Proverbs 22:1–29

 ¹ A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. ² The rich and the poor have this in common, The Lord is the maker of them all. ³ A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished. ⁴ By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life. ⁵ Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them. ⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. ⁷ The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. ⁸ He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail. ⁹ He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor. ¹⁰ Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease. ¹¹ He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend. ¹² The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless. ¹³ The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!” ¹⁴ The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there. ¹⁵ Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him. ¹⁶ He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty. ¹⁷ Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; ¹⁸ For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, ¹⁹ So that your trust may be in the Lord; I have instructed you today, even you. ²⁰ Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, ²¹ That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you? ²² Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; ²³ For the Lord will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them. ²⁴ Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, ²⁵ Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul. ²⁶ Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; ²⁷ If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you? ²⁸ Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set. ²⁹ Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.

Commentary 

Vs. 1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

Having a good name is to be chosen over merely having wealth and riches, for wealth and riches can be acquired by evil and unjust means, by exploitation and corruption etc., but a good name (i.e., having one’s person highly regarded in the sight of God and here by just men and women) can only come by living righteously and doing justly, by being a person who loves others and shows mercy. A good name then will carry and sustain you long after all the riches and wealth have failed. 

Vs. 2 The rich and the poor have this in common, The Lord is the maker of them all. 

In the Lord’s eyes all class distinctions end, for He has made us all, thus He shows partiality to no one (consider Acts 10:34-35). 

Vs. 3 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished. 

A prudent person foresees evil coming, foresees that there will be judgment for the evil that is being done, and so instead of running with that crowd to his own ruin, a prudent man departs from that path and hides himself from that sinful, evil or unjust way of life, therefore he takes his refuge in Christ. The simple though confidently or worse boastfully continue on in their sinful and evil ways, and so they all will receive God’s wrath and punishment in the end. 

Vs. 4 By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life. 

Humility with the fear of the Lord is the pathway to riches, honor and life. For by humility one receives instruction from God’s Word, and by fear of the Lord one departs from evil. Thus, everyone who does so receives all the riches and honor and Spiritual life that the Lord Jesus Christ bestows on everyone who repents and believes in Him. 

Vs. 5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them. 

The way of the preserve (or crooked) is filled with thorns (i.e., It is a path is filled with lots of pain and sorrows, as well as snares, i.e., pitfalls and traps that take people down and ruin their reputations, persons, and lives), those then who keep their souls from the perverse ways and perverse morality of this world will keep their own souls from troubles. 

Vs. 6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. 

Here we are exhorted to take care in how we raise our children, for the sound morality and values that you instill in them when they are young, will preserve and keep them when they are old. 

Vs. 7 The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. 

Here we see the injustice of wealth being miss used by those who have it to rule over the poor. That said, a person can keep themselves from being a slave to others by not needlessly borrowing of funds. For again a borrow always becomes a servant to the lender. 

Vs. 8 He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail. 

Those who sow in sin will reap sorrow, and their wrath will have an end. 

Vs. 9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.

Those who are generous towards the poor will always find God being generous with them. 

Vs. 10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease. 

Removing a scoffer restores peace amongst all those who are true sons and daughters of peace. 

Vs. 11 He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend. 

A just king loves those who are of a pure heart, who speak with grace on their lips, therefore he will be their friend. Now the King of all that is pure and true is Jesus, and He always speaks with grace and truth on His lips (John 1:12) therefore He is a friend of everyone who likewise does so. 

Vs. 12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless. 

It is from the Lord alone that truth proceeds, and He watches over and preserves all true knowledge of His Word, especially when it is expounded by faithful men, we see this in the words of His prophets, His preachers, and His teachers. However, when someone turns from Him, and twists and distorts His Words, He then overthrows theirs (Deut. 18:21-22). 

Vs. 13 The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!” 

The lazy person will say just about anything to get out of work, here they go so far as to say that their life is in peril when no such threat exists. 

Vs. 14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.

The mouth of an immoral women is not only seductive, but here we are warned that it is a deep pit from which men who yield to her do not return. Those men then whom the Lord abhors He delivers into her hand to let them fall by her to their own ruin. This is just one example of how God judges wicked men in this life and yet they do not perceive it happening to them. 

Vs. 15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him. 

Children are not obedient by nature; indeed foolishness (also rebellion and stubbornness) are found there, here we are expounded to use corporal punishment as the means to remove it from them when other means fail. 

Vs. 16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty. 

