Posted on July 23, 2025 by anthonyhopkins33

Psalm 144 Lecture Notes

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David Guzik :: Study Guide for Psalm 144

War and Peace

This psalm has the title A Psalm of David. It is believed to have been written near the time David came to be recognized as the king over all the tribes of Israel, and the psalm expresses David’s heart for the nation in both war and peace.

“It appears from verse 2 and verse 10 of this psalm, that it was composed after David’s accession to the throne. And it is evident, from verse 5, etc. that he had more enemies still to conquer, such as the Philistines, etc.” (George Horne)

A. Prayer and worship regarding seasons of war.

1. (Psalm 144:1-2) Praising God who blessed and helped David in battle.

Blessed be the LORD my Rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues my people under me.

a. Blessed be the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war: David was a remarkable warrior, who in today’s terms would be an elite special forces soldier. David killed many men in hand-to-hand combat, as described in 1 Samuel 17:48-50 and 18:26-27. Training is an essential part of success as a soldier, and David understood that it was the LORD who had trained his hands for war and his fingers for battle.

i. In his youth, David’s hands and fingers were familiar with “…the [shepherd’s] hook and [musician’s] harp, and not to the sword and spear; but God hath apted and abled them to feats of arms, and warlike exploits.” (Trapp)

ii. Adam Clarke listed the weapons he thought David intended: “…to use the sword, battle-axe, or spear…to use the bow and arrows, and the sling.”

iii. Who trains my hands for war: If a man or woman feels that God is training him or her to use spiritual weapons — such as the sword of the Spirit, the word of God — then training must always continue. It is never “who trained my hands for war,” but always in the present: who trains my hands for war.

iv. Spurgeon wrote of the danger of using some weapons without adequate training — a danger in both the natural and spiritual realms: “Untrained force is often an injury to the man who possesses it, and it even becomes a danger to those who are round about him; and therefore the psalmist blesses the Lord as much for teaching as for strength.”

b. My lovingkindness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer: David poured out names and titles for God, each representing some aspect of God’s character or help that had been of use in battle. David knew God’s help and presence in many ways, not just one or two.

i. Of all the names and titles, we note that David began with my lovingkindness (hesed, the great word for God’s loyal and covenant love). He loved and valued God for being his fortress, his high tower, his deliverer, his shield, his refuge, and his conquering victory. Yet first among all those was the gift from God of love, mercy, and faithfulness.

ii. “In Psalm 144 David is extremely personal as he confesses who he had found God to be. He says ‘my Rock,’ ‘my loving God,’ ‘my fortress,’ ‘my stronghold,’ ‘my deliverer,’ and ‘my shield’.” (Boice)

c. Who subdues my people under me: David likely wrote this after he was received as king over all the tribes of Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-5). If this psalm comes from an earlier period, he may have meant the subduing of the mighty men under his authority (as in 1 Samuel 22:1-2).

i. “Men who rule others should thank God if they succeed in the task. Such strange creatures are human beings, that if a number of them are kept in peaceful association under the leadership of any one of the Lord’s servants, he is bound to bless God every day for the wonderful fact.” (Spurgeon)

2. (Psalm 144:3-4) The unexpected love and care of God for humanity.

LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
Man is like a breath;
His days are like a passing shadow.

a. LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? In the previous lines David exalted God’s great strength and victory. In light of that, it amazed David that God would have an interest in him, or in humanity in general.

i. Psalm 8:4 asks the same questions from a slightly different perspective. Here the emphasis is on the LORD as a warrior that none can oppose. In Psalm 8:4 the emphasis is on the power of God as Creator and sustainer of the universe.

ii. “The Lord thinks much of man, and in connection with redeeming love makes a great figure of him: this can be believed, but it cannot be explained.” (Spurgeon)

b. Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? David used the common method of repetition to bring emphasis to the concept of God’s unusual and even unexpected care for humanity.

i. “Though I am king over my people, yet, alas, I am but a man. a base, sinful, mortal, and miserable creature; if compared with thee, less than nothing and vanity.” (Poole)

c. Man is like a breath: Having been responsible for the death of so many men, and having been so near to death himself, David knew how temporary human life was. It was as fleeting as a breath or a passing shadow.

i. “The psalmist does not present his petition before the Lord timidly but with boldness. He knows his God; and despite human shortcomings, he is convinced that the Lord does ‘care for him’ and ‘think of him.’” (VanGemeren)

3. (Psalm 144:5-8) A plea for rescue from the great God.

Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down;
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

a. Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down: David used phrases and images from God’s appearance on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-20) to give the sense of awe and even terror connected with God’s presence.

i. “He wants God to be as present in his day as he was when he revealed himself at Sinai.” (Boice)

ii. “In like manner, the church, or mystical body of Christ, is instant in prayer for the final completion of all her hope. She wisheth for the glorious day, when her God and Saviour shall bow the heavens, and come down to judgment, causing the mountains to smoke, and flame, and dissolve, and flow down before him; when his lightnings, those arrows of his indignation, and ministers of his vengeance, shall scatter the host of darkness, and destroy the anti-christian powers; when we shall be delivered from every enemy, and from all that hate us.” (Horne)

b. Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters: David asked that the same God of majestic awe would fight for him, sending forth lightning like arrows against the foreigners who fought against David with lies and falsehood.

i. During David’s days as a fugitive from Saul, he had many men who informed against him so they might gain favor with King Saul (1 Samuel 22:6-10, 23:19-20). David also likely faced whisperers and liars against his character when he was king. Like the greater Son of David, he was often lied about and slandered.

ii. When David spoke against these foreigners, it was not because of their nationality. By their actions they proved that they were truly foreigners from the people of God and rejected Yahweh, the God of Israel.

iii. “Those against whom he pleaded were out of covenant with God; they were Philistines and Edomites; or else they were men of his own nation of black heart and traitorous spirit, who were real strangers, though they bore the name of Israel!” (Spurgeon)

B. Praise and prayer to God for the blessing of peace.

1. (Psalm 144:9-10) Praise to the God who rescues.

I will sing a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
The One who gives salvation to kings,
Who delivers David His servant
From the deadly sword.

a. I will sing a new song to You, O God: New victories and new deliverance required a new song. God’s love and help for David were always fresh and new, so his praise would also be.

i. I will sing a new song: “Upon the receipt of any new mercy, like as in a lottery, at every new prize drawn the trumpet soundeth.” (Trapp)

b. On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You: David was a skilled musician (1 Samuel 16:18), and he played his harp of ten strings as he sang praises to God.

c. The One who gives salvation to kings: David had felt God’s help many times as a humble shepherd boy (1 Samuel 17:34-36) and as a despised fugitive (1 Samuel 23:24-29). We sense that David was almost surprised that God would also help him as king, rescuing him from the deadly sword.

2. (Psalm 144:11-15) Praying that the enemy be defeated so that God’s people would prosper.

Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood—
That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth;
That our daughters may be as pillars,
Sculptured in palace style;
That our barns may be full,
Supplying all kinds of produce;
That our sheep may bring forth thousands
And ten thousands in our fields;
That our oxen may be well laden;
That there be no breaking in or going out;
That there be no outcry in our streets.
Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!

a. Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners: David here repeated the idea from earlier in the psalm (verses 7-8). The presence and destructive work of these foreign liars and false speakers were of great concern to him, and he pleaded with God to rescue him.

b. That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth: David prayed for a series of blessings that would come among God’s people when God dealt with the evil speakers in their midst. The list of blessings focuses on the concerns of everyday people in farming societies:

Blessed with children in the home; well-rooted and flourishing sons, and stable and stately daughters.
Blessed in the work of their hands, with barns full, ten thousands of sheep, and oxen burdened with heavy harvests.
Blessed with safety and peace in the community, with no violence (breaking in or going out) or riot over injustice (outcry in our streets).

