THE KING'S HEART [IS] IN THE HAND OF THE LORD, [AS] THE RIVERS OF WATER,.... The heart of every king, and all that is in it, his thoughts, counsels, purposes, and designs; the hearts of bad kings, as Pharaoh, whom the Lord hardened and softened at pleasure; the antichristian kings, into whose hearts... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY WAY OF A MAN [IS] RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES,.... This is repeated, from Proverbs 16:2; for the confirmation of it; and that it might be observed and taken notice of, and men be brought under a conviction of it; which is not easily done, it being what affects all men: every man is conceited of hims... [ Continue Reading ]
TO DO JUSTICE AND JUDGMENT,.... The moral duties of religion, what is holy, just, and good, which the law requires; what is agreeably to both tables, piety towards God, and justice to men; that which is just and right between man and man; which, especially if done from right principles and with righ... [ Continue Reading ]
AN HIGH LOOK, AND A PROUD HEART,.... The former is a sign of the latter, and commonly go together, and are both abominable to the Lord; see Psalms 101:5. A man that looks above others, and with disdain upon them, shows that pride reigns in him, and swells his mind with a vain opinion of himself; thi... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THOUGHTS OF THE DILIGENT [TEND] ONLY TO PLENTEOUSNESS,.... A man that is thoughtful and studious, and wisely forms schemes in his mind, and diligently pursues them; the issue of it is, generally speaking, prosperity and plenty: such a man is usually thriving and flourishing; and this holds good... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GETTING OF TREASURES BY A LYING TONGUE,.... By telling lies in trade; by bearing false witness in a court of judicature; or by preaching false doctrines in the church of God: [IS] A VANITY TOSSED TO AND FRO OF THEM THAT SEEK DEATH: such treasures, though ever so great, are like any light thing,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ROBBERY OF THE WICKED SHALL DESTROY THEM,.... Or cut them, so Ben Melech: dissect or "saw" s them; cut them to the heart; that is, when the sins they have been guilty of, in robbing God of his due, or doing injury to men in their properties, cheating them or stealing from them, are set home on t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WAY OF MAN [IS] FROWARD AND STRANGE,.... Not the way of any and every man; not the way of righteous and good men, of believers in Christ; who know him, the way, and walk in him and after him, and being led by him; who have his spirit to be their guide, and do walk in his ways, and find pleasure... [ Continue Reading ]
[IT IS] BETTER TO DWELL IN A CORNER OF THE HOUSETOP,.... The roofs of houses in Judea were that, encompassed with battlements, whither persons might retire for solitude, and sit in safety: and it is better to be in a corner of such a roof alone, and be exposed to scorching heat, to blustering winds,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SOUL OF THE WICKED DESIRETH EVIL,.... The evil of sin, it being natural to him; he chooses it, delights in it, craves after it, under a notion of pleasure or profit: or the evil of mischief; it is a sport and pastime to him to do injury to others; see Proverbs 10:23; he desires both the one and... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THE SCORNER IS PUNISHED,.... Either by the immediate hand of God, or by the civil magistrate; he who scoffs at Deity, blasphemes the most High, mocks at all religion, despises dominion, and speaks evil of dignities: THE SIMPLE IS MADE WISE; who is weak and foolish, easily persuaded and drawn i... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIGHTEOUS [MAN] WISELY CONSIDERETH THE HOUSE OF THE WICKED,.... Not so much the stately palace he lives in, and the furniture of it, as the glory, splendour, riches, and largeness of his family; the flourishing condition he and they are in: he considers how they came into it, the short continuan... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSO STOPPETH HIS EARS AT THE CRY OF THE POOR,.... For want of bread; or, "of the weak", as the Septuagint and other versions; for want of help and protection, when in the greatest distress; and, with the most pressing importunity, entreats his assistance, and yet refuses to hear him out: or, if he... [ Continue Reading ]
A GIFT IN SECRET PACIFIETH ANGER,.... Appeases an angry man; humbles and "brings [his anger] down" y, as Aben Ezra and Gersom observe the word signifies; which before rose very high, and showed itself in big words and disdainful looks, as proud wrath does; or extinguishes it, as the Targum and Vulga... [ Continue Reading ]
