_A wise son maketh a glad father._ A SON’S WISDOM A FATHER’S JOY The first proverb is a characteristic specimen of its kind. It is in your power to make your father glad, and God expects you to do it. Here is one of the sweetest fruits of wisdom--a son’s wisdom is his father’s joy. A son who breaks... [ Continue Reading ]
_Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivereth from death _ THE PROFITS OF WICKEDNESS AND OF RIGHTEOUSNESS In nothing is our common proneness to self-deception more conspicuously manifested than in the erroneous estimate which we form respecting this world and the next. Of... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish._ THE LORD AND THE RIGHTEOUS I. God has bountifully provided even for the ungodly. Has He shown such concern for the wicked as to provide for them in the gospel “a feast of fat things full of marrow,” and will He disregard the righteous... [ Continue Reading ]
_The hand of the diligent maketh rich._ DILIGENT Our life is dependent on our industry. It is good for man that he should have to labour. Were God to do all, We should truly leave Him to do it, not caring to co-operate with the Divine Husbandman in the culture of the field of life. By the “diligen... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame._ SUMMER AND HARVEST I. God affords you opportunities for good. He favours you with seasons which may be considered as your harvest. 1. You are blessed with a season of gospel grace. 2. You ha... [ Continue Reading ]
_The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot._ THE REMEMBRANCE OF GOOD AND FORGETTING OF BAD MEN I. How great a concern men naturally have to leave an honourable memory behind them. This idea is implied in the text, not expressed. All men in all ages have desired and end... [ Continue Reading ]
_The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall._ THE WISE TAKE ADVICE, FOOLS ONLY GIVE IT Here is one of the most valuable results of wisdom. It is not what it gives, but what it receives. It receives commandments. This receptiveness is a prime characteristic of the new... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that walketh uprightly walketh surely._ UPRIGHT WALKING SURE WALKING I. Describe the practice itself. To walk doth signify our usual course of dealing, or the constant tenor of our practice. Uprightly means “in perfection,” or “with integrity”; it denotes sincerity and purity of intention. “He... [ Continue Reading ]
_The mouth of the righteous is a well of life._ STREAMS IN THE DESERT A man who receives, professes, and obeys the truth, is like a well of water; while a man who retains the form of religion, but denies its power, is like a waterless well. I. The true believer is like a well. The likeness betwee... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins._ THE HIDING WORK OF LOVE Love is not a New Testament virtue or grace, nor is it left for the New Testament to praise it in high strains of music. From the beginning love has been an angel in the world, gladdening men by its brightness, soothi... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found._ CONTRASTS I. An intellectual contrast. The difference existing between men in relation to the amount of knowledge is of vast variety. The disparity arises from a difference in mental constitution, and in educational opportunities. The... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wise men lay up knowledge._ EXPERIENCE KEPT FOR USE Another brief definition of wisdom. Many get knowledge, and let it go as fast as they get it. They put their winnings into a bag with holes. The part of wisdom is to treasure up experience, and hold it ready for use in the time and place of need.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The rich man’s wealth is his strong city._ THE MONEY POWER Here he is describing what is, rather than prescribing what ought to be. In all ages and in all lands money has been a mighty power, and its relative importance increases with the advance of civilisation. It does not reach the Divine purpo... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that uttereth a slander is a fool._ THE FOLLY OF SLANDER I. Slandering is foolish, as sinful and wicked. All sin is foolish upon many accounts. To lie simply is a great fault, being a deviation from that good rule which prescribeth truth in all our words. Of all lies those certainly are the wor... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin _ THE SIN OF GAB Carlyle says, “There is a great necessity indeed of getting a little more silent than we are. It seems to me that the finest nations in the world--England and America--are going away into wind and tongue; but it will appear suffici... [ Continue Reading ]
_The heart of the wicked is little worth._ THE HEART NOT GOOD WHERE THE PRACTICE IS EVIL It is a dangerous opinion that however a man may deviate in his general practice from the habits of morality and religion, yet still he may be possessed of a good heart at bottom. If we trace the rise and progr... [ Continue Reading ]
_The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it._ RICHES IN GOD’S BLESSING I. God’s blessing gives material wealth. The silver and the gold are His, and He gives them to whomsoever He will. He who rules in the highest, reaches down to the minutest concerns of this world,... [ Continue Reading ]
_It is as sport to a fool to do mischief._ MORAL PHASES OF LIFE Human life has its spiritual and moral as well as its material and intellectual side. Five things in these verses of great moral significance. I. Wealth making happy. Great temporal possessions are often the occasion of mental suffer... [ Continue Reading ]
_The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him; but the desire of the righteous shall be granted._ A CONTRAST Scripture is a book full of the strongest contrasts. As in the work of an eminent painter, it contains light and shade. I. Who are the wicked? We must not confine our ideas to the notorio... [ Continue Reading ]
_The fear of the Lord prolongeth days._ LONG LIFE A PROMISED BLESSING We may wish for one another long life. Every one wishes it for himself. It is a mistake to regard this wish as an infirmity. Strong love of life is not necessarily sinful. 1. Long life is distinctly promised in Scripture as a b... [ Continue Reading ]
_The hope of the righteous shall be gladness._ ON HOPES AND DISAPPOINTMENTS I. We are not to expect permanence in our acquisitions. On the lot of some men Providence is pleased to bestow a longer continuance of prosperity than on that of others. But as the term of that continuance is hidden from us... [ Continue Reading ]
_The way of the Lord is strength to the upright._ THE TWO-FOLD ASPECT OF THE DIVINE WORKING The words “shall be” in the second clause are supplementary and unnecessary. They destroy the completeness of the antithesis between the two halves of the verse. It is the same way which is strength to one... [ Continue Reading ]
_The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom._ PIETY A PECULIAR ORNAMENT TO THE AGED I. Who may properly be called old people? Old and young are relative terms, and admit of different significations. Children always think their parents are old. They are old who have grey hairs here and there upon... [ Continue Reading ]