i. “The Lord had promised to bless his people with stalwart youth, productivity, and prosperity, and to protect them from enemy attacks and humiliation (cf. Leviticus 26:1-13; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Psalm 132:13-18).” (VanGemeren)

ii. Daughters may be as pillars: “…the daughters as the very picture of statuesque elegance and strength, ‘like sculptured pillars at the corners of a palace’ (New English Bible). There has been nothing slipshod in their upbringing.” (Kidner)

iii. “We desire a blessing for our whole family, daughters as well as sons. For the girls to be left out of the circle of blessing would be unhappy indeed.” (Spurgeon)

iv. No breaking in or going out: “So well ordered is the police of the kingdom, that there are no depredations, no robbers, house-breakers, or marauding parties, in the land; no sudden incursions of neighbouring tribes or banditti breaking into fields or houses, carrying away property, and taking with them the people to sell them into captivity: there is no such breaking in, and no such going out, in the nation.” (Clarke)

c. Happy are the people who are in such a state: David prayed as a wise and caring king, asking God for blessing upon his people in their common, everyday lives.

i. “This mercy I beg, not only for my own sake, but for the sake of thy people, that thine and our enemies being subdued, and peace established in the land, thy people may enjoy those blessings which thou hast promised to them.” (Poole)

ii. “These verses may with a little accommodation be applied to a prosperous church, where the converts are growing and beautiful, the gospel stores abundant, and the spiritual increase most cheering. There ministers and workers are in full vigour, and the people are happy and united. The Lord make it so in all our churches evermore.” (Spurgeon)

d. Happy are the people whose God is the LORD: Yet such blessings could only come to God’s covenant people when they were loyal to God as they had promised to be loyal (Exodus 24:3-8). When they looked to Yahweh as their only God and Master, rejecting all the idols of the nations, the promised blessings were granted — and God’s people were happy.

i. What was true for David and Israel under the Old Covenant is even truer for the believer in Jesus under the New Covenant. It should be said of believers, Happy are the people whose God is the LORD. This is our promise and heritage as believers, followers of Jesus Christ.

ii. “Those who worship the happy God become a happy people.” (Spurgeon)

iii. “The prayer ends at the source of the harmony it has visualized. For while it treasures the gifts, it reserves its final beatitude for the relationship behind them: that of being the people who know the Lord as their own.” (Kidner)

References:

Boice, James Montgomery “Psalms: An Expostional Commentary” Volume 3 (Psalms 107-150) (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1998)
Clarke, Adam “Clarke’s Commentary: The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments with a Commentary and Critical Notes” Volume 3 (Job-Song of Solomon) (New York: Eaton and Mains, 1827)
Horne, George “Commentary on the Psalms” (Audubon, New Jersey: Old Paths Publications, 1997 of a 1771 edition)
Kidner, Derek “Psalms 73-150: A Commentary” (Kidner Classic Commentaries) (Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1975)
Poole, Matthew “A Commentary on the Holy Bible” Volume 2 (Psalms-Malachi) (London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1968)
Spurgeon, Charles Haddon “The Treasury of David: Volume 3” (Psalms 111-150) (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson, 1988)
Trapp, John “A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments” Volume 2 (Ezra to Psalms) (Eureka, California: Tanski Publications, 1997)
VanGemeren, Willem A. “Psalms: The Expositor’s Bible Commentary” Volume 5 (Psalms-Song of Songs) (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1991)

Updated: August 2022

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Posted on July 23, 2025 by anthonyhopkins33

Psalm 144:4

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◄ Psalm 144:4 ►

Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

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EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(4) Vanity . . . shadow.—See Psalm 39:5-6; Psalm 102:11. The occasion of the introduction of these sentiments here is not quite clear. It may be the humility of the warrior who ascribes all success to God instead of to human prowess, or it may be a reflection uttered over the corpses of comrades, or, perhaps, a blending of the two.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

144:1-8 When men become eminent for things as to which they have had few advantages, they should be more deeply sensible that God has been their Teacher. Happy those to whom the Lord gives that noblest victory, conquest and dominion over their own spirits. A prayer for further mercy is fitly begun with a thanksgiving for former mercy. There was a special power of God, inclining the people of Israel to be subject to David; it was typical of the bringing souls into subjection to the Lord Jesus. Man’s days have little substance, considering how many thoughts and cares of a never-dying soul are employed about a poor dying body. Man’s life is as a shadow that passes away. In their highest earthly exaltation, believers will recollect how mean, sinful, and vile they are in themselves; thus they will be preserved from self-importance and presumption. God’s time to help his people is, when they are sinking, and all other helps fail.

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

The idea of Job is, that there is no substance, nothing that is permanent. A shadow moves on gently and silently, and is soon gone. It leaves no trace of its being, and returns no more. They who have watched the beautiful shadow of a cloud on a landscape, and have seen how rapidly it passes ever meadows and fields of grain, and rolls up the mountain side and disappears, will have a vivid conception of this figure. How gently yet how rapidly it moves. How soon it is gone. How void of impression is its course. Who can track its way; who can reach it? So man moves on. Soon he is gone; he leaves no trace of his being, and returns no more.

Psalm 144:4Man is like to vanity – See the notes at Psalm 39:5-6; Psalm 62:9. The idea here is, that man can be compared only with that which is utterly vain – which is emptiness – which is nothing.

His days are as a shadow that passeth away – See the notes at Psalm 102:11 : “My days are like a shadow that declineth.” The idea is essentially the same. It is, that as a shadow has no substance, and that as it moves along constantly as the sun declines, until it vanishes altogether, so man has nothing substantial or permanent, and so he is constantly moving off and will soon wholly disappear.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

PSALM 144

Ps 144:1-15. David’s praise of God as his all-sufficient help is enhanced by a recognition of the intrinsic worthlessness of man. Confidently imploring God’s interposition against his enemies, he breaks forth into praise and joyful anticipations of the prosperity of his kingdom, when freed from vain and wicked men.

Matthew Poole’s Commentary

Man is like, in his nature and continuance in the world,

to vanity, or to a vapour or a breath, as Isaiah 57:13, which is gone in an instant.

That passeth away; or, that declineth, as Psalm 102:11 109:23; that groweth less and less, till it be quite out of sight, and lost.

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Man is like to vanity,…. Is vanity itself, in every age, state, and condition; yea, in his best estate, Psalm 39:5; or, “to the breath” (h) of the mouth, as Kimchi; which is gone as soon as seen almost: or, to a vapour (i); to which the life of man is compared, James 4:14;

his days are as a shadow that passeth away; as the former denotes the frailty and mortality of man, this the shortness of his duration; his days fleeing away, and of no more continuance than the shadow cast by the sun, which presently declines and is gone.

(h) “halitui”, Muis; so Kimchi. (i) “Vapori”, Cocceius; so the Syriac and Arabic versions.

Geneva Study Bible

Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

4. vanity] Or, a breath, unsubstantial and evanescent (a different word from that in Psalm 144:8; Psalm 144:11). Cp. Psalm 39:5; Psalm 39:11; Psalm 62:9.

his days &c.] Cp. Psalm 102:11; Psalm 109:23; Job 8:9; Ecclesiastes 6:12.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. – Man is like to vanity; or, “to a breath” (comp. Psalm 39:5; Psalm 62:9). His days are as a shadow that passeth away (see Psalm 102:11; Psalm 119:23). And yet God has regard to this weak creature of an hour. Psalm 144:4

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

It is evident that Psalm 144:3 is a variation of Psalm 8:5 with the use of other verbs. ידע in the sense of loving intimacy; חשּׁב, properly to count, compute, here rationem habere. Instead of כּי followed by the future there are consecutive futures here, and בּן־אדם is aramaizingly (בּר אנשׁ) metamorphosed into בּן־אנושׁ. Psalm 144:4 is just such another imitation, like a miniature of Psalm 39:6., Psalm 39:11, cf. Psalm 62:10. The figure of the shadow is the same as in Psalm 102:12, cf. Psalm 109:23. The connection of the third stanza with the second is still more disrupt than that of the second with the first.

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Posted on July 22, 2025 by anthonyhopkins33

Surrender is for Everyone

21 July

Surrender is for everyone

Page 211

“If, after a period of time, we find ourselves in trouble with our recovery, we have probably stopped doing one or more of the things that helped us in the earlier stages of our recovery.“

Basic Text, p. 95

❖

Surrender is just for newcomers, right? Wrong!

After we’ve been around awhile, some of us succumb to a condition particular to oldtimers. We think we know something about recovery, about God, about NA, about ourselves–and we do. The problem is, we think we know enough, and we think that merely knowing is enough. But it’s what we learn and what we do after we think we know it all that really makes the difference.

Conceit and complacency can land us in deep trouble. When we find that “applying the principles” on our own power just isn’t working, we can practice what worked for us in the beginning: surrender. When we find we are still powerless, our lives again unmanageable, we need to seek the care of a Power greater than ourselves. And when we discover that self-therapy isn’t so therapeutic after all, we need to take advantage of “the therapeutic value of one addict helping another.”

❖

Just for Today: I need guidance, support, and a Power beyond my own. I will go to a meeting, reach out to a newcomer, call my sponsor, pray to my Higher Power–I will do something that says, “I surrender.”All NAWS subscriptions are free. We are able to provide this service due, in part, to the generous contributions of our members. If you are a member, you can make a contribution here: www.na.org/contribute

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Posted on July 21, 2025 by anthonyhopkins33

Trump sharpens the axe for the Education Department. Swing away, Mr. President. | Opinion

Despite the Department of Education’s massive budget, students in the U.S. far too often lag behind peers in other industrialized countries.

Nicole Russell

USA TODAY

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The federal government is the largest employer in the U.S., and the Trump administration is reducing its size.
Layoffs have occurred at the State and Education Departments, the latter of which has a $268 billion budget despite declining student test scores.
USA TODAY columnist Nicole Russell argues that reducing the federal bureaucracy in education will give more control to states and local districts, leading to better choices for parents.
The author notes that federal job cuts are happening amidst a larger trend of companies restructuring and adapting to technological changes.

The largest employer in the United States isn’t a Fortune 100 company like Alphabet, Amazon or Apple. It’s the federal government − and that’s a problem.

Thankfully, President Donald Trump continues to slash bureaucratic bloat. On July 11, the administration sent layoff notices to more than 1,300 State Department workers, and three days later, the Supreme Court allowed Trump to move forward with plans to gut the Department of Education.

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That’s bad news for government employees, but great for taxpayers, especially given the Education Department’s expense − $268 billion in the last fiscal year − and its lack of effectiveness.

Despite the department’s massive budget, students in the U.S. far too often lag behind peers in other industrialized countries. In 2022, for example, American high school students scored behind teens from 25 other countries on an international math test.

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And we’re losing ground. Math and reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress continue to decline. Part of the drop can be attributed to pandemic-related learning loss, but reading scores in the U.S. began to decline in 2019 − before Americans had even heard of COVID-19.Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

But how will pulling the federal government out of K-12 education help? It’s important to note that more than 90% of public school funding comes from state and local governments along with foundations and other private sources.

Much of the federal education budget is used to feed the bureaucracy, which generates rules and regulations that local administrators and teachers must obey. If all of that bureaucratic oversight consistently produced better results, there might be a case for keeping it. But the data clearly shows it doesn’t.

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Removing federal bureaucrats from our schools should give states and local school districts more flexibility to set education policy, and that should improve choices for parents like me. Returning more control to the states also should improve efficiency and enable schools to better meet students’ needs.Opinion: Our schools are struggling because teachers unions don’t put kids first

Government efficiency is vital for the American people

Trump isn’t cutting jobs only at the Education Department, of course. The State Department layoffs follow reductions at other federal agencies this spring.

The cuts are driven by necessity: our national debt is now more than $37 trillion and the annual budget deficit will top $1 trillion again this year.https://www.usatodaynetworkservice.com/tangstatic/html/usat/sf-q1a2z3584c02f3.min.html

So, I was surprised to see news reports paint the laid off State Department workers as heroic. Cameras caught teary goodbyes and applause for well-liked employees. I don’t recall the same concern when President Joe Biden halted construction of the Keystone Pipeline, which cost 1,500 workers their jobs and eliminated plans to create thousands more.Opinion: PBS, NPR push liberal propaganda. Trump is right to cut their funding.

Companies often restructure. So should the federal government.

While job loss is certainly scary, and I don’t wish it on anyone, federal job cuts should be put in the context of the overall jobs market.

Microsoft announced this month it would eliminate 9,000 jobs, not because the company is failing but because it’s retooling as the market changes. Other companies, including Intel and Meta, have announced plans to restructure this year as the emergence of artificial intelligence and other technology changes how Americans work.

The federal government should be as flexible as our top companies in adapting to a changing world.

Yet, progressives have criticized the Trump administration’s efforts to restructure the federal bureaucracy as cruel.

The president’s job, however, isn’t to employ as many bureaucrats as possible. It’s to deliver effective services as efficiently as possible to taxpayers. Dismantling ineffective and inefficient bureaucracies like the Education Department is a long overdue step toward achieving that goal.

Nicole Russell is a columnist at USA TODAY and a mother of four who lives in Texas. Contact her at nrussell@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @russell_nm. Sign up for her weekly newsletter, The Right Track, here.https://www.usatodaynetworkservice.com/tangstatic/html/usat/sf-q1a2z3584c02f3.min.html Catastrophe for a Kansas TV station More for Subscribers

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Posted on July 20, 2025 by anthonyhopkins33

Proverbs 21:19

Proverbs 21:19

It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

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Young man! Being single is bad, and you may be frustrated and lonely, but marrying an odious woman is worse. Save yourself! Marrying a difficult woman can give you more grief than you can imagine. Do not get near a woman that likes to debate or has a temper.

The Bible is not just theology. God created women and ordered how they should behave, and Solomon had seen and felt the pain of bad wives, so he wrote often for men to avoid certain women (Pr 12:4; 14:1; 19:13; 21:9,19; 25:24; 27:15-16; 30:21-23; 31:10-12).

Solomon knew what he wrote about. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines (second-class wives). The grief of a contentious and angry wife for one day can cure a man of desiring marriage. Solomon had 1000 women! God inspired this expert to give you marriage advice: do not marry a disagreeable woman. Marriage can be worse than being single.

Young man! Do you like camping in a hut in the woods by yourself? If you do, you are not normal. Most men dread such a lonely situation. But remember, such camping is better than living in a fine home with luxurious furnishings and fare, if the woman in that house with you is a critical, negative, overbearing, nagging, or easily-irritated woman.

What is a contentious woman? One that likes to contend – who likes to argue, criticize, disagree, fight, oppose, or question. She is full of questions, reminders, and suggestions – all to help, of course. Rather than dote on you, she will nag; rather than sweetly agree, she will question and suggest alternatives – until you wish you were single in the woods.

What is an angry woman? She cannot rule her spirit and likes to fight. She is easily angered, dissatisfied, irritated, negative, or resentful. She can find something negative about any event, and she frets and talks most about that. She is not satisfied. She is hardly ever content, seldom your sweet lover, but always irritated and stressed about something.

Young man! These odious women – hateful and repulsive – will deceive you (Pr 30:21-23). They will lure you into marriage, and then it is too late. Solomon warned that they can appear nice when courting and dating, but then the marriage trap shuts on your neck. You need to be very wise by knowing both positive and negative traits to measure.

Remember the rule of ten. Any hint of a difficult or overbearing spirit before marriage will be ten times worse afterward. Test her. Ask her to do something she dislikes. If you see her face fall, detect negative body language, or even smell irritation, run for the woods. Be single for life rather than married to her. Let her be single until she grows up.

No wonder the apostles responded the way they did when Jesus taught His strict rules about divorce. In light of little room for divorce, it would be better not to marry. They were afraid of getting trapped in a marriage with a contentious and angry woman. Young men should consider the grave seriousness of marriage and carefully examine a prospect.

There are many agreeable, cheerful, gracious, submissive, sweet, and reverent women. They can make you feel like a king in seconds, and marriage to them is royal bliss. They are warm, kind, charming, and pleasant. They have no harsh or rough edges. Reject any woman that is even slightly critical, moody, opinionated, or questioning. She does not deserve a husband. You do not deserve such pain. You deserve a real woman. Find one.

The odious woman cannot smell herself. She thinks she is helpful by prodding, asking questions, stressing over details, giving reminders, expecting perfection, or disliking a choice. If you were to ask her, she would say she is a good woman and wife. If you were to ask her mother, she would praise her as well (Ezek 16:44). But all others must hold their noses at the smell her husband cannot hide to his own shame (Pr 27:15-16).

Here is the first rule to save you. Only consider or date a girl or woman that has an independent fear of God. Do not be influenced by her looks or kindness (Pr 31:30). This girl or woman loves God and will live by the Bible in every part of her life with or without your help. She loves Jesus Christ, godly living, hard preaching, and hates worldliness. She will treat you for her entire life the way the Bible tells her. You win.

Here is the second rule to save you. Learn the character traits of godly women from the Bible and expect all of them. Look for extreme diligence or hard work (Pr 31:13-27). Look for graciousness, especially in speech (Pr 11:16). Look for great respect to her parents (Eph 6:1-3). Look for love and kindness to others without any critical edges (I Cor 13:4-7). Look for a forgiving spirit that overlooks the faults of others (Col 3:12-15).

Young man! Your future is at stake. Learn the warnings in these proverbs about odious women. Believe them. Fear the pain of marriage to such a creature. Be prudent. Test a prospect, and watch her reaction closely. Is her mother a charming, desirable, and gracious woman, or not? Ask married men their opinions, for their sense of smell is finely tuned. Do not rush to marriage. Never take a chance with a fifty-year, horrible fate.

Christian girl or woman! Learn to love your place and role in the world – you were made for a husband (Gen 2:18; I Cor 11:9; I Tim 2:13). Get rid of your own opinions, for your desires are to be your husband’s (Gen 3:16). Learn and maximize graciousness, and you will always be loved (Pr 11:16). Learn the wisdom of Abigail (I Sam 25:21-35). Godly women do not contend with their husbands; they submit, obey, and reverence them (Eph 5:22-24,33; Tit 2:3-5). Godly women are not irritable or negative (Pr 31:26; I Pet 3:1-4).

Christian parent! It is your duty to train your children from Solomon’s proverbs to learn wisdom for great marriages and great families. Boys should be taught and shown by clear examples the differences between a gracious woman and an odious woman, so they will know what kind to marry. Girls should be shown and taught the same differences and required to live the godly way, so that some noble prince of a Christian man will want to marry them. Lead and rule their marital decisions in light of this wisdom for their profit.

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Posted on July 20, 2025 by anthonyhopkins33

Proverbs 19th Chapter

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Proverbs 19 – Fools and Family Life

Proverbs 19:1

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

a. Better is the poor who walks in his integrity: Previous proverbs have been critical of the poor, but here Solomon recognized that not all poverty is caused by moral failure or weakness. There are definitely poor people who walk in their integrity.

i. “Often men put under their feet those whom God carries in his heart. Man honors the perverse for their riches and despises the poor because of their poverty.” (Bridges)

b. Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool: The Book of Proverbs is honest about the disadvantages of poverty. Yet it also recognizes that being poor is in no way the worst thing a person can be. It is far worse to be a fool who speaks twisted, perverse things.

i. “Once again a proverb correlates poverty with piety and wealth with impiety. The poor may be miserable for the moment, but the unethical rich are miserable for eternity. Thus the proverb teaches the pilgrim to walk by faith, not by sight.” (Waltke)

Proverbs 19:2

Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge,
And he sins who hastens with his feet.

a. It is not good for a soul to be without knowledge: When a person (a soul) has no wisdom (is without knowledge), it is never good. It may be common, but it is not good.

b. And he who sins hastens with his feet: Solomon listed a second thing that was not good – the one who rushes toward sin (hastens with his feet). On this side of eternity, we will also struggle with sin, but we don’t have to run towards it. We should be those who battle against sin, not run towards it.

Proverbs 19:3

The foolishness of a man twists his way,
And his heart frets against the LORD.

a. The foolishness of a man twists his way: it is true that a fool is foolish because they are twisted, crooked. Yet it also true that the foolish man finds his way more and more twisted. Foolishness leads to more twistedness.

b. His heart frets against the LORD: God intended us to be at peace with Him, but because of rebellion (both inherited and chosen), we are in many ways against the LORD. The foolish man or woman has no peace in God; their heart frets against the LORD. They are angry and perhaps bitter against God for their twisted way.

i. “Fools will try to blame God when they ruin their lives…The fool is not willing to accept failure as his own. Of course, to blame God is also folly.” (Ross)

ii. “Such is the pride and blasphemy of a proud spirit. The criminal blames the judge for his righteous sentence.” (Bridges)

Proverbs 19:4

Wealth makes many friends,
But the poor is separated from his friend.

a. Wealth makes many friends: When a person is wealthy, it draws many people to them in friendship. Yet these friendships may not be sincere or meaningful.

i. “Although a crowd, each one forms the friendship out of what he can gain, not for what he can give. The proverb anticipates the Lord’s teaching to use of money to win friends and an eternal reward in the kingdom of God (Luke 18:1-9).” (Waltke)

b. The poor is separated from his friend: The wealthy man has advantages and draws many friends, but the poor man does not have these advantages. Their would-be friends find it easy to separate from them.

Proverbs 19:5

A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies will not escape.

a. A false witness will not go unpunished: The first idea in this proverb is probably that of the law court, and in the court, it is essential that the false witness be punished. Justice depends upon it. This principle extends beyond the court of law into our daily life. God loves the truth and wants us to speak the truth.

b. He who speaks lies will not escape: Among men, sometimes the falsewitness and liars escape the discovery and penalty of their sin. With God, he who speaks lies will not escape. Jesus said our every word would be held to account (Matthew 12:36).

i. “This is a statement made in faith, for perjurers may escape human justice. Even the stern law of Deuteronomy 19:18-21 availed nothing for Naboth—or for Jesus.” (Kidner)

Proverbs 19:6

Many entreat the favor of the nobility,
And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.

a. Many entreat the favor of the nobility: When someone is of high status and importance (of the nobility), many people want their favor. There are advantages in having the favor of influential people.

b. Every man is a friend to the one who gives gifts: Many people who offer friendship do so out of selfish motives. They want the benefit of the favor of the nobility and the gifts that others may offer.

Proverbs 19:7

All the brothers of the poor hate him;
How much more do his friends go far from him!
He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.

a. All the brothers of the poor hate him: To be poor is often to be rejected by men, even by brothers and friends. What a contrast to Jesus, who Himself became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9) to draw near to us in our poverty and need.

b. He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him: By nature, people run from the poor person, even when he tries to persuade and pursue them with words. In contrast, God pursues the poor and needy.

Proverbs 19:8

He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will find good.

a. He who gets wisdom loves his own soul: The possession and pursuit of wisdom is so good and helpful to us that we can and should get wisdom simply out of self-interest. In so doing we love our own soul, our own life.

i. Loves his own soul:“Or loveth himself, because he procures great good to his soul, or to himself, as it follows; as sinners, on the contrary, are said to hate their souls, Proverbs 29:24, because they bring mischief upon them.” (Poole)

b. He who keeps understanding will find good: Wisdom isn’t just something to get; it is also something to keep. We find good when we keep understanding.

Proverbs 19:9

A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies shall perish.

a. A false witness will not go unpunished: The words and sense of this proverb were previously presented in Proverbs 19:5. The repetition reminds us that this is an important principle. In the law court and in daily life, God wants us to be people of the truth and so He promised that a false witness will not go unpunished.

b. He who speaks lies shall perish: This speaks to the certainty of God’s justice towards those who lie. Revelation 21:8 warns that liars are among those who will have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

Proverbs 19:10

Luxury is not fitting for a fool,
Much less for a servant to rule over princes.

a. Luxury is not fitting for a fool: The sense is that there are some wisdom-rejecting fools who enjoy luxury, but it doesn’t seem right. It isn’t fitting for a fool to live in luxury.

b. Much less for a servant to rule over princes: Solomon spoke according to the wisdom of the natural man, which places great trust in nobility and family lineage. This is one of the proverbs that the gospel and the new covenant turn on its head, where those who would be great should be as servants and not as princes (Matthew 20:26 and 23:11).

i. “The slave, who is incompetent both by disposition and training, will be drunk from the feeling of power and his rulership will develop into unbearable despotism. The consequences for the community are only incompetence, mismanagement, abuse of power, corruption, injustice; in brief, social chaos (cf. Ecclesiastes 10:5-7).” (Waltke)

ii. “The slave has the same rational power as his sovereign. But lesser habits of mind make him unfit to rule. There are, however, exceptions to this, as in the case of Joseph.” (Bridges)

Proverbs 19:11

The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

a. The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger: It isn’t necessarily weakness or lack of courage that makes a man slow to anger. It may be wisdom, here described as discretion.

b. His glory is to overlook a transgression: A wise man or woman knows that they have been forgiven much, and this shapes how they deal with others. They don’t act as if they must hold everyone accountable for every transgression but know when to overlook a transgression.

i. “The virtue which is indicated here is more than a forgiving temper; it includes also the ability to shrug off insults and the absence of a brooding hypersensitivity.” (McKane, cited in Ross)

ii. “The manlier any man is, the milder and readier to pass by an offence. This shows that he hath much of God in him (if he do it from a right principle), who bears with our evil manners, and forgives our trespasses, beseeching us to be reconciled.” (Trapp)

Proverbs 19:12

The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like dew on the grass.

a. The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion: The roar of a lion is terrifying in itself, even without the understanding that destruction will swiftly follow. The same is true for the wrath of a king or any other influential person. It is much truer regarding the wrath of God or the wrath of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5).

i. “Hebrew, Of a young lion, which, being in his prime, roars more terribly; sets up his roar with such a force that he amazeth the other creatures whom he hunteth, so that, though far swifter of foot than the lion, they have no power to fly from him.” (Trapp)

ii. “There is nothing more dreadful than the roaring of this tyrant of the forest. At the sound of it all other animals tremble, flee away, and hide themselves. The king who is above law, and rules without law, and whose will is his own law, is like the lion.” (Clarke)

b. His favor is like the dew on the grass: This means the king’s favor is refreshing and life-giving; it also means that it is fleeting, as the dew on the grass. The favor of God is certainly refreshing and life-giving, but it is not fleeting, as if God were an impossible-to-please tyrant.

i. “Dew, which in the climatic conditions of Palestine was essential to the survival of vegetation in the hot, dry summer, is a gift from God.” (Waltke)

ii. “This proverb would advise the king’s subjects to use tact and the king to cultivate kindness.” (Ross)

Proverbs 19:13

A foolish son is the ruin of his father,
And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.

a. A foolish son is the ruin of his father: It is grieving to any parent to have a foolish son or daughter. This may run from grief to ruin as the grief destroys the father’s health and life, or as the father ruins himself to rescue the foolish son.

b. The contentions of a wife are a continual dripping: This proverb of sympathy for a man’s problems as a father now looks at a man’s potential problem as a husband. A wife who often contends (fights, argues) with her husband is like a continual dripping in at least three ways.

· It is an always-present annoyance and trouble.

· It wastes and destroys, eroding good and valuable things.

· It points to some underlying, more basic problem.

i. “The man who has got such a wife is like a tenant who has got a cottage with a bad roof, through every part of which the rain either drops or pours. He can neither sit, stand, work, nor sleep, without being exposed to these droppings. God help the man who is in such a case, with house or wife!” (Clarke)

ii. “Like as a man that hath met with hard usage abroad thinks to mend himself at home, but is no sooner sat down there but the rain, dropping through the roof upon his head, drives him out of doors again. Such is the case of him that hath a contentious wife – a far greater cross than that of ungracious children, which yet are the father’s calamities and heart breaks.” (Trapp)

iii. “Delitzsch passes on an Arab proverb told him…‘Three things make a house intolerable: tak (the leaking through of rain), nak (a wife’s nagging) and bak (bugs).’” (Kidner)

Proverbs 19:14

Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the LORD.

a. Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers: There are good things a man may receive as an inheritance, including material things such as houses and riches. A man is blessed to have such things.

b. A prudent wife is from the LORD: A gift beyond the inheritance one may receive from fathers is this gift from God – a prudent wife. A wife of wisdom, self-control, and appropriate living is a greater gift than houses and riches. A wife who is not prudent may waste whatever wealth a man has. Every man with a prudent, wise wife should give thanks to the LORD.

i. From the LORD: “Nature makes a woman, election a wife; but to be prudent, wise, and virtuous is of the Lord. A good wife was one of the first real and royal gifts bestowed on Adam.” (Trapp)

ii. “Thus the proverb instructs the disciple to look to God (Proverbs 15:8, 29; 16:3; cf. Genesis 24:14) and find his favor through wisdom to obtain from him a competent wife (Proverbs 8:35; 18:22)…. As a result, when a man has a competent wife, he praises God, not himself.” (Waltke)

iii. “The verse does not answer questions about unhappy marriages or bad wives; rather, it simply affirms that when a marriage turns out well, one should credit God.” (Ross)

Proverbs 19:15

Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And an idle person will suffer hunger.

a. Laziness casts one into a deep sleep: There are many problems with laziness, and one of them is that it leads to more laziness, sending the lazy man into a deep sleep. There is no work to be done from a deep sleep.

i. “Laziness plunges him into a state of being so deep in sleep that he is totally unconscious of his situation. Unaware of his tragic situation and unable to arouse himself, the sluggard neglects his source of income and so hungers. His fate is similar to that of drunkards and the gluttons (Proverbs 23:21).” (Waltke)

b. An idle person will suffer hunger: There is a great price to be paid from laziness, one of those prices is the hunger one suffers as one’s needs are not met through hard work. The lazy man or woman puts themselves in a trap of sleep and hunger.

Proverbs 19:16

He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who is careless of his ways will die.

a. He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul: Obedience to the word and commandment of God is of real, practical benefit. Obedience guards and keeps the life, the soul of the wise man or woman who lives according to God’s word.

b. He who is careless of his ways will die: To abandon wisdom and live careless in our ways is to invite death. God gave His commandment to give us life and to keep us from death.

Proverbs 19:17

He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD,
And He will pay back what he has given.

a. He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD: When we give to the poor (expressing our love and pity towards them), we aren’t wasting our money. It is like lending money to the LORD Himself.

i. “Their just and gracious Creator takes it upon himself to assume their indebtedness and so he will repay the lender in full.” (Waltke)

b. He will pay back what he has given: God will never be in debt to any man. He will never be in a position where He owes anything as a matter of debt. Therefore, to lend to the LORD is to ensure blessing in return. God will certainly pay back what we give in compassion to the poor. God promises that we will never be the loser for generous and compassionate giving.

i. “God will never be in your debt. He is exact and punctilious in His repayment. No man ever dared to do His bidding in respect to any case of need, and found himself the poorer…. Was not Ruth’s love to Naomi well compensated?” (Meyer)

ii. “O what a word is this! God makes himself debtor for every thing that is given to the poor! Who would not advance much upon such credit? God will pay it again. And in no case has he ever forfeited his word.” (Clarke)

iii. “This promise of reward does not necessarily signify that he will get his money back; the rewards in Proverbs involve life and prosperity in general.” (Ross)

Proverbs 19:18

Chasten your son while there is hope,
And do not set your heart on his destruction.

a. Chasten your son while there is hope: There is not an endless window of opportunity to chasten and wisely discipline our children. Age and circumstances limit the opportunity for effective training, so it must be done while there is hope. There may come the time when you wish you had done much more to chasten your son or daughter.

i. “It is far better that the child should cry under healthy correction than that parents should later cry under the bitter fruit to themselves and their children of neglected discipline.” (Bridges)

b. Do not set your heart on his destruction: To fail to chasten your son in the opportune season is to actually work for his destruction. Many parents bring much destruction to their children through neglect, not outright abuse.

i. “Psychologically healthy parents do not consciously desire to kill their children. But if they do not employ the God-given means of verbal reproof to prevent acts of folly and corporal punishment to prevent their repetition, they are in fact unwittingly party to the worst punishment, his death.” (Waltke)

Proverbs 19:19

A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;
For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

a. A man of great wrath will suffer punishment: Out of control anger brings many problems and costs. Among the fruit of the spirit is self-control (Galatians 5:23), and wisdom does not lead a person to be of great wrath.

i. “He punishes himself. Wounded pride and resentment leave the wretched criminal brooding in his room. He suffers an intolerable burden of self-inflicted punishment.” (Bridges)

b. For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again: The person who can’t control their anger will run into trouble again and again. To rescue them once isn’t enough, because the problem is more in them than in the circumstances that they blame for their anger. It is better for them to face the consequences of their action and hope they learn something from it.

i. “An ungovernable temper will repeatedly land its owner in fresh trouble.” (Kidner)

Proverbs 19:20

Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise in your latter days.

a. Listen to counsel and receive instruction: One of the first marks of wisdom is the readiness to receive more wisdom. A teachable person, one who will listen to counsel and receive instruction, has already made much progress on the path of wisdom.

b. That you may be wise in your latter days: The bad effects of the foolish rejection of wisdom may not be seen for many years. Yet in the latter days of a man or woman’s life, it will be clear whether or not they learned wisdom’s lessons and if they did listen to counsel. If you want to be wise later in life, start now.

