How true it is "the heart knoweth his own bitterness, and a stranger does not intermeddle with its joy" (verse 10). We can tell our troubles and sorrows to others, but the bitterness of the heart cannot be revealed, but it is known to One who is touched with our sorrows and the bitterness of life through which we pass, for He Himself passed through it also.

Here is another deep saying, which shows that behind this wisdom uttered by the wise king, there is another who knows all what is going on in human life and in the heart. "Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness" (verse 13). How often the sorrowful, the downcast covers all with forced laughter and no one suspects that underneath the mirth there is heaviness. This is true of the children of the world, the foolish who reject true wisdom and know not the Lord Jesus Christ.

Of the poor and the rich we read that the poor is hated; the rich has many friends (verse 20). He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth His Maker; but he that honoreth Him hath mercy on the poor" (verse 31). To deal kindly with the poor and the lowly is God-like. The righteous will manifest his righteousness in a practical way by considering the poor.

Precious are two other proverbs in this chapter.

"In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence;
And His children shall have a place of refuge.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,

To depart from the snares of death"-Verses 26-27.

CHAPTER XV.

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 (verse 1). The tongue of the righteous which useth knowledge aright is better than the mouth of fools (verse 2). Better is the prayer of the upright than the sacrifice of the wicked (verse 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 (verse 9). Better is the heart that seeketh knowledge than to feed on foolishness (verse 14). Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith (verse 16). This fits many in our own days. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith (verse 17). Better it is to be slow to anger than wrathful (verse 18). of the righteous than the thorny way of the slothful (verse 19). Better is to hear reproof than to refuse it (verse 32). Some other deep sayings are found in this chapter. For instance in verse 11.

Better is the plain way

"Sheol and destruction* are before the Lord,

How much more then the hearts of the children of men."

All is known to the Lord. The unseen world as well as the future; all eternity is known to Him. All is naked and open before Him. He knoweth the hearts of men, yea even our thoughts afar off, before they ever pass through our finite minds.

Twice prayer is mentioned in this chapter, in verse 8 and 29. Not alone does the Lord delight in the prayer of the upright, but He also heareth them. "The Lord is far from the wicked, but He heareth the prayer of the righteous."

CHAPTER XVI.

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

*Destruction, Abaddon, used in Revelation ix:11.

(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 (verse 4). Much error has been taught in connection with this verse. Some have taught that God made some wicked. It is not said that God makes a man wicked, for "He made man upright" (Eccles. vii:29), but being wicked by his own choice he comes under the irrevocable law which dooms him to "the day of evil," of calamity and punishment. By this, the Apostle teaches us, even in its final and most awful form, is revealed not the arbitrary predestination, but "the righteous judgment of God" (Romans ii:5-11).*

The abomination to the Lord is to be proud in heart. Pride, not only pride as it works out in deeds, but pride as nourished in the heart, seen by the eyes of the Lord alone, is equally an abomination to Him. How much there is in these days! The second stanza of this proverb speaks of joining hand in hand, or hand to hand. It is the much praised "team-work," confederation, alliance, etc., to do a big work and make a big name. Much of this attempt of doing "big things" in the day of "small things” has its source in the pride of the natural man.

In the sixth proverb of this chapter we have a Gospel text. The word mercy is literally "grace." The word "purged" is the word translated elsewhere by "covered" or "atoned." In the Lord Jesus Christ and His work is revealed "grace and truth" and by His work so blessedly finished on the cross our inquity is covered. Then comes the fear of the Lord which results in departing from evil.

If a man walks in righteousness, in true humility, if he pleaseth the Lord, then his enemies will be silenced and not talk against him. Only too often the charges brought

*Perowne.

against the children of God by the enemies of truth, are the result of not walking in the truth.

Comforting to faith is the ninth verse. We may devise, plan, and often worry as we make our plans but behind it stands the Lord and in spite of our failures and mistakes "He directeth" the steps of the righteous.

Twice more the name of the Lord is given in this chapter. "And whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he" (verse 20). The only true happiness is to know the Lord, to trust Him and to follow Him. Inasmuch as we may increase in knowledge of Him, in confidence and in practical obedience our happiness is an increasing happiness. In the last verse we read that the disposing of the lot is of the Lord. The lot was used in the Old Testament. It is mentioned but once in the New Testament, preceding the day of Pentecost (Acts i:26).

After the Holy Spirit came to guide and direct no lot is needed any longer. We pass over the many other blessed instructions recorded in this chapter. Private meditation and prayer unlocks the many riches deposited in them.

CHAPTER XVII.

DIVERSE PROVERBS.

Of the twenty-eight proverbs found in this chapter we point out but a few. "The fining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold; but the Lord trieth the hearts" (verse 3). Man may try silver and gold, but God only the hearts. And He tries the hearts by the refining process, trials and afflictions, the process which rests in His own hands. (See Psalm lxvi: 10-12; Mal. iii:3-4; 1 Peter i:7.)

"He that covereth a transgression seeketh love, but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends" (verse 9). To cover a transgression does not mean to ignore sin. How he who has sinned and is in transgression is to be death with is given to us in Galatians vi:1-5. To act in the spirit of love towards one who has sinned is Christ-like. To repeat the matter, gossip about it, harp on the shortcomings and failure, is Satan-like, for he is the accuser of the brethren.

"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity" (verse 17). This is beautifully illustrated in the case of David and Jonathan (1 Sam. xviii-xx). And the great Friend, the brother born for adversity, is the Lord Jesus Christ. He loveth at all times; His love is limitless and timeless. It is the love which passeth knowledge.

CHAPTER XVIII.

PROVERBS OF PERSONAL INSTRUCTION.

There is first a warning against separation produced by desire, that is for gratification and pleasure, and not for a righteous purpose. Such a one becomes an enemy of true wisdom and one who intermeddleth with all wisdom. This proverb finds a New Testament illustration in Alexander the coppersmith, as well as Hymenaeus and Philetus, and Diotrephes of whom John writes in his epistle. A fool foams out his own folly. This proverb in verse 2 is illustrated by many of the critics of the Bible. They have no delight in true understanding but their own hearts are laid bare by their mad oppositions to God's Holy Word.

The fool's mouth, his lips, the talebearer (whisperer), and the slothful are the themes of the proverbs in verses 6-9. Then we read "The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe" (verse 10). The Name (Ha-Shem, in Hebrew) stands for Jehovah Himself. He is the place of refuge, of shelter, protection and safety for all who in faith turn to Him. In Him is our peace and safety. The Hebrew meaning of "is safe" is "set on high." Even so if we flee to Him and become His, we are exalted in Him, seated in Christ in heavenly places.

Another proverb of solemn meaning is found in verse 12. "Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor is humility." Scripture abounds in illustrations of these two lines. The truth stated here is still being manifested in the lives of men and women. The only place of safety for God's people is the place in the dust, the place of humility.