Comentarios bíblicos

That walketh in his integrity; who is upright in his words and actions.

That is perverse in his lips; that useth to speak wickedly, which proceeds from a wicked heart, and is usually attended with an evil life.

Is a fool; is a hypocrite, or a wicked man, for this is opposed to the upright man in the former clause; yea, though he be rich, which is implied from the same clause.

The soul; which is the principal cause and director of all men’s actions.

Without knowledge; without wisdom or prudence to discern his way, and what and how he ought to act in his several cases and concernments.

It is not good; it is very evil and pernicious.

That hasteth with his feet; that rashly and headily rusheth into actions without serious consideration. So two vices are here censured, the want of knowledge, and the neglect or disuse of knowledge in a man’s actions.

Perverteth his way; either.

1. Enticeth him to sin. Or rather,

2. Crosseth and blasteth his designs and enterprises, and brings losses and miseries upon him. His heart fretteth against the Lord; he ascribes his unhappiness not to his own sin and folly, which is the true cause of it, but to God and his providence, against which he unjustly murmurs.

Is disowned and forsaken by those who are most obliged to help him.

Shall not be unpunished; though he escape the observation and punishment of men, yet he shall not avoid the judgment of God.

That speaketh lies; that accustometh himself to lying, either in judgment or in common conversation.

Of the prince; or, as others, of the liberal or bountiful man; which comes to the same thing, for kings were anciently called benefactors, Luke 22:25.

A friend; not sincerely, as daily experience shows, but in show or profession, or in the outward expressions of it, whereby they may oblige him.

Brethren; his nearest and dearest relations, who are oft called brethren in Scripture, by a common synecdoche.

Hate him, i.e. despise and shun him, as men do any thing which they hate, and as the following words explain it.

His friends; his former companions, who in his prosperity professed friendship to him.

He pursueth them with words, earnestly imploring their pity; or, he urgeth (Heb. pursueth) their words, i.e. allegeth their former promises and professions of friendship. Or, without any supplement, he seeketh words, as the preacher sought to find out acceptable words, Ecclesiastes 12:10, wherewith he might prevail or move them to pity.

They are wanting to him, Heb. they are not; either,

1. His friends are not, to wit, what they pretended to be, friends to him. Or,

2. Their words are vain, and without effect; there is no reality in them.

Loveth his own soul, or loveth himself, because he procures great good to his soul, or to himself, as it follows; as sinners, on the contrary, are said to hate their souls, Proverbs 29:24, because they bring mischief upon them. That keepeth understanding; that observeth and carefully practiseth its precepts, as that phrase is commonly used.

Shall find good; shall have great benefit by it, both for his conduct in this life, and for his happiness in the next.