Proverbs 19:21

There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand.

a. There are many plans in a man’s heart: It is in the nature of men (and women) to plan and prepare for the future. Some of the plans may be wise and some may be foolish, but there are many plans in a man’s heart.

b. Nevertheless, the LORD’s counsel – that will stand: Man makes his plans, and he should. Yet every plan should be made with an appreciation of God’s overall wisdom, work, and will.

i. James would later explain this principle this way: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15)

ii. “This is a perfectly self evident assertion, but, as such, important as to warrant a pause in reading it. The one thing in the heart that may be depended upon is the counsel or guidance of Jehovah.” (Morgan)

Proverbs 19:22

What is desired in a man is kindness,
And a poor man is better than a liar.

a. What is desired in a man is kindness: It is not that kindness is the highest or only virtue for the people of God. Yet, in many ways, it is the one most desired by others, especially in a modern world.

b. A poor man is better than a liar: This proverb shows that kindness, though valuable, is not the only virtue. To be a man or woman of truth – to not be a liar – is also of great value. This proverb reminds us that though we should pursue and value kindness, we should not treat it as the only valued virtue among God’s people.

Proverbs 19:23

The fear of the LORD leads to life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will not be visited with evil.

a. The fear of the LORD leads to life: Since the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, it wonderfully leads to life. If we want life, we should begin with this honor, reverent awe and submission to God.

b. He who has it will abide in satisfaction: When we have, and walk in, the fear of the LORD, it leads to a life of satisfaction. The world, the flesh, and the devil want to convince us that a life founded on fear of the LORD leads to misery, but the opposite is true. It brings satisfaction and keeps us from a future of evil.

i. Will not be visited with evil: “When one lives a life of piety, the Lord provides a quality of life that cannot be disrupted by such evil.” (Ross)

Proverbs 19:24

A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl,
And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

a. A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl: Solomon pictured a lazy man sitting at his food, with his hand buried in his bowl of food.

i. “This humorous portrayal is certainly an exaggeration. It probably was meant more widely for anyone who starts a project but lacks the energy to complete it.” (Ross)

ii. In the bowl: “The same word in 2 Kings 21:13 leaves no doubt of its meaning. The scene is thus a meal, and the example comically extreme.” (Kidner)

b. And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again: In this humorous, exaggerated picture, the lazy man has so little energy and initiative that he won’t even bring his hand from the bowl to his mouth. This exaggerated picture establishes a principle made elsewhere in proverbs: the lazy man will go hungry.

i. Will not so much as bring it to his mouth again: “To wit, to feed himself; he expects that the meat should drop into his mouth.” (Poole)

ii. “Is it possible to find anywhere a more graphic or sarcastic description of absolute laziness?” (Morgan)

Proverbs 19:25

Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary;
Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.

a. Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary: When a determined fool and opponent of wisdom (a scoffer) is punished, others will learn. The more innocent fool (the simple) may learn from this.

i. “Smite him never so much, there is no beating any wit into him. Pharaoh was not a button the better for all that he suffered; but Jethro, taking notice of God’s heavy hand upon Pharaoh, and likewise upon the Amalekites, was thereby converted, and became a proselyte, as Rabbi Solomon noteth upon this text.” (Trapp)

b. Rebuke one who has understanding: The rebuke of the scoffer seems to do the scoffer no good, though it may benefit the simple. Yet when someone who values wisdom (one who has understanding) is corrected, he learns. He grows in his ability to discern knowledge.

i. “Here are three varieties of mind: closed [scoffer]…empty (the simple—he must be startled into attention), and open [understanding] (…he accepts even a painful truth).” (Kidner)

Proverbs 19:26

He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother
Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

a. He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother: The Bible commands honor your father and your mother (Exodus 20:12). This proverb considers the person who does the opposite of Exodus 20:12.

i. “When the father and his household lies in ruin, the mother (see Proverbs 1:8) is left in a tragic situation without the provision and protection and of her husband. By ruining his father, the imbecile (cf. Proverbs 17:2) leaves his mother as good as a defenseless widow.” (Waltke)

b. Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach: One cannot disobey God and the standards of human society without paying a price. One price to be paid from the mistreatment of parents is to bring shame and reproach upon one’s self.

Proverbs 19:27

Cease listening to instruction, my son,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

a. Cease listening to instruction, my son: Solomon continued to give wisdom to his children, and here warned of the danger of ceasing to listen to instruction, to wisdom.

b. And you will stray from the words of knowledge: This shows us that attention and effort must be given to remain on the path of wisdom. If one does cease listening to instruction, then they will stray from the words of knowledge. One must set themselves on the path of wisdom and, with God’s help, determine that they will stay upon in.

i. “The meaning here is that it is better not to learn than to learn to refuse to obey.” (Morgan)

ii. “Without constant attention to wisdom depraved human beings unconsciously stray from it. Even Solomon, ancient Israel’s paragon of wisdom, strayed when he ceased listening to his own proverbs.” (Waltke)

Proverbs 19:28

A disreputable witness scorns justice,
And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

a. A disreputable witness scorns justice: The witness who is not committed to truth doesn’t care about the workings of justice. Great harm comes upon society and its legal system when there is not care and promotion of the truth and the disreputable witness is not punished.

i. “The perjurers in the lawsuit against Naboth are called beliyyaal (1 Kings. 21:10, 13), a story that illustrates the lying witnesses’ lethal power.” (Waltke)

b. The mouth of the wicked devours iniquity: The words of the wicked (coming from the mouth) love iniquity so much that they devour it, as a hungry man devours food. This is the kind of person who scorns justice and tears down society.

Proverbs 19:29

Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And beatings for the backs of fools.

a. Judgments are prepared for scoffers: Those who reject wisdom with hostility (scoffers) will not escape penalty. Judgments are prepared for them.

i. Are prepared for: “For these scorners (that promise themselves impunity) are judgments, not one, but many, not appointed only, but prepared long since, and now ready to be executed.” (Trapp)

b. Beatings for the backs of fools: Those who disregard wisdom, bound in their folly (fools) will also have their penalty. Correction will come to them in its appointed way, and sadly – the correction will do little good for them.

i. “Profane and wicked men expose themselves to the punishments denounced against such by just laws. Avoid, therefore, both their company and their end.” (Clarke)

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Posted on July 20, 2025 by anthonyhopkins33

Proverbs 19th Chapter

Proverbs 19 – Fools and Family Life

Proverbs 19:1

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

i. “Often men put under their feet those whom God carries in his heart. Man honors the perverse for their riches and despises the poor because of their poverty.” (Bridges)

Proverbs 19:2

Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge,
And he sins who hastens with his feet.

a. It is not good for a soul to be without knowledge: When a person (a soul) has no wisdom (is without knowledge), it is never good. It may be common, but it is not good.

Proverbs 19:3

The foolishness of a man twists his way,
And his heart frets against the LORD.

i. “Fools will try to blame God when they ruin their lives…The fool is not willing to accept failure as his own. Of course, to blame God is also folly.” (Ross)

ii. “Such is the pride and blasphemy of a proud spirit. The criminal blames the judge for his righteous sentence.” (Bridges)

Proverbs 19:4

Wealth makes many friends,
But the poor is separated from his friend.

a. Wealth makes many friends: When a person is wealthy, it draws many people to them in friendship. Yet these friendships may not be sincere or meaningful.

Proverbs 19:5

A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies will not escape.

i. “This is a statement made in faith, for perjurers may escape human justice. Even the stern law of Deuteronomy 19:18-21 availed nothing for Naboth—or for Jesus.” (Kidner)

Proverbs 19:6

Many entreat the favor of the nobility,
And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.

Proverbs 19:7

All the brothers of the poor hate him;
How much more do his friends go far from him!
He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.

Proverbs 19:8

He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will find good.

b. He who keeps understanding will find good: Wisdom isn’t just something to get; it is also something to keep. We find good when we keep understanding.

