Provérbios 4
Matthew Henry · Citado em PreceptAustin
Provérbios 4
Henry - The way of sin is as darkness, v. 19. The works he had cautioned us not to have fellowship with are works of darkness. What true pleasure and satisfaction can those have who know no pleasure and satisfaction but what they have in doing mischief? What sure guide have those that cast God's word behind them? The way of the wicked is dark, and therefore dangerous; for they stumble and yet know not at what they stumble. They fall into sin, but are not aware which way the temptation came by which they were overthrown, and therefore know not how to avoid it the next time. They fall into trouble, but never enquire wherefore God contends with them; they consider not that they do evil, nor what will be in the end of it, Psa. 82:5; Job 18:5, 6. This is the way we are directed to shun. Bridges - The contrast is again repeated. (See the same contrast drawn by our Lord, Matt. 6:22, 23.—Schultens considers the original to express increasing darkness—thus answering to the increasing light of the opposite path. Comp. Job 15:23.) Each has his own way. The path of the just is glowing light and joy. The way of the wicked is darkness—without direction, comfort, safety, or peace—till “his feet at last stumble on the dark mountains”—till he falls into “the blackness of darkness forever.” (Jer. 13:16, Jude 13. Comp. Job 18:5, 6, 18) His way is not only dark—but as darkness—a compound of ignorance, error, sin, and misery. The love of sin “rebels against the light.” (Job 24:13, John 3:19. Comp. Isa. 5:20.) The darkness is wilful, and therefore accountable. There is no stumbling in the path of the just. So far as he is upright, the Lord keeps him. (Pr 4:12; 3:23, Psalm 91:11, 12) The wicked go on “groping as if they had no eyes;” (Isa. 59:10) hurrying on blindly into misery, that they can neither foresee nor avoid. (Job 5:14; 12:25, Jer. 23:12, Zeph. 1:17.)They know not at what they stumble. Oh! if they did, would they not startle, and shrink back? For they stumble on the very foundation of the gospel; making the rock of salvation the rock of offence. (Rom. 9:32, 33, 1 Pet. 2:8) Would they but listen to the merciful warning of their Lord!—“Yet a little time the light is with you, walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.” (John 12:35, 36)
Provérbios 4
Henry - We must have a continual regard to the word of God and endeavour that it may be always ready to us. The sayings of wisdom must be our principles by which we must govern ourselves, our monitors to warn us of duty and danger; and therefore, We must receive them readily: “Incline thy ear to them; humbly bow to them; diligently listen to them.” The attentive hearing of the word of God is a good sign of a work of grace begun in the heart and a good means of carrying it on. It is to be hoped that those are res olved to do their duty who are inclined to know it. Tozer - With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack? Surely we are the most favored of all creatures.” My son, give attention to my words - In light of the danger of darkness Solomon gives two commands. Prick up your ears, sharpening them like a stag points his ears alertly listening for predators who would eat the herd's flesh alive. What a picture of the importance of the LIVING and ACTIVE WORD! Listen, give heed, pay attention. The root denotes the activity of hearing, emphasizing either paying close attention or obeying (heeding). Saul wrongfully exalted the importance of sacrifice over obedience.(1 Sa 15:22;"heed than the fat of rams"). Through his prophets (Jer 6:17, 19), God repeatedly summoned his people to heed the warnings of impending judgment (Isa 28:23), but they did not (Isa 48:18; Je 6:19; Je 18:18). Give Attention (07181)(qashab) means to incline (ears) to listen carefully, to pay (close) attention, to give heed, to obey. The root denotes the activity of hearing, emphasizing either paying close attention or obeying (heeding). The Septuagint translates qashab in Pr 4:1 and here in Pr 4:20 with prosecho in present imperative which is a command calling for for giving continual attention. The corollary thought is that when we cease to give attention to the words (aka the Word of Truth and Life), we are vulnerable to falling prey to temptations! Incline your ear to my sayings - This command reminds me of the picture of the RCA dog with an inclined ear to sound! A good example to emulate! The picture is “lean over and listen closely.” An inclined ear is one which is "stretched out" toward or extending toward something (Moses "stretched out" His hand in Ex 7:19+), here of course figurative, to buttress the command to give attention. You can hardly give attention is you don't "stretch" you ear to God's words. The Septuagint translates natah with an rare verb paraballo (in aorist imperative = do this now! do not delay! it is urgent!) which is a nautical term of a ship approaching land and then figuratively of setting something side by side (in this case ears and sayings!) .Here natah refers to turning the ear toward truth and the use in Pr 4:27+ refers to not turning from truth (and turn aside from evil). The first use in Proverbs 4 was in Pr 4:5+ "Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth." Incline (stretched, outstretched, turned aside) (05186)(natah) means to stretch out, to extend; to pay attention. Most usages are figurative. One's heart may "turn away" (Solomon in 1 Ki 11:2-4, 9, 2 Sa 19:14). On the other hand one's heart may be inclined to God and his commands (Josh 24:23; 1 Ki 8:58; Ps 119:36). Also common is the expression "to incline the ear" (listen with intent to obey God) (Jer 7:24, 26; Jer 11:8; Jer 17:23 et al.). God inclining His ear toward men (2 Ki 19:16; Isa 37:17; Da 9:18). Men inclining their ear to the words of a sage (Pr 4:20; Pr 5:1, 13; Pr 22:17). Uses of natah in Proverbs - Prov. 1:24; Prov. 2:2; Prov. 4:5; Prov. 4:20; Prov. 4:27; Prov. 5:1; Prov. 5:13; Prov. 7:21; Prov. 17:23; Prov. 18:5; Prov. 21:1; Prov. 22:17 Believer's Study Bible - Note the emphasis here on the body's involvement in temptation and the resistance of it. The "mouth" is one outlet for sin, since words follow thoughts (Pr 4:24). The "eyes" are a dangerous inlet to sin (Pr 4:25); this is demonstrated by Eve (Gen. 3:6), Achan (Josh. 7:21, note), and Lot's wife (Gen. 19:26). The "feet" are often the vehicle of sin unless directed by the Lord (cf.Pr 4:26, 27). NET Note is similar to above - Commentators note the use of the body in this section: ear (Pr 4:20), eyes (Pr 4:21), flesh (Pr 4:22), heart (Pr 4:23), lips (Pr 4:24), eyes (Pr 4:25), feet (Pr 4:26), and hands and feet (Pr 4:27). Each is a synecdoche of part representing the whole; the total accumulation signifies the complete person in the process.
