1 Whoso loveth instruction, loveth knowledge:
But he that hateth reproof is brutish.
THE man who loves instruction for its own sake values true knowledge, let it come through what channel it may. What he desires is the truth, not the ability to display his acquirements. The mere vain pedant hates reproof, and, like a brute beast, values not correction (chapter 10:17). He prefers his own unbridled will, however contrary his thoughts and ways may be to sound instruction. This was the great characteristic of the world before the flood (Job 22:15,17). Josiah, the godly young king of Judah, is a fine example of the opposite (2 Chron. 34).
2 A good man obtaineth favor of Jehovah:
But a man of wicked devices will He condemn.
3 A man shall not be established by lawlessness:
But the root of the righteous shall not be moved.
In the very nature of things, the face of the Lord cannot but shine upon the good man. His root shall be firmly established. “He shall be holden up, for God is able to make him stand.” But that same divine character which makes Him delight in uprightness necessitates His condemnation of a man of wicked devices. He shall never be established. “The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.” See Hushai and Ahithophel (2 Sam.15:32; 16:15-23; 17, et al.).
4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband:
But she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
It would be a grave mistake to limit the word virtuous to the thought of chastity. The virtuous woman is one in whom all noble qualities shine, as set forth fully in the last chapter. Such a woman is indeed a crown to her husband. One who by folly and slothfulness makes ashamed is like the sudden coming on of old age. Contrast Sarah (Gen. 18:12 and 1 Peter 3:1-6) with Job’s wife (Job 2:9, 10).
5 The thoughts of the righteous are just:
But the counsels of the lawless are deceit.
6 The words of the lawless are to lie in wait for blood:
But the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.
7 The lawless are overthrown, and are not:
But the house of the righteous shall stand.
Right thoughts result in right words and right actions, and shall be rewarded by Him whose delight is in righteousness. But evil thoughts have their fruitage likewise in evil words and deeds, and they too shall receive a just recompense of reward. The judgment of God is according to truth, as every soul of man shall own at last. Contrast Absalom and David.
8 A man shall be commended according to his wisdom:
But he that is of a perverse heart shall be exposed to contempt.
Even among natural men wisdom is a commendation, while a vain and foolish spirit but exposes to contempt. The world can appreciate sobriety and spiritual intelligence, though it may refuse or even persecute it. But to pretend to either, while bereft of both, is to draw forth the disgust of all reasonable men. Note the difference in the estimation formed by their fellows of Gideon and Abimelech (Judges 7 to 9).
9 He that is despised, and hath a servant,
Is better than he that honoreth himself and lacketh bread.
The Douay version renders the final line somewhat differently: “Better is the poor that provideth for himself.” The thought evidently is, that the one who is looked down upon as lowly, but whose needs are met, is far happier and more to be envied than he who delights in making a pompous display while feeling the pinch of hunger and distress. See Jacob and Esau (Gen. 25:27-34).
10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast:
But the tender mercies of the lawless are cruel.
A truly righteous man cannot act inconsistently with his character even in regard to a dumb beast. The very dependence of the creature upon his consideration will but tend to stir his compassions, so that he will treat it with the kindliness proper to all noble souls. The wicked, or lawless, on the other hand, becomes only the more brutal as he recognizes his own title to control the lower creation. Cruelty and unrighteousness go hand in hand. Contrast Jacob with Balaam. See Gen. 33:13,14 and Num. 22:23-31.
11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread:
But he that followeth vain persons is void of heart.
The diligent husbandman is abundantly rewarded for his toil, while the trifling, idling companion of reckless coxcombs is but manifesting his lack of intelligence. This is a searching word for young Christians. God’s word is a field well worth our tilling. Those who obey the apostolic injunction conscientiously, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” are invariably repaid for every hour earnestly devoted to the consideration of this precious field. Many, alas, waste much time in idle folly, companying with empty, frivolous worldlings, and neglecting their Bibles, to the serious detriment of their spiritual life. Such often wonder how it is that other Christians can discover so much that is new and edifying in the Scriptures. They see no such lovely lessons and helpful suggestions. No; because they do not really “till the land.” If they did, they too would be satisfied with bread.
Incalculable is the loss those who so act must suffer, both in time and eternity. This neglect of the Bible is the root of much backsliding, coldness of heart, and departure from God. Where the believer makes it a daily practice to “dig” into the Book for himself, and then seeks, by the Spirit’s power, to walk in the truth learned, growth in grace and in the knowledge of the things of God soon becomes most marked. Timothy is a fine pattern for all young saints on this point (2 Tim. 3:14-17), while the ungodly Jehoiakim is a warning beacon for all in danger of taking the opposite course to that we have been outlining (Jer. 36:22-32).
12 The lawless desireth the fortress of evil:
But the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.
13 The evil is snared by the transgression of the lips:
But the just shall come out of trouble.
The wicked would surround his very soul with evil, while hoping to escape in the day of retribution; but he is snared with the words of his mouth, and worse are the calamities to which he is exposed than those which he sought to ward off. Vide Gehazi (2 Kings 5:20-27).
The righteous, with holy confidence, places his trust in God, and bears fruit to His glory. In the day of his trouble he has a Deliverer near at hand. See Elisha (2 Kings 6:17).
14 A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth:
And the recompense of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him.
