1 The purposes of the heart are of man, but the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.
Many are the thoughts in a man's heart, but the counsel of Jehovah, that doth stand.
The heart of man deviseth his way, but Jehovah directeth his steps.
The steps of a man are from Jehovah; and how can a man understand his own way?
for it is God who works in you both the willing and the working according to [his] good pleasure.
But when they bring you before the synagogues and rulers and the authorities, be not careful how or what ye shall answer, or what ye shall say; for the Holy Spirit shall teach you in the hour itself what should be said.
And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, That is the king of Israel; and they surrounded him to fight; and Jehoshaphat cried out, and Jehovah helped him; and God diverted them from him.
But thanks [be] to God, who gives the same diligent zeal for you in the heart of Titus.
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and keep mine ordinances, and ye shall do them.
And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me all [their] days, for the good of them, and of their children after them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not draw back from them, to do them good; and I will put my fear in their heart, that they may not turn aside from me.
I know, Jehovah, that the way of man is not his own; it is not in a man that walketh to direct his steps.
But Jehovah said unto me, Say not, I am a child; for thou shalt go to whomsoever I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith Jehovah. And Jehovah put forth his hand and touched my mouth; and Jehovah said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to gain.
Jehovah, thou hast heard the desire of the meek, thou hast established their heart: thou causest thine ear to hear,
O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants who delight to fear thy name; and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was the king's cupbearer.
Blessed be Jehovah the God of our fathers, who has put [such a thing] as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of Jehovah which is at Jerusalem;
And thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation nor shadow of turning. According to his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be a certain first-fruits of *his* creatures.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 16
Commentary on Proverbs 16 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 16
Pro 16:1
As we read this, it teaches us a great truth, that we are not sufficient of ourselves to think or speak any thing of ourselves that is wise and good, but that all our sufficiency is of God, who is with the heart and with the mouth, and works in us both to will and to do, Phil. 2:13; Ps. 10:17. But most read it otherwise: The preparation of the heart is in man (he may contrive and design this and the other) but the answer of the tongue, not only the delivering of what he designed to speak, but the issue and success of what he designed to do, is of the Lord. That is, in short,
Pro 16:2
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Pro 16:3
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Pro 16:4
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Pro 16:5
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Pro 16:6
See here,
Pro 16:7
Note,
Pro 16:8
Here,
Pro 16:9
Man is here represented to us,
Pro 16:10
We wish this were always true as a proposition, and we ought to make it our prayer for kings, and all in authority, that a divine sentence may be in their lips, both in giving orders, that they may do that in wisdom, and in giving sentence, that they may do that in equity, both which are included in judgment, and that in neither their mouth may transgress, 1 Tim. 2:1. But it is often otherwise; and therefore,
Pro 16:11
Note,
Pro 16:12
Here is,
Pro 16:13
Here is a further character of good kings, that they love and delight in those that speak right.
Pro 16:14-15
These two verses show the power of kings, which is every where great, but was especially so in those eastern countries, where they were absolute and arbitrary. Whom they would they slew and whom they would they kept alive. Their will was a law. We have reason to bless God for the happy constitution of the government we live under, which maintains the prerogative of the prince without any injury to the liberty of the subject. But here it is intimated,
Pro 16:16
Solomon here not only asserts that it is better to get wisdom than gold (ch. 3:14, 8:19), but he speaks it with assurance, that it is much better, better beyond expression-with admiration (How much better!) as one amazed at the disproportion-with an appeal to men's consciences ("Judge in yourselves how much better it is')-and with an addition to the same purport, that understanding is rather to be chosen than silver and all the treasures of kings and their favourites. Note,
Pro 16:17
Note,
Pro 16:18
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Pro 16:19
This is a paradox which the children of this world cannot understand and will not subscribe to, that it is better to be poor and humble than to be rich and proud.
Pro 16:20
Note,
Pro 16:21
Note,
Pro 16:22
Note,
Pro 16:23
Solomon had commended eloquence, or the sweetness of the lips (v. 21), and seemed to prefer it before wisdom; but here he corrects himself, as it were, and shows that unless there be a good treasure within to support the eloquence it is worth little. Wisdom in the heart is the main matter.
Pro 16:24
The pleasant words here commended must be those which the heart of the wise teaches, and adds learning to (v. 23), words of seasonable advice, instruction, and comfort, words taken from God's word, for that is it which Solomon had learned from his father to account sweeter than honey and the honey-comb, Ps. 19:10. These words, to those that know how to relish them,
Pro 16:25
This we had before (ch. 14:12), but here it is repeated, as that which is very necessary to be thought of,
Pro 16:26
This is designed to engage us to diligence, and quicken us, what our hand finds to do, to do it with all our might, both in our worldly business and in the work of religion; for in the original it is, The soul that labours labours for itself. It is heart-work which is here intended, the labour of the soul, which is here recommended to us,
Pro 16:27-28
There are those that are not only vicious themselves, but spiteful and mischievous to others, and they are the worst of men; two sorts of such are here described:-
Pro 16:29-30
Here is another sort of evil men described to us, that we may neither do like them, nor have any thing to do with them.
Pro 16:31
Note,
Pro 16:32
This recommends the grace of meekness to us, which will well become us all, particularly the hoary head, v. 31. Observe,
Pro 16:33
Note,