Provérbios 4
Henry - We must retain them carefully (v. 21); we must lay them before us as our rule: “Let them not depart from thy eyes; view them, review them, and in every thing aim to conform to them.” We must lodge them within us, as a commanding principle, the influences of which are diffused throughout the whole man: “Keep them in the midst of thy heart, as things dear to thee, and which thou art afraid of losing.” Let the word of God be written in the heart, and that which is written there will remain. Do not let them depart from your sight (literally "your eyes") - ESV = "Let them not escape from your sight." Depart (luz) can have the sense of slipping from one's sight as in Wisdom's charge in Pr 3:21+ "let them not vanish (same Hebrew word luz) from your sight.". The Lxx translates luz here with ekleipo which means to depart from a place, to no longer be in existence. The implication is clear that you can let the words and sayings (Pr 4:20) depart from your sight. Sleepy eyes (re the Word) can soon lead to sinful steps! When you open your eyes in the morning, open your Bible, and look with the eyes of an open, hungry heart. So here we need to "keep them in our sight" and in the next phrase "keep them in our heart." A neglected Bible is the melancholy proof of an heart “alienated from God.” Bridges - A neglected Bible is the melancholy proof of an heart “alienated from God.” For how can we have a spark of love to him, if that Book, which is the full manifestation of his glory, be despised? And yet a superficial acquaintance with it is of no avail. If our ears were bored to the door of the sanctuary; if the words never departed from our eyes; yet, except they were kept in the heart, our religion would be a notion, not a principle; speculative, not practical: conviction, not love. Nor even here must they possess the mere threshold. Let that be for the world; let the word be kept in the midst of the heart. Here only can it be operative; (Pr 23:26, Psalm 40:8, 119:11) “for out of the heart are the issues of life.”(Pr 4:23) Here it becomes lively and substantial truth. Here then let a home be made for it ( Col. 3:16)—a consecrated sanctuary in the most honored chambers—in the midst of the heart. This inhabitation of the word is a covenant promise, the test of our interest in the Lord and in his people. (Jer. 31:33.) Keep them in the midst of your heart (lebab, Lxx-kardia) - Keep means to guard (shamar used also in Pr 4:4, Pr 4:6) and in the Septuagint is phulasso in the present imperative a command calling for continual keeping with the sense of guarding them. Don't let them out. Don't let godless ideas in. What better way to keep the Word of God in the midst of your heart. in your inner man, then by memorizing it! When was the last time you memorized a verse? How do you expect to be able to keep it in the midst of your heart if you do not memorize? The heart is our control center of thoughts, words, actions. Let the control center marinate (meditate) on the Word. (See Memorizing His Word) THOUGHT (MEN) - If you keep the Word of Life on the screen of your mind, you will be much more likely to be protected from the Women of Licentiousness on the screen of your desk. In other words if your affection is centered on your Holy God and His Holy Word, the Holy Spirit will protect you from focusing on the lurid images of this world (cf Ro 8:13+). For more on this important Biblical principle see The Expulsive Power of a New Affection. The psalmist extols the value of keeping God's words and saying in the midst of the inner man... "The law of his God is in his heart. His steps do not slip." (Psalm 37:31)
Provérbios 4
Henry - As the spiritual life was begun by the word as the instrument of it, so by the same word it is still nourished and maintained. We could not live without it; we may by faith live upon it. For they are life to those who find them - Moses could not have been more on point stating "it is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life." THOUGHT - Beloved, do you believe God's Word is your life? Do you believe Jesus Who said "“It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’” " (Mt 4:4+, Lk 4:4+). If you say you believe Moses and Jesus, then does your practice prove your profession. Saying you believe it and not spending quality time in the Word is disingenuous, even hypocritical! But worst of all, it is to the detriment of your spiritual life! Jesus referred to His word and its importance in regard to life “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.(John 5:24, cf Jn 6:68) And again in John 6 Jesus declared “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. (John 6:63) Ultimately Jesus is the Word of Life (1 John 1:1+). Paul told the believers at Philippi they were to be lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation "holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.." (Php 2:16+). Matthew Henry -They are health to all their flesh, to the whole man, both body and soul; they help to keep both in good plight. They are health to all flesh, so the Septuagint. There is enough to cure all the diseases of this distempered world. They are a medicine to all their flesh (so the word is), to all their corruptions, for they are called flesh, to all their grievances, which are as thorns in the flesh. There is in the word of God a proper remedy for all our spiritual maladies. And health to all their body - Spiritual health, physical health, mental health. Holistic health! Bridges - This keeping of the word will be life to those that find it (see Pr 4:4, 10, 13; 3:18). Vigorous and healthy will be the soul (Pr 3:8), that feeds upon this heavenly manna. (Some medicines are good for one part of the body, some for another. This is good for the body and the soul. We will enjoy vigorous health as we feed on this heavenly manna.) We shall not then bear our religion as our cross, as a cumbrous appendage. We shall not