*H As the divisions of waters, so the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord: whithersoever he will, he shall turn it.
Ver. 1. It. Though it be free, and may resist grace or embrace virtue. Is. xlv. 22. Jer. iii. 14. and vii. 3. Jos. xxiv. 23. C. — Yet God knows how to turn the heart even of a king, so as to preserve his liberty, with the same ease as a gardener brings the streams of water to his plants. M.
*H To do mercy and judgment, pleaseth the Lord more than victims.
Ver. 3. Mercy. Sept. "justice and truth." H. See Os. vi. 6. M.
*H Haughtiness of the eyes is the enlarging of the heart: the lamp of the wicked is sin.
Ver. 4. Heart. Or when it is proud, it causes the eyes to appear so too. C. — Lamp. Prot. "ploughing of the wicked is sin." When it is done with a bad motive, out of pride. Heb. "the haughtiness of the eyes, and the enlarging of the heart, are the labour ("tillage." Mont. "thought." Pagn.) of the wicked; yea, sin." H. — Those things are their employment, and their sin. C. — Sept. and Vulg. may also mean, "sin is the lamp and exultation of the wicked." H.
*H The thoughts of the industrious always bring forth abundance: but every sluggard is always in want.
Ver. 5. Sluggard. Heb. "hasty man," as the slothful is ironically styled. He would see his desires accomplished without labouring; and will never stick to work. This levity is most injurious to his advancement.
*H He that gathereth treasures by a lying tongue, is vain and foolish, and shall stumble upon the snares of death.
Ver. 6. Death. Their injustice shall be punished.
*H The perverse way of a man is strange: but as for him that is pure, his work is right.
Ver. 8. Strange. Unknown, impure way. Lev. x. 1. Deut. xvii. 15. C.
*H It is better to sit in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman, and in a common house.
Ver. 9. Top, (domatis) as the roofs in Palestine were flat. S. Jer. ad Sun. — Any inconvenience had better be endured, than to live with the quarrelsome. M.
*H The soul of the wicked desireth evil, he will not have pity on his neighbour.
Ver. 10. Neighbour. Sym. "he has no idea of friendship." Sept. "he shall not be treated with mercy by any man." H.
*H When a pestilent man is punished, the little one will be wiser: and if he follow the wise, he will receive knowledge.
Ver. 11. Knowledge. These are the effects of chastisements and good company.
*H The just considereth seriously the house of the wicked, that he may withdraw the wicked from evil.
Ver. 12. Evil. He tries every