Proverbs 19

1 Better the poor walking in integrity than one perverse of speech who is a fool.

2 Desire without knowledge is not good, and one who moves too hurriedly misses the way.

3 One's own folly leads to ruin, yet the heart rages against the Lord.

4 Wealth brings many friends, but the poor are left friendless.

5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will not escape.

6 Many seek the favor of the generous, and everyone is a friend to a giver of gifts.

7 If the poor are hated even by their kin, how much more are they shunned by their friends! When they call after them, they are not there.

8 To get wisdom is to love oneself; to keep understanding is to prosper.

9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and the liar will perish.

10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes.

11 Those with good sense are slow to anger, and it is their glory to overlook an offense.

12 A king's anger is like the growling of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

13 A stupid child is ruin to a father, and a wife's quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.

14 House and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

15 Laziness brings on deep sleep; an idle person will suffer hunger.

16 Those who keep the commandment will live; those who are heedless of their ways will die.

17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and will be repaid in full.

18 Discipline your children while there is hope; do not set your heart on their destruction.

19 A violent tempered person will pay the penalty; if you effect a rescue, you will only have to do it again.

20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom for the future.

21 The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established.

22 What is desirable in a person is loyalty, and it is better to be poor than a liar.

23 The fear of the Lord is life indeed; filled with it one rests secure and suffers no harm.

24 The lazy person buries a hand in the dish, and will not even bring it back to the mouth.

25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove the intelligent, and they will gain knowledge.

26 Those who do violence to their father and chase away their mother are children who cause shame and bring reproach.

27 Cease straying, my child, from the words of knowledge, in order that you may hear instruction.

28 A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

29 Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and flogging for the backs of fools.

Proverbs 19 Commentary

Chapter 19

Verse 1 A poor man who fears God, is more honourable and happy, than a man without wisdom and grace, however rich or advanced in rank. Verse 2 . What good can the soul do, if without knowledge? And he sins who will not take time to ponder the path of his feet. Verse 3 . Men run into troubles by their own folly, and then fret at the appointments of God. Verse 4 . Here we may see how strong is men's love of money. Verse 5 . Those that tell lies in discourse, are in a fair way to be guilty of bearing false-witness. Verse 6 . We are without excuse if we do not love God with all our hearts. His gifts to us are past number, and all the gifts of men to us are fruits of his bounty. Verse 7 . Christ was left by all his disciples; but the Father was with him. It encourages our faith that he had so large an experience of the sorrows of poverty. Verse 8 . Those only love their souls aright that get true wisdom. Verse 9 . Lying is a damning, destroying sin. Verse 10 . A man that has not wisdom and grace, has no right or title to true joy. It is very unseemly for one who is a servant to sin, to oppress God's free-men. Verse 11 . He attains the most true glory who endeavours most steadily to overcome evil with good. Verse 12 . Christ is a King, whose wrath against his enemies will be as the roaring of a lion, and his favour to his people as the refreshing dew. Verse 13 . It shows the vanity of the world, that we are liable to the greatest griefs where we promise ourselves the greatest comfort. Verse 14 . A discreet and virtuous wife is more valuable than house and riches. Verse 15 . A sluggish, slothful disposition makes men poor; it brings them to want. And this applies both to the present life and that which is to come. Verse 16 . If we keep God's word, God's word will keep us from every thing really hurtful. We abuse the doctrine of free grace, if we think that it does away the necessity and advantage of obedience. Those that live at random must die. This truth is clearly taught in words enough to alarm the stoutest sinner. Verse 17 . God has chosen the poor of this world, to be rich in faith, and heirs of his kingdom. Verse 18 . When parents keep under foolish tenderness, they do their best to render children a comfort to them, and happy in themselves. Verse 19 . The spared and spoiled child is likely to become a man of great wrath. Verse 20 . Those that would be wise in their latter end, must be taught and ruled when young. Verse 21 . What should we desire, but that all our purposes may agree with God's holy will? Verse 22 . It is far better to have a heart to do good, and want ability for it, than to have ability for it, and want a heart to it. Verse 23 . Those that live in the fear of God, shall get safety, satisfaction, and true and complete happiness. Verse 24 . Indolence, when indulged, so grows upon people, that they have no heart to do the most needful things for themselves. Verse 25 . A gentle rebuke goes farthest with a man of understanding. Verse 26 . The young man who wastes his father's substance, or makes his aged mother destitute, is hateful, and will come to disgrace. Verse 27 . It is the wisdom of young men to dread hearing such talk as puts loose and evil principles into the mind. Verse 28 . Those are the worst of sinners, who are glad of an opportunity to sin. Verse 29 . The unbelief of man shall not make God's threatenings of no effect. Christ himself, when bearing sins not his own, was not spared. Justice and judgment took hold of our blessed Surety; and will God spare obstinate sinners?

Footnotes

• [a]. Meaning of Heb uncertain
• [b]. Meaning of Heb uncertain

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 8

This chapter gives an account of the introduction of the ark into the temple, 1Ki 8:1-9 of the glory of the Lord filling it, 1Ki 8:10,11 of a speech Solomon made to the people concerning the building of the temple, and how he came to be engaged in it, 1Ki 8:12-21, of a prayer of his he put up on this occasion, requesting, that what supplications soever were made at any time, or on any account, by Israelites or strangers, might be accepted by the Lord, 1Ki 8:22-53, and of his blessing the people of Israel at the close of it, with some useful exhortations, 1Ki 8:54-61, and of the great number of sacrifices offered up by him, and the feast he made for the people, upon which he dismissed them, 1Ki 8:62-66.