drag on in Christian duties as our chain. Godliness will be to us an element of joy. The functions will be free and lively. The spirit will feel a vital glow. The mind will be enriched with Divine wisdom. The heart will be established with gospel grace. Proverbs 4:23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. BGT Proverbs 4:23 πάσῃ φυλακῇ τήρει σὴν καρδίαν ἐκ γὰρ τούτων ἔξοδοι ζωῆς NET Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life. NLT Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. ESV Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. NIV Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. KJV Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. LXE Proverbs 4:23 Keep thine heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life. ASV Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. CSB Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. NKJ Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. NRS Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. YLT Proverbs 4:23 Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it are the outgoings of life. Watch: Pr 22:5 23:19 28:26 De 4:9 Ps 139:23,24 Jer 17:9 Mk 14:38 Heb 12:15 with all diligence: Heb. above all keeping, Pr 4:7 3:21 11:16 13:3 Ec 5:13 for: Mt 12:35 15:19 Mk 7:21-23 Jas 1:14,15 THE MOST IMPORTANT WATCH IN YOUR LIFE Every morning (empowered by the Spirit, indwelt with the Word) post a sentry on duty at the door your heart. Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life - See Proverbs 4:23 Commentary for an in depth study of this critically important passage.
Provérbios 4
Henry - We must keep a watchful eye and a strict hand upon all the motions of our inward man, v. 23. Here is, 1. A great duty required by the laws of wisdom, and in order to our getting and preserving wisdom: Keep thy heart with all diligence. God, who gave us these souls, gave us a strict charge with them: Man, woman, keep thy heart; take heed to thy spirit, Deu. 4:9. We must maintain a holy jealousy of ourselves, and set a strict guard, accordingly, upon all the avenues of the soul; keep our hearts from doing hurt and getting hurt, from being defiled by sin and disturbed by trouble; keep them as our jewel, as our vineyard; keep a conscience void of offence; keep out bad thoughts; keep up good thoughts; keep the affections upon right objects and in due bounds. Keep them with all keepings (so the word is); there are many ways of keeping things—by care, by strength, by calling in help, and we must use them all in keeping our hearts; and all little enough, so deceitful are they, Jer. 17:9. Or above all keepings; we must keep our hearts with more care and diligence than we keep any thing else. We must keep our eyes (Job 31:1), keep our tongues (Ps. 34:13), keep our feet (Eccl. 5:1), but, above all, keep our hearts. 2. A good reason given for this care, because out of it are the issues of life. Out of a heart well kept will flow living issues, good products, to the glory of God and the edification of others. Or, in general, all the actions of the life flow from the heart, and therefore keeping that is making the tree good and healing the springs. Our lives will be regular or irregular, comfortable or uncomfortable, according as our hearts are kept or neglected.
Provérbios 4
Henry - We must set a watch before the door of our lips, that we offend not with our tongue. Our hearts being naturally corrupt, out of them a great deal of corrupt communication is apt to come, and therefore we must conceive a great dread and detestation of all manner of evil words, cursing, swearing, lying, slandering, brawling, filthiness, and foolish talking, all which come from a crooked mouth. EBC - Righteousness will control the tongue by averting it from twisted and crooked speech. This step is the next logical one to take; it is not enough to guard the heart without watching what the heart produces, for words flow out of the heart. Wisdom produces truthful speech (Pr 8:13; 10:32; et al.). Put away from you a deceitful mouth - NET = "Remove perverse speech from your mouth" BDB says the Hebrew iqqeshuth (from verb aqash = to twist - DOES THIS GIVE YOU A GOOD PICTURE OF THEIR WORDS?) for deceitful means "crookedness" and so the idea is "crookedness of the mouth." The Septuagint translates this rare Hebrew word (also Pr 6:12) The Hebrew word for put away (sur) is translated in the Lxx with periaireo which literally means to take way or remove and figuratively to stop or do away with and is in the aorist imperative calling for immediate cessation! Deceitful (iqqeshuth) means perverted, fraudulent speech and is used to describe a mouth that speaks without integrity, that does not speak truth but rather deception and is a mark of an evil, worthless person (only 2 uses in Bible = Pr. 4:24; Pr 6:12). The Lxx translates it with skolios which literally refers to that which is bent, crooked, curved or winding and figuratively refers to turning off from the truth to that which is morally crooked, bent or twisted and thus unscrupulous (unprincipled), dishonest, unfair, perverse. Skolios was used metaphorically of anything that deviates from a standard or norm, and in Scripture, it is often used of things that are morally or spiritually corrupt. In secular Greek skolios was used literally of rivers and roads meaning “winding” or “twisted.” Skolios also referred to the movement of snakes. Secular Greek transferred the literal meaning to denote what is "crooked" or dishonest. Kittel adds that "Deceit (of skolios) spoils things, bondage leads to crooked action, and an ambiguous oracle is skoliós. NET NOTE on deceitful - Heb “crookedness.” The noun עִקְּשׁוּת (’iqqéshut) refers to what is morally twisted or perverted. Here it refers to things that are said (cf. NAB “dishonest talk”; NRSV “crooked speech”). The term “mouth” functions as a metonymy of cause for perverse speech. Such perverse talking could be subtle or blatant.