Those who oppress the poor (i.e., exploit them) to increase their riches, are here assured that God who loves justice is storing up poverty for them (this can be either Spiritual poverty or literal poverty or both). Similarly, those who think they can get rich by giving gifts to rich will only find themselves being exploited and or taken advantage of by them. 

Vs. 17-21 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; ¹⁸ For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, ¹⁹ So that your trust may be in the Lord; I have instructed you today, even you. ²⁰ Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, ²¹ That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you? 

Heading God’s Word in these Proverbs is not only receiving His instruction for oneself, it is also putting one’s trust in Him, in His Word and His truths, which will preserve you and keep you from the many pitfalls and traps in this life. Such then is His counsels and knowledge that having them in one’s heart and life will not only preserve you, (and make you wise in understanding the Will of the Lord) but it will also make you a person from whom others can and will and will seek Godly counsel from you. 

Vs. 22-23 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; ²³ For the Lord will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them. 

Here the Holy Scripture firmly forewarns not to take advantage of (i.e. rob) the poor because they are poor, (an example of this could be merchants who overcharge for their goods and services because they know the poor has no other options but to go to them), same with oppressing the afflicted (i.e. the vulnerable) at the gate (i.e. the place where justice was to be wielded) because they don’t have the influence, nor the power that wealth and privilege gives others to get justice for themselves. Therefore sadly they often become easy prey for evil, unscrupulous, and unjust men, (consider Isaiah 10:1-4 then the antithesis Isaiah 11:1-4).  Nonetheless the Lord is their Defender, the Lord will always plead their cause, and as the Scripture promises, He will plunder the soul of those who plunder them. 

Vs. 24-25 Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, ²⁵ Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul. 

Staying clear of those who are given to anger, wrath, and fury is a good and sound way to keep oneself from being ensnared by the same. 

Vs. 26-27 ²⁶ Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; ²⁷ If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you? 

Once again, we are warned about acting as a guarantor for another person’s debts, especially if we are not financially able to cover them without incurring financial hardships, or worse bankruptcy on ourselves. Because when debtors default, creditors don’t care that you thought you were being a stand-up guy for doing so, by acting as their guarantor, all they care about is getting repaid, and they will take whatever measures necessary to secure their loans repayment, even if it means bankrupting you and your family too. 

Vs. 28 Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set. 

Here we are cautioned not to remove the ancient land mark which established the lands boundaries long ago. For these landmarks for Israel were boundaries that were set by God Himself for all the tribes of ancient Israel (see Joshua 13:8-21:45). Unfortunately, unscrupulous people would seek to enlarge their own land or territories by moving these markers that divided the land amongst the tribes’ inheritances in their own favor. Now Believers Bible Commentary wisely notes that there is a spiritual application here and that is seeking to alter the faith the was once and for all time delivered to the saints (Jude 3) which is something that must never be permitted or ever done. 

Vs. 29 Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men. 

Here we are encouraged to actively seek to be the best that we can be at whatever God has called us and gifted us to do. For truly those who excel at what they do will be both honored by man and rewarded by God.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

 

Proverbs 21:1–31

 ¹ The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. ² Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts. ³ To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. ⁴ A haughty look, a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked are sin. ⁵ The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty. ⁶ Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death. ⁷ The violence of the wicked will destroy them, Because they refuse to do justice. ⁸ The way of a guilty man is perverse; But as for the pure, his work is right. ⁹ Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman. ¹⁰ The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes. ¹¹ When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge. ¹² The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked, Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness. ¹³ Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard. ¹⁴ A gift in secret pacifies anger, And a bribe behind the back, strong wrath. ¹⁵ It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity. ¹⁶ A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead. ¹⁷ He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich. ¹⁸ The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, And the unfaithful for the upright. ¹⁹ Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman. ²⁰ There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it. ²¹ He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness and honor. ²² A wise man scales the city of the mighty, And brings down the trusted stronghold. ²³ Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles. ²⁴ A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name; He acts with arrogant pride. ²⁵ The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor. ²⁶ He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare. ²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more when he brings it with wicked intent! ²⁸ A false witness shall perish, But the man who hears him will speak endlessly. ²⁹ A wicked man hardens his face, But as for the upright, he establishes his way. ³⁰ There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the Lord. ³¹ The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the Lord.

Commentary 

Vs. 1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. 

The Sovereignty of God is such that it extends even to those kings and rulers who do not know Him, and so when He Wills something to be done He can move their hearts to turn them to do whatever He Wills be done (the Persian king Cyrus is one such Biblical example).

Vs. 2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts. 

