21 My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,
the book of this law doth not depart out of thy mouth, and thou hast meditated in it by day and by night, so that thou dost observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then thou dost cause thy way to prosper, and then thou dost act wisely.
and these words which I am commanding thee to-day have been on thine heart, and thou hast repeated them to thy sons, and spoken of them in thy sitting in thine house, and in thy walking in the way, and in thy lying down, and in thy rising up, and hast bound them for a sign upon thy hand, and they have been for frontlets between thine eyes, and thou hast written them on door-posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
and saith unto them, `Set your heart to all the words which I am testifying against you to-day, that ye command your sons to observe to do all the words of this law, for it `is' not a vain thing for you, for it `is' your life, and by this thing ye prolong days on the ground whither ye are passing over the Jordan to possess it.'
Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.
`Only, take heed to thyself, and watch thy soul exceedingly, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they turn aside from thy heart, all days of thy life; and thou hast made them known to thy sons, and to thy sons' sons.
Because of this it behoveth `us' more abundantly to take heed to the things heard, lest we may glide aside, for if the word being spoken through messengers did become stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience did receive a just recompense, how shall we escape, having neglected so great salvation? which a beginning receiving -- to be spoken through the Lord -- by those having heard was confirmed to us,
Even to lay up for the upright substance, A shield for those walking uprightly.
My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep, For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee. Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,
if any one may not remain in me, he was cast forth without as the branch, and was withered, and they gather them, and cast to fire, and they are burned; if ye may remain in me, and my sayings in you may remain, whatever ye may wish ye shall ask, and it shall be done to you.
Ye, then, that which ye heard from the beginning, in you let it remain; if in you may remain that which from the beginning ye did hear, ye also in the Son and in the Father shall remain,
and you, the anointing that ye did receive from him, in you it doth remain, and ye have no need that any one may teach you, but as the same anointing doth teach you concerning all, and is true, and is not a lie, and even as was taught you, ye shall remain in him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 3
Commentary on Proverbs 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
This chapter is one of the most excellent in all this book, both for argument to persuade us to be religious and for directions therein.
From all this it appears what a tendency religion has to make men both blessed and blessings.
Pro 3:1-6
We are here taught to live a life of communion with God; and without controversy great is this mystery of godliness, and of great consequence to us, and, as is here shown, will be of unspeakable advantage.
Pro 3:7-12
We have here before us three exhortations, each of them enforced with a good reason:-
Pro 3:13-20
Solomon had pressed us earnestly to seek diligently for wisdom (ch. 2:1, etc.), and had assured us that we should succeed in our sincere and constant pursuits. But the question is, What shall we get by it when we have found it? Prospect of advantage is the spring and spur of industry; he therefore shows us how much it will be to our profit, laying this down for an unquestionable truth, Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, that true wisdom which consists in the knowledge and love of God, and an entire conformity to all the intentions of his truths, providences, and laws. Now observe,
Pro 3:21-26
Solomon, having pronounced those happy who not only lay hold on wisdom, but retain her, here exhorts us therefore to retain her, assuring us that we ourselves shall have the comfort of doing so.
Pro 3:27-35
True wisdom consists in the due discharge of our duty towards man, as well as towards God, in honesty as well as piety, and therefore we have here divers excellent precepts of wisdom which relate to our neighbour.