Provérbios 4
Henry - "All manner of tongue sins, we must, by constant watchfulness and stedfast resolution, put from us, put far from us, abstaining from all words that have an appearance of evil and fearing to learn any such words."
Provérbios 4
Henry - Let the eye be fixed and not wandering; let it not rove after every thing that presents itself, for then it will be diverted form good and ensnared in evil. Turn it from beholding vanity; let thy eye be single and not divided; let thy intentions be sincere and uniform, and look not asquint at any by-end.” We must keep our eye upon our Master, and be careful to approve ourselves to him; keep our eye upon our rule, and conform to that; keep our eye upon our mark, the prize of the high calling, and direct all towards that. Oculum in metam—The eye upon the goal. Bridges - After the heart and the mouth we come to the eyes: Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. The eyes are “the lamp of the body” (Matthew 6:22). Yet, all too often they are a most dangerous inlet to sin (Genesis 3:6; 6:2; 39:7; Matthew 5:28; 2 Peter 2:14). Therefore, like Job, we need to make a covenant with our eyes (Job 31:1+). Place them under heavenly restraint (Psalm 119:37). Let your eyes look straight ahead, “like one plowing, who must not look back” (Cartwright). Fix your gaze directly before you. If Eve had done so, she would have looked on God’s command and not on the forbidden tree (Genesis 3:2–6+). Had Lot’s wife looked straight ahead instead of behind her, she would, like her husband, have been a monument of mercy (Genesis 19:17, 26). Achan was ruined by neglecting this rule of wisdom (Joshua 7:21). David’s example calls us to godly jealousy (2 Samuel 11:2–4). The pleasures of sin and the seductions of a tempting world do not lie on God’s road. So they would not meet the eyes if his people were looking straight ahead. It is only when Christians linger, turn off the path, or turn back that they come into sight. Follow the motto of runners—“one thing I do” (Philippians 3:13). Get your goal in focus and concentrate on it. Go onwards, upwards, heavenwards. Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you - In effect put "blinders" on like the horse do (see pictures) so that you are not distracted! One excellent way to let your eyes look directly ahead is for us to fix "our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb 12:2+) It is worth noting that the verb for fixin in Hebrews 12:2 is aphorao means to look away from all else and to look steadfastly, intently toward a distant object, in this case the best object, JESUS! The idea is to direct one’s attention without distraction. The idea is putting some things away (behind) to go with a forward-gaze. Henry - "Those that would approve themselves wise must always be watchful." Kitchen - The wise man knows where he is headed and maintains his focus on the goal. The fool gets distracted by allurements that call to him from off the path (Prov. 17:20).The eyes, once indulged, are never satisfied (Prov. 27:20). One peek, one lingering glance, will never assuage the appetite for more. It is not the first look that creates sin, but the second, lingering look of lust (Matt. 5:28). It is the lust for more that moves us to waste our energies upon that which will never last (Prov. 23:5). NET Note on gaze is interesting - Heb “your eyelids.” The term “eyelids” is often a poetic synonym for “eye” (it is a metonymy of adjunct, something connected with the eye put for the eye that sees); it may intensify the idea as one might squint to gain a clearer look.
Provérbios 4
Henry has a good word picture based on the meaning of "watch" (to weigh) - Ponder the path of thy feet, weigh it (so the word is); “put the word of God in one scale, and what thou hast done, or art about to do, in the other, and see how they agree; be nice and critical in examining whether thy way be good before the Lord and whether it will end well.” We must consider our past ways and examine what we have done, and our present ways, what we are doing, whither we are going, and see that we walk circumspectly. It concerns us to consider what are the duties and what the difficulties, what are the advantages and what the dangers, of our way, that we may act accordingly. “Do nothing rashly.” And all your ways will be established - NIV has a different rendering "and take only ways that are firm." NLT has "stay on the safe path." These renderings agree more with the Septuagint which reads "order thy ways aright," where "order" is kateuthuno (present imperative = command to make this your lifestyle) which means to cause to go straight, direct. to guide in the right way. or journey to a place. The idea is that of conducting one straight to a place, and not by a round-about course. Kateuthuno gives a picture of opening up the way by removal of obstacles so that the desired goal may be reached. The NAS and NET see this as the purpose of straight paths, so NET has "so that all your ways may be established." ESV agrees and has "all your ways will be sure." Proverbs 4:27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil. NET Proverbs 4:27 Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn yourself away from evil. NLT Proverbs 4:27 Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. ESV Proverbs 4:27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. NIV Proverbs 4:27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. KJV Proverbs 4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. LXE Proverbs 4:27 Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away thy foot from an evil way: [for God knows the ways on the right hand, but those on the left are crooked:] and he will make thy ways straight, and will guide thy steps in peace. ASV Proverbs 4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil. CSB Proverbs 4:27 Don't turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil. NKJ Proverbs 4:27 Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil. NRS Proverbs 4:27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. YLT Proverbs 4:27 Incline not to the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil! Turn: De 5:32 12:32 28:14 Jos 1:7 Turn your foot: Pr 16:17 Isa 1:16 Ro 12:9 1 Th 5:21-22 MORE ADVICE ON GUARDING OUR FEET
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Henry - halt not between two, but go on in an even uniform course of obedience; turn not to the right hand not to the left, for there are errors on both hands, and Satan gains his point if he prevails to draw us aside either way. Moses spoke several times of right and left... Deuteronomy 5:32;“So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left. Deuteronomy 17:11 “According to the terms of the law which they teach you, and according to the verdict which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside from the word which they declare to you, to the right or the left. Deuteronomy 17:20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel. Deuteronomy 28:14 and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. Garrett comments that "“Of particular interest is Proverbs 4:27, the warning to swerve neither to the right nor to the left. Deuteronomy 5:32; 17:11; 28:14; and Joshua 23:6 are similar. The idea is that one should not be distracted from the way of wisdom.” Do not turn to the right nor to the left - First the negative instruction. ESV has "Do not swerve to the right or the left," which almost pictures one driving a car. Turn is the same verb natah used in Pr 4:20+ ("Incline your ear to my sayings.") The first use in Proverbs 4 was in Pr 4:5+ "Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth." A literal rendering would be something like "do not lean (incline) toward the right or the left." (WHERE ARE YOU LEANING TODAY? AN ASSOCIATION WITH SOMEONE OF THE OPPOSITE SEX, AN ADDICTIVE HABIT, ETC? REMEMBER IF YOU LEAN TOO MUCH, YOU MAY END UP TAKING A SERIOUS FALL!) Thus anything on the right or left are at best distractions and at worst disaster compared to what lies directly ahead in the will of God which is good, and acceptable and perfect. Kitchen says "The call is to keep from becoming captivated by competing calls or entertaining options, but rather to stay focused on God’s primary call and best course" NET NOTE on foot - Heb “your foot” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV). The term רַגְלְךָ (raglékha, “your foot”) is a synecdoche of part (= foot) for the whole person (= “yourself”). Does this not remind us of the passionate pursuit of Paul when he wrote That I may know Him (THERE IT IS-OUR GREATEST GOAL IN THIS SHORT TIME ON EARTH! TO KNOW JESUS!) and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.(Php 3:10-14+) Lawson - It is dangerous to turn either to the left hand or the right from the way of God’s commandments. On each side of the King’s highway are those crooked paths, which are full of precipices and pitfalls. Men may be destroyed by being righteous, as well as by being wicked overmuch. The Pharisees in the days of Christ’s flesh, sinned as much by adding to God’s law as by taking from it. To add to God’s precepts, is a reflection upon the wisdom of the Lawgiver; to violate them, is an insult upon his authority. It commonly happens, that when men have the presumption to make some new articles of religion, they make compensation to themselves for their additional restraints on their liberty, by straitening the law of God in some other points, and thus make it on the whole much easier to flesh and blood, than it was made by God. Henry - Be very careful to remove thy foot from evil; take heed of extremes, for in them there is evil, Turn your foot from evil - Here is the point - To not turn to the right or left and so to stay on the path of righteousness, we must make the conscious choice to turn away from evil, even the suggestion of evil. So the command is to keep from "swerving" off the "highway of holiness" one must assiduously avoid evil! NLT paraphrases it as "keep your feet from following evil," which gives the picture that Evil Personified is seducing us to follow. Turn (depart, remove, take away) is the Hebrew verb sur which means to change direction, to turn away, to quit, to keep far away. The Septuagint verb is apostrepho in the aorist imperative (do this now! do it effectively! it is urgent!) means to change from incorrect to correct