Chú giải Kinh Thánh

Proverbs 16:1. The preparations of the heart in man, &c. — As we read this verse, it teacheth us a great truth, that we are not sufficient of ourselves to think, or speak, any thing of ourselves, that is wise and good, but all our sufficiency is of God, who is with the heart and with the mouth, and works in us both to will and to do, Php 2:13; Psalm 10:17. But most read it otherwise, namely, thus: The preparation of the heart is in man, he may contrive this and the other; but the answer of the tongue — Not only the delivering of what he designed to speak, but the issue and success of what he designed to do; is of the Lord — That is, in short, 1st, Man may purpose; he hath a freedom of thought and of will permitted him; he may form his projects, and lay his schemes as he thinks best; but, after all, 2d, God disposeth; he easily can, and often does, cross man’s purposes, and break his measures: nor can man proceed with success in any undertaking, nor carry into execution any design, without God’s assistance and blessing. It was a curse that was prepared in Balaam’s heart, but the answer of the tongue was a blessing.

Proverbs 16:2. All the ways of man are clean in his own eyes — Men can easily flatter and deceive themselves into a good opinion of themselves, and of their own actions, though they be sinful; but the Lord weigheth the spirits — He as exactly knows, as men do the things which they weigh and examine, the hearts of men, from which both their actions and the quality of them, in a great measure, proceed. Their ends and intentions, their dispositions and affections, which are hid, not only from others, but oftentimes in a great degree from themselves, are fully manifest to him. Thus he here intimates the reason why men deceive themselves, in judging of their state and actions; they do not search their own hearts.

Proverbs 16:3. Commit thy works unto the Lord — Hebrew, גל אל יהוה, literally, Roll unto the Lord, &c., namely, as a man rolls to another a burden, which is too heavy for himself, imploring his help. Refer all thy actions and concerns to God, and to his glory, as the end of them; and, in the discharge of thy duty, depend upon God’s providence and grace for assistance and success; and thy thoughts shall be established — Thy honest desires and designs shall be brought to a happy issue one way or other.

Proverbs 16:4. The Lord hath made all things — And especially all men; for himself — For his own service and glory; for the discovery and illustration of his own wisdom, power, goodness, truth, justice, and his other most glorious perfections. The Hebrew, כל פעל יהוה, is, literally, The Lord hath wrought, or doth work, all things; or, he ordereth, or disposeth of them; and so this may be understood of the works of providence, as well as of those of creation; yea, even the wicked — Wilful, impenitent sinners; for the day of evil — For the time of punishment, as this phrase is used Psalm 49:5; Jeremiah 17:18, and elsewhere: of which the Scriptures frequently speak, both to warn sinners of their danger, and to satisfy the minds of them who are disquieted with the consideration of the present impunity and prosperity of wicked men. Men make themselves wicked, and God therefore makes them miserable.

Proverbs 16:6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged — By the covenant of grace, in which mercy and truth shine so bright, even the mercy and truth of God, which meet together, and kiss each other, in Jesus Christ the Mediator; by mercy in promising, and truth in performing, is the guilt of sin taken away from us, when we are truly penitent, and cast our sinful souls by faith on that mercy and truth. Hereby also a principle of mercy and truth is implanted in us, by which the power of sin is broken, and our corrupt inclinations are mortified and destroyed. In this way, and not by any legal sacrifices, or ceremonial observances, such as those on which the hypocritical Jews depended for the expiation of their sins, is iniquity purged, and the sinner both pardoned and renewed, Micah 6:7-8; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13. And by the fear of the Lord — By a filial reverence toward God, and by a holy fear of offending him; men depart from evil — They are kept from abusing pardoning mercy, and from returning to folly or wickedness. So he shows that forgiveness and holiness, or justification, and at least a measure of sanctification, are constant and inseparable companions.

Proverbs 16:7. When a man’s ways please the Lord — The best way to have our enemies reconciled unto us, is for us first to be reconciled unto God; for such is the love which the Lord hath to pious and virtuous persons, that when all their designs and actions are such as he approves, he often inclines even those that were their foes to become their friends, disposing their hearts to kindness toward them.

Proverbs 16:8. Better is a little, &c. — A small estate, honestly gotten and usefully employed, is much to be preferred before vast incomes, gathered by oppression, and kept without the exercise of mercy and charity. This was, in effect, said before, Proverbs 15:16, (where see the note,) and is here repeated, partly because of the great importance and usefulness of this truth, and partly because men are very hardly brought to a serious belief of it.

Proverbs 16:9. A man’s heart deviseth his way — Considers and proposes to himself what he will do; designs an end, and contrives by what means he may attain it; but the Lord directeth his steps — Ruleth and disposeth all his intentions and actions as he pleases, determining what the event shall be, and ordering his motions, perhaps, to such an issue as never came into his thoughts.