Proverbs 3:1-35
Trust in the LORD and Find
Wisdom, Righteousness, Goodness, a Humble Heart
1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.
13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.
19 By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.
21 My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side
and will keep your foot from being snared.
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
when they have done you no harm.
31 Do not envy the violent
or choose any of their ways.
32 For the Lord detests the perverse
but takes the upright into his confidence.
33 The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.
34 He mocks proud mockers
but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
35 The wise inherit honor,
but fools get only shame.
Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, which I read as mostly a negative book, about life on earth being meaningless...Yet in the end of Ecclesiastes, the author writes that without God life is meaningless and we need God to make sense of this world...Solomon pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs...The author and teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was that is upright and true...The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd...Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them...Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body...Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind...For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil...So without God life is meaningless and just comes to an end at the time of one's death...
And so Solomon would write and set in order many proverbs...My son, as he writes in Ecclesiastes seems to be his readers and for those students who study his writings and Proverbs...Solomon tells us that wisdom helps us in our lives, yet wisdom does not eliminate our trials and tribulations in life...But being wise greatly helps one's living a successful life on earth, and the author would know this, because he is one of the wisest of all men to live in mankind's history...The author give us much common sense in this Proverb as he does in all Proverbs and his other writings...The author gives us a pattern of instructions and their benefits in following them...He tells us trust God with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding of things, in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight...Let us be humble and not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil...This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones...Honor the LORD with your wealth. because He has given us the wealth we have and our daily bread and our necessities...When we trust the LORD with our wealth our barns will be filled to overflowing, and our cupboards will brim over with new wine...
My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent His rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those He LOVES, just as a father the son he delights in helping his son do right and good...So, God's discipling us is a sign of His LOVE for us, and not a time or one of despair, when we are being disciplined by Him...
Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold...She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her...Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor...Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace...She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed...By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding He set the heavens in place; by His knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew...My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck...Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble...
Be righteous, be kind, be good, and stay humble...When you lie down each night, you will not be afraid; your sleep will be sweet...You will have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared...Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act...Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—when you already have it with you...Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you...Do not accuse anyone for no reason—when they have done you no harm...Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways...For the LORD detests the perverse but takes the upright into His confidence...The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous...He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed...The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame...