Proverbs 12:25

Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad. HEAVINESS IN THE HEART OF MAN MAKETH IT STOOP (THE IT IS FEMININE, THOUGH HEART IS MASCULINE): BUT A GOOD WORD MAKETH IT GLAD. Messiah especially spake such 'good words' (; Isaiah 61:1: so also His servants, )....

Verse Proverbs 12:25. _HEAVINESS IN THE HEART OF A MAN MAKETH IT STOOP_] Sorrow of heart, hopeless love, or a sense of God's displeasure-these prostrate the _man_, and he becomes a _child_ before them. _BUT A GOOD WORD MAKETH IT GLAD._] A single good or favourable word will remove despondency; and that word, "Son, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee," will instantly remove despair....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 12:1 INSTRUCTION; correction, discipline, which shows a man his faults, gives him a lowly opinion of himself, and opens his mind to receive _knowledge, _especially the knowledge of himself and of all moral obligations. IS BRUTISH; is as insensible to higher aspirations, to regret for the past or hope of amendment, as a brute beast (comp. Proverbs 30:2). On this point St. Augustine is quoted: "Quicumque corripi non vis, ex eo sane corripiendus es quia corripi non vis. Non vis enim tua tibi vitia demonstrari; non vis ut feriantur, fiatque tibi utilis dolor, quo medicum quaeras; non vis tibi tu ipse ostendi, ut cum deformem te vides, reformaturum desideres, eique supplices ne in illa remaneas foeditate

HEAVINESS IN THE HEART OF MAN MAKETH IT STOOP,.... Either an anxious care and solicitude about living in the world, as the word m signifies; when it seizes a man's spirits, it depresses them, and keeps them down: or a fear and dread of adversity, or sorrow and grief, on account of some calamity and distress; when it gets into a man's heart, it sinks and bows it down, that it cannot take any pleasure or comfort in anything. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, a "terrible word troubles the heart of a just man"; or "troubles the heart of man", as the Syriac version; the Targum is, "a word of fear in the heart of man causes fear:'' such is the law, which is a word of terror; which speaks terrible things to men; fills the mind with terror; works wrath in the conscience, and induces a spirit of bondage to fear; bows and keeps under the spirits of men, through a fearful looking for...

CHAPTER 12 THE CONTRAST IN RELATION TO VARIOUS CONDITIONS In these proverbs we have the righteous mentioned, his thoughts, his words, his domestic relationship, his attitude toward animal creation Proverbs 12:10); his diligence; all is contrasted with the wicked in these beautiful antithetic expressions of wisdom. The thoughts of the righteous are right Proverbs 12:5), because his heart is right; his words bring deliverance Proverbs 12:6); in speaking truth he showeth forth righteousness Proverbs 12:17); his tongue is health Proverbs 12:1

PROVERBS 12. Here we have a number of proverbs handling the favourite subject of retribution (Proverbs 12:2 f., Proverbs 12:7; Proverbs 12:14; Proverbs 12:21; Proverbs 12:28). Several deal with speech (Proverbs 12:6; Proverbs 12:13; Proverbs 12:16;...

HEAVINESS. Anxiety (feminine) STOOP. bowed down. Illustrations: Ezra (Ezra 9:3 Ezra 10:6); Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:4); David (Psalms 40:12); Jeremiah (Jeremiah 8:18). MAKETH, &C.. maketh [the man] glad [by driving it (feminine), the anxiety (feminine), away]....

In spite of grammatical anomalies, the rendering of this verse in A.V. and R.V. is to be retained....

TEXT Proverbs 12:20-28 20. Deceit is in the heart of them that devise evil; But to the counsellors of peace is joy. 21. There shall be no mischief happen to the righteous; But the wicked shall be filled with evil. 22. Lying lips are an abomination to Jehovah; But they that deal truly are his delight. 23. A prudent man concealeth knowledge; But the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. 24. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule; But the slothful shall be put under taskwork. 25. Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh it stoop; But a good word maketh it glad. 26. The righteous is a guide to his neighbor; But the way of the wicked causeth them to err. 27. The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting; But the precious subst

4. A CROWN, etc.] Possibly there may be a reference to the crown worn on their wedding-day by bride and bridegroom (Song of Solomon 3:11; Song of Solomon 8:9). In Damascus the bridal crown consists of a silver hoop covered with a network of strings of corals. On this net are fastened strings of gold coins....