Proverbs 16:1-11

CHAPTER 16
TEXT Proverbs 16:1-11

1.

The plans of the heart belong to man;

But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.

2.

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes;

But Jehovah weigheth the spirits.

3.

Commit thy works unto Jehovah,

And thy purposes shall be established.

4.

Jehovah hath made everything for its own end;

Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

5.

Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to Jehovah:

6.

By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for;

And by the fear of Jehovah men depart from evil.

7.

When a man's ways please Jehovah,

He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8.

Better is a little, with righteousness,

Than great revenues with injustice.

9.

A man's heart deviseth his way;

But Jehovah directeth his steps.

10.

A divine sentence is in the lips of the king;

His mouth shall not transgress in judgment.

11.

A just balance and scales are Jehovah'S;

All the weights of the bag are his work.

STUDY QUESTIONS OVER 16:1-11

1.

In view of Proverbs 16:1 are all answers of the tongue from Jehovah?

2.

What is the implication or insinuation in Proverbs 16:2?

3.

What does purposes mean in Proverbs 16:3?

4.

Is its own end of the text or his own purpose of the footnote the real reading in Proverbs 16:4?

5.

Why does God deplore man's pride so much (Proverbs 16:5)?

6.

What is meant by hand joining in hand in Proverbs 16:5?

7.

How do mercy and truth atone for iniquity (Proverbs 16:6)?

8.

Why do some people not depart from evil (Proverbs 16:6)?

9.

How does Jehovah make even a person's enemies to be at peace with a godly person (Proverbs 16:7)?

10.

If Proverbs 16:7 be true, how could there ever be any martyrs?

11.

What other passages resemble Proverbs 16:8?

12.

What previous verse in this chapter resembles Proverbs 16:9?

13.

Was (and is) a divine sentence in the lips of all kings (Proverbs 16:10)?

14.

What were weights of the bag (Proverbs 16:11)?

PARAPHRASE OF 16:1-11

1.

We can make our plans, but the final outcome is in God's hands.

2.

We can always prove that we are right, but is the Lord convinced?

3.

Commit your work to the Lord, then it will succeed.

4.

The Lord has made everything for His own purposeseven the wicked, for punishment.

5.

Pride disgusts the Lord. Take my word for itproud men shall be punished.

6.

Iniquity is atoned for by mercy and truth; being good comes from reverence for God.

7.

When a man is trying to please God, He makes even his worst enemies to be at peace with him.

8.

A little, gained honestly, is better than great wealth gotten by dishonest means.

9.

We should make planscounting on God to direct us.

10.

God will help the king to judge the people fairly; there need be no mistakes.

11.

The Lord demands fairness in every business deal. He established this principle.

COMMENTS ON 16:1-11

Proverbs 16:1. These first seven verses are all religious maxims, for they all contain the name Jehovah. The answer of the tongue appears to be set over against the plans of the heart. If so, the saying would refer to those times when a person's plans become altered by providence so that he ends up doing something else. There is a marvelous teaching here for those who believe in God's providential leadership. See Proverbs 16:9 also. When we pray, Thy will, not mine, be done, God may alter our thoughts either in a minor or a major way. Your writer can testify to this as he had personal well-laid vocational plans in life, and yet he believed that it was God's will for him to say, Lord, I will devote my life to preaching your Word.

Proverbs 16:2. Proverbs 21:2 is very similar. The heart can be so deceptive (Jeremiah 17:9) that it often deceives the person himself into thinking he is right when he is wrong (Proverbs 30:12). Laodicea had its own estimation of itself, but Christ weighed them and found them wanting (Revelation 3:17-18). If we practice self-justification in the eyes of people (Luke 16:15), in time we may come to deceive ourselves into thinking we are all right even though we have not obeyed God's commandments (James 1:22).

Proverbs 16:3. This verse is very similar to Psalms 37:5: Commit thy way unto Jehovah; Trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass. The promise of Psalms 37:4 is: Delight thyself also in Jehovah: And he will give thee the desires of thy heart. God does not always overrule our purposes (He wouldn-'t unless they are wrong or unless He had some special plan for us), but it is His blessing that makes our plans and purposes come to pass.

Proverbs 16:4. Jehovah had something definite in mind for everything He created, and if men do not fulfill His loving will, He will use them in another sense as recipients of His just wrath because of their sins. God was as glorified in His overthrow of Pharaoh as He was in His deliverance of Israel (Exodus 9:16). God is as glorified in the vessels of wrath as He is in the vessels of mercy (Romans 9:22-23), only in a different way. Yes, He would much rather be glorified by showing mercy, but if man will not so glorify God, He will be glorified in His just wrath.

