Proverbs 17:22

22 A joyful soul maketh liking age (A joyful soul maketh a good life); a sorrowful spirit maketh dry bones.

Proverbs 17:22 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 17:22

A merry heart doth good [like] a medicine
Does the body good, makes it healthful and vigorous. Cheerfulness of spirit has a great influence upon the body, and much contributes to the health and welfare of it; see ( Ecclesiastes 9:7-9 ) ; and especially a heart full of spiritual joy, peace of conscience, flowing from the blood of Christ, joy in the Holy Ghost, a rejoicing in Christ Jesus and his righteousness, and in hope of the glory of God, much affect even the outward man. Or, "a merry heart makes a good medicine" ^F24; it is a good medicine of itself; raises the spirits, invigorates the body, and fits it for service and business: or, "does a medicine good" ^F25; makes that operate kindly, and to a good purpose: or, as Jarchi, makes the countenance shine well, makes a serene countenance; which Schultens approves, and, from the use of the word in the Arabic language, confirms; but a broken spirit drieth the bones;
a spirit broken with sorrow, whether on spiritual or temporal accounts; as it weakens the nerves, it dries up the marrow in the bones, and emaciates the body, and reduces it to a skeleton: the joy or grief of the mind, those passions of the soul, have a very great influence upon the body, either for its good or hurt.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 (hhg bjyy xmv bl) "cor hilare bonam facit sanationem", Michaelis.
F25 So R. Joseph Kimchi; "bonificat sive meliorem reddit medicinam", some in Valablus; "bene medicinam facit", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Proverbs 17:22 In-Context

20 He that is of wayward heart, shall not find good; and he that (mis-)turneth the tongue, shall fall into evil.

21 A fool is born in his shame; but neither the father shall be glad in a fool. (A fool is born to his parents? shame; and the father shall never be glad, or have joy, over his foolish son.)

22 A joyful soul maketh liking age (A joyful soul maketh a good life); a sorrowful spirit maketh dry bones.

23 A wicked man taketh gifts from the bosom, to mis-turn the paths of doom. (A wicked person accepeth secret gifts, or bribes, to pervert the course of justice.)

24 Wisdom shineth in the face of a prudent man; the eyes of fools be in the ends of earth. (Wisdom shineth in the face of the prudent; the eyes of fools be upon the ends of the earth.)