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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 To man, belong the preparations of the heart, but, from Yahweh, cometh the answer of the tongue. |
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| 2 All the ways of a man, [may be] pure in his own eyes, but, he that testeth spirits, is Yahweh. |
The spirits – Ruach, mind, thoughts, motives. E318
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| 3 Roll, upon Yahweh, thy doings, that thy plans, may be established. |
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| 4 Everything, hath Yahweh made for its own purpose, yea, even the lawless one, for the day of calamity. |
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| 5 An abomination to Yahweh, is every one who is haughty in heart, hand to hand, he shall not be held innocent. |
Proud in heart – Pride is an inordinate and excessive amount of self-esteem and self-conceit. R5704:1, R5001:1
Those who feel haughty toward others and are not sympathetic; who despise others. R5000:6
Pride is very deceitful and frequently cloaks itself with humility. R5000:2
No kind of pride would be more detestable in God's sight than pride of the truth. It is not our Plan. R5001:1
Worldly pride challenges faith in God and obedience to him. R4898:5
Certain conduct which sometimes seems to be pride is not pride; as those, lacking self-esteem, who have much approbativeness. R5000:3
Sometimes manifest by elders in attempts to override the liberties of the congregation and hold power in their own hands. R5001:4
Applies also to the angels. R5000:6
An abomination – Not a creature in the universe has anything to be proud of, has nothing of his own creation, has only been a recipient of favor, blessing. R4898:2, R5704:1
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| 6 By lovingkindness and fidelity, shall iniquity be covered, and, in the revering of Yahweh, is a turning away from wrong. |
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| 7 When, acceptable to Yahweh, are the ways of a man, even his enemies, doth he cause to make peace with him. |
Enemies to be at peace – At the proper time, in the future. Now, whoever will live godly will suffer persecution. Q528:3
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| 8 Better a little with righteousness, than large revenues, without justice. |
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| 9 A man's heart, deviseth his way, but, Yahweh, directeth his steps. |
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| 10 An oracle, is on the lips of a king, in giving sentence, his mouth must not be unfaithful. |
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| 11 The balance and scales of justice, belong to Yahweh, and, his handiwork, are all the weights of the bag. |
A just weight – We should apprehend the principle of divine justice, and deal justly and keep judgment. R3635:5
He who fails to appreciate justice must proportionately fail to appreciate mercy; for mercy is merely the difference between love and justice. R3635:5
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| 12 The abomination of kings, is to work lawlessness, for, by righteousness, is established a throne. |
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| 13 The delight of kings, are lips of righteousness,–and, the words of uprightness, he loveth.
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| 14 The wrath of a king, [meaneth] messengers of death, but, a man who is wise, will appease it. |
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| 15 In the light of a king's countenance, is life, and, his good-pleasure, is like the cloud of harvest-rain. |
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| 16 To acquire wisdom, how much better than gold! and, to get hold of understanding, more choice than silver! |
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| 17 The highway of the upright, is to avoid evil, He preserveth his soul, who guardeth his way. |
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| 18 Before grievous injury, pride! and, before a fall, haughtiness of spirit! |
Pride – Of wealth; sectarian pride; family pride; personal pride. R2459:6
Pride has been a general guide for the world which has accomplished much harm. R5723:4
Alas for the power of pride; the proud cannot see their difficulties. R5068:3
Humility is important because the other graces of the holy Spirit cannot be cultivated without it. R4787:1
If you find a humble one with ability, encourage him in its exercise; but if he be not humble-minded, encourage him not, even though he have the ability, for the higher you push him the greater will be his fall. R1629:3
Illustrated by King Uzziah. He forgot that he was merely the Lord's representative and that his first duty was to obey the divine commands. (2 Chron. 26:8-21) R4786:2
Before destruction – Contrary to the Universalist theory. R3083:2
The greater the blessing, the more serious would be the loss by destruction. R3385:6
An haughty spirit – Society's real danger is not from anarchists, but from friends of law and order who, in putting down enemies of the law, will tend toward haughty austerity. R991:3
Ruach, mind, will, disposition. E318
A domineering, self-satisfied disposition tends to undermine the character. R3385:6
Before a fall – "Thou wilt save the humble people, but wilt bring down high looks." (Psa. 18:27) R3337:2
We have a standing never previously granted to any, and the higher the standing the more serious the fall. R3385:6, R1629:3