Proverbs 16:5. Again we have a saying showing God's abomination for pride. In comparison to God and His works, man is nothing (Psalms 8:3-4; Psalms 39:4-5). Even whole nations of the earth are nothing in comparison with Him (Isaiah 40:15; Isaiah 40:17). What each of us has, we should not boast of it, for we have received it (1 Corinthians 4:7). Regardless of the area of our lives that we might be considering, before God boasting is excluded (Romans 3:27). Other passages against pride: Proverbs 6:16-17; Luke 18:11-14; 1 Peter 5:5; 1 John 2:16). The last part of our present verse is found in Proverbs 11:21 also, meaning that no matter how many alliances proud man may make, God can overthrow them all. Nor is there safety in numbers when God arises to punish the multitude of the wicked.

Proverbs 16:6. God is in both parts of man's salvation: His fear causes man to depart from evil, and His mercy and truth atone for the sin that has been dropped. Mercy is that attribute of God that exhibits itself in our forgiveness; truth stands for the way that He has set up for us to come to Him for His forgiveness. Fear is a deterrent to sin; to crime, and to misbehavior (Proverbs 14:16).

Proverbs 16:7. It is not normal for enemies to be at peace with those whom they hate. There have been instances where God has so blessed individuals that his enemies so respected him or so feared him that they caused him no trouble. Such was true of Israel in Solomon's days (1 Kings 4:20-21; 1 Kings 4:24-25). Such caused the Gibeonites to seek peace with Joshua and Israel (Joshua 9:9-11). Such caused Abimilech and the men of Gerar to seek Isaac's peace (Genesis 26:26-29).

Proverbs 16:8. This should be a great passage to keep in mind when one is tempted to take a high-paying job or to get into a lucrative business that is not right. We know that taverns, theaters, gambling casinos, and other businesses connected with evil can make their owners or operators sizable sums, but it is better to work at something else that makes less money. Compare this verse with Psalms 37:16 and Proverbs 15:16. Christians are commanded to work at divinely-approved jobs (Ephesians 4:28; Titus 3:8especially the marginal note on the latter). Remember, too, that righteousness is to be sought before even the earthly necessities of food, drink, and clothing (Matthew 6:33).

Proverbs 16:9. This is but one of several passages that bear out the thought that man proposes, but God disposes. See Proverbs 16:1; Proverbs 19:21; Psalms 37:23; Proverbs 20:24; Jeremiah 10:23. These verses emphasize a most precious truth: the providence and leadership of God in our lives. The song writer has tried to put into words both the belief and the feeling of our hearts when he wrote, He leadeth me; Oh, blessed thought! Oh, words with heavenly comfort fraught! We should pray for this leadership, follow it, and thank God for it constantly. It is one of the Christian's greatest treasures.

Proverbs 16:10. God has both instituted government (Romans 13:1-7) and commanded that they rule justly (2 Samuel 23:3; Deuteronomy 16:18-20; Proverbs 16:12 of this chapter). When a king does his duty properly, man is being ruled governmentally as God intends, and man should submit to his government's decrees as he would to God (1 Peter 2:13-14). The latter statement of the verse must be understood in this context; namely, that if he is wisely and righteously doing his kingly duty, his verdicts will be true verdicts.

Proverbs 16:11. God commanded just measurements in business (Leviticus 19:36) and declares that He is pleased with just weights and highly displeased with false ones (Proverbs 11:1). To be right with God one must be honest in business.

TEST QUESTIONS OVER 16:1-11

1.

What word is found in the first seven verses of this chapter?

2.

How is the leadership of God shown in Proverbs 16:1?

3.

Cite an example of some who were wrong but thought they were right (Proverbs 16:2),

4.

What wonderful promise is contained in Proverbs 16:3?

5.

How would you explain Proverbs 16:4 to someone?

6.

Why is a proud person so abominable to God (Proverbs 16:5)?

7.

What is meant by hand joining in hand (Proverbs 16:5)?

8.

Comment upon mercy's relationship to atonement (Proverbs 16:6).

9.

Comment upon truth's relationship to it (Proverbs 16:6).

10.

Comment upon fear's relationship to man's departure from evil (Proverbs 16:6).

11.

Cite two Biblical examples of Proverbs 16:7.

12.

What does God say is better than great revenues with injustice (Proverbs 16:8;?

13.

Man proposes, but God .................

14.

In what sense is a divine sentence in the lips of a king (Proverbs 16:10)?

15.

What does God say about just and unjust weights (Proverbs 16:11)?