Posted on 02/27/2014 9:17:52 AM PST by OneVike
Proverb 27 (NKJV)
My Son, Be Wise
01 Do not boast about tomorrow,
00 For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
02 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
00 A stranger, and not your own lips.
03 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
00 But a fool's wrath is heavier than both of them.
04 Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,
00 But who is able to stand before jealousy?
05 Open rebuke is better
00 Than love carefully concealed.
06 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
00 But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
07 A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb,
00 But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
08 Like a bird that wanders from its nest
00 Is a man who wanders from his place.
09 Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
00 And the sweetness of a man's friend gives delight by hearty counsel.
10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father's friend,
00 Nor go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity;
00 Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
00 That I may answer him who reproaches me.
12 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
00 The simple pass on and are punished.
13 Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,
00 And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.
14 He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,
00 It will be counted a curse to him.
15 A continual dripping on a very rainy day
00 And a contentious woman are alike;
16 Whoever restrains her restrains the wind,
00 And grasps oil with his right hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
00 So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
00 So he who waits on his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
00 So a man's heart reveals the man.
20 Hell and Destruction are never full;
00 So the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
00 And a man is valued by what others say of him.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
00 Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23 Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,
00 And attend to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
00 Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
25 When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,
00 And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26 The lambs will provide your clothing,
00 And the goats the price of a field;
27 You shall have enough goats' milk for your food,
00 For the food of your household,
00 And the nourishment of your maidservants.
The purpose of Writing the book of Proverbs by Solomon is to reveal the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and Godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings.
Without wisdom, knowledge is nothing more than an accumulation of raw facts, influenced by emotional feelings. Many highly educated people are in positions of power in the United States, but very few of those educated leaders have the wisdom needed to rule properly.
One can say that they have been educated well beyond their intelligence. A cursory look at the court system will prove my point that knowledge without wisdom will only lead to an immoral society that eventually crumbles from within. Judges are supposed to be above the fray, and immovable to emotions. Instead, the vast majority of judges today are Godless individuals who are vacant of wisdom. So their rulings are totally based upon emotional feelings.
We the people are to blame, because we ignored God';s guidance in appointing our leaders. Instead of putting leaders full wisdom in power, we instead chose those who would scratch our itchy ears to lead us.
Along with my daily routine of reading the Bible, I try to read through the book of Proverbs once a Month. It's an easy task when you consider there are 31 Proverbs. So all you need to know is what day of the Month it is to know which Proverb to read. In the Months that have less than 31 days, I just double so I can begin the next month with Proverb 1 on the first again.
#2 is interesting as it speaks to the issue of why Jesus of Nazareth was so shy (in the gospel accounts) about saying that He was divine. He let His actions talk and others speak about them. “Who do they say that I am?”
This was God being quintessentially God. If anyone had a right to brag it would be God, but no, God lets others brag on Him.
Excellent post and excellent idea of going through the book of Proverbs every month . . 31 Chapters You need to enlarge the font on your comments on Proverbs. They are quite good!
Thanks, I will set the font to normal size #3 then.
I agree. When you brag, you get your praise from men and thus your blessing. When you do good and keep quiet, God will bless you openly.
Sometimes it can’t be avoided to assert what you’ve done.
But it should always be in the context of having displayed the glory of the Lord. Don’t make yourself a doormat before even the world does.
God puts up with a lot of vain ephemera in order to get the gospel out. I think it is quite in character for the Lord to have raised up our entire modern information technology infrastructure so that the gospel power might be both witnessed to and communicated. When the first long distance telegraphy by Morse’s electromagnetic system was carried out, from DC to Baltimore, the text was “WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT”. Today we have folks like Google clamoring for the glory. And still the glory is God’s.
[verse 1]
What hath God wrought?
This question was sought
From the old Supreme Court
To Baltimore depot by the port;
In eighteen forty-four
The Lord opened up the door
To sharing His word
By wire as far as could be heard.
[chorus]
What hath God wrought?
Those who by His blood were bought
Proclaim the answer far and wide
By every means o’er hill and tide;
Whether by air or Internet
Or mouth to mouth, “God canceled our debt
So that our souls forever are free —
Give everyone this wondrous key!”
[verse 2]
What hath God wrought?
The awe of God that once we taught
Has fallen on the ground;
Scarcely more is heard its sound —
God grieves from heaven so,
He wants His people again to know
What mighty words and deeds
Grow from faith like mustard seeds.