We have seen over and over again in this book that it is a principle of the divine government, which no man may turn aside, that “whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.” To every man will recompense be made according to his doings. The Christian is not superior to this law of the kingdom of God. He the rather bows his head and owns its justice. See the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matt. 18:24-35).
15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes:
But he that harkeneth unto counsel is wise.
16 A fool’s wrath is presently known:
But a prudent man covereth shame.
Two things are here stated as being characteristic of the man who is denominated a fool; that is, one who lacks divine wisdom. He is proud and self-confident, refusing to brook correction: on the other hand, he is intolerant of others’ faults, manifesting his indignation readily, and making worse the wound in place of binding up. The wise and prudent man is in every way the contrast to all this. He is hardest on himself; consequently readily accepts counsel, willingly owning that others may be wiser than he; and he is ever ready to cover the shame of another, rather than to tell it abroad. It is the same contrast that existed in the days of Noah, when Ham unblushingly related the tale of his father’s shame, as though himself superior to his sire; while Shem and Japheth went backwards to cover their dishonored parent (Gen. 9).
17 He that speaketh truth showeth forth righteousness:
But a false witness, deceit.
18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword:
But the tongue of the wise is health.
19 The lip of truth shall be established forever:
But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil:
But to the counselors of peace is joy.
21 There shall no evil happen to the just:
But the lawless shall be filled with mischief.
22 Lying lips are an abomination to Jehovah:
But they that deal truly are His delight.
The six verses are all occupied with the same general theme—lips of truth contrasted with a lying tongue. The latter is an abomination to Him who is Himself the Truth. The former He delights in because in accord with His ow n nature.
Honest speech manifests integrity of heart: falsity declares unerringly the lack of truth in the inward parts. The one who hesitates not at deliberate lying scatters pain and sorrow on every side; his venomed words piercing like a sword the hearts of sensitive and gentle souls. To these the tongue of the wise is health and up-building. But the day of reckoning is coming, when the lip of truth shall be established forever, and the lying tongue go into oblivion.
It is well to remember that it is intentional deceit that is here in question. One is often pained to hear good men recklessly charge others with lying because they have uttered an untruth in the innocency of their hearts. A statement may be false as to fact, which is true as to intent; just as a statement may be true as to fact, which was uttered with the intent to deceive. It is the deceit in the heart that cause: the lips to utter a lie. None should be so charged unless the evidence makes it clear there was intention to prevaricate.
The just shall be preserved from evil, even as they have sought the good of their fellows: but to the lawless, judgment without mercy shall be meted out; for God cannot but make manifest His hatred of that which is false, and His approbation of truth and righteousness. Contrast Nehemiah and Sanballat (Neh. 6:5-9).
23 A prudent man concealeth knowledge:
But the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.
The man who has least worth saying is generally the man who says the most. The prudent man is not forever airing his knowledge; the fool loses no opportunity to proclaim his empty folly. See Jeremiah and Hananiah (Jer. 28:1-11).
24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule:
But the slothful shall be under tribute.
It is not ability only that causes one to succeed, and secures advancement. There must be earnest endeavor, otherwise talent and brilliancy count for nothing. The slothful, however much he may have the advantage of another in natural gifts and intelligence, will in the end be inferior to the patient plodder. This is what some one has called “the gospel of work.” It is all-important, both in the natural and the spiritual sphere. Contrast Gideon and Barak (Judges 6:11,12; 4:4-9).
25 Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh it stoop:
But a good word maketh it glad.
“How forcible are right words,” bringing comfort, cheer and encouragement to those in grief of soul and bitterness of spirit! See Nehemiah and Artaxerxes (Neh. 2:2-8).
26 The righteous searcheth out his neighbor:
But the way of the lawless seduceth them.
The man whose own ways are clean, and whose conscience is free, will be able to sound and search his neighbor in a godly way to his edification and restoration to God, if his steps have gone astray. “He that is spiritual discerneth all things.” The insubject, lawless man has not his brother’s good at heart, but rather his undoing; hence his words are seductive and ensnaring. Nathan is an illustration of the first; the wise woman of Tekoa, of the second (2 Sam. 12:1-14; 14:1-20).
27 The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting:
But the substance of a diligent man is precious.
Some men can bestir themselves for a time, but soon fall back into their customary slothful manner. Many are they who attend the ministry of the Word but fail afterward to meditate upon and make their own what they hear. Their course is like one who goes forth to the field or forest, and while the excitement of the hunt is upon him spares no pains, but turns. his prey to no true account afterward. The way of the diligent is very different. He uses what he has, and thus more is given, as in the parable of the talents. Ruth, who gleaned all day and at even “beat out that which she had gleaned,” is a striking illustration of this (2:17). The servant who hid his pound in a napkin pictures the contrary spirit.
28 In the way of righteousness there is life;
And in the pathway thereof there is no death.
The way of righteousness is that path of the just that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Passing through a scene of death, it goes on to the land of life; and that eternal life is now the precious possession of all who, by the straight gate, have entered upon it. What men call death, real and true as it is to every one who treads the path of sin, for the just is but the end of the way opening into the gladness and glory of the Father’s house. “This God is our God forever and forever. He will be our guide even over (not, as in the A. V., unto) death.” Happy the portion of all who tread the way of holiness, through a world of sin, up to the city of God!