Proverbs 19:9

A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies shall perish.

Proverbs 19:10

Luxury is not fitting for a fool,
Much less for a servant to rule over princes.

ii. “The slave has the same rational power as his sovereign. But lesser habits of mind make him unfit to rule. There are, however, exceptions to this, as in the case of Joseph.” (Bridges)

Proverbs 19:11

The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

a. The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger: It isn’t necessarily weakness or lack of courage that makes a man slow to anger. It may be wisdom, here described as discretion.

i. “The virtue which is indicated here is more than a forgiving temper; it includes also the ability to shrug off insults and the absence of a brooding hypersensitivity.” (McKane, cited in Ross)

Proverbs 19:12

The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like dew on the grass.

i. “Dew, which in the climatic conditions of Palestine was essential to the survival of vegetation in the hot, dry summer, is a gift from God.” (Waltke)

ii. “This proverb would advise the king’s subjects to use tact and the king to cultivate kindness.” (Ross)

Proverbs 19:13

A foolish son is the ruin of his father,
And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.

· It is an always-present annoyance and trouble.

· It wastes and destroys, eroding good and valuable things.

· It points to some underlying, more basic problem.

iii. “Delitzsch passes on an Arab proverb told him…‘Three things make a house intolerable: tak (the leaking through of rain), nak (a wife’s nagging) and bak (bugs).’” (Kidner)

Proverbs 19:14

Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the LORD.

iii. “The verse does not answer questions about unhappy marriages or bad wives; rather, it simply affirms that when a marriage turns out well, one should credit God.” (Ross)

Proverbs 19:15

Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And an idle person will suffer hunger.

Proverbs 19:16

He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who is careless of his ways will die.

b. He who is careless of his ways will die: To abandon wisdom and live careless in our ways is to invite death. God gave His commandment to give us life and to keep us from death.

Proverbs 19:17

He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD,
And He will pay back what he has given.

i. “Their just and gracious Creator takes it upon himself to assume their indebtedness and so he will repay the lender in full.” (Waltke)

iii. “This promise of reward does not necessarily signify that he will get his money back; the rewards in Proverbs involve life and prosperity in general.” (Ross)

Proverbs 19:18

Chasten your son while there is hope,
And do not set your heart on his destruction.

Proverbs 19:19

A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;
For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

i. “He punishes himself. Wounded pride and resentment leave the wretched criminal brooding in his room. He suffers an intolerable burden of self-inflicted punishment.” (Bridges)

i. “An ungovernable temper will repeatedly land its owner in fresh trouble.” (Kidner)

Proverbs 19:20

Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise in your latter days.

Proverbs 19:21

There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand.

b. Nevertheless, the LORD’s counsel – that will stand: Man makes his plans, and he should. Yet every plan should be made with an appreciation of God’s overall wisdom, work, and will.

Proverbs 19:22

What is desired in a man is kindness,
And a poor man is better than a liar.

Proverbs 19:23

The fear of the LORD leads to life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will not be visited with evil.

i. Will not be visited with evil: “When one lives a life of piety, the Lord provides a quality of life that cannot be disrupted by such evil.” (Ross)

Proverbs 19:24

A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl,
And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

a. A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl: Solomon pictured a lazy man sitting at his food, with his hand buried in his bowl of food.

i. “This humorous portrayal is certainly an exaggeration. It probably was meant more widely for anyone who starts a project but lacks the energy to complete it.” (Ross)

ii. In the bowl: “The same word in 2 Kings 21:13 leaves no doubt of its meaning. The scene is thus a meal, and the example comically extreme.” (Kidner)

i. Will not so much as bring it to his mouth again: “To wit, to feed himself; he expects that the meat should drop into his mouth.” (Poole)

ii. “Is it possible to find anywhere a more graphic or sarcastic description of absolute laziness?” (Morgan)

Proverbs 19:25

Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary;
Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.

Proverbs 19:26

He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother
Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

Proverbs 19:27

Cease listening to instruction, my son,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

a. Cease listening to instruction, my son: Solomon continued to give wisdom to his children, and here warned of the danger of ceasing to listen to instruction, to wisdom.

i. “The meaning here is that it is better not to learn than to learn to refuse to obey.” (Morgan)

Proverbs 19:28

A disreputable witness scorns justice,
And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

i. “The perjurers in the lawsuit against Naboth are called beliyyaal (1 Kings. 21:10, 13), a story that illustrates the lying witnesses’ lethal power.” (Waltke)

Proverbs 19:29

Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And beatings for the backs of fools.

a. Judgments are prepared for scoffers: Those who reject wisdom with hostility (scoffers) will not escape penalty. Judgments are prepared for them.

i. “Profane and wicked men expose themselves to the punishments denounced against such by just laws. Avoid, therefore, both their company and their end.” (Clarke)

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Posted on July 20, 2025 by anthonyhopkins33

Proverbs 19:19 Sermon

CALVARY CHAPEL OF JONESBORO

Proverb A DAy

Paying the Price for Angry Outbursts. Proverbs 19:19

5/15/2012

5 CommentsA man of great anger will bear the penalty, For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again. Proverbs 19:19

The “hot-head” is the focus of this proverb. The man who has a firey disposition and who is in the habit of responding and reacting to what happens to him in angry outbursts. He reacts to things with a rage – in fact what this passage says is that he does so with “great” rage. The word here is “gadol” which means something huge, mamoth, and gargantuan in size. This is not normal anger – it is enraged anger that loses control. What does God say to us about this kind of man? What does the Lord counsel us concerning acting on his behalf?

First of all God says that a man who has such huge anger issues is one who will bear the penalty of his actions. The word for penalty is “ownes” and means a fine, penalty, and referred to the fines that were levied against those who violated the law. The picture that is painted for us with the use of this particular word is that of someone whose anger lands them in jail. The enraged explosion they unleash on those who are the target of their anger goes beyond the law – and honestly – is very dangerous. You’ve heard of the man who in anger goes and gets a gun and returns to the bar or the house – and shoots the person with whom he is angry? That is this person’s anger tactic at its worst. To join with this fellow is to risk being put in jail with him – for his actions are going to cross the line – and become illegal.

Second, we are told not to continue to resuce this man from his angry outbursts. The problem with him is that he does not learn from his previous outbursts. Instead – he continues in his rage and does it again and again. We are warned that if we rescue him from his outrageous outbursts – we will have to do it again. He does not need to be rescued from the consequences of his actions – instead he needs to face them squarely. Rescuing him from them will only mean that he will do it again. There is a lesson for him that can only be learned from facing stiff penalties for his outrageous behavior.

While we are dealing with this proverb, I would like to share something a very wise man taught me about anger – and something that can help those who struggle with it. This godly man said to me the following, “We become angry because we cannot control situations or people. When we cannot control them, we become infuriated at whatever or whoever is not doing what they should be doing – so we can be comfortable and uninterrupted in what WE want to do.” This was, at the time, a devastating analysis of anger to me. I considered an angry outburst I had toward one of my children. According to this definition – my anger was not, as I asserted, because my child “made” me angry. My anger arose because my child was not doing what I wanted – and was interrupting what I wanted to be doing. Needless to say I was instantly convicted – repented – and had quite the crow-filled meal as I asked my son to forgive me. Later, when I realized I was not only angry at my son – I was also angry at God, Who in His perfect providence, decided that what I needed was an opportunity to be patient and kind. What I really wanted was a trial and testing free zone about me at all times. This led to a second meal of abundant crow as I sought God’s forgiveness for my pride and arrogance in wanting Him to serve me in the providence He provided for me.