No man is the right judge of his own motives and actions; for God is the only One who completely knows our hearts and who completely weighs all our actions. 

Vs. 3 To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. 

Doing righteousness and justice is far more important to the Lord then just doing “religious service”, regarding this then consider Isaiah 58. 

Vs. 4 A haughty look, a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked are sin. 

Three things which are sin in the sight of God (but often are not in the sight and hearts of others) is:

1)    Having a haughty look, a look which not only vainly projects one’s own arrogance and self importance, but often also disdains others as well.

2)    A proud heart, which is not only sin, but is also the ultimate folly of man, for who created themselves, and who can sustain themselves, for whatever a man or woman is or has, it has been given them by God. And yet it is unbelieving mankind in their pride who not only exalt themselves against others, opposing and oppressing people as they will and are able, but they also deny, or rage at God in heaven. All which is acting in accord with the devil. 

3)    Plowing of the wicked, which basically means the work of the wicked is sin (Pr. 10:16). 

Vs. 5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty. 

    Those who are diligent, who work hard to attain their goals, will have their labors rewarded. In contrast are those who are always seeking shortcuts in this life, who make rash and hasty decisions when they find them, better be prepared for poverty! 

Vs. 6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death. 

Those who lie, cheat, scheme and or steal to get wealth are only those who are doing what will lead to their own demise and death. 

Vs. 7 The violence of the wicked will destroy them, Because they refuse to do justice.

Here the Scripture promises that the wicked will be destroyed by their own violent dealings and unjust ways. 

Vs. 8 The way of a guilty man is perverse; But as for the pure, his work is right. 

The way of a guilty person is perverse or crooked because in not dealing truthfully with God and others, that person has already decided that they will do and say anything they think they need to, to keep up their masquerade of being righteous and just in the sight of others. That person then cannot be trusted. In contrast then is the person whose life is free of lies and deceptions, and whose conscience is clear, their work then is right and they can be trusted.

The guilty persons perverse (crooked, deceitful, misleading and or manipulating) person and life reveals their own guilt.

Vs. 9 Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman. 

In ancient times houses were made with flat roofs, these rooftops then served as outdoor living quarters at night during the hot summer months and as storage places. Now this proverb says that it is better to dwell there out in the open elements, in a corner year-round exposed too to the blazing sun and or driving winter winds and rain then to dwell with a contentious woman inside. 

Vs. 10 The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

Wicked people are never satisfied with what you do, for all they ever do is look for trouble, or an excuse to make trouble. For all their souls desire is evil, not peace, and not good things from you or the Lord.

Vs. 11 When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

Though a scoffer will not change when they are punished, the simple who observes their punishment will take that lesson to heart. In contrast the wise needs no such treatment, for when instructed they receive knowledge, that is they both learn and understand and apply what is learned.

Vs. 12 The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked, Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness. 

God is always watching the evil and the good and so when He considers it is the right time He overthrows the wicked for their wickedness.

Vs. 13 Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard.

Scripture has so much to say about how we are to treat the poor with compassion and justice, so here we are warned that if we are indifferent to their cries, God Himself will then be indifferent to ours (consider Exodus 22:22-24; 25-27; 34:6-7; Job 34:28; Luke 16:19-31; James 5:1-6 etc.). 

Vs. 14 A gift in secret pacifies anger, And a bribe behind the back, strong wrath. 

Here the Bible is not promoting giving bribes, rather it is making an observation on human nature, that the giving of a gift in secret to one who is angered will appease their wrath. Same with giving a financial gift to someone who has strong wrath over something, thus this giving is as an act of appeasement not a bribe.

Vs. 15 It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.  

Just people have joy in doing justly, they love doing justly and honestly, thus they will have a place with the Lord. In contrast the wicked will only have destruction from Him.

Vs. 16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead. 

When someone wanders away from the way of understanding, from the Lord Jesus Christ and keeping His Word, they will find themselves in the assembly of the dead, abiding with those who are spiritually dead to God and live their lives as much (consider Ecc. 8:10-13).

Vs. 17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

When people make pleasure their “god” they always end in poverty, for their “god” consumes all their time and energy and resources.

Vs. 18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, And the unfaithful for the upright. 

God gives the wicked as a ransom for the righteous, so that He might spare the righteous for Himself. Same with those who are unfaithful to Him, these He gives to judgment, so that He might spare the upright.

Vs. 19 Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman. 

