Proverbs 15:8

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight. THE SACRIFICE OF THE WICKED IS AN ABOMINATION TO THE LORD: BUT THE PRAYER OF THE UPRIGHT IS HIS DELIGHT. However costly and solemn be the outward show of the wicked man's "sacrifice," it not only is not the Lord's "delight," as is the upright, man's simple "prayer," but it is a positive "abomination." The unbelieving please themselves with external ceremonials, without piety of heart and life. The godly offer real prayer; the ungodly offer an empty sound. Outward "sacrifice" (with which the wicked compound for obedience, ) is attributed to them; "prayer" to the upright....

Verse Proverbs 15:8. _THE SACRIFICE OF THE WICKED_ IS _AN ABOMINATION_] Even the most _sedulous attendance_ on the _ordinances_ of God, and _performance_ of the _ceremonies of religion_, is an abomination to the Lord, if the _heart_ be not right with him, and the observance do not flow from a principle of pure devotion. No _religious acts_ will do in place of _holiness to the Lord_. _THE PRAYER OF THE UPRIGHT_ IS _HIS DELIGHT._] What a _motive_ to be _upright_; and what a motive to the upright to _pray_! But who is the _upright_? The man who is _weary of sin_, and _sincerely desires_ the salvation of God; as well as he who has already received a measure of that salvation. Hence it is said in the next verse, "He loveth him that followeth after righteousnes

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 15:1 A SOFT ANSWER TURNETH AWAY WRATH. Two things are here to be observed: an answer should be given—the injured person should not wrap himself in sullen silence; and that answer should be gentle and conciliatory. This is tersely put in a mediaeval rhyme— "_Frangitur ira gravis_ _Quando est respensio suavis_." "Anger, however great, Is checked by answer sweet." Septuagint, "A submissive (ὑποπίπτουσα)_ _answer averteth wrath." Thus Abigail quelled the excessive anger of David by her judicious submission (1 Samuel 25:24, etc.). BUT GRIEVOUS WORDS STIR UP ANGER. A word that causes vexation makes anger rise the higher. Ὁργῆς ματαίας εἰσὶν

THE SACRIFICE OF THE WICKED [IS] AN ABOMINATION TO THE LORD,.... Even those sacrifices which were of divine appointment under the former dispensation, when offered by wicked men, without faith in Christ, without any sense of sin, repentance for it, and reformation from it; when these were used as a cloak for sin, under which they sheltered and satisfied themselves, and went on in sin; when they brought them "with a wicked mind", as in Proverbs 21:27; when either what they brought were not according to the law, the lame and the blind; or were not their own, but robbery for burnt sacrifice; or supposing that these would atone for their sins of themselves; when either of these, or all this, was the case, it was an abomination to the Lord; see Isaiah 1:11. Wherefore much more must Pagan sacrifices be an abomin

CHAPTER 15 THE BETTER THINGS One can read through the proverbs recorded in this chapter and ask the question, What are the better things? A soft answer which turneth away wrath is better than grievous words Proverbs 15:1. The tongue of the righteous which useth knowledge aright is better than the mouth of fools Proverbs 15:2. Better is the prayer of the upright than the sacrifice of the wicked Proverbs 15:8). Better is he that followeth after righteousness than the way of the wicked, for the one the Lord delights in, the other is an abomination Proverbs 15:9). Better is the heart that seeketh knowledge than to feed on fool

PROVERBS 15. This chapter makes no new departure. Proverbs concerning the moral government of the world again occupy the chief place. One (Proverbs 15:11) is noteworthy as showing an extended conception of the sphere of God's government. Earlier Heb. religion regarded Sheol as outside the kingdom of God; there the dead do not praise or remember Him. We have also some more psychological proverbs dealing with the value of cheerfulness. PROVERBS 15:2. UTTERETH ARIGHT: paraphrase rather than translation, lit. makes good. Read drops (as Deuteronomy 32:2; Job 29:22), a more natural contrast to pours out in...

THE WICKED. lawless ones. IS AN ABOMINATION, &C. See note on Proverbs 3:32. Illustrations: Cain (Genesis 4:5.Hebrews 11:4; Hebrews 11:4); Saul (1 Samuel 15:22; 1 Samuel 15:23); Jews (Isaiah 1:11; Isaiah 66:3). THE UPRIGHT. upright ones....

See Genesis 4:3-5; Hebrews 11:4; Hebrews 11:6....

DISCOURSE: 789 THE UPRIGHT ALONE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD Proverbs 15:8. _The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight_. THE language of Scripture is often extraordinarily emphatic. This not unfrequently arises from the strength of the metaphors that are used to express the mind of the writer: and frequently from his speaking of God in terms, which, in their strict sense, are applicable only to men. Of course, we are not to conceive of God as possessing either parts or passions; and when either the one or the other are ascribed to him, we must regard it only as a condescension to our weakness, which is incapable of comprehending any thing respecting God, except by a sort of comparison of him with man. Of all his natural perfections, such as immensity and eternity, we know nothing at all: that is to say, our knowledge

THE SACRIFICE OF THE WICKED IS AN ABOMINATION— Melancthon thinks that this is a caution against resting in ceremonious worship, without holiness and moral virtue. See his Treatise concerning the Method of Preaching....