Anger – outbursts of anger – are a dangerous thing. We need to bear the penalty of these things so that we see them for what they are – manifestations of our pride and desire to control everything in our lives. We need to see them as a reminded that we DO NOT CONTROL our own lives. Angry outbursts are a warning sign to us that we are wanting the world around us to serve us at all times. This will NOT be the case – and unless we learn this – we will only have more of these times of “great anger” that will cost us dearly. Oh, to learn humility and submission to God and His providence quickly. Those who don’t learn this – learn to feast on a whole lot of crow in their lives.https://www.facebook.com/v2.6/plugins/like.php?action=like&app_id=190291501407&channel=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticxx.facebook.com%2Fx%2Fconnect%2Fxd_arbiter%2F%3Fversion%3D46%23cb%3Df9bfbe401a385f01a%26domain%3Dwww.calvarychapeljonesboro.org%26is_canvas%3Dfalse%26origin%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.calvarychapeljonesboro.org%252Ff3b82d511483e2bed%26relation%3Dparent.parent&container_width=0&href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.calvarychapeljonesboro.org%2F3%2Fpost%2F2012%2F05%2Fpaying-the-price-for-angry-outbursts-proverbs-1919.html&layout=button_count&locale=en_US&sdk=joey&share=false&show_faces=false&width=90

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5 Comments

Candice

5/21/2021 09:11:11 pm

I liked the way the scripture proverbs 19:19 was explained 😃🙏🏽

Becki Hernandez

6/9/2022 10:36:52 am

Great explanat

Victoria Kayser

7/19/2022 08:10:32 am

Thank you For a great explanation of proverbs 1919. I have struggled with anger from time to time. And rage. And I have suffered consequences.

Dionne Bain

10/21/2022 05:48:03 am

I Love the way this Passage was explained. It’s was so very helpful to me and I’m going to share it with my coworker.to why I constantly tell her to wait on God. When she’s angry with others

Steven S Lowry

3/7/2025 10:12:19 am

I was this man while I felt trapped in a toxic marriage and in my darkest moments I acted out on my young daughter who had no reason for this.
Years later I told her this event and she became aware. Her response was my shame and I could only ask for forgiveness. We both have been forgiven by Grace of Jesus on the cross. I reading this have long ago repented to my Savior Jesus and I know His heart which he has poured out on me daily giving me a deep trust in his forgiveness and I THANK YOU LORD FOR YOUR CONTINUED LOVE!❤️ ❤️. Amen

Proverbs 19:19 Commentary

ESV NIV NASB CSB NLT KJV NKJV Proverbs19

Verse

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Proverbs 19:19

ESVA man of great wrath will pay the penalty,for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.

NIVA hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;rescue them, and you will have to do it again.

NASBA person of great anger will suffer the penalty, For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.

CSBA person with intense anger bears the penalty;if you rescue him, you’ll have to do it again.

NLTHot-tempered people must pay the penalty.If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again.

KJVA man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.

NKJVA man of great wrath will suffer punishment;For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

What does Proverbs 19:19 mean?

Among the worst consequences of an uncontrolled temper is the tendency to make the same mistakes again and again. Being hot-tempered means lacking in self-control, so a person is liable to make the same foolish choices when put under pressure. Proverbs warns repeatedly about the ways in which one’s temper can be dangerous (Proverbs 14:17, 29; 15:18; 17:27; 19:11). That danger extends to others as well; Scripture suggests it’s better to avoid those who can’t control their emotions (Proverbs 22:24).

Another application of this verse is the idea of learning hard lessons. At times, people need to suffer the natural consequences of their actions. This is especially true of children, who often struggle to mature when perpetually “rescued” from their own mistakes. The verses on either side of this proverb (Proverbs 19:18, 20) speak of the value in discipline and learning. Preventing all negative results, whether on behalf of a child or an adult, tends to encourage them committing the same errors over and over again.

History and modern culture are full of stories about habitual hot heads. Although they were punished for crimes and mistakes, some eventually repeated their mistakes. Of course, some men and women learn from their errors. When they are released from prison, or overcome their other consequences, they sincerely seek a more controlled life.

An angry man who repeatedly gets into trouble cannot blame circumstances or other people for the harm he inflicts on others. His problem doesn’t stem from others or from difficult circumstances; it stems from what he is by nature. Jeremiah 17:9 describes the heart as desperately sick. Shallow reformation doesn’t change the heart. Only spiritual regeneration—the new birth (John 3:3)—makes all things new (Jeremiah 31:31–33; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

CollapseContext Summary
Proverbs 19:8–21 continues Solomon’s observations about wisdom and foolishness, a king’s wrath, household turmoil, and human plans as compared to divine sovereignty. A theme of these proverbs is the danger of ignoring godly wisdom, while placing too much reliance on one’s own ability. A wise person is prudent, diligent, and honest. At the same time, wisdom means realizing that not all plans work out.

CollapseChapter Summary
Several themes are associated with these statements. Among them are the idea that personal integrity is worth much more than earthly wealth or success. Solomon discusses the unfortunate habit of favoring the rich and dismissing the poor, while commending those who care for the unfortunate. Many references are made to the consequences of foolish behavior, including the shame and punishment such things can bring.

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Posted on July 16, 2025 by anthonyhopkins33

Adult Sibling Rivalry 2

Adult sibling rivalry, while often rooted in childhood dynamics, can significantly impact an individual’s well-being and relationships throughout their lives. It’s not uncommon for siblings to experience lingering resentment, competition, or distance, even into adulthood. Understanding the psychological roots of these conflicts and developing strategies for healthy communication and boundary setting can be crucial for improving these relationships. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Underlying Causes of Adult Sibling Rivalry:

Childhood Experiences: Past experiences, such as parental favoritism, perceived injustices, or unresolved conflicts, can shape adult sibling relationships. [3, 3, 4, 4, 7, 7]
Personality Differences: Inherent personality differences and varying coping mechanisms can contribute to ongoing friction and misunderstandings. [3, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9]
Family Dynamics: Unhealthy family dynamics, including communication patterns and unresolved issues, can perpetuate rivalry. [2, 2, 3, 3]
Social Comparisons: Adults may continue to compare themselves to siblings in terms of career, relationships, or material possessions, fueling rivalry. [10, 10, 11, 11]
Unmet Needs: Individuals may harbor expectations for siblings to fulfill unmet needs from childhood, such as apologies or recognition, leading to disappointment and resentment, according to AARP. [6, 6, 12, 12]

Consequences of Adult Sibling Rivalry:

Mental Health Issues: Studies show that poor sibling relationships in childhood can be linked to depression, anxiety, and substance abuse in adulthood, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). [1, 1]
Relationship Strain: Rivalry can negatively impact relationships with spouses, children, and other family members, according to Verywell Mind. [3, 7, 7, 13]
Personal Distress: Individuals may experience chronic feelings of anger, resentment, and disappointment due to unresolved conflicts. [12, 12, 14, 14]
Missed Opportunities: Rivalry can prevent siblings from forming supportive and meaningful relationships. [1, 1, 3, 3, 4, 15, 16]

Strategies for Improvement:

Self-Reflection: Individuals can examine their own role in the conflict and identify triggers and patterns of behavior, says WebMD. [2, 5, 5, 6, 6, 17]
Open Communication: Having honest and respectful conversations with siblings, focusing on understanding each other’s perspectives, can be beneficial. [5, 5, 6, 6]
Setting Boundaries: Establishing healthy boundaries with siblings, including limiting contact or emotional involvement, can be a way to protect one’s well-being. [6, 6, 18, 18]
Forgiveness and Acceptance: Letting go of past hurts and accepting that siblings may not change can lead to personal growth and reduced distress. [11, 11, 12, 12]
Seeking Professional Help: Therapy can provide guidance and support in navigating complex sibling relationships and developing healthier coping mechanisms, according to Psychology Today. [5, 5, 19, 19, 20, 21]

By addressing the underlying causes and actively working on improving communication and boundaries, adults can strive to create more positive and fulfilling relationships with their siblings. [5, 6]

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/03/feature-sibling-relationships

[2] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brothers-sisters-strangers/202309/5-ways-the-sibling-dynamic-reappears-in-adult-relationships

[3] https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/adult-sibling-rivalry

[4] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/199301/adult-sibling-rivalry

[5] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/clinical-wisdom-for-a-new-world/202406/rivalry-to-harmony-how-to-resolve-adult-sibling

[6] https://www.aarp.org/family-relationships/adult-sibling-conflict/

[7] https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-handle-the-stress-of-adult-sibling-rivalry-3144976

[8] https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/articles/199301/adult-sibling-rivalry

[9] https://www.amazon.com/Adult-Sibling-Rivalry-Understanding-Childhood/dp/0517582767

[10] https://capsulenz.com/featured/adult-sibling-rivalry/

[11] https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-common-signs-of-sibling-rivalry-among-adult-siblings-What-are-the-possible-reasons-for-this-and-how-can-it-be-resolved