The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 303

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XVI. manifest before God, but the impiom shall Vere. 1-7.-These are specially religious perish in e.n evil day." The next verse fa omitted in the Greek; and the other clauses maxims, and they all contain the name up to ver. 8 are dislocated. Jehovah. Ver. 3.-Commit thy works unto the Lord. Ver. 1.-The Autho1·ized Version makes "Commit" (gol) is literally "roll" (,cuA11rov, one sentence of this verse without e.ny contrast Theodotion), as in Ps. xxii. 8 and xxxvii. 5; or antithesis. This is plainly wrong, there and the injunction means, "Transfer thy being intended a contrast between the burden to the Lord, cast upon him all that thought of the heart and the well-ordered thou hast to do; do all e.s in his sight, and as speech.· It is better translated, The plans an act of duty to him." Thus Tobit says to of the heart are man's: but the answer of the his son, "Bless the Lord thy Gotl ah,ay, tongue is from Jehovah. Men me.ke plans, and desire of him that thy we.ys may be arrange speeches, muster arguments, in the directed, and that all thy paths and counseli! mind; but to put these into proper, per- may prosper" (Tobit iv. 19). The Vulgate, suasive words is a gift of God. "Our using a different pnnctuation (gal), renders, sufficiency is of God" (2 Cor. iii. 5). In the "Reveal to the Lord thy works." A.s e. chiltl. case of Balaam, God overruled the wishes opens its heart to e. tender po.rent, so do and intentions of the prophet, and constramed thou show to God thy desires and intentions, him to give utterance to something very trusting to his care and providence. And different from his original mental concep- thy thoughts shall be established. The tions. But the present sentence attributes plans nnd deliberations out of which the the outward expreasion of what the mind has "works" epmng shn.11 meet with a happy conceived in every case unto the help of fulfilment, because they nre untlcrtak:en God (comp. vers. 9, 33; eh. xv. 23). Christ • according to the will of God, and rlirectetl. enjoined his disciples to trust to momentary to the end by his guidance (comp. eh. xix. inspiration in their apologies or defences 21 ; Ps. xc. 17; 1 Cor. iii. 9). Thfa verse is before unbelievers (Matt. x. 19). This not in the Septuagint. verse is omitted in the Septuagint. Ver. 4.-The Lord hath made all things Ver. 2.-All the ways of a man are olean for himself. So the Vulgate, propter scmet- in his own eyes (eh. xxi. 2). He may ipsum; e.nd Origen (' Proof. in Job'), Iii' deceive himself, and be blind to his owu ea:u.,-&v. That is, God bath mnde everything faults, or be following an ill-informed a.nd for his own purpose, to answer the design ill-regulated conscience (eh. xii. 15; xiv. which ho bath intended from all eternitv 12), yet this is no excuso in God's eyes. (Uev. iv. 11). But this translation is not The Lord weigheth the spirits. Not the in accordance with the present reading. "ways," the outward life and actions only, m}.J?~~. which means rather "for its own but motives, intentions, dispositions (Heb. end," for its own proper use. Everything iv. 12). He too knows our secret faults, in God's design he.a its own end and object uneuspected by others, and perhaps by our- and reason for being where it is e.nd such as selves (Ps. xix. 12). The Septuagint he.a it is ; everything exhibits hi..i gooo.ness aml here, "All the works of the humble are wisdom,and teuds to his glory. Se1>tu,lgint, 310 THE PROVERDS. [en. XVI. 1-33.