Proverbs 16

Verse 14: A king has the power of life and death over his subjects. A wise man will attempt to appease—to pacify—the king’s wrath and thereby escape death.⁵⁰

Verse 16: It is not wrong to get gold; it is only wrong to choose gold over wisdom. Wisdom (godliness) is more valuable than any earthly treasure—including the “treasures” of fame and power (see Proverbs 3:14; 8:10–11).

Verse 18: See Proverbs 11:2.

Verse19:It is better to be oppressed than to be an oppressor. But even more important, it is better to be lowly in spirit than to be proud (see Matthew 5:3; 1 Peter 5:5). It is quite possible to be “oppressed” and yet not be “lowly in spirit”; that is the worst situation of all.

Verse 24: Pleasant words are truly sweet only if they are godly words. Many things are “pleasant” that are not spiritually profitable.

Verse 25: See Proverbs 14:12.

Verse 26: Hunger is a good motivator for getting a man to work. If a man will not work, he shall not eat (2Thessalonians 3:10–12).

Verse 28: A gossip is usually a grumbler and murmurer as well as a teller of tales (see Numbers 11:1–3 and comment). Gossip may seem harmless to the one gossiping, but it’s not harmless to the one being gossiped about (see Proverbs 11:13). Eventually the poison spread by a gossip will return and poison the gossip as well.

Verse 30: In this proverb, “winking with the eye” and “pursing the lips” are signs of deceit and evil intent.⁵¹ We often reveal our inward thoughts by our facial expressions and other outward mannerisms. We must make sure our “winks” are not misunderstood!

Verse 31: Gray hair is to be respected, especially “gray hair” attained by a righteous life. Long life is the usual reward of a righteous person. Sometimes, however, the wicked live long lives too; this proverb does not suggest we should respect their gray hair also!

Verse 32: The spiritual qualities of patience and self-control (Galatians 5:2223) are far more valuable than military prowess (see Proverbs 14:29; 15:18; Matthew 5:5). The “conquest” of our own passions requires more wisdom and grace than the conquest of our enemies.

Verse 33: Casting a lot was a means used in biblical times for determining the Lord’s guidance (see Exodus 28:30; Acts 1:26). Since the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Christians have no longer needed this method of seeking guidance.⁵² The point of the proverb is that the Lord has control over the decisions we submit to Him; casting a lot may seem like “chance” to us, but the Lord determines the outcome.