Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Proverbs
Book: Proverbs
Chapter: 19
Overview:
1 A
Poor Man who fears
God, is more honourable and happy,
than a
Man without
Wisdom and
Grace, however rich or advanced in
rank. 2. What good can the soul do, if without knowledge? And
he sins who will not take time to ponder the path of his feet.
3. Men run into troubles
By their own folly, and then fret at
the appointments of
God. 4. Here we may see how strong is
men's
Love of
Money. 5. Those that tell lies in discourse, are
in a fair way to be guilty of bearing false-
Witness. 6. We are
without excuse if we do not
Love God with all our hearts. His
Gifts to us are past number, and all the
Gifts of men to us are
fruits of his bounty. 7.
Christ was left
By all his disciples;
but the
Father was with him. It encourages our
Faith that he had
So large an experience of the sorrows of poverty. 8. Those
only
Love their souls aright that get true
Wisdom. 9. Lying is
a damning, destroying
Sin. 10. A
Man that has not
Wisdom and
Grace, has
No right or title to true joy. It is very unseemly
for one who is a servant to
Sin, to oppress
God's free-men.
11. He attains the most true
Glory who endeavours most
steadily to overcome evil with good. 12.
Christ is a
King,
whose wrath against his enemies will be as the roaring of a
lion, and his favour to his people as the refreshing
Dew. 13.
It shows the vanity of the world, that we are liable to the
greatest griefs where we promise ourselves the greatest comfort.
14. A discreet and virtuous
Wife is more valuable than
House
and riches. 15. A sluggish, slothful disposition makes men
Poor; it brings them to want. And this applies both to the
present
Life and that which is to come. 16. If we keep
God's
Word,
God's
Word will keep us from every thing really hurtful.
We abuse the doctrine of free
Grace, if we think that it does
away the necessity and advantage of obedience. Those that live
at random must die. This
Truth is clearly taught in words enough
to
Alarm the stoutest sinner. 17.
God has
Chosen the
Poor of
this world, to be rich in
Faith, and heirs of his kingdom. 18.
When parents keep under foolish tenderness, they do their best
to render children a comfort to them, and happy in themselves.
19. The spared and spoiled
Child is likely to become a
Man of
great wrath. 20. Those that would be
Wise in their latter
End,
must be taught and ruled when young. 21. What should we
desire, but that all our purposes may agree with
God's holy
will? 22. It is far better to have a
Heart to do good, and
want ability for it, than to have ability for it, and want a
Heart to it. 23. Those that live in the fear of
God, shall get
safety, satisfaction, and true and complete happiness. 24.
Indolence, when indulged,
So grows upon people, that they have
No Heart to do the most needful things for themselves. 25. A
gentle rebuke goes farthest with a
Man of understanding. 26.
The young
Man who wastes his
Father's substance, or makes his
aged mother destitute, is hateful, and will come to disgrace.
27. It is the
Wisdom of young men to dread hearing such talk
as puts loose and evil principles into the mind. 28. Those are
the worst of sinners, who are glad of an opportunity to
Sin.
29. The unbelief of
Man shall not make
God's threatenings of
No effect.
Christ himself, when bearing sins not his own, was
not spared.
Justice and
Judgment took
Hold of our blessed
Surety; and will
God spare obstinate sinners?