1 The preparations H4633 of the heart H3820 in man, H120 and the answer H4617 of the tongue, H3956 is from the LORD. H3068
There are many H7227 devices H4284 in a man's H376 heart; H3820 nevertheless the counsel H6098 of the LORD, H3068 that shall stand. H6965
A man's H120 heart H3820 deviseth H2803 his way: H1870 but the LORD H3068 directeth H3559 his steps. H6806
But G1161 when G3752 they deliver G3860 you G5209 up, G3860 take G3309 no G3361 thought G3309 how G4459 or G2228 what G5101 ye shall speak: G2980 for G1063 it shall be given G1325 you G5213 in G1722 that same G1565 hour G5610 what G5101 ye shall speak. G2980 For G1063 it is G2075 not G3756 ye G5210 that speak, G2980 but G235 the Spirit G4151 of your G5216 Father G3962 which G3588 speaketh G2980 in G1722 you. G5213
Man's H1397 goings H4703 are of the LORD; H3068 how can a man H120 then understand H995 his own way? H1870
For G1063 it is G2076 God G2316 which G3588 worketh G1754 in G1722 you G5213 both G2532 to will G2309 and G2532 to do G1754 of G5228 his good pleasure. G2107
Settle G5087 it therefore G3767 in G1519 your G5216 hearts, G2588 not G3361 to meditate before G4304 what ye shall answer: G626 For G1063 I G1473 will give G1325 you G5213 a mouth G4750 and G2532 wisdom, G4678 which G3739 all G3956 your G5213 adversaries G480 shall G1410 not G3756 be able G1410 to gainsay G471 nor G3761 resist. G436
And G1161 when G3752 they bring G4374 you G5209 unto G1909 the synagogues, G4864 and G2532 unto magistrates, G746 and G2532 powers, G1849 take G3309 ye no G3361 thought G3309 how G4459 or G2228 what thing G5101 ye shall answer, G626 or G2228 what G5101 ye shall say: G2036 For G1063 the Holy G40 Ghost G4151 shall teach G1321 you G5209 in G1722 the same G846 hour G5610 what G3739 ye ought G1163 to say. G2036
And it came to pass, when the captains H8269 of the chariots H7393 saw H7200 Jehoshaphat, H3092 that they said, H559 It is the king H4428 of Israel. H3478 Therefore they compassed about H5437 him to fight: H3898 but Jehoshaphat H3092 cried out, H2199 and the LORD H3068 helped H5826 him; and God H430 moved H5496 them to depart from him.
And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, Who hath made H7760 man's H120 mouth? H6310 or who maketh H7760 the dumb, H483 or deaf, H2795 or the seeing, H6493 or the blind? H5787 have not I the LORD? H3068 Now therefore go, H3212 and I will be with thy mouth, H6310 and teach H3384 thee what thou shalt say. H1696
But G1161 thanks G5485 be to God, G2316 which G3588 put G1325 the same G846 earnest care G4710 into G1722 the heart G2588 of Titus G5103 for G5228 you. G5216
A new H2319 heart H3820 also will I give H5414 you, and a new H2319 spirit H7307 will I put H5414 within H7130 you: and I will take away H5493 the stony H68 heart H3820 out of your flesh, H1320 and I will give H5414 you an heart H3820 of flesh. H1320 And I will put H5414 my spirit H7307 within H7130 you, and cause H6213 you to walk H3212 in my statutes, H2706 and ye shall keep H8104 my judgments, H4941 and do H6213 them.
And I will give H5414 them one H259 heart, H3820 and one H259 way, H1870 that they may fear H3372 me for ever, H3117 for the good H2896 of them, and of their children H1121 after H310 them: And I will make H3772 an everlasting H5769 covenant H1285 with them, that I will not turn away H7725 from them, H310 to do them good; H3190 but I will put H5414 my fear H3374 in their hearts, H3824 that they shall not depart H5493 from me.
O LORD, H3068 I know H3045 that the way H1870 of man H120 is not in himself: it is not in man H376 that walketh H1980 to direct H3559 his steps. H6806
But the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, Say H559 not, I am a child: H5288 for thou shalt go H3212 to all that I shall send H7971 thee, and whatsoever I command H6680 thee thou shalt speak. H1696 Be not afraid H3372 of their faces: H6440 for I am with thee to deliver H5337 thee, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Then the LORD H3068 put forth H7971 his hand, H3027 and touched H5060 my mouth. H6310 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, Behold, I have put H5414 my words H1697 in thy mouth. H6310
Incline H5186 my heart H3820 unto thy testimonies, H5715 and not to covetousness. H1215
LORD, H3068 thou hast heard H8085 the desire H8378 of the humble: H6035 thou wilt prepare H3559 their heart, H3820 thou wilt cause thine ear H241 to hear: H7181
O Lord, H136 I beseech H577 thee, let now thine ear H241 be attentive H7183 to the prayer H8605 of thy servant, H5650 and to the prayer H8605 of thy servants, H5650 who desire H2655 to fear H3372 thy name: H8034 and prosper, H6743 I pray thee, thy servant H5650 this day, H3117 and grant H5414 him mercy H7356 in the sight H6440 of this man. H376 For I was the king's H4428 cupbearer. H8248
Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 God H430 of our fathers, H1 which hath put H5414 such a thing as this in the king's H4428 heart, H3820 to beautify H6286 the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 which is in Jerusalem: H3389
And thou shalt speak H1696 unto him, and put H7760 words H1697 in his mouth: H6310 and I will be with thy mouth, H6310 and with his mouth, H6310 and will teach H3384 you what ye shall do. H6213
Do G4105 not G3361 err, G4105 my G3450 beloved G27 brethren. G80 Every G3956 good G18 gift G1394 and G2532 every G3956 perfect G5046 gift G1434 is G2076 from above, G509 and cometh down G2597 from G575 the Father G3962 of lights, G5457 with G3844 whom G3739 is G1762 no G3756 variableness, G3883 neither G2228 shadow G644 of turning. G5157 Of his own will G1014 begat he G616 us G2248 with the word G3056 of truth, G225 that G1519 we G2248 should be G1511 a kind G5100 of firstfruits G536 of his G846 creatures. G2938
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
Note,
Pro 16:3
Note,
Pro 16:4
Note,
Pro 16:5
Note,
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
Note,
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,