23 Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it `are' the outgoings of life.
`The good man out of the good treasure of his heart doth bring forth that which `is' good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart doth bring forth that which `is' evil; for out of the abounding of the heart doth his mouth speak.
`Brood of vipers! how are ye able to speak good things -- being evil? for out of the abundance of the heart doth the mouth speak. The good man out of the good treasure of the heart doth put forth the good things, and the evil man out of the evil treasure doth put forth evil things.
for from within, out of the heart of men, the evil reasonings do come forth, adulteries, whoredoms, murders, thefts, covetous desires, wickedness, deceit, arrogance, an evil eye, evil speaking, pride, foolishness; all these evils do come forth from within, and they defile the man.'
Search me, O God, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts, And see if a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a way age-during!
Crooked `is' the heart above all things, And it `is' incurable -- who doth know it?
for out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, whoredoms, thefts, false witnessings, evil speakings:
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And make happy in the way thy heart,
and each one is tempted, by his own desires being led away and enticed, afterward the desire having conceived, doth give birth to sin, and the sin having been perfected, doth bring forth death.
Watch ye and pray, that ye may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is forward, but the flesh weak.'
The first thing `is' wisdom -- get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.
My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,
Thorns -- snares `are' in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.
A gracious woman retaineth honour, And terrible `men' retain riches.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 4
Commentary on Proverbs 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
When the things of God are to be taught precept must be upon precept, and line upon line, not only because the things themselves are of great worth and weight, but because men's minds, at the best, are unapt to admit them and commonly prejudiced against them; and therefore Solomon, in this chapter, with a great variety of expression and a pleasant powerful flood of divine eloquence, inculcates the same things that he had pressed upon us in the foregoing chapters. Here is,
So plainly, so pressingly, is the case laid before us, that we shall be for ever inexcusable if we perish in our folly.
Pro 4:1-13
Here we have,
Pro 4:14-19
Some make David's instructions to Solomon, which began v. 4, to continue to the end of the chapter; nay, some continue them to the end of the ninth chapter; but it is more probable that Solomon begins here again, if not sooner. In these verses, having exhorted us to walk in the paths of wisdom, he cautions us against the path of the wicked.
Pro 4:20-27
Solomon, having warned us not to do evil, here teaches us how to do well. It is not enough for us to shun the occasions of sin, but we must study the methods of duty.