[chorus]
What hath God wrought?
Those who by His blood were bought
Proclaim the answer far and wide
By every means o’er hill and tide;
Whether by air or Internet
Or mouth to mouth, “God canceled our debt
So that our souls forever are free —
Give everyone this wondrous key!”
[verse 3]
What hath God wrought?
O let His Spirit again be caught
By the hearts of yearning men
Who would see glory once again;
O let a boldness like a lion
Again be seen in Abraham’s scion
And all adopted in his faith
Speak up again before it’s too late.
[chorus]
What hath God wrought?
Those who by His blood were bought
Proclaim the answer far and wide
By every means o’er hill and tide;
Whether by air or Internet
Or mouth to mouth, “God canceled our debt
So that our souls forever are free —
Give everyone this wondrous key!”
[2013, HTRN]
Thanks, that was good
I wrote that along with a group of other poem/songs last year in a spate of inspiration where I thought the Lord was actually closing in on me, to the point of being tangible, I could feel God and the devil fighting in my bones. My hope was that eventually they could serve to encourage believers and possibly get unbelievers to reconsider their unbelief. I did not normally think along these lines, and most of my poetry has been just one step above doggerel.
Now I’m undergoing some very unnerving trials. Lost a job twice within a several week span, both situations where the management uncharacteristically seemed to lack integrity, and with a month to go before wearing a barrel I have no clear nibble in sight on a new one. Maybe evil satanic spirits do not want me to push further in this direction. Which would be a sign that I’m at least trying to do the right thing. But this kind of “honor” really sucks to be the one on whom it is bestowed.
I go back and read what I wrote in the past, and I have noticed that my best entries with psalms and emotional outpouring to God are the best when I am down.
I realized that while the situation was in which caused me angst at the time was not immediately remedied, I did realize that just being able to write my feelings was all I needed to keep my sanity.
My journal is God, so what I write is what I am saying to him. Oh I also write what is happening, highlights of my life along with lowlights. I usually put things like the temp, weather condition, what scripture I read, and whether or not I have sinned so egregiously i felt compelled to put it in the journal. Man am I a sinner... LOL,
Songwriters write their best songs when they are either going through real tough experiences or have just fallen in love. Those who write psalms and just write to kee journals are the same way.
I'll keep you in my prayers Hitech, but I feel something positive coming your way. Don't know what or when, but if something real good happens let me know so I will know it wasn't just indigestion or something.
Here is a psalm I wrote many years ago when God was really bleeding His heart to me through my pen and onto the page.
My Propitiator
As the Propitiator fights for my honor and defends me against the accuser, I sit back and watch him fly around the courthouse making my case before the Judge. He who has brought me low has been put on the stand and forced to show his hand. Every time the evil one brings up an incident from my past, my Propitiator gets the Judge to through it out due to lack of evidence.
At one time my folder was full of the iniquities of my past carnal life and Satan drooled over the idea and anticipation of showing the deed he had on my soul. One by one his pieces of evidence against me was thrown into the shredder of forgiveness and wiped off my record. With all this unfolding, I am comforted at the defendant’s table of Abraham’s arms washing down the manna supplied by my Father with water from the spring flowing through the Rock of my salvation.
Thank you, that is an inspiring thought.
After I posted my comment, I heard from two different sources about contract job possibilities. One would be in town, one out of town but only a short period.
I’m also hoping to socialize some of my songs (co-written with a buddy who is still in Chicago) in Nashville. One publisher politely thanked me (she sent me a handwritten note) but didn’t have a current need. But there are many more. And who knows, maybe an applicable door will open even to that publisher. If they have a door, then we will too.
I’m encouraged by the story of the pastor of the church where I’ve been going. He had started a church in New York a few decades ago and it was one trial after another, it never stopped, and yet he came out victorious.
Also there is a biblical poetic form, which isn’t seen very often, called the shiggaion (or dithyramb). Shiggaion comes from a Hebrew term meaning mad or frenzied. The Yiddish term “meshugah” meaning to be crazy is related to it. Psalm 7. David was so wrought up that his words poured out angrily. And God was angry too... angry on David’s behalf, as he shares in another psalm. To see God get visibly angry on your behalf is a rare, humbling, and very gratifying experience.
