Proverbs 16:17

The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. HE THAT KEEPETH HIS WAY PRESERVETH HIS SOUL. "Keepeth;" namely, jealously, and watchfully guarded against 'evil' (from the first clause of the verse)....

Verse Proverbs 16:17. _THE HIGHWAY OF THE UPRIGHT_] The upright man is ever departing from evil; this is his _common road_: and by keeping _on_ in this way, _his soul is preserved_....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 16:1 These are specially religions maxims, and they all contain the name Jehovah. PROVERBS 16:1 The Authorized Version makes one sentence of this verse without any contrast or antithesis. This is plainly wrong, there being intended a contrast between the thought of the heart and the well ordered speech. It is better translated, _The plans of the heart are man_'_s_:_ but the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah. _Men make plans, arrange speeches, muster arguments, in the mind; but to put these into proper, persuasive words is a gift of God. "Our sufficiency is of God" (2 Corinthians 3:5). In the case of

THE HIGHWAY OF THE UPRIGHT [IS] TO DEPART FROM EVIL,.... Upright persons, such who are upright in heart, and walk uprightly; these walk in the highway of holiness, in which men, though fools, shall not err; in the King's highway, the highway of the King of kings; in the plain beaten path of God's commandments; and so shun the bypaths of sin, and abstain from all appearance of it: this is their common constant course of life; they are studiously concerned to walk herein, and take delight in so doing; whereby they escape many evils others fall into; HE THAT KEEPETH HIS WAY PRESERVETH HIS SOUL, that keeps on in his way, the way in which the upright walk; whose eyes look right on, and his eyelids straight before him; who ponders the path of his feet, and turns neither to the right hand nor the left; who walks circumspectly and carefully; observes the road he is in, to keep in it, and not go...

CHAPTER 16 IN THE LIGHT OF THE LORD The name Jehovah (LORD) appears eleven times in this chapter of Proverbs. The Lord has the final word, for to man belong the preparations (or plans) of the heart; but from the LORD is the answer of the tongue. It is the same thought as in our English proverb--“Man proposes--God disposes.” Man loves to justify himself, his ways are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits; He is the judge of ways and motives. Our works are to be committed (literal: rolled upon) unto the LORD, then establishment and blessing will follow. It is strange that these three verses were omitted in the Septuagint version of the Old Testament. The LORD hath made all things for Himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil Proverbs 16:4. Much error has been taught in connection with this verse. Some have taught that God made some wicked. It is not said

PROVERBS 16. The special feature is a group of aphorisms (Proverbs 16:10) relating to kings. The sentiments seem rather to reflect the picture of the ideal king than to indicate any particular period. The metaphors employed and the character depicted suggest a parallel with the ideal king of Psalms 72. PROVERBS 16:4. The lit. rendering of Proverbs 16:4 a is Yahweh has made every work for its answer_ i.e._ the nexus of cause and effect seen in the moral government of the world is His work, a kind of prearranged harmony. The supreme instance is the case of the wicked, their answer is the day of evil. We have an assertion of the righteousness of Yahweh's government rather than of their predestinati

THE UPRIGHT. upright ones. KEEPETH. guardeth....

The LXX. gives a fuller text here: "The paths of life depart from evil, And ways of righteousness are length of life. He that receiveth instruction shall prosper, And he that taketh heed to reproofs shall be made wise. He that taketh heed to his ways keepeth his soul, And he that loveth his life will be sparing of words....

TEXT Proverbs 16:12-22 12. It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness; For the throne is established by righteousness. 13. Righteous lips are the delight of kings; And they love him that speaketh right. 14. The wrath of a king is as messengers of death; But a wise man will pacify it. 15. In the light of the king's countenance is life; And his favor is as a cloud of the latter rain. 16. How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver. 17. The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. 18. Pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. 19. Better it is to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, Than to divid

1-9. God's control of human life....