Westminster Annotations, Proverbs · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Vers. 1. FOrget not my law] Forget not to do it, for God accounts those that do not his law, forgetters of it.
but let thine heart keep my commandments] Deuter. 8. 1. and 30. 16.
V. 2. length of dayes] Long life is the blessing of God, which he giveth to his, so far forth, as it is …xpedient for them, Psal. 91. 16.
long life] Heb. yeers of life.
and peace shall they adde to thee] Psal. 119. 165.
V. 3. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee] Deal mercifully and truely with all men.
binde them about thy neck] Exod. 13. 9. Deut. 6. 8. Chap. 2. 9. Keep those vertues as most precious jewels.
upon the table of thine heart] Have them ever in remembrance.
V. 4. So shalt thou finde favour, and good understanding in the fight of God and man] Psal. 111. 10.
good understanding] Or, good successe.
V. 5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart] Psal. 37. 3.
lean not unto thine own understanding] Nor to thy str…ngth, nor riches, nor friends. But he names understanding, because most men are deceived by trusting to their own wits.
V. 6. In all thy wayes acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths] 1 Chron. 28. 9.
In all thy wayes acknowledge him] Use Gods counsell in all thy actions, and do nothing contrary to his will.
V. 7. Be not wise in thine own eyes] Rom. 12. 16.
fear the Lord, and depart from evil] Chap. 16. 6. Job 1. 1.
V. 8. It shall be health to thy navel] Under these two parts he comprehendeth the whole body, as by health and marrow, he meaneth all the corporall benefits promised in the law.
health] Heb. medicine.
marrow] Heb. watering, or, moystening, Job 21. 24.
V. 9. Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase] Exod. 23. 19. and 34. 26. Deut. 26. 2, &c. Mal. 3. 10, &c. Luke 14. 13.
and with the first-fruits of all thine increase] As was commanded in the law: and by this they acknowledged, that God was the giver of all things, and that they were ready to bestow all at his commandment.
V. 10. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty] Deut. 28. 8.
thy presses shall burst out with new wine] To pay or give what God appoints, is not the way to impoverish men, but to inrich them.
V. 11. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord: neither be weary of his correction] Job 5. 17. Heb. 12. 5. Revel. 3. 19.
despise not the chastening of the Lord] Do not set light by Gods rods, but make a good use of them: neither be too much cast down under them, for they come for thy good.
V. 12. even as a father the son, in whom he delighteth] Deut. 8. 5.
V. 13. and the man that getteth understanding] Heb. draweth it out: To wit, out of the well of Gods word.
the man that getteth understanding] Heb. the man that draweth out understanding.
V. 14. For the merchandise of it is better then the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof then fine gold] Job 28. 15, &c. Psal. 19. 10. Chap. 8. 11, 19. and 16. 16.
For the merchandise of it is better then the merchandise of silver] The gain that men get by using it, as merchants do by traffick.
V. 16. Length of dayes is in her right hand] He compareth wisedom to a queen, that holds long life in one hand, and wealth and honour in the other, to give plentifully to her servants.
V. 17. Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse] The man that walks wisely, shall enjoy true pleasure, and felicity.
V. 18. She is a tree of life] Which bringeth forth such fruit, that they that eat thereof have life. He alludeth to the tree of life in Paradise, Gen. 2. 9. Revel. 2. 7.
happy is every one that retaineth her] Chap. 8. 34.
V. 19. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth] It shews Gods great wisdom, that could found the earth so surely, that it abides, Psal. 24. 2.
established] Or, prepared.
V. 20. By his knowledge the depths are broken up] Those deep places, into which the waters were driven at the beginning, Gen. 1. 9.
V. 22. So shall they be life unto thy soul] Without wisdom then, the soul lacks life, and the body wants ornament.
V. 23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble] Psal. 37. 24. and 91. 11, 12.
Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely] Thou shalt prosperously effect all thy businesse in the day, and after it is done, thou shall sleep quietly in the night.
V. 25. Be not afraid] Or, Thou shalt not be afraid, Vers. 24. Psal. 121. 3.
neither of the desolation of the wicked] For when God destroyeth the wicked, he will save his, as he did Lot in Sodom.
when it cometh] Or, that it should come: To wit, upon thee.
V. 27. them to whom it is due] Heb. the owners thereof.
V. 28. Go, and come again] Pay thy debts upon demand, if thou be able, and defer not payment.
and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee] Levit. 19. 13. Deut. 24. 15.
V. 29. Devise not evil] Or, practise no evil.
seeing] Or, when.
seeing he dwelleth securely by thee] Seeing he fears no ill from thee, and therefore cannot prevent it.
V. 30. Strive not with a man without cause] Out of pride, or covetousnesse.
V. 31. Envy thou not the oppressour] Psal. 37. 1. Desire not to be like unto him in oppression, that thou mayest be as rich as he.
the oppressour] Heb. a man of violence.
V. 32. but his secret is with the righteous] Psal. 25. 14. That is, his covenant, and fatherly affection, which is hid, and secret from the world.
V. 33. The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked] Mal. 2. 2.
V. 34. Surely he scorneth the scorners] Jam. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 5. He will shew by his plagues, that their scorns shall turn to their own destruction, as Chap. 1. 26. Psal. 18. 26.
Surely] Heb. If.
but] Or, yet.
he giveth grace unto the lowly] He makes them to finde favour with men, as Exod. 3. 21. and 11. 3. and 12. 36.
V. 35. shall be the promotion of fools] Heb. exalteth the fools.