1 The king's heart in the hands of the Lord is like the water streams, and by him it is turned in any direction at his pleasure.
A man may make designs for his way, but the Lord is the guide of his steps.
A man's steps are of the Lord; how then may a man have knowledge of his way?
And made him free from all his troubles, and gave him wisdom and the approval of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and all his house.
And all the people of the earth are as nothing: he does his pleasure in the army of heaven and among the people of the earth: and no one is able to keep back his hand, or say to him, What are you doing?
The designs of the heart are man's, but the answer of the tongue comes from the Lord.
Praise be to the Lord, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing into the heart of the king, to make fair the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem; And has given mercy to me before the king and his government and before all the king's great captains. And I was made strong by the hand of the Lord my God which was on me, and I got together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
O Lord, let your ear take note of the prayer of your servant, and of the prayers of your servants, who take delight in worshipping your name: give help, O Lord, to your servant this day, and let him have mercy in the eyes of this man. (Now I was the king's wine-servant.)
Their hearts were turned to hate against his people, so that they made secret designs against them.
Then the king said to me, What is your desire? So I made prayer to the God of heaven.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 21
Commentary on Proverbs 21 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 21
Pro 21:1
Note,
Pro 21:2
Note,
Pro 21:3
Here,
Pro 21:4
This may be taken as showing us,
Pro 21:5
Here is,
Pro 21:6
This shows the folly of those that hope to enrich themselves by dishonest practices, by oppressing and over-reaching those with whom they deal, by false-witness-bearing, or by fraudulent contracts, of those that make no scruples of lying when there is any thing to be got by it. They may perhaps heap up treasures by these means, that which they make their treasure; but,
Pro 21:7
See here,
Pro 21:8
This shows that as men are so is their way.
Pro 21:9
See here,
Pro 21:10
See here the character of a very wicked man.
Pro 21:11
This we had before (ch. 19:25), and it shows that there are two ways by which the simple may be made wise:-
Pro 21:12
Pro 21:13
Here we have the description and doom of an uncharitable man.
Pro 21:14
Here is,
Pro 21:15
Note,
Pro 21:16
Here is,
Pro 21:17
Here is an argument against a voluptuous luxurious life, taken from the ruin it brings upon men's temporal interests. Here is
Pro 21:18
This intimates,
Pro 21:19
Note,
Pro 21:20
Note,
Pro 21:21
See here,
Pro 21:22
Note,
Pro 21:23
Note,
Pro 21:24
See here the mischief of pride and haughtiness.
Pro 21:25-26
Here we have,
Pro 21:27
Sacrifices were of divine institution; and when they were offered in faith, and with repentance and reformation, God was greatly honoured by them and well-pleased in them. But they were often not only unacceptable, but an abomination, to God, and he declared so, which was an indication both that they were not required for their own sakes and that there were better things, and for effectual, in reserve, when sacrifice and offering should be done away. They were an abomination,
Pro 21:28
Here is,
Pro 21:29
Here is,
Pro 21:30-31
The designing busy part of mankind are directed, in all their counsels and undertakings, to have their eye to God, and to believe,