Similar to the Proverb in verse nine. We are once again warned about getting involved with an angry and contentious woman. Better than to live a life alone in the wilderness than to have to live with a woman who is never satisfied, whose demeaner is anger, who is always nagging, quarrelling, fighting.

Vs. 20 There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it.

There are things are many things that are desirable that the wise person uses their own resources to wisely purchase and own. However, a foolish person who is given the same resources and opportunities will not do so, instead they will squander away whatever wealth they have and end up with nothing. People who are given large inheritances, or win large sums of money through lotteries, and yet somehow manage to squander it all in a few years are extreme examples.

Vs. 21 He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness and honor. 

Here we are commended to live righteous and merciful lives, for all who do so not only find a satisfied life for themselves here and now; for they will get all the rewards and benefits of living righteously and generously before God; but they will also be highly esteemed and honored by others as well. No greater example of this in my lifetime was the life of Billy Graham who exemplified a Godly Christian life for a whole generation of believers.

Vs. 22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty, And brings down the trusted stronghold. 

Here the idea is of disarming/disabling those false ideas or things in which someone is trusting in. In 2 Corinthians 10:5 we are told to cast down arguments and every high thing which exalts itself against the knowledge of God, to bring every thought into the captivity of Christ (see 2 Cor. 10:1-5).

Vs. 23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles. 

Guarding ones mouth from uttering foolish, hurtful, or destructive things keeps ones soul from many troubles, for it is from the mouth and tongue that the souls troubles often originate.

Vs. 24 A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name; He acts with arrogant pride. 

What drives the scoffer to scoff at others, simply it is their own haughtiness, arrogance, and self-deceived pride. 

Vs. 25 The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor. 

Because the lazy man will not work his own inactivity kills him, for he lacks not only proper nutrition and care, but also, he loses all of the physical, emotional, and financial benefits that come when one exerts oneself in gainful labors and positive endeavors. 

Vs. 26 He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare. 

This verse is the second half of verse twenty-five which reveals the lazy mans plight as even more self-destructive, because instead of working honestly to provide for himself, and or his family, all he does is look at what others have attained for themselves and he greedily covets it all day long, which at its worst is the first step towards criminal activity, or at its least does nothing but embitter his own person and soul, which brings with it all of its own conflicts and troubles. In contrast the righteous person by honest work has not only enough for himself and his family, but he also has enough to be a blessing towards others as well. 

Vs. 27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more when he brings it with wicked intent! 

The Lord does not receive the offerings of the wicked, for they are an abomination to Him, because they come from unrepentant hearts that think they can buy His favor by religious sacrifice or service, and yet often they only are the fruits of wicked works and schemes. Therefore, how much more does the Lord arbore their offerings when they bring them with wicked intent! Consider Isaiah 1:10-20, 21-23, 24-26, 27-31. 

Vs. 28 A false witness shall perish, But the man who hears him will speak endlessly. 

The false witness may have joy while he perjures himself and slanders others, but his end is assured. In contrast the one who hears him, who discerns his evil way, will rebuke him and he will speak truthfully.

Vs. 29 A wicked man hardens his face, But as for the upright, he establishes his way. 

A wicked person who doesn’t repent will only harden their face, that is their heart towards God, just like ancient Pharaoh did until God started to harden him in his sin to his own destruction and ruin. In contrast the upright he establishes his way, by doing justly and righteously before God. 

Vs. 30 There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the Lord. 

No one can plot, scheme, or devise anything against the counsel of the Lord, for God’s Word always supplants every word, counsel, and action that any man or angel or power or principality may try to do to overthrow or undermine it.

Vs. 31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the Lord. 

Battles in this life are not won by mans plans and designs, by mans ingenuity, military might or battlefield prowess, battles in this life are won when one trusts in the Lord (consider 2 Chr. 16:7-9; Ps. 33:16-22; Isaiah 30:1-5; 31:1-3 etc.).

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Proverbs 20:1–30

Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise. ² The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life. ³ It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel. ⁴ The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing. ⁵ Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out. ⁶ Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man? ⁷ The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him. ⁸ A king who sits on the throne of judgment Scatters all evil with his eyes. ⁹ Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”? ¹⁰ Diverse weights and diverse measures, They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord. ¹¹ Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right. ¹² The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made them both. ¹³ Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread. ¹⁴ “It is good for nothing,” cries the buyer; But when he has gone his way, then he boasts. ¹⁵ There is gold and a multitude of rubies, But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. ¹⁶ Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger, And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress. ¹⁷ Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. ¹⁸ Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war. ¹⁹ He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips. ²⁰ Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp will be put out in deep darkness. ²¹ An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning Will not be blessed at the end. ²² Do not say, “I will recompense evil”; Wait for the Lord, and He will save you. ²³ Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord, And dishonest scales are not good. ²⁴ A man’s steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way? ²⁵ It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows. ²⁶ A wise king sifts out the wicked, And brings the threshing wheel over them. ²⁷ The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart. ²⁸ Mercy and truth preserve the king, And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne. ²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor of old men is their gray head. ³⁰ Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, As do stripes the inner depths of the heart.