behavior. Lawson - Our foot must be removed from all evil. Sin must not be indulged in thought, word, or action. No degree of this abominable thing is to be allowed in our practice. Saints have fallen into some of the greatest sins, but it is inconsistent with holiness to take liberty in the least*. Even the garment spotted by the flesh must be hated by us. Bridges - Here, then, is the voice of wisdom. Beware of mistaking presumption for faith, temptations for God’s providence. Never deviate from a straightforward command for an uncertain command. Judge each step you take so that it is in line with God’s will. The pleasures of sin lie to the right or the left. So your eyes need to keep looking straight ahead in order to keep your foot from evil. May we all have grace and wisdom to ponder these sound practical rules. The man of God must only have one standard (Isaiah 8:20+). He must not think about anyone “from a worldly point of view” (2 Corinthians 5:16). He must often put the church to one side, no less than the world, in order to listen more carefully to God’s command. He must discern and crush the first sign of sin, guarding every avenue of sin—the senses, the memory, the imagination, the touch, the taste. He must walk by the straight rule of the Gospel, or else he will not only make himself stumble but the church as well (Galatians 2:11–14+). Lawson has a good closing word on how we an practice the preceding precepts - From this whole directory, we may see our need of pardoning mercy; for which of us can say, “We have made our hands clean, or kept our tongues from every evil thing?” But the blood of Jesus is a fountain opened to cleanse from all sin. Without renewing grace (AND I WOULD ADD THE ENABLING POWER OF THE INDWELLING SPIRIT OF GRACE - Heb 10:29+), our labour in guarding our hearts, and restraining our tongues and feet from evil, will be as vain as to attempt washing an Ethiopian white. The old heart cannot be reformed, but God hath promised to give us a new heart, and to put a new spirit within us (See below).With our vigilance, faith and prayer must be joined. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 “I will put My Spirit within you (GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY) and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances (MAN'S RESPONSIBILITY). (Ezekiel 36:26-27+) THOUGHT - See discussion of the Paradoxical Principle of 100% Dependent and 100% Responsible" (100/100)
Provérbios 4:23
Henry wrote We must keep a watchful eye and a strict hand upon all the motions of our inward man, Pr 4:23. Here is, 1. A great duty required by the laws of wisdom, and in order to our getting and preserving wisdom: Keep thy heart with all diligence. God, who gave us these souls, gave us a strict charge with them: Man, woman, keep thy heart; take heed to thy spirit, Dt 4:9. We must maintain a holy jealousy of ourselves, and set a strict guard, accordingly, upon all the avenues of the soul; keep our hearts from doing hurt and getting hurt, from being defiled by sin and disturbed by trouble; keep them as our jewel, as our vineyard; keep a conscience void of offence; keep out bad thoughts; keep up good thoughts; keep the affections upon right objects and in due bounds. Keep them with all keepings (so the word is); there are many ways of keeping things—by care, by strength, by calling in help, and we must use them all in keeping our hearts; and all little enough, so deceitful are they, Jer. 17:9. Or above all keepings; we must keep our hearts with more care and diligence than we keep any thing else. We must keep our eyes (Job 31:1), keep our tongues (Ps. 34:13), keep our feet (Eccl. 5:1), but, above all, keep our hearts. 2. A good reason given for this care, because out of it are the issues of life. Out of a heart well kept will flow living issues, good products, to the glory of God and the edification of others. Or, in general, all the actions of the life flow from the heart, and therefore keeping that is making the tree good and healing the springs. Our lives will be regular or irregular, comfortable or uncomfortable, according as our hearts are kept or neglected. HEART IN THE BIBLE OT References on the Hebrew noun leb = heart - Gen. 6:5, 6; 8:21; 17:17; 18:5; 24:45; 27:41; 34:3; 42:28; 50:21; Ex 4:14, 21; 7:3, 13, 14, 22, 23; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7, 12, 21, 34, 35; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8, 17; 15:8; 25:2; 28:3, 29, 30; 31:6; 35:5, 10, 21, 22, 25, 26, 29, 34, 35; 36:1, 2, 8; Nu 16:28; 24:13; 32:7, 9; Deut. 4:11; 28:65; 29:4, 19; Jos. 11:20; 14:8; Jdg. 5:9, 15, 16; 16:15, 17, 18, 25; 18:20; 19:3, 5, 6, 22; Ruth 2:13; 3:7; 1Sa 1:13; 2:1; 4:13, 20; 6:6; 9:20; 10:9, 26; 17:32; 24:5; 25:25, 31, 36, 37; 27:1; 28:5; 2 Sam. 6:16; 7:21, 27; 13:20, 28, 33; 14:1; 15:6, 13; 17:10; 18:3, 14; 19:7, 19; 24:10; 1 Ki. 3:9, 12; 4:29; 8:23, 47, 66; 9:3; 10:24; 11:3; 12:26, 27, 33; 18:37; 21:7; 2 Ki. 5:26; 6:11; 9:24; 12:4; 14:10; 23:3; 1 Chr. 12:33, 38; 15:29; 16:10; 17:19; 28:9; 29:9; 2 Chr. 6:14, 38; 7:10, 11, 16; 9:23; 12:14; 17:6; 24:4; 25:19; 26:16; 30:12, 22; 32:25, 26; Ezra 6:22; 7:27; Neh. 2:2, 12; 4:6; 6:8; 7:5; Esther 1:10; 5:9; 6:6; 7:5; Job 1:8; 