[IT IS] JOY TO THE, LAST TO DO JUDGMENT,.... It is with pleasure he does it; he delights in the law of God, after the inward man, and finds much peace of mind and joy in the Holy Ghost in keeping it, and observing its commands, which are holy, just, and good; yea, it gives him pleasure to see justic... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MAN THAT WANDERETH OUT OF THE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING,.... The way of getting understanding, the good ways and word of God; that wanders from the house of God, the assembly of the saints, where the Gospel is preached, and the ordinances are administered; that, instead of attending on them, where he... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT LOVETH PLEASURE [SHALL BE] A POOR MAN,.... Or "sport" c and pastime, music and dancing, cards and dice, hunting and hawking, and other sensual gratifications; a man that indulges himself in these things, and spends his time and his money in such a way, is very likely to be a poor man, and ge... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WICKED [SHALL BE] A RANSOM FOR THE RIGHTEOUS,.... Not to make satisfaction for them, as Christ is a ransom for his people; but as a ransom is in the room of another, so the wicked cometh in the stead of the righteous, and into the trouble he is delivered from; as Haman for Mordecai, which instan... [ Continue Reading ]
[IT IS] BETTER TO DWELL IN THE WILDERNESS,.... Where persons live without shelter, and are not only exposed to storms and tempests, but to beasts of prey; where is want of the necessaries of life, and no society; where no "speech" is, as the word e for wilderness may signify; yet it is better to dwe... [ Continue Reading ]
[THERE IS] A TREASURE TO BE DESIRED,.... Gold, silver, jewels, and precious stones; all sorts food, as Aben Ezra explains it, and rich and costly, raiment; all which may be lawfully desired and sought after, and, when obtained, laid up for future use; which may be spared for their own service and th... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT FOLLOWETH AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS AND MERCY,.... Is eager, diligent, and fervent in his pursuit of these things: "after righteousness"; not a legal righteousness, such as the Jews followed after, but did not attain to; because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law,... [ Continue Reading ]
A WISE [MAN] SCALETH THE CITY OF THE MIGHTY,.... Which makes good what is elsewhere said, that "wisdom is better than strength", Ecclesiastes 9:16; and sometimes more is done by prudence and wisdom, by art and cunning, by schemes and stratagems, than by power and force; especially in military affair... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSO KEEPETH HIS MOUTH AND HIS TONGUE,.... Guards the one and bridles the other; is careful of what he says, that it is truth, and without dissimulation and guile; and is not injurious to the characters of men, and is not offensive and provoking; who abstains from ill and wrathful language, and whi... [ Continue Reading ]
PROUD [AND] HAUGHTY SCORNER [IS] HIS NAME,.... He shall be called a proud fool, a haughty fellow, a scornful blockhead; he shall get himself an ill name, and be treated with contempt; WHO DEALETH IN PROUD WRATH; whose pride shows itself in wrathful expressions and actions; who is proud and passiona... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DESIRE OF THE SLOTHFUL KILLETH HIM,.... His desire after food and raiment, and riches; for because he cannot have what he desires, being unwilling to work for them, it frets and vexes him to death, or puts him upon unlawful methods to obtain them, which bring him to a shameful death; see Proverb... [ Continue Reading ]
HE COVETETH GREEDILY ALL THE DAY LONG,.... The slothful man does, as he has nothing to do to employ his time and his thoughts with; he is always craving something to eat and drink, or wishing he had such an estate, or so much wealth and riches, that he might live as such and such persons do; and thi... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SACRIFICE OF THE WICKED [IS] ABOMINATION,.... That is, to the Lord, as in Proverbs 15:8; and as it is here added in the Septuagint and Arabic versions; HOW MUCH MORE, [WHEN] HE BRINGETH IT WITH A WICKED MIND? the Arabic version is, "with a mind alien from the law"; or when it is not brought acc... [ Continue Reading ]
A FALSE WITNESS SHALL PERISH,.... As witness he shall perish in his reputation, no credit shall be given him, he shall not be admitted an evidence, or a witness in any cause, being found a false one; and as a man, he shall be punished in body or estate by the civil magistrate, and his soul shall per... [ Continue Reading ]
A WICKED MAN HARDENETH HIS FACE,.... Against all corrections and reproofs of parents, masters, ministers, and others; he blushes not at sins committed, and is not ashamed of them, but glories in them: or, he "strengthens with his face" l; he puts an impudent face upon his words, and confirms them by... [ Continue Reading ]
[THERE IS] NO WISDOM NOR UNDERSTANDING, NOR COUNSEL AGAINST THE LORD. No human schemes whatever, formed with the greatest wisdom and prudence, can ever prevail against God, or set aside or hinder the execution of any design of his; nothing that is pointed against his church, his cause, and interest,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HORSE [IS] PREPARED AGAINST THE DAY OF BATTLE,.... The horse is a warlike creature, and was much used formerly, as now, in war; these are prepared against the day of battle, to mount the cavalry with; and men are apt to put too great confidence in them: this is mentioned instead of all other mil... [ Continue Reading ]