of a wise man, and is numbered among them;

such a man abides in the house of wisdom, the church of God, and attends upon andhas conversation with the wise dispensers of the word, and shall have a part withthem in the church above, in the kingdom of heaven, where the wise will shine as thefirmament; the word here used does not denote a lodging for a night, as itsometimes signifies, but a perpetual abiding.

4. Keil, “now the meaning this, that the ear which willingly hears and receives suchdoctrine of life will come to dwell among the wise, i.e., that such an one (for אזן issynecdoche partis pro persona, as Job_29:11) will have his residence among wisemen, as being one of them, inter eos sedem firmam habebit iisqueannumerabitur(Fl.)? By such a rendering, one is surprised at the harshness of thesynecdoche, as well as at the circumstantiality of the expression (cf. Pro_13:20,On the contrary, this corresponds with the thought that one who willingly .(יחכםpermits to be said to him what he must do and suffer in order that he may be apartaker of life, on this account remains most gladly in the circle of the wise, andthere has his appropriate place.”

32 He who ignores discipline despises himself, butwhoever heeds correction gains understanding.

1. Henry, “The folly of those that will not be taught, that refuse instruction,that willnot heed it, but turn their backs upon it, or will not hear it, but turn their heartsagainst it. They refuse correction(margin); they will not take it,no, not from Godhimself, but kick against the pricks. Those that do so despise their own souls;theyshow that they have a low and mean opinion of them, and are in little care andconcern about them, considered as rational and immortal, instruction beingdesigned to cultivate reason and prepare for the immortal state. The fundamentalerror of sinners is undervaluing their own souls; therefore they neglect to providefor them, abuse them, expose them, prefer the body before the soul, and wrong thesoul to please the body. 2. The wisdom of those that are willing, not only to betaught, but to be reproved: He that hears reproof,and amends the faults he isreproved for, gets understanding,by which his soul is secured from bad ways anddirected in good ways, and thereby he both evidences the value he has for his ownsoul and puts true honor upon it.”

2. Let God Be True, “ Here again is the most common theme of Proverbs. A wiseman will gladly hear instruction and submissively take reproof, but a foolish andwicked man will resist them both. The wise man will gain understanding byreceiving correction, but the wicked man who refuses admonition must hate his ownsoul, for he is guaranteeing his destruction.

Resistance to instruction and correction marks a person as a fool. In fact, this is thesurest measure of a man: how well does he listen to reproofs, how eager is he to betaught, how thankful is he to the man that reproves him. A fool does not like to becorrected, and a scorner hates it; a fool does not appreciate a reprover, and ascorner despises him.

Every person arrives in life knowing nothing. The only way he can learn anything isto listen to those who were born before him and who have wisdom from the Word ofGod and/or experience. Parents, even retarded ones, have greater intelligence andexperience than their children, so wise children will hear their reproofs. When Godsends a wise man to you in the course of life, love that man, submit to his correction,and learn from him.

oble men in God's sight are those with ready minds for receiving the instruction ofGod's Word (Acts 17:11). They listen well with eager anticipation of learning fromthe man of God. They do not consider any man infallible, so they search theScriptures to verify what they hear; but they do this with a receptive mind, not abelligerent one.

Understanding requires a great increase in knowledge and discretion, which canonly come by folly and error being reproved. o one likes to be corrected, becausewe are proud and arrogant by our sinful nature from Adam. But the wise man, theman born of God, will put this nature down and humble himself before any whocome to instruct him.

3. Gill, “that refuseth instruction,.... The instruction of parents, masters, ministers,and of God himself; or "correction", instruction either by the word or by the rod;he that withdraws himself from it, will not be in the way of it, that shuns, neglects,and despises it, or carelessly and contemptuously attends it:

despiseth his own soul; shows that he makes no account of it, has no regard for it orcare about it, when it is so precious a jewel, and the loss of it irreparable; not that aman can strictly and properly despise his soul, but comparatively, having a greaterregard for his body, and especially for his carnal lusts and pleasures, than for that;or as a man diseased and refuses proper medicines may be said to despise his health;

but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding; or "a heart"; he getsunderstanding by listening to reproof, and behaving according to it; he betterunderstands himself and his case, what he should shun and avoid, what he shouldreceive, embrace, and do; instead of losing his soul, as the man that refusescorrection does, he finds the life of it, and possesses it, and with it a large share ofexperience and spiritual wisdom.”

