Proverbs 20:1-30
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold;a therefore shall he beg in 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 every one his own goodness:b but a faithful man who can find?
7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10 Divers weights,c and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17 Bread of deceitd is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flatterethe with his lips.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lampf shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a falseg balance is not good.
24 Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the candleh of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
30 The blueness of a wound cleansethi away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
Contents: Warnings and instructions regarding the ways of folly.
Characters: God.
Conclusion: Here in this imperfect state, no person can claim to be sinless, but the just man, walking by the rule of God's Word may have the comfort of a good conscience, and his children will fare the better for his sake.
Key Word: Counsel, Proverbs 20:5.
Strong Verses: Proverbs 20:1; Proverbs 20:7; Proverbs 20:9; Proverbs 20:22.
Striking Facts: Proverbs 20:9. This is a challenge to any man in the world to prove himself sinless. Only saints in heaven, who «have seen Him as He is» and been made like Him, can say it. Though the believer, through the work of the Spirit, is pure from the sins of many others, yet each one still has sins that easily beset him sins of omission and sins of commission which they have to continually confess in order to maintain unbroken fellowship with Christ.