2:3; 7:17; 8:10; 11:13; 12:24; 15:12; 17:4; 23:16; 29:13; 31:7, 9, 27; 33:3; 34:14; 36:5, 13; 37:1, 24; 41:24; Ps. 4:7; 7:9, 10; 9:1; 10:6, 11, 13, 17; 11:2; 12:2; 13:5; 14:1; 16:9; 17:3; 19:8, 14; 21:2; 22:14; 26:2; 27:3, 8, 14; 28:7; 31:12; 32:11; 33:11, 15, 21; 34:18; 35:25; 36:1, 10; 37:4, 15, 31; 38:8, 10; 39:3; 40:10, 12; 41:6; 44:18, 21; 45:1, 5; 46:2; 48:13; 49:3; 51:10, 17; 53:1; 55:4, 21; 57:7; 58:2; 61:2; 62:10; 64:6, 10; 66:18; 69:20; 74:8; 76:5; 78:8, 37; 81:12; 83:5; 84:2; 94:15; 97:11; 102:4; 105:3, 25; 107:12; 108:1; 109:22; 112:7, 8; 119:2, 10, 11, 32, 34, 36, 58, 69, 70, 80, 111, 112, 145, 161; 125:4; 131:1; 138:1; 140:2; 141:4; 143:4; 147:3; Pr 2:2, 10; 3:1, 3, 5; 4:4, 23; 5:12; 6:14, 18, 21, 32; 7:3, 7, 10, 25; 8:5; 9:4, 16; 10:8, 13, 20, 21; 11:12, 20; 12:8, 11, 20, 23, 25; 13:12; 14:10, 13, 14, 30, 33; 15:7, 11, 13, 14,15, 21, 28, 30, 32; 16:1, 5, 9, 21, 23; 17:3, 16, 18, 20, 22; 18:2, 12, 15; 19:3, 8, 21; 20:5, 9; 21:1, 2, 4; 22:11, 15, 17; 23:7, 12, 15, 17, 19, 26, 33, 34; 24:2, 12, 17, 30, 32; 25:3, 20; 26:23, 25; 27:9, 11, 19, 23; 28:14, 26; 30:19; 31:11; Eccl. 1:13, 16, 17; 2:1, 3, 10, 15, 20, 23; 3:11, 17, 18; 5:2, 20; 7:2, 3, 4, 7, 21, 25, 26; 8:5, 9, 11, 16; 9:1, 3, 7; 10:2, 3; 11:9, 10; Song 3:11; 5:2; 8:6 Isa 6:10; 15:5; 24:7; 29:13; 32:6; 33:18; 35:4; 38:3; 40:2; 42:25; 44:18, 19, 20; 46:8, 12; 47:7, 10; 51:7; 57:1, 11, 15, 17; 59:13; 61:1; 63:4, 17; 65:14, 17; 66:14; Jer 3:10, 15, 16, 17; 4:9, 14, 18, 19; 5:21, 23; 7:24, 31; 8:18; 9:14, 26; 11:8, 20; 12:3, 11; 13:10; 14:14; 16:12; 17:1, 5, 9, 10; 18:12; 19:5; 20:9, 12; 22:17; 23:9, 16, 17, 20, 26; 24:7; 30:21, 24; 31:21, 33; 32:35, 39, 41; 44:21; 48:29, 36, 41; 49:16, 22; La 1:20, 22; 2:18, 19; 3:21, 33, 65; 5:15, 17; Ezek. 2:4; 3:7; 6:9; 11:19, 21; 13:2, 17; 14:3, 4, 5, 7; 18:31; 20:16; 21:7, 15; 22:14; 27:4, 25, 26, 27; 28:2, 6, 8, 17; 32:9; 33:31; 36:26; 40:4; 44:5, 7, 9; Dan. 1:8; 10:12; Hos. 2:14; 4:11; 7:6, 11, 14; 10:2; 11:8; 13:6, 8; Amos 2:16; Obad. 1:3; Nah. 2:10; Zeph. 3:14; Zech. 7:12; 10:7; 12:5; Mal. 2:2; 4:6 NT References on Greek noun kardia = heart - Matt. 5:8, 28; 6:21; 9:4; 11:29; 12:34, 40; 13:15, 19; 15:8, 18, 19; 18:35; 22:37; 24:48; Mk. 2:6, 8; 3:5; 6:52; 7:6, 19, 21; 8:17; 11:23; 12:30, 33; Lk. 1:17, 51, 66; 2:19, 35, 51; 3:15; 5:22; 6:45; 8:12, 15; 9:47; 10:27; 12:34, 45; 16:15; 21:14, 34; 24:25, 32, 38; Jn. 12:40; 13:2; 14:1, 27; 16:6, 22; Acts 2:26, 37, 46; 4:32; 5:3, 4; 7:23, 39, 51, 54; 8:21, 22, 37; 11:23; 13:22; 14:17; 15:9; 16:14; 21:13; 28:27; Ro 1:21, 24; 2:5, 15, 29; 5:5; 6:17; 8:27; 9:2; 10:1, 6, 8, 9, 10; 16:18; 1 Co. 2:9; 4:5; 7:37; 14:25; 2 Co. 1:22; 2:4; 3:2, 3, 15; 4:6; 5:12; 6:11; 7:3; 8:16; 9:7; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 1:18; 3:17; 4:18; 5:19; 6:5, 22; Phil. 1:7; 4:7; Col. 2:2; 3:15, 16, 22; 4:8; 1 Thess. 2:4, 17; 3:13; 2 Thess. 2:17; 3:5; 1 Tim. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:22; Heb. 3:8, 10, 12, 15; 4:7, 12; 8:10; 10:16, 22; 13:9; Jas. 1:26; 3:14; 4:8; 5:5, 8; 1 Pet. 1:22; 3:4, 15; 2 Pet. 1:19; 2:14; 1 Jn. 3:19, 20, 21; Rev. 2:23; 17:17; 18:7 Ray Pritchard… There’s an old gospel song that says, How about your heart, is it right with God? That’s the thing that counts today. So how about your heart? Many of us are concerned about heart disease—and rightly so– but what about spiritual heart disease that is just as insidious? During a heated battle one of Napoleon’s soldiers was shot just above a heart. In those days surgery was done without anesthesia. While the doctor was removing the bullet, the soldier declared, “One inch lower you will find the emperor.” What would we find if we opened your heart today? Would we find Jesus Christ enshrined in your heart? (The Blessings of Obedience - sermon by Dr. Ray Pritchard - June 1997) What starts in the heart ends up on the lips ("rotten speech" Ep 4:29-note, "rotten attitudes" Ep 4:31-note). What begins with bitterness ends with slander. We think, we feel, and then we speak. What starts as a grievance becomes an outburst of wrath that hardens into anger that expresses itself in clamor and ultimately as slander. Malice marks such a person through and though. And it all starts with personal hurt that becomes bitterness. Stop it at the first and you won’t have to stop it at the last. That’s why Proverbs 4:23 reminds us to “guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” We are doing Satan’s work when we climb that staircase. Every step is a step for him. (Do Not Grieve the Spirit - sermon by Dr. Ray Pritchard - June 2005) Healthcare for the Heart - If you're over 40 years old, your heart has already beat more than 1.5 billion times. I know that when my heart stops, it will be too late to change my ways. So I've been trying to control my weight, get exercise, and watch not only what I eat but also what's eating me. This last point relates to another vital organ called "the heart"—our spiritual heart. It too has throbbed millions of times with thoughts, affections, and choices. In the heart we determine how we will speak, behave, and respond to life's circumstances (Proverbs 4:23). Will we trust the Lord and choose to be gracious, patient, and loving? Or will we yield to pride, greed, and bitterness? Today's