4. Keil, “despising of the soul is then the neglecting, endangering, exposing of thelife; in a word, it is suicide (10b). Pro_19:8is a variation derived from this distich:“He who gains understanding loves his soul,”

33 The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom,and humility comes before honor.

1. Bridges, “The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom: and before honor is humility.” “ The fear of the Lord is described as the substance the beginning orprincipal part 21 here the instruction of wisdom. For is it not the medium of thedeepest most heavenly wisdom ? Though given under the law, it is linked with thefull privileges of the Gospel. The fear of terror melts away. The fear of reverencefills the soul. God rejoices in his mercy the child of God in his confidence. But as itrealizes the presence of a holy God, it must always be connected with humility.Indeed what Christian grace of the Gospel can exist without this conservatingprinciple ? Every dispensation of God strikes at the root of self exaltation, and tends to that real absence of self-esteem and self-sufficiency, which most of us ratherlong after than attain.

Most wise therefore is our Father s discipline. Before honor, humility. Indeed,without humility, honor would be our temptation, rather than our glory. Had notthe Apostle been kept down by a most humbling trial, his honor would have been hisruin. The exaltation of the Lord s people in providence, is therefore often conductedthrough the valley of Humiliation. Joseph was raised from the prison to the throne.Moses and David were taken from the Shepherd s fold to feed the Lord sinheritance. Gideon acknowledged himself to be of " the least of the families ofIsrael." Ruth was humbled by adversity, ere she was raised to the high honor of aMother in Israel, and progenitor of the Savior. Abigail confessed herself unworthyto wash the feet of her Lord s servants, before she was honored to be his wife. Andin the daily walk of life, the lowest place is the pathway to honor.

The same principle obtains in the dispensations of grace. " He that humblethhimself shall be exalted in due time." ot that in the forgetfulness of our highprivileges and confidence, we are to be weighed down in a sense of degradation. Thetrue humility, which realizes our vileness, casts us most simply upon the full resources of the gospel, so that the most humble is the most triumphant believer. Thelower, then, any descend in humiliation, the higher they shall ascend in exaltation.The lower this foundation of humility is laid, the higher shall the roof of honor beover laid. And was not this the track of our beloved Lord before honor, humility thecross before the crown ? How deep was that descent, by which he, who was infinitelymore than man became " a worm and no man!" And yet the honor which rewardedthis humility, what tongue can tell ! ; We must not disdain to follow Jesus Christ. Isit a light privilege to follow in the pathway consecrated by his steps irradiated by hissmile ?”

2. Keil, “The fear of Jahve is an educational maxim, and the end of education of theChokma; but the phrase may also be the subject, and by such a rendering Luther'sparallelism lies nearer: “The fear of the Lord is discipline to wisdom;” the fear ofGod, viz., continually exercised and tried, is the right school of wisdom, andhumility is the right way to honour.”

3. Gill, “fear of the Lord isthe instruction of wisdom,.... It is "the beginning ofwisdom", Pro_9:10; it leads unto it, instructs a man in it; by means of it he attains totrue spiritual and evangelical wisdom; it teaches him to abstain from sin, and toserve the Lord; and to seek the salvation of his soul in the way God has appointed,which is by his Son Jesus Christ, which to do is the highest wisdom;

and before honour ishumility; the fear of God and humility go together, where theone is the other is; and as the one is the way to wisdom, the other is the way to glory;Christ's humiliation was before his exaltation; men are first humbled and laid lowin their own eyes, and then they are raised out of their low estate, and are set amongprinces; and shall inherit the throne of glory, being made kings and priests untoGod; it is a frequent saying of Christ's, "he that humbleth himself shall be exalted",Luk_14:11; such an one is raised to a high estate of grace, and at last to eternalglory.

4. Henry, “See here how much it is our interest, as well as duty, 1. To submit to ourGod, and keep up a reverence for him: The fear of the Lord, as it is the beginning ofwisdom, so it is the instruction and correction of wisdom; the principles of religion,closely adhered to, will improve our knowledge, rectify our mistakes, and be the bestand surest guide of our way. An awe of God upon our spirits will put us upon thewisest counsels and chastise us when we say or do unwisely. 2. To stoop to ourbrethren, and keep up a respect for them. Where there is humility there is a happypresage of honor and preparative for it. Those that humble themselves shall beexalted here and hereafter.”

5. J.I. Packer in Knowing God says, “Wisdom is the power to see and the inclinationto choose the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it.”

