Appendix Four - For a Wedding

[This is one of four additional readings in The New Spurgeon's Devotional Bible.]
You Shall Be Blessed, and It Shall Be Well With You1
  

For a Wedding

Solomon’s picture of a virtuous woman represents what we trust today’s bride will prove to be. May her husband be happy in her, and worthy of her, and may the great Father of spirits bless them both.

  

Proverbs 31:10-31

10 An excellent wife who can find?

She is far more precious than jewels.

11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,

and he will have no lack of gain.

12 She does him good, and not harm,

all the days of her life.

Martin Luther used to say, “The greatest gift of God is a God-fearing, friendly spouse, who loves her family, and is someone who can be lived with in perfect trust.”2

13 She seeks wool and flax,

and works with willing hands.

14 She is like the ships of the merchants;

she brings her food from afar.

She does not avoid people and shut herself out from the world. The virtuous woman is a sensible common-sense person who is not at all ashamed of hard work.

15 She rises while it is yet night

and provides food for her household

and portions for her maidens.

She knows that “those who would thrive must rise at five.”3

16 She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

17 She dresses herself with strength

and makes her arms strong.

18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night.

19 She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her hands hold the spindle.

She is not afraid of hard and simple work. She is not such a great lady that she will not get her hands dirty.

20 She opens her hand to the poor

and reaches out her hands to the needy.

Her hard work provides enough for her to help those in need.

21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,

for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

22 She makes bed coverings for herself;

her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her scrimping and saving fills the home with comforts.

23 Her husband is known in the gates

when he sits among the elders of the land.

His happiness is noticed and talked about. His honor pleases her, she does not seek publicity for herself.

24 She makes linen garments and sells them;

she delivers sashes to the merchants.

25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come.

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

The tongue is a main point in woman. If her talk is wise and kind, she is a jewel indeed.

27 She looks well to the ways of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed.

her husband also, and he praises her.

29 “Many women have done excellently,

but you surpass them all.”

May this be the short and sweet biography of the new bride.

30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates

True religion is the root of happiness. Holy living has an attractiveness that lives on in freshness long after mere fleshly beauty has turned into the wrinkles of old age. May this new household be established in prayer, built up in holiness, and crowned with divine blessing.

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¹ Psalm 128:2

² Martin Luther (1483-1546).

³ An old proverb. Source unknown.