September 14th
Proverbs, 21
1: The king's heart is in the hand of
the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. 2: Every way of a man is right in his
own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. 3: To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD
than sacrifice. 4: An high
look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. 5: The thoughts of the diligent tend
only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want. 6: The getting of treasures by a
lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. 7: The robbery of the wicked shall
destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment. 8: The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure,
his work is right. 9: It is
better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a
wide house. 10: The soul of the
wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes. 11: When the scorner is punished, the
simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge. 12: The righteous man wisely
considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their
wickedness. 13: Whoso stoppeth
his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be
heard. 14: A gift in secret
pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath. 15: It is joy to the just to do
judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. 16: The man that wandereth out of the
way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. 17: He that loveth pleasure shall be
a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. 18: The wicked shall be a ransom for
the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright. 19: It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a
contentious and an angry woman. 20:
There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a
foolish man spendeth it up. 21:
He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness,
and honour. 22: A wise man
scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence
thereof. 23: Whoso keepeth his
mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. 24: Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud
wrath. 25: The desire of the
slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. 26: He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous
giveth and spareth not. 27: The
sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with
a wicked mind? 28: A false
witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly. 29: A wicked man hardeneth his face:
but as for the upright, he directeth his way. 30: There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the
LORD. 31: The horse is prepared
against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.
Proverbs, 22
1: A good name is rather to be chosen
than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. 2: The rich and poor meet together:
the LORD is the maker of them all. 3:
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on,
and are punished. 4: By
humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life. 5: Thorns and snares are in the way
of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. 6: Train up a child in the way he
should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 7: The rich ruleth over the poor, and
the borrower is servant to the lender. 8:
He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
9: He that hath a bountiful eye
shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. 10: Cast out the scorner, and
contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. 11: He that loveth pureness of heart,
for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend. 12: The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth
the words of the transgressor. 13:
The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the
streets. 14: The mouth of strange
women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein. 15: Foolishness is bound in the heart
of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. 16: He that oppresseth the poor to
increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
17: Bow down thine ear, and
hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. 18: For it is a pleasant thing if
thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. 19: That thy trust may be in the
LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. 20: Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and
knowledge, 21: That I might
make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer
the words of truth to them that send unto thee? 22: Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the
afflicted in the gate: 23: For
the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
24: Make no friendship with an
angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. 26: Be not thou one of them that
strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. 27: If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed
from under thee? 28: Remove not
the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. 29: Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand
before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Today we are reading Proverbs 21 & 22. Proverbs 21
begins with a little verse all by itself which says that the kings mind is in
the hand of the LORD (Jehovah) in the same way that the little irrigation
channels of the garden are in the hands of the gardener. And the water is
turned from one channel to another just by the lightest turning of the
gardeners foot. In this way the Lord controls the kings conscious mind. The
LORD controls where the irrigation and therefore where the growth will take
place. Then we have a section of proverbs dealing with personal character and it
continues on into ch 22v16.
Every
way of a man is right in his own eyes:
but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
To
do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD
than sacrifice.
An
high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked,
is sin.
The
thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness;
but of every one that is hasty only to want.
The
getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that
seek death.
The
robbery of the wicked shall destroy them;
because they refuse to do judgment.
The
way of man is froward and strange:
but as for the pure, his work is right.
It
is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop,
than with a brawling woman in a wide house.
The
soul of the wicked desireth evil:
his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.
When
the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise:
and when the wise is instructed, he
receiveth knowledge.
The
righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked:
but God overthroweth the wicked for their
wickedness.
Whoso
stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor,
he also shall cry himself, but shall not be
heard.
A
gift in secret pacifieth anger:
and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.
It
is joy to the just to do judgment:
but destruction shall be to the workers of
iniquity.
The
man that wandereth out of the way of understanding
shall remain in the congregation of the
dead.
He
that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man:
he that loveth wine and oil shall not be
rich.
The
wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
and the transgressor for the upright.
It
is better to dwell in the wilderness,
than with a contentious and an angry woman.
There
is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise;
but a foolish man spendeth it up.
He
that followeth after righteousness
and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and
honour.
A
wise man scaleth the city of the mighty,
and casteth down the strength of the
confidence thereof.
Whoso
keepeth his mouth
and his tongue keepeth his soul from
troubles.
Proud
and haughty scorner is his name,
who dealeth in proud wrath.
The
desire of the slothful killeth him;
for his hands refuse to labour.
He
coveteth greedily all the day long:
but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
The
sacrifice of the wicked is abomination:
how much more, when he bringeth it with a
wicked mind?
A
false witness shall perish:
but the man that heareth speaketh
constantly.
A
wicked man hardeneth his face:
but as for the upright, he directeth his
way.
There
is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel
against the LORD.
The
horse is prepared against the day of battle:
but safety is of the LORD.
A
good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,
and loving favour rather than silver and
gold.
The
rich and poor meet together:
the LORD is the maker of them all.
A
prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself:
but the simple pass on, and are punished.
By
humility and the fear of the LORD
are riches, and honour, and life.
Thorns
and snares are in the way of the froward:
he that doth keep his soul shall be far from
them.
Train
up a child in the way he should go:
and when he is old, he will not depart from
it.
The
rich ruleth over the poor,
and the borrower is servant to the lender.
He
that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity:
and the rod of his anger shall fail.
He
that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed;
for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Cast
out the scorner,
and contention shall go out; yea, strife and
reproach shall cease.
He
that loveth pureness of heart,
for the grace of his lips the king shall be
his friend.
The
eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge,
and he overthroweth the words of the
transgressor.
The
slothful man saith,
There is a lion without, I shall be slain in
the streets.
The
mouth of strange women is a deep pit:
he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall
therein.
Foolishness
is bound in the heart of a child;
but the rod of correction shall drive it far
from him.
He
that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches,
and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely
come to want.
From verse 17 the wise call out to bring the listeners to
wisdom. These wise men are the advisors and religious leaders of Israel.
They say…
Bow
down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise,
and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
For
it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee;
they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
That
thy trust may be in the LORD,
I have made known to thee this day, even to
thee.
Have
not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
That I might make thee know the certainty of
the words of truth;
that thou mightest answer the words of truth
to them that send unto thee?
In this last section the wise men give practical instruction
FOR Solomon. They say…
Rob
not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
For the LORD will plead their cause, and
spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
Make
no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to
thy soul.
Be
not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he
take away thy bed from under thee?
Remove
not the ancient landmark,
which thy fathers have set.
Seest
thou a man diligent in his business?
he shall stand before kings; he shall not
stand before mean men.
The first instruction was to kindness to those who are
unfortunate, because their cause will be upheld by the LORD and he will spoil
those that oppress them. The Lord is a righteous judge among men and he has special
mercy to those who are unable to defend themselves. The next thing is do not be
a friend to an angry man nor must he learn his ways, because it will be a man
trap to his life. And thirdly they say do not agree or be party to those who
take the last things from the destitute. Then he says do not remove the ancient
landmark. Which your fathers set. These landmarks are part of Israel’s
history and they marked the boundaries between one field and another, between
one inheritance and another. The field that a man has from the Lord is all he
has and it’s an eternal inheritance. Anyone who even touches the landmark, let
alone moves it is to be executed. Lastly, they say only bring men into your
court, who are industrious, hard working in business. These men are to be
respected and honoured with the king’s presence
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