Commentary

Vs. 1 Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.  

Wine always mocks those who are given to it, for they don’t control it, rather it controls and mocks them, as they do and say all kinds of foolish things while under its influence. Many lives have been negatively altered or ruined by decisions and choices made while under alcohols influence. If abusing wine is the pathway to self ruin, abusing strong drink is the pathway to fighting, violence, arrest and incarceration.

Vs. 2 The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.

When a king or ruler is enraged all his subjects fear just like the lion’s prey does when it roars before it strikes. Provoking a king or ruler to wrath then is only to sin against one’s own life. In contrast to doing that then is the wise man who knows how to appease the kings wrath rather then bring it down on his own head. Now one Biblical account of this is the Book of Ester where the wicked Haman plotted to kill not only Mordecai the Jew, but all the Jews in the Kingdom of Persia, however the kings queen Ester was of Jewish descent, and so when the king became aware of Haman’s wicked plot his wrath was aroused against him, to Haman’s own death (Ester 1:1-7:10).

Vs. 3 It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel. 

Some people live by quarrelling, however as the Scripture says there is no honor or dignity in that since any fool can start a quarrel. A Godly person then is never seeking to escalate a matter, rather they seek to diffuse it (Matt. 5:9). 

Vs. 4 The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.

 The lazy man always has an excuse for not working, for not preparing his fields so that he may have something to harvest; now this is a spiritual principal as well; therefore, because he will not labor while he can he will beg during the harvest (when everyone is reaping what they have sown) and he will have nothing to eat then, and nothing to show for his life at the end (consider Matt. 25:24-30)!

Vs. 5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out. 

People rarely reveal the deep counsels of their heart. And so a person of understanding will not take to heart everything that is first told them, instead they will tactfully draw the truth out.

Vs. 6 Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?

It's amazing how many people have such a high regard for themselves, who have no problem proclaiming their own goodness; just go to any job interview! However what people really are and what they say they are, often are two different things. Finding a faithful person then is no easy task.

Vs. 7 The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.

God not only honors those who live in integrity while they live, but He also blesses their children after them, that said a man whose life is ruled by integrity also leaves a lasting legacy for his own children to grow up in and be influenced and blessed by.

Vs. 8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment Scatters all evil with his eyes. 

Here the Scripture makes it clear that a just ruler sits on the throne of judgment and scatters all evil with his eyes, that is he leaves no room for those given to it to have no place with him in his kingdom! In Christ’s Kingdom He will rule the world with a rod of iron and every wicked person He will strike even before their evil thoughts become deeds in their hands.

Vs. 9 Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”? 

This is a warning against self-righteousness, against assuming that you, or anyone else can cleanse themselves from their own sin (1 John 1:6-10). For only the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse us from our sins, washing us clean in the sight of God when we repent and believe in Him! For it is only when someone turns from dead works and turns to the Lord Jesus Christ, Crucified and Risen from the dead, that Christ’s Sacrificial death on the Cross is imputed to them, and with that God’s Holy Spirit transforms them, bringing us to Spirit life and uniting us with Christ, just as He seals and sanctifies us forever (Heb. 10:14). Self-righteousness, and or self-redemption, then is a lie!

Vs. 10 Diverse weights and diverse measures, They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord.

God hates it when people use deceitful and dishonest practices in their businesses, as well as in their personal lives, for the deceiver, the con man, and the liar have no place with Him, for all such practices are an abomination in the sight of God.  

Vs. 11 Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right.

If children are rightly judged by their actions; whether they do what is pure and right; how much more their parents, and all of us.

Vs. 12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made them both. 

The fact that God created us all means that we are all accountable to Him, accountable for what we choose to see and hear.  

Vs. 13 Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread. 

The person who loves to sleep in will find themselves hungry and sleeping outside if they don’t get up and go to work! Yes, poverty is a tragedy that requires a compassionate response, but when someone willfully chooses to be lazy, and not try to take steps to provide for themselves, then their own self-induced poverty is no else’s fault but their own. 

