Blessed Is He Who Trusts In the LORD1
Proverbs 16:17-33
17 The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;
whoever guards his way preserves his life.
Keep on the right road and God will keep you safe. The right road is the King’s highway, the ancient, well-used way. It is the road traveled by the saints before us and walked by the Prince of pilgrims himself.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Pride will cause a fall. As the needle in the barometer forecasts the weather, so does pride warn us that a humbling time is near.
19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
than to divide the spoil with the proud.
This may not seem like good advice, and few would choose to follow it, but the Word of God knows best. The person dividing up the loot is afraid they may lose it again, and is probably already unhappy with their share and greedy for more. But the humble mind is satisfied, and therefore possesses happiness.
20 Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good,
and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
To trust God in all our matters is the wise way of handling them. Let us trust him in all things today.
21 The wise of heart is called discerning,
and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
The really wise person will eventually be discovered and will receive the credit they deserve. Those who can speak in an interesting and pleasing way can increase the knowledge of others if their own hearts are taught correctly.
22 Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.
The wisdom of a fool is ridiculous. Even their best advice is foolishness.
23 The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
Since pleasant words are both sweet and healthful, let us use many of them. Use words out of God’s Word, kind words, words that give pleasure to others. Let us use them from morning to night, and even though we are not beekeepers, we will never be without honeycombs.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
26 A worker’s appetite works for him;
his mouth urges him on.
We need food to eat everyday and therefore we must work for it. We need spiritual food everyday and our Savior has told us we must work for that too.
27 A worthless man plots evil,
He searches for evil like a miner for gold. He searches for places where it is hidden. He digs hard to find it. People will work hard for Satan.
and his speech is like a scorching fire.
He is always ready to speak hurtfully and do untold harm.
28 A dishonest man spreads strife,
and a whisperer separates close friends.
If you have anything to say that you would be embarrassed to say to the person you are talking about, then never say it at all. Whispering against people is extremely mean and those who listen to it are mean too.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor
and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things;
he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
Some shut their eyes and move their lips in prayer, but hateful people spend their time thinking about cruel things they can do. They are always thinking of it and muttering about it to themselves.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is gained in a righteous life.
Honor older Christians. Think of their gray hair as crowns on their heads, and treat them with double respect. Old age is honorable by itself, but when godliness goes along with it, it is even more honorable.
32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
People with self-control have conquered themselves. They have crushed a rebellion that comes from within. These are wonderful and unselfish achievements. May the Lord make each one of us gentle and patient. Are we of a hot and angry spirit? Then let us pray for the waters of grace to quench the flames of nature.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the LORD.
The Lord controls even what seems like unimportant matters or what may appear to be accidents. This is a sweet comfort.
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1 Proverbs 16:20
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