Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Proverbs
Book: Proverbs
Chapter: 3
Overview:
Exhortations to obedience and
Faith.
(1-6) To
Piety, and to
improve
Afflictions.
(7-12) To gain
Wisdom.
(13-20) Guidance of
Wisdom.
(21-26) The wicked and the upright.
(27-35)
1-6 In the way of believing obedience to
God's
Commandments
health and peace may commonly be enjoyed; and though our days
may not be long upon
Earth, we shall live for ever in
Heaven.
Let not
Mercy and
Truth forsake thee;
God's
Mercy in promising,
and his
Truth in performing: live up to them, keep up thine
interest in them, and take the comfort of them. We must trust in
the
Lord with all our hearts, believing he is able and
Wise to
do what is best. Those who know themselves, find their own
understandings a broken
Reed, which, if they lean upon, will
fail. Do not design any thing but what is lawful, and
Beg God to
direct thee in every case, though it may seem quite
Plain. In
all our ways that prove pleasant, in which we gain our point, we
must acknowledge
God with thankfulness. In all our ways that
prove uncomfortable, and that are hedged up with thorns, we must
acknowledge him with submission. It is promised, He shall direct
thy paths;
So that thy way shall be safe and good, and happy at
last.
7-12 There is not a greater enemy to the fear of the
Lord in
the
Heart, than self-conceit of our own
Wisdom. The prudence and
sobriety which religion teaches, tend not only to the health of
the soul, but to the health of the body. Worldly wealth is but
Poor substance, yet, such as it is, we must honour
God with it;
and those that do good with what they have, shall have more to
do more good with. Should the
Lord visit us with trials and
sickness, let us not forget that the exhortation speaks to us as
to children, for our good. We must not faint under an
affliction, be it ever
So heavy and long, not be driven to
despair, or use wrong means for relief. The
Father corrects the
son whom he loves, because he loves him, and desires that he may
be
Wise and good.
Afflictions are
So far from doing
God's
children any hurt, that,
By the
Grace of
God, they promote their
Holiness.
13-20 No precious jewels or earthly treasures are worthy to be
compared with true
Wisdom, whether the concerns of time or
eternity be considered. We must make
Wisdom our business; we
must venture all in it, and be willing to part with all for it.
This
Wisdom is the
Lord Jesus Christ and his
Salvation, sought
and obtained
By Faith and
Prayer. Were it not for unbelief,
remaining sinfulness, and carelessness, we should find all our
ways pleasantness, and our paths peace, for his are
So; but we
too often step aside from them, to our own hurt and grief.
Christ is that
Wisdom,
By whom the worlds were made, and still
are in being; happy are those to whom he is made of
God Wisdom.
He has wherewithal to make good all his promises.
21-26 Let us not suffer
Christ's words to depart from us, but
keep sound
Wisdom and discretion; then shall we walk safely in
his ways. The natural
Life, and all that belongs to it, shall be
under the protection of
God's
Providence; the spiritual
Life,
and all its interests, under the protection of his
Grace,
So
that we shall be kept from falling into
Sin or trouble.
27-35 Our business is to observe the precepts of
Christ, and to
copy his
Example; to do
Justice, to
Love Mercy, and to beware of
Covetousness; to be ready for every good work, avoiding needless
strife, and bearing evils, if possible, rather than seeking
redress
By Law. It will be found there is little got
By
striving. Let us not envy prosperous oppressors; far be it from
the disciples of
Christ to choose any of their ways. These
truths may be despised
By the covetous and luxurious, but
Everlasting contempt will be the portion of such scorners, while
Divine favour is shown to the humble believer.