Proverbs, chapter 27
CHAPTER 27
1Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what any day may bring forth.
2Let another praise you, not your own mouth;
a stranger, not your own lips.
3Stone is heavy, and sand a burden,
but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.a
4Anger is cruel, and wrath overwhelming,
but before jealousy who can stand?*
5* Better is an open rebuke
than a love that remains hidden.
6Trustworthy are the blows of a friend,
dangerous, the kisses of an enemy.*
7One who is full spurns honey;
but to the hungry, any bitter thing is sweet.
8Like a bird far from the nest
so is anyone far from home.*
9Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
but by grief the soul is torn asunder.
10Do not give up your own friend and your father’s friend;
do not resort to the house of your kindred when trouble strikes.
Better a neighbor near than kin far away.*
11Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart,
so that I can answer whoever taunts me.*
12The astute see an evil and hide;
the naive continue on and pay the penalty.b
13Take the garment of the one who became surety for a stranger;c
if for a foreign woman, exact the pledge!*
14Those who greet their neighbor with a loud voice* in the early morning,
a curse can be laid to their charge.
15For a persistent leak on a rainy day
the match is a quarrelsome wife;d
16Whoever would hide her hides a stormwind
and cannot tell north from south.
17Iron is sharpened by iron;
one person sharpens another.*
18Those who tend a fig tree eat its fruit;
so those attentive to their master will be honored.
19As face mirrors face in water,
so the heart reflects the person.
20Sheol and Abaddon can never be satisfied;e
so the eyes of mortals can never be satisfied.*
21The crucible for silver, the furnace for gold,
so you must assay the praise you receive.
22Though you pound fools with a pestle,
their folly never leaves them.
23* Take good care of your flocks,
give careful attention to your herds;
24For wealth does not last forever,
nor even a crown from age to age.
25When the grass comes up and the new growth appears,
and the mountain greens are gathered in,
26The lambs will provide you with clothing,
and the goats, the price of a field,
27And there will be ample goat’s milk for your food,
food for your house, sustenance for your maidens.
* [27:4] Anger generally subsides with time but jealousy coolly calculates and plots revenge.
* [27:5–6] Verses 5 and 6 are concerned with true friendship. “Better than” sayings often declare one thing superior to another in view of some value, e.g., 15:17, vegetables are better than meat in view of a milieu of love. In v. 5, a rebuke is better than an act of affection in view of discipline that imparts wisdom.
* [27:6] The present translation is conjectural. The meaning seems to be that a friend’s rebuke can be life-giving and an enemy’s kiss can be deadly (like the kiss of Judas in Mt 26:48).
* [27:8] The bird symbolizes vulnerability as it flees before danger as in Is 10:14; 16:2; and Ps 11:1. For the importance of place in human life, see Jb 20:8–9. People are defined by their place, but, tragically, war, poverty, or illness can force them from it.
* [27:10] The adage is about the difference between friends and kin in a crisis. Two admonitions are grounded in one maxim (colon C). The same Hebrew word means both “one who is near” and “friend.” The whole proverb urges the reader to cultivate old family friends and neighbors and not to rely exclusively on kin in times of trouble, for kin may not be there for us.
* [27:11] A father’s command to a son to be wise, another way of saying that sons or daughters bring joy or shame to their parents.
* [27:14] One interpretation takes the proverb as humorous and the other takes it as serious: (1) an overly loud and ill-timed greeting (lit., “blessing”) invites the response of a curse rather than a “blessing” (greeting); (2) the loud voice suggests hypocrisy in the greeting.
* [27:17] Iron sharpens the “face” (panim = surface, edge) of iron, and a human being sharpens the “face” (panim = face, words) of another. Human beings learn from each other and grow in wisdom by conversing.
* [27:20] Sheol, the underworld abode of the dead, is personified as a force that is never satisfied and always desires more. Cf. Is 5:14 and Hos 13:14. The saying is applicable to modern consumerism.
* [27:23–27] A little treatise on farming in the form of admonitions. It proposes the advantages of field and flock over other forms of wealth. Herds are the most productive wealth, for their value does not diminish; they are a source of money, clothing, and food. The thought is conservative and traditional but the development is vivid and concrete.
**1Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what any day may bring forth.
2Let another praise you, not your own mouth;
a stranger, not your own lips.**
This reminds me of the landowner who was going to build a big silo, but the Lord took his life that night.
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