Proverbs 15:23

23 A man is glad in the sentence of his mouth; and a covenable word is best (but a suitable word is always best).

Proverbs 15:23 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 15:23

A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth
When his advice is asked, and he gives good and wholesome counsel, and that being taken succeeds; it is a pleasure to a man that he is capable of assisting his friend, and doing him service, or a common good, whether it be in things natural, civil, or religious; when his speech is with salt, seasoned with grace, and he knows how he ought to answer every man; when that which is good proceeds from him, and is to the use of edifying, and ministers grace to the hearers, and is acceptable to them; when with readiness he gives an answer to every man that asks him a reason of the hope that is in him, with meekness and fear, ( Colossians 3:6 ) ( Ephesians 4:29 ) ( 1 Peter 3:15 ) ; and a word [spoken] in due season, how good [is it]?
whether by way of advice and counsel to such who stand in need of it, or of exhortation and instruction to those that want it, or of comfort to those that are distressed; such is a word of promise spoken and applied by the Spirit of God to the hearts of his people in a time of need; and such is the Gospel of peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation, as spoken by Christ and his ministers to weary and wounded souls; it cannot be well and fully expressed how sweet, how good, how suitable, as well as seasonable, it is: see ( Proverbs 25:11 ) ( Isaiah 50:4 ) .

Proverbs 15:23 In-Context

21 Folly is joy to a fool; but a prudent man shall (ad)dress his steps. (Foolishness bringeth joy to a fool; but a prudent person shall direct his steps.)
22 Thoughts be destroyed, where no counsel is; but where many counsellors be, they be confirmed. (Plans come to naught, where there is no wise advice; but where there be many counsellors, the plans succeed.)
23 A man is glad in the sentence of his mouth; and a covenable word is best (but a suitable word is always best).
24 The path of life is on a learned man; that he bow away from the last hell. (The path of life leadeth upward for the learned; yea, so that they turn away from Sheol, or the land of the dead/so that they turn away from hell, which is below.)
25 The Lord shall destroy the house of proud men; and he shall make steadfast the coasts of a widow. (The Lord shall destroy the house of the proud; but he shall make firm the property lines, or the boundary stones, of a widow.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.