_A false balance is an abomination to the Lord._ THE HEINOUSNESS OF INJUSTICE DONE UNDER THE PRETENCE OF EQUITY The proverbs of this book are often figurative, and of a very strong and extensive meaning. The words of the text imply the odiousness, not only of false weights or balances, but likewis... [ Continue Reading ]
_When pride cometh, then cometh shame._ PRIDE I shall first describe to you the several kinds of pride among mankind, and show you their folly and wickedness; and, secondly, point out to you the beauty and advantage of their opposite virtue, humility. I. The vice of pride puts on a great variety o... [ Continue Reading ]
_The integrity of the upright sham guide them._ INTEGRITY THE BEST GUIDE BOTH IN RELIGIOUS INQUIRIES AND IN MORAL CONDUCT The policy of the world, like the world itself, is fluctuating and deceitful. Uncertain both in its objects and its means, it knows nothing of that steadfastness which religious... [ Continue Reading ]
_The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way._ THE DIVINE NATURE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS Not unreasonably this book of Proverbs charged with unspirituality. It is not a manual of devotion. It is not a setting forth of eternal principles of truth. It is a collection of homely aphorisms applicabl... [ Continue Reading ]
_The hope of unjust men perisheth._ THE TERRIBLE IN HUMAN HISTORY There are two terrible events in this text. I. Death meeting the wicked man. “The wicked man dieth.” 1. Death does not wait for reformation of character. 2. The greatest enemies of God and His universe are overcome. There is a st... [ Continue Reading ]
_The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead._ TROUBLE IN ITS RELATION TO THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED All men have their troubles. The relation of the good and the bed to trouble is strikingly different. I. The righteous are going out of trouble. The troubles of... [ Continue Reading ]
_An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered._ HYPOCRISY AND KNOWLEDGE The hypocrite is one who feigns to be what he is not--one whose life is a lie. Selfish, he wears the costume of benevolence; false, he speaks the language of sincerity... [ Continue Reading ]
_When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth._ THE PUBLIC CONSCIENCE IN RELATION TO MORAL CHARACTER Down deep beneath the errors, follies, vanities of the community, there is a conscience. That conscience points evermore to the right and the just, as the needle to the pole. I. The p... [ Continue Reading ]
_By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted._ A POLITICAL MAXIM To the morals of men is imputed the public prosperity or misfortunes. By “upright” is meant, men of sufficient abilities for the stations which they fill, and of piety and resolution enough to discharge the duties of their pla... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour._ TYPES OF CHARACTER IN SOCIAL LIFE Four distinct types of character. I. The insolent. Men destitute of all true respect for their fellows. They are uncivil and rude, sneering, saucy, abusive. II. The respectful. He is neither precipitant in the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Where no counsel is, the people fall._ THE VALUE OF ADVICE Kings and rulers stand in special need of counsel. When a ruler is surrounded by good counsellors he and his people are safe. We can trace this truth in the rise and fall of nations. God’s advice is one of our most valuable helps, and the... [ Continue Reading ]
_A gracious woman retaineth honour._ THE HONOUR OF WOMAN Here the sexes are put in beautiful apposition: woman is gracious, man is strong. Graciousness dissociated from strength has indeed an influence all its own; strength dissociated from graciousness is mere strength, and is wanting in all those... [ Continue Reading ]
_The merciful man doeth good to his own soul _ THE MERCIFUL MAN Our God is a God of mercy. Since He is full of mercy Himself, He is well pleased when He sees us exercise the same towards our fellow-creatures. The wise man here does not speak of tenderness towards others. The merciful man he here... [ Continue Reading ]
_The wicked worketh a deceitful work._ THE WICKED AND THE JUST There is here a startling contrast between them, in their work and in their reward. I. Their work. 1. There is intentionally set before us a good specimen of a bad man. He is a man who works, and works hard in his own way. Some evil-d... [ Continue Reading ]
_As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death._ THE REWARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS Life and death are objects of universal interest. Life here is life spiritual and eternal. Death is viewed as involving separation and exclusion from God. I. Righteousness proves... [ Continue Reading ]
_Such as are upright in their way are His delight._ THE UPRIGHT, GOD’S DELIGHT I. Who are the upright? Those whom God makes upright, the workmanship of His own Spirit, His new creation. This does not deny that there is in a sense an uprightness in the natural man. As long as man is a responsible be... [ Continue Reading ]
_Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished._ (Taken with Luke 23:51) THE LAWS OF RESPONSIBILITY IN COMBINATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS We are surrounded by numberless combinations devised by men for all manner of purposes--religious, political, judicial, social, commercial, scientific... [ Continue Reading ]
_As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion._ A GOOD THING IN A BAD PLACE The Jews regarded the pig as an unclean animal. The heathen around worshipped the pig, and they ate it afterwards as an act of worship. The Egyptians, when they wished to draw a pic... [ Continue Reading ]
_There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth._ THE TENDENCY OF LIBERALITY TO RICHES, AND OF COVETOUSNESS TO POVERTY The words of this text carry an air of improbable and surprising paradoxes to the covetous and worldly-minded, who naturally imagine that scattering tends to poverty, and withholdin... [ Continue Reading ]
_The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself._ THE WATERER WATERED The general principle is, that in living for the good of others, we shall be profited also ourselves. This teaching is sustained by the analogy of nature, for in nature there is a law that... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him._ WITHHOLDING CORN The text has to do with owners of corn and dealers in it. In Solomon’s day famines were frequent, and were serious because trade communications between different countries were so uncertain. Then persons would buy up all the c... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that trusteth in his riches shall fall _ TRUSTING IN RICHES I. Here is a common tendency. Trusting in wealth is-- 1. Spiritually unsatisfactory. 2. Necessarily evanescent. II. Here is a terrible catastrophe. “Fall.” 1. Whence? From all his hopes. 2. Whither? To disappointment and despair.... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind._ FAMILY LIFE I. Peace should be the grand aim of all the members of the domestic circle. To trouble the house is an evil. II. There Are some members who break the peace of their domestic circle. They are the ill-natured, impulsive, false, s... [ Continue Reading ]
_The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life._ THE FRUIT OF THE RIGHTEOUS By this is meant his prayers, his charities, his good example, the virtues which compose his character and adorn his life, and all the efforts and influences by which he shows forth his wisdom in winning souls. To win souls... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth._ JUDGMENT HERE Two ways of explaining this text. 1. Of the happiness which God has appointed for goodness, it has pleased Him that some portion should accrue in this world; and of the misery which is the wages of sin, a much more abundant... [ Continue Reading ]