6. “Godly fear and genuine humility : — I. Godly fear. This is godly fear, a fear of wounding the dearest object of the heart. Concerning this fear, it is here saidthat it "is the instruction of Wisdom." 1. It is the great subject of Wisdom's instruction. Everywhere in nature, in the events of life, and in the holy book of God, does heavenly Wisdom inculcate this godly fear. 2. It is the great end of Wisdom's instruction. Heavenly Wisdom, in all its communications, deals with our souls not merely to enlighten the intellect and refine the tastes, but to fill us

with loving fear toward God. II. Genuine humility. " The fear of the Lord is the instruction of Wisdom ; and before honor is humility." This is a maxim of very wide application. 1. It is sometimes applicable to secular exaltation. As a rule, the man who rises to affluence and power in the world has had to humble himself. He has stooped to conquer. He has condescended to drudgeries and concessions most wounding to his pride. 2. This always applies to intellectual exaltation. A most humbling sense of one's ignorance is the first step to intel- lectual eminence, and almost the last. 3. This invariably applies to moral exaltation, "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted." {Homilist.)

6B. Spurgeon, “Humiliation of soul always brings a positive blessing with it. If weempty our hearts of self God will fill them with his love. He who desires closecommunion with Christ should remember the word of the Lord, “To this man will Ilook, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”Stoop if you would climb to heaven. Do we not say of Jesus, “He descended that hemight ascend?” so must you. You must grow downwards, that you may growupwards; for the sweetest fellowship with heaven is to be had by humble souls, andby them alone. God will deny no blessing to a thoroughly humbled spirit. “Blessedare the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” with all its riches andtreasures. The whole exchequer of God shall be made over by deed of gift to the soulwhich is humble enough to be able to receive it without growing proud because of it.God blesses us all up to the full measure and extremity of what it is safe for him todo. If you do not get a blessing, it is because it is not safe for you to have one. If ourheavenly Father were to let your unhumbled spirit win a victory in his holy war, youwould pilfer the crown for yourself, and meeting with a fresh enemy you would falla victim; so that you are kept low for your own safety. When a man is sincerelyhumble, and never ventures to touch so much as a grain of the praise, there isscarcely any limit to what God will do for him. Humility makes us ready to beblessed by the God of all grace, and fits us to deal efficiently with our fellow men.True humility is a flower which will adorn any garden. This is a sauce with whichyou may season every dish of life, and you will find an improvement in every case.Whether it be prayer or praise, whether it be work or suffering, the genuine salt ofhumility cannot be used in excess.”

7. Let God Be True, “How important is the fear of the LORD for getting wisdom?Absolutely essential! You will not get close to wisdom without fearing God (Job28:28). How important is humility to getting honor? Absolutely essential! You willnot get close to true honor without it (11:2; 16:18; 18:12; 29:23). If you love wisdomand seek the favor of God and men, then here are the rules for your life. Humbleyourself before God and men in the fear of God.

What is the fear of the Lord? It is a reverent awe for Him and His power, a deeprespect for His commandments and laws, and a fearful regard for the punishmentHe can bring on the foolish. It is not a slavish, demoralizing fear that causes terroror distress. It is a fervent and holy desire to please Him in all things and fulfill His

desire for your life as close as possible. It is the sober realization that He is God andyou are His mere creature.

What is humility? It is the knowledge that you are very fallible, very foolish, andvery weak. It is the willingness to reject your own thoughts and opinions in order tobe taught by God or men wiser than yourself. It is the ability to take correction,confess your faults, and change your methods based on the instruction of others. Itis the discipline to keep your mouth shut, avoid the conflicts of others, and forgivetheir offences against you.

The importance of these two prerequisites cannot be overstated. Moses taught thefear of the Lord (Deut 10:12), and so did Joshua (Josh 24:14), Samuel (I Sam12:14,20,24), David (Ps 34:9-11), and Solomon (Eccl 12:13-14). It was the conclusionof Solomon's conclusive experimentation! It is the whole duty of man! The veryfoundation of wisdom requires the fear of God: without it you cannot even getstarted (1:7; 9:10; Ps 111:10).

The surest and shortest way to honor is the hovel of humility! Get down, before Godand men put you down! If you get down, God and men will put you up! The lesson iscertain; the law is infallible. God resists the proud, but He helps the humble. It is theway of Him Who cannot stand the stench of human confidence! Joseph reached thethrone through the slave market and prison. Jesus reached the throne of glorythrough a stable and a cross!”