성경 주석서

The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, [is] from the LORD.

The preparations of the heart in man. — He saith not ‘of man’ as if it were in man’s power to dispose of his own heart, but "in man," as wholly wrought by God; for our sufficiency is not in ourselves, but "in him (as we live, so) we move" Acts 17:28 - understand it of the motions of the mind also. It is he that "fashioneth the hearts of men," Psalms 33:13 shaping them at his pleasure. He put small thoughts into the heart of Ahasuerus, but for great purposes. And so he did into the heart of our Henry VIII about his marriage with Katherine of Spain, the rise of that Reformation here, Quam desperasset aetas praeterita, admiratur praesens, obstupescet futura, Scult. Annal. dec. 2 ep. dedic. as Scultetus hath it, which former ages despaired of, the present admireth, and the future shall stand amazed at.

And the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. — For though a man have never so exactly marshalled his matter in hand, as it were in battle array, - as the Hebrew word òøê disponere, ordinare, et aciem instruere, significat. here imports, and as David, using the same word, saith, he will marshal his prayer, and then be as a spy upon a watch tower to see what became of it, whether he got the day, Psalms 5:3 - though he have set down with himself both what and how to speak, so that it is not only scriptum in animo, sed sculpture etiam, as the orator said, yet he shall never be able to bring forth his conceptions without the obstetrication of God’s assistance. The most eloquent Demosthenes being sent various times in embassy to Philip, king of Macedonia, thrice stood speechless before him, and thrice more forgot what he intended to have spoken. πρις αφονος εγενετο, τρισακις διελαθε τουτων α λαλειν εσκοπει . Likewise Latomas of Lovain, a great scholar, having prepared a set speech to be made before the emperor, Charles V, was so confounded when he came to deliver it that he uttered nothing but nonsense, and thereupon fell into a fit of despair. So Augustine, having once lost himself in a sermon, and wanting what else to say, fell upon the Manichees (a point that he had well studied), and by a good providence of God converted one there present, that was infected with that error. Digressions are not always useless. God’s Spirit sometimes draws aside the doctrine to satisfy some soul which the preacher knows not. But though God may force it, yet man may not frame it; and it is a most happy ability to speak punctually, directly, and readily to the point. The Corinthians had elocution as a special gift of God. And St Paul gives God "thanks for them, that in everything they were enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge." 1 Corinthians 1:5

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All the ways of a man [are] clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes. — Every man is apt to think well of his own doings, and would be sorry but his penny should be good silver. They that were born in hell know no other heaven; neither goes any man to hell but he hath some excuse for it. Quintilian could say, Sceleri nunquam defuisse rationem. As covetousness, so most other sins go cloaked and coloured. Sed sordet in conspectu iudiciis quod fulget in conspectu aestimantis. Augustine. All is not gold that gliters. A thing that I see in the night may shine, and that shining proceed from nothing but rottenness. Melius est pallens aurum, quam fulgens aurichalcum. Bernard. "That which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abomination in the sight of God." Luke 16:15

But the Lord weigheth the spirits. — Not speeches and actions only, as Proverbs 5:21 , but men’s aims and insides. Men see but the surface of things, and so are many times mistaken, but God’s fiery eyes pierce into the inward parts, and there discover a newly found world of wickedness. He turns up the bottom of the bag, as Joseph’s steward did, and then out come all our thefts and misdoings that had so long lain latent.

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Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Commit thy works unto the Lord. — Depend upon him alone for direction and success; this is the readiest way to a holy security and sound settlement. Hang not in doubtful suspense, as meteors do in the air. Neither make discourses in the air, so one renders it, as those use to do, whose hearts are haunted with carking cares. Let not your thoughts be distracted about these things; so the Syriac hath it. But "cast your burden upon the Lord," Psalms 55:22 by a writ of remove, as it were. Yea, "cast all your care upon God, for he careth for you." 1 Peter 5:7 I will be "careless" according to my name, said John Careless, martyr. "Commit the matter to God, and he will effect it." Psalms 37:5

And thy thoughts shall be established. — Never is the heart at rest till it repose upon God; till then it flickers up and down, as Noah’s dove did upon the face of the flood, and found no footing till she returned to the ark. This is certain, saith a reverend divine, Mr Case. yet living, so far as a soul can stay on and trust in God, so far it enjoys a sweet settlement and tranquillity of spirit. Perfect trust is blessed with a perfect peace. A famous instance for this we have in our Saviour, "Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour; but for this cause came I to this hour. Father, glorify thy name." John 12:27-28 All the while the eye of his humanity was fixed upon deliverance from the hour of temptation; there was no peace nor rest in his soul, because there he found not only uncertainty, but impossibility; "For this cause came I to this hour." But when he could come to this, "Father, glorify thy name" - when he could wait on, acquiesce in, and resign to the will of his Father - we never hear of any more objection, fear, or trouble. Thus he.