Vs. 14 “It is good for nothing,” cries the buyer; But when he has gone his way, then he boasts. 

The cunning buyer distains whatever the seller offers him by pointing out all kinds of faults in what he is actually wanting to purchase, the seller being taken aback by all of that now feels compelled to lower their asking price, sometimes even well beyond what its true value is. And with that the buyer grudgingly aggress to purchase it. However, when the deal is done, and he has gone his way, then he boasts of how he stole it from them. Not a practice that honest people should employ. 

Vs. 15 There is gold and a multitude of rubies, But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

People may covet gold and all kinds of precious gems, but truly the most rare and valuable gems are those lips which bear Godly knowledge.

Vs. 16 Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger, And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress. 

Having financial dealings with someone who secures high risks debts, here the debts of strangers and people of ill-repute, (people of low moral character), is only a very high risk to yourself. Therefore, do not do so because the chance of their defaulting on you is almost guaranteed.

Vs. 17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

When people get ahead by dishonest means they initially celebrate their "success", however justice is always looming and sooner or later all that was acquired by ill-begotten means will leave a very bad taste in their mouths.

Vs. 18 Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war. 

In all walks of life plans are established by counsel, from the engineering of bridges and buildings, to establishing of corporate plans and agendas, and most certainly in matters concerning the local church or even within ones own family, like with purchasing a home, or in ones own life. Consultation before making big decisions is always the key to ones success. Therefore, before making critical or important decisions seek wise counsel, for by it you will wage and win your own war.

Vs. 19 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.

Telling anything to a gossip guarantees that they will tell it to others, and who knows what kind of “spin” they will put on it when they do. Therefore, if someone flatters you (overtly speaks well of you to you) which is often just a ploy to get you to open up to them, turn away from them and walk on, because they will only harm you in the end.

Vs. 20 Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.

In the Law the cursing of one’s parents was to be punished by death (Ex. 21:17). Here the warning is given that all who do so, who hold their parents in such low regard, so as to disdain and curse them, will have their lamp put out in deep darkness, their own persons then will be judged by God.

Vs. 21 An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning Will not be blessed at the end. 

Here the warning is against dispensing one’s wealth hastily to one’s children before they have proven themselves to be financially responsible. Because if you do chances are they will only squander it. 

Vs. 22 Do not say, “I will recompense evil”; Wait for the Lord, and He will save you. 

In the Scripture we are told and promised that vengeance is the Lords, that He will repay, therefore it is incumbent upon us all who believe in Him to give place to wrath, and let Him bring about both justice and our justification (consider Rom. 12:19-21).

Vs. 23 Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord, And dishonest scales are not good. 

All business practices that are crooked, that are misleading and are meant to deceive the buyer, are practices that everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ must not partake in, or be partners with. Honesty and integrity are the marks of a true Christian business man or woman. 

Vs. 24 A man’s steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way? 

God’s Sovereignty is Supreme, as men and women who believe in Him, we must all learn to trust Him and His Will for us, rather than trying to bring about what we want for ourselves. 

Vs. 25 It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows.

Here we are warned not to make false promises to God, to rashly devote something to Him as holy and then later change our mind, for God has no delight in fools, in those who like to make a big display of their false giving and sacrifices before others (consider Ecc. 5:4-6; Acts 4:36-5:1-11).

Vs. 26 A wise king sifts out the wicked, And brings the threshing wheel over them. 

How does a king or ruler establish his tenure or reign, by sifting out the wicked in his realm and crushing them under the wheels of justice. 

Vs. 27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart. 

Here the thought is that we all have a conscience given us by God by which we can all discern basic good and evil in His sight, that said, one can harden their conscience by continually choosing to go against it.

Vs. 28 Mercy and truth preserve the king, And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne. 

Sadly, king Rehoboam, king Solomons son, who succeeded him, did not heed his own fathers counsel given here, but instead took the harsh advice of the youths he grew up with, and so his decision to be heavy handed with those who sought him cost him dearly, for he would lose all of Israel, except the tribe of Judah.  

Vs. 29 The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor of old men is their gray head.

The glory of young men is their strength, hopefully they will use it in God’s and all people’s service, for it lasts but a season. In contrast the splendor of old men is their grey head, for they by living wisely have attained to old age.

Vs. 30 Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, As do stripes the inner depths of the heart.

Chastening of a child is the means by which lasting change in their behavior becomes established in their hearts and lives.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.