Proverbs 10:32

The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness. THE LIPS OF THE RIGHTEOUS KNOW WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE. "Know" - i:e., have the power, through the divine teaching of the mind and heart, to speak what is acceptable to God, and even to Man_1:-1 :e., to speak spiritual truth in the moat acceptable form (Ecclesiastes 12:10; ). BUT THE MOUTH OF THE WICKED (SPEAKETH) FROWARDNESS - not things acceptable to God and man, but only froward things, even as he knows nothing but frowardness....

1 The comfort of parents much depends on their children; and this suggests to both, motives to their duties. Proverbs 10:2; Proverbs 10:3. Though the righteous may be poor, the Lord will not suffer him to want what is needful for spiritual life. Proverbs 10:4. Those who are fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, are likely to be rich in faith, and rich in good works. Proverbs 10:5. Here is just blame of those who trifle away opportunities, both for here and for hereafter. Proverbs 10:6. Abundance of blessings shall abide on good men; real blessings....

Verse Proverbs 10:32. _THE LIPS OF THE RIGHTEOUS KNOW WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE_] And what they believe to be most pleasing and most profitable, that they speak, but the wicked man knows as well what is _perverse_, and that he speaketh forth. As the love of God is not in his heart, so the law of kindness is not on his lips....

KNOW - i. e., “Know, and therefore utter.” So, in like manner, the “mouth of the wicked” knows, and therefore speaks frowardness, and that only....

EXPOSITION VERSE 1-22:16 PART III. FIRST GREAT COLLECTION (375) OF SOLOMONIC PROVERBS. VERSE 1-12:28 First section. The sections are noted by their commencing usually with the words, "a wise son." PROVERBS 10:1 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. This is the title of the new part of the book; it is omitted in the Septuagint. There is some kind of loose connection in the grouping of these proverbs, but it is difficult to follow. "Ordo frustra quaeritur ubi nullus fuit observatus," says Mart. Geier. Wordsworth considers the present chapter to contain exemplifications of the principles and results of the two ways of life displayed in the preceding nine chapters. The antitheti

THE LIPS OF THE RIGHTEOUS KNOW WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE,.... To God and man; what is well pleasing to, God, and what ministers grace to the hearers, or what is grateful: and such things they will deliver out; they are used and accustomed to them; not only the righteous know in their judgment what is acceptable, but they use themselves to say those things; they not only know them in theory, but practise them: some men know what is acceptable, but their lips do not know it; they are not used to it, but the contrary; BUT THE MOUTH OF THE WICKED [SPEAKETH] FROWARDNESS; or perverse things, as before. Or, "the mouth of the wicked [knoweth] frowardness" b; or perverse things; or is used only to speak froward things; things contrary to truth and righteousness, and which they know to be so; their mouth speaks things contrary to their hearts; their hearts and mouths do not agree, when they both flatter...

II. THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON: CHAPTER S 10--19:19 Beginning with the tenth chapter we have the collection of proverbs given by inspiration through Solomon. In this section the personal address, “My son,” and the personal exhortations are missing. It will be noticed that each verse in this section contains a proverb, consisting each of two lines, mostly of an antithetic character, except Proverbs 19:7, which has three lines instead of two (a tristich). It is impossible to give a detailed analysis of these Chapter s, nor can we take up each proverb separately for meditation. This must be left to each reader. By comparing Scripture with Scripture, and a prayerful study of these terse sayings, the heavenly wisdom given in these Chapter s can readily be found. There is no end to practical application. Yet even in these Chapter s a certain order is maintained. The contrast in each chap

PROVERBS 10:2 (_cf._ Psalms 3:7). RIGHTEOUSNESS: the growth of the conception of righteousness is an important subject. As in the Pss., there is a specific class the righteous opposed to the wicked. The righteous are generally synonymous with the poor and afflicted remnant, sometimes equivalent to the Hasidim of the Greek period. In general the tendency of the conception of righteousness is towards a specific moral character, rather than towards the fulfilment of legal duties. This is important in view of the implied contrast in the Synoptic Gospels between the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, and such a righteousness as our Lord taught to be the condition of entrance into the kingdom of God (_cf._ Matthe

FROWARDNESS. See note on Proverbs 2:12. Here plural. great [perverseness]....

speaketh] So R.V. text: "is," R.V. marg. Others supply the verb "knoweth" from the first clause, as in Proverbs 10:29....