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The LORD hath made all [things] for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

The Lord hath made all things for himself. — That is, for his own glory, which he seeks in all his works. And well he may; for, first, He hath none higher than himself to whom to have respect; and, secondly, He is not in danger (as we should be in like case) of being puffed up or desirous of vain glory. Or thus, "He hath made all things for himself," that is, for the demonstration of his goodness, Plato finem huius mundi bonitatem Dei esse affirmavit. according to that of Augustine, De Doctr. Christiana. Quia bonus est Deus sumus; et in quantum sumus, boni sumus. We owe both our being and wellbeing, and the glory of all to God alone. Romans 11:36

The wicked also for the day of evil, — i.e., Of. destruction. Hereof Dei voluntas est ratio rationam; nec tantum recta sed regula. Bernard. Howbeit, whereas divines make two parts of the decree of reprobation - viz., preterition and predamnation - all agree for the latter, saith a learned interpreter, that God did never determine to damn any man for his own pleasure, but the cause of his perdition was his own sin. And there is a reason for it. For God may, to show his sovereignty, annihilate his creature; but to appoint a reasonable creature to an estate of endless pain, without respect of his desert, cannot agree to the unspotted justice of God. And for the other part, of passing over and forsaking a great part of men for the glory of his justice, the exactest divines do not attribute that to the mere will of God, but hold that God did first look upon those men as sinners, at least in the general corruption brought in by the fall; for all men have sinned by Adam, and are guilty of high treason against God.

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Every one [that is] proud in heart [is] an abomination to the LORD: [though] hand [join] in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

Every one that is proud in heart, … — That lifts up himself against God and his righteous decree; daring to reprehend what they do not comprehend about the doctrine of reprobation, as those chatters, Romans 9:20 . These, while, like proud and yet brittle clay, they will be knocking their sides against the solid and eternal decrees of God - called mountains of brass Zechariah 6:1 - break themselves in pieces. So likewise do such as "stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed." 1 Peter 2:8 How much better were it for them to take the prophet’s counsel, "Hear, and give ear, be not proud, for the Lord hath spoken it. Give glory to the Lord your God" - let him be justified and every mouth stopped, subscribe to his most perfect justice, though it were in your own utter destruction - "before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains." Jeremiah 13:15-16 That was a proud and atheistic speech of Louis XI, Si salvabor, salvabor; si veto damnabor damnabor: If I shall be saved, I shall be saved; and if I shall be damned, I shall be damned; and there is all the care that I shall take. Not unlike to this was that wretched resolution of one Ruffus, of whom it is reported that he painted God on the one side of his shield, and the devil on the other, with this mad motto, Si tu me nolis, iste rogitat: If thou wilt not have me, here is one who will!

Though hand join in hand. — See Trapp on " Proverbs 11:21 " Some make "hand in hand" to be no more than ‘out of hand,’ ‘immediately’ or ‘with ease’; for nothing is sooner or with more ease done than to fold one hand in another. God "shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim, and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoil of their hands." Isaiah 25:11 The motion in swimming is easy, not strong; for strong strokes in the water would rather sink than support. God with greatest facility can subdue his stoutest adversary when once it comes to handy gripes; when once his hand joins to the proud man’s hand - so some sense this text - so that they do manus conserere, then shall it appear that "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31

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By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD [men] depart from evil.

By mercy and truth iniquity is purged. — Lest the proud person, bearing these dreadful threats, sbould fall into despair, here is a way shewed him how to escape. "By mercy and truth"; that is, by the goodness and faithfulness of God; by his love tbat moved him to promise pardon to the penitent, and by his truth that binds him to perform; "iniquity" - though never so hateful, be it blasphemy or any like heinous sin Matthew 12:31 - "is purged," or expiated, viz., through Christ, "who is the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 2:2 Proverbs 14:22 See Trapp on " Proverbs 14:22 "

And by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. — As in the former clause were declared the causes of justification, so here the exercise of sanctification, for these two go ever together. Christ doth not only wash all his in "the fountain" of his blood "opened for sin and for uncleanness," Zechariah 13:1 but healeth their natures of that swinish disposition, whereby they would else wallow again in their former filth. The laver and altar under the law situated in the same priest’s court signified the same, as the water and blood issuing out of Christ’s side, viz., the necessary concurrence of justification and sanctification in all that shall be saved: that [the latter] was intimated by the laver and water; this [the former] by the altar and blood.

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When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

When a man’s ways please the Lord. — Sin is the only make-bait that sets God and man at difference. Now, when God is displeased, all his creatures are up in arms to fetch in his rebels, and to do execution. "Who then would set the briars and thorns against him in battle? Would he not go through them? Would he not burn them together? Let him then take hold of my strength, saith God, that he may make peace with me, and he shall make peace with me." Isaiah 27:4-5 And not with God only, but with the creature too, that gladly takes his part, and is at his beck and check. Laban followed Jacob with one troop, Esau met him with another, both with hostile intentions. But God so wrought for Jacob, whom he had chosen, that Laban leaves him with a kiss, Esau meets him with a kiss. Of the one he hath an oath, tears of the other - peace with both. Who shall need to fear men that is in league with God?

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Better [is] a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.

Better is a little with righteousness, … — A small stock well gotten is more comfortably enjoyed and bequeathed to posterity than a cursed hoard of evil gotten goods. The reason why people "please not God, and are contrary to all men" - as this verse refers to the former - is, because they prefer gain before God, and care not how they wrong men so they may have it. See Proverbs 15:16 .

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