Scripture reading emphasizes the importance of caring for our heart. Are we keeping spiritually fit? Weight: Do we need to lose the weight of unnecessary burdens and cares? Pulse: Are we maintaining a steady rhythm of gratitude and praise? Blood pressure: Is our trust greater than our anxiety? Diet: Are we enjoying the life-giving nutrients of the Word of God? Have you checked your heart lately? — Mart De Haan O Lord, You see what's in the heart— There's nothing hid from You; So help us live the kind of life That's filled with love for You. —D. De Haan To keep spiritually fit, consult the Great Physician. Spiritual Heart Care - You're up at the crack of dawn, doing your exercises. You're not going to let your heart get weak! You've trimmed the fat from your diet. You get regular cholesterol checks. And you're exercising four times a week to keep your cardiovascular system in peak condition. But you've let your spiritual heart turn to mush. Preoccupied with the temporary, you've neglected the eternal. You seldom read the Bible anymore. Your prayers are lists of requests to God to make your life more comfortable and pain-free. By the time you reach the church door after the sermon, you can't recall what the pastor said because you were thinking about something else. If this describes you, it's time to get into a spiritual heart-care program. It begins where David (a man after God's own heart Acts 13:22, 1Sa 13:44, 16:7) was in Psalm 139--by acknowledging that God knows all about your heart. It continues in Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart, O God." And it results in the prayer of Psalm 19:14, "Let … the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord." Dear Jesus, take my heart and hand, And grant me this, I pray: That I through Your sweet love may grow More like You day by day. --Garrison To keep spiritually fit, keep walking with the Lord. The Secret Garden - The Secret Garden, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, tells the story of Mary, a young girl who goes to live with her wealthy uncle Archibald on his estate in England. Mary gets to know Dickon, a working-class boy who loves nature. The two children discover a fenced-in garden that Mary’s uncle has locked up because it reminds him of his deceased wife. The garden looks dead because of neglect, but Dickon assures Mary that, with proper tending, it will recover with new life. With the children’s help, “the secret garden” eventually bursts forth with colorful, fragrant blooms. Are you tending the garden of your heart? — Dennis Fisher Think not alone of outward form; Its beauty will depart; But cultivate the Spirit’s fruits That grow within the heart. —D. De Haan God wants you to water the seed He’s planted in your heart. The Cost Of Neglect - I read about a Detroit man who couldn't find his house. He had gone to the right address but all he found was an empty lot. Completely baffled, he asked the Detroit Free Press to help him figure out what was going on. A newspaper reporter learned that not only was the house gone, but the deed to the empty lot was in someone else's name. What had happened? For one thing, a few years had passed since the homeowner had left the city without providing a forwarding address. In addition, he had failed to make arrangements for someone to keep the property in repair. So the house was torn down because a city ordinance called for the removal of neighborhood eyesores. The homeowner's neglect illustrates the practical truth of Proverbs 24:30-34. Neglect leads to loss. This principle also applies to our daily walk with God. If we neglect our times of prayer and fellowship with the Lord, our relationship with Him will deteriorate and we will no longer experience His favor. We would never want that to happen, but we allow it when we become preoccupied with anything that comes between us and Christ. Unless we're occupied with Jesus And seek to do His will each day, We're sure to know the loss and sorrow That comes when we neglect His way. —Anon. If you shirk today's tasks, you increase tomorrow's burdens. Hostile Heart - Beware the hostile heart. That's the warning of Dr. Redford Williams from Duke University's Behavioral Medicine Research Center. He has been saying for years that having a hostile personality can kill us--most often by heart disease but also by injuries and accidents. Anger speeds the heart rate, raises blood pressure, and disrupts the coronary arteries. Some indicators of a hostile heart are impatience with delays, mistrust of co-workers, annoyance with the habits of family members or friends, and a persistent need to have the last word in arguments or to get even when wronged. In Proverbs 4, a wise father urged his son to listen closely to his words. He said, "They are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life" (Pr 4:22, 23). I want my heart to be in tune with God, In every stage of life may it ring true; I want my thoughts and words to honor Him, To lift Him up in everything I do. --Hess Let God's Word fill your mind, rule your heart, and guide your tongue. Colossians 3:16+ paired with Ephesians 5:18+ WITH ALL DILIGENCE: Pr 4:7; 3:21; 11:16; 13:3; Eccl 5:13 John