18 For it is a delight to keep them in your heart, to have them ready on your lips.
For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasing to your soul;
The lips of the upright man give food to men, but the foolish come to death for need of sense.
He who has faith in me, out of his body, as the Writings have said, will come rivers of living water.
For it is right for the priest's lips to keep knowledge, and for men to be waiting for the law from his mouth: for he is the servant sent from the Lord of armies.
A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a network of silver.
My son, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which is sweet to your taste: So let your desire be for wisdom: if you have it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
The lips of the wise keep knowledge, but the heart of the foolish man is not right.
For I am full of words, I am unable to keep in my breath any longer: My stomach is like wine which is unable to get out; like skins full of new wine, it is almost burst.
Give ear, for my words are true, and my lips are open to give out what is upright.
Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace.
I am delighted by your saying, like a man who makes discovery of great wealth.
I have taken your unchanging word as an eternal heritage; for it is the joy of my heart.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 22
Commentary on Proverbs 22 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 22
Pro 22:1
Here are two things which are more valuable and which we should covet more than great riches:-
Pro 22:2
Note,
Pro 22:3
See here,
Pro 22:4
See here,
Pro 22:5
Note
Pro 22:6
Here is,
Pro 22:7
He had said (v. 2.), Rich and poor meet together; but here he finds, here he shows, that, as to the things of this life, there is a great difference; for,
Pro 22:8
Note
Pro 22:9
Here is,
Pro 22:10
See here,
Pro 22:11
Here is,
Pro 22:12
Here is,
Pro 22:13
Note,
Pro 22:14
This is designed to warn all young men against the lusts of uncleanness. As they regard the welfare of their souls, let them take heed of strange women, lewd women, whom they ought to be strange to, of the mouth of strange women, of the kisses of their lips (ch. 7:13), of the words of their lips, their charms and enticements. Dread them; have nothing to do with them; for,
Pro 22:15
We have here two very sad considerations:-
Pro 22:16
This shows what evil courses rich men sometimes take, by which, in the end, they will impoverish themselves and provoke God, notwithstanding their abundance, to bring them to want; they oppress the poor and give to the rich.
Pro 22:17-21
Solomon here changes his style and manner of speaking. Hitherto, for the most part, since the beginning of ch. 10, he had laid down doctrinal truths, and but now and then dropped a word of exhortation, leaving us to make the application as we went along; but here, to the end of ch. 24, he directs his speech to his son, his pupil, his reader, his hearer, speaking as to a particular person. Hitherto, for the most part, his sense was comprised in one verse, but here usually it is drawn out further. See how Wisdom tries variety of methods with us, lest we should be cloyed with any one. To awaken attention and to assist our application the method of direct address is here adopted. Ministers must not think it enough to preach before their hearers, but must preach to them, nor enough to preach to them all in general, but should address themselves to particular persons, as here: Do thou do so and so. Here is,
Pro 22:22-23
After this solemn preface, one would have expected something new and surprising; but no; here is a plain and common, but very needful caution against the barbarous and inhuman practices of oppressing poor people. Observe,
Pro 22:24-25
Here is,
Pro 22:26-27
We have here, as often before, a caution against suretiship, as a thing both imprudent and unjust.
Pro 22:28
Pro 22:29
Here is,