1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine
heart:
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son
in whom he delighteth.
13 Happy
is the man
that findeth wisdom, and the man
that getteth understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it
is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 She
is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16 Length of days
is in her right hand;
and in her left hand riches and honour.
17 Her ways
are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths
are peace.
18 She
is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy
is every one that retaineth her.
19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew
.
21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do
it.
28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32 For the froward
is abomination to the LORD: but his secret
is with the righteous.
33 The curse of the LORD
is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
Commentary for Proverbs 3
Exhortations to obedience and faith. (1-6) To piety, and to improve
afflictions. (7-12) To gain wisdom. (13-20) Guidance of Wisdom. (21-26)
The wicked and the upright. (27-35)1-6 In the way of believing obedience
to God's commandments health and peace may commonly be enjoyed; and
though our days may not be long upon earth, we shall live for ever in
heaven. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; God's mercy in promising,
and his truth in performing: live up to them, keep up thine interest in
them, and take the comfort of them. We must trust in the Lord with all
our hearts, believing he is able and wise to do what is best. Those who
know themselves, find their own understandings a broken reed, which, if
they lean upon, will fail. Do not design any thing but what is lawful,
and beg God to direct thee in every case, though it may seem quite
plain. In all our ways that prove pleasant, in which we gain our point,
we must acknowledge God with thankfulness. In all our ways that prove
uncomfortable, and that are hedged up with thorns, we must acknowledge
him with submission. It is promised, He shall direct thy paths; so that
thy way shall be safe and good, and happy at last.
7-12 There is
not a greater enemy to the fear of the Lord in the heart, than
self-conceit of our own wisdom. The prudence and sobriety which religion
teaches, tend not only to the health of the soul, but to the health of
the body. Worldly wealth is but poor substance, yet, such as it is, we
must honour God with it; and those that do good with what they have,
shall have more to do more good with. Should the Lord visit us with
trials and sickness, let us not forget that the exhortation speaks to us
as to children, for our good. We must not faint under an affliction, be
it ever so heavy and long, not be driven to despair, or use wrong means
for relief. The father corrects the son whom he loves, because he loves
him, and desires that he may be wise and good. Afflictions are so far
from doing God's children any hurt, that, by the grace of God, they
promote their holiness.
13-20 No precious jewels or earthly
treasures are worthy to be compared with true wisdom, whether the
concerns of time or eternity be considered. We must make wisdom our
business; we must venture all in it, and be willing to part with all for
it. This Wisdom is the Lord Jesus Christ and his salvation, sought and
obtained by faith and prayer. Were it not for unbelief, remaining
sinfulness, and carelessness, we should find all our ways pleasantness,
and our paths peace, for his are so; but we too often step aside from
them, to our own hurt and grief. Christ is that Wisdom, by whom the
worlds were made, and still are in being; happy are those to whom he is
made of God wisdom. He has wherewithal to make good all his promises.
21-26
Let us not suffer Christ's words to depart from us, but keep sound
wisdom and discretion; then shall we walk safely in his ways. The
natural life, and all that belongs to it, shall be under the protection
of God's providence; the spiritual life, and all its interests, under
the protection of his grace, so that we shall be kept from falling into
sin or trouble.
27-35 Our business is to observe the precepts of
Christ, and to copy his example; to do justice, to love mercy, and to
beware of covetousness; to be ready for every good work, avoiding
needless strife, and bearing evils, if possible, rather than seeking
redress by law. It will be found there is little got by striving. Let us
not envy prosperous oppressors; far be it from the disciples of Christ
to choose any of their ways. These truths may be despised by the
covetous and luxurious, but everlasting contempt will be the portion of
such scorners, while Divine favour is shown to the humble believer.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.
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