The time of trouble toward which Christendom is hastening. R2459:6
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| 19 Better is lowliness of spirit, with the patient, than a portion of spoil, with the proud. |
An humble spirit – Ruach, mind, disposition. E318
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| 20 He that showeth discretion concerning a matter, shall find good, and, he that trusteth in Yahweh, how happy is he! |
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| 21 The wise in heart, shall be called intelligent, and, sweetness of lips, increaseth persuasiveness. |
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| 22 A well-spring of life, is discretion to its owner, but, the correction of the foolish, is folly. |
Understanding – Not merely of the head, but of the heart especially. "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness." (Rom. 10:10) "Out of the heart are the issues of life." (Prov. 4:23) R2038:2
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| 23 The heart of the wise, giveth discretion to his mouth, and, upon his lips, increaseth persuasiveness. |
Teacheth his mouth – To speak "words of truth and soberness." (Acts 26:25) R2038:2
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| 24 A comb of honey, are pleasant words, sweet to the taste and healing to the bone. |
Pleasant words – Of wisdom, of counsel, of loving-kindness. R2038:3
Health to the bones – In that they refresh and comfort and stimulate courage, and thus fortify the soul and strengthen it to noble deeds. R2038:3
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| 25 There is a way that enticeth a man, but, at the latter end thereof, are the ways of death. |
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| 26 The appetite of the toiler, hath toiled for him, for his mouth, hath urged him on. |
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| 27 An abandoned man, diggeth up mischief,–and, upon his lips, as it were a fire is scorching. |
Diggeth up evil – Apparently finding satisfaction in so doing. R2038:4
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| 28 A perverse man, sendeth forth strife, and, a tattler, separateth intimate friends. |
A froward man – A bad man whose acts and words tend to produce envy, bitterness, misunderstandings and strife. Q46:T
Whisperer – A busybody or slanderer. Q46:T
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| 29 A ruthless man, enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him in a way, not good. |
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| 30 Closing his eyes, to devise perverse things, biting his lips, he hath plotted mischief. |
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| 31 A crown of adorning, is a hoary head, in the way of righteousness, it should be found. |
The hoary head – Blessed is the man who sets his house in order and who maintains that order to the end of his days. R3630:1
Crown of glory – When the hallowed influences of ripened Christian graces are manifest to every beholder. R2038:5, R3630:4
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| 32 Better he that is slow to anger, than a hero, and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that captureth a city. |
Ruleth his spirit – His own mind or will. R2892:4, R3985:6, R4904:6, R5975:5
Bringing it into full subordination. E112
By changing the allegiance of his will from self to God and overcoming the foes that are entrenched in his mind as a result of the fall. R3629:5,3, R1860:1, R4904:6, R5056:3, R5488:4
We must be taught to rule ourselves, that we may know how to rule others. R12:6*
The little and more numerous battles, keeping the mind cleansed from the secret faults, are principally the ones in which we gain the victories. R4904:6
The greatest power in the universe is the power of the will. OV195:4
God wants all Christians to practice self-denial in respect to sins and everything which would hinder his cause in any degree. F552
Our dealings with ourselves are our chief concern, our chief battle. R3985:6
He that continues to rule his own spirit has not only routed the enemy, sin; but continues to keep him at bay. R3629:3
To rule one's own spirit cannot be done singlehandedly. The wise general will invoke a stronger power, the almighty arm of God. R3629:5
Illustrated by John the Baptist, all of whose aspirations and human ambitions were made subservient to his one mission of introducing Jesus. R1916:1
We have three departments of government: the legislative, which should always be the conscience; the judicial, the judgment; and the executive, the will. R3629:5, R5488:6
Than he – Destructiveness and combativeness, which serve a Christian well if directed against his own blemishes, are out of place when one becomes contentious with the brethren. R5056:3, R4803:5, R3858:3
In overcoming pride and selfishness (by confession of his sin with Bathsheba) David proved himself a greater hero than in his youthful conflict with Goliath. R2017:4
That taketh a city – To take a city one must have the skill and equipment necessary to conquer a nation. R3629:2
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| 33 Into the lap, is cast the lot, but, from Yahweh, is its every decision. |
The lot is cast – Those things which men may regard as mere chance. R2038:5
Is of the LORD – Will be overruled to the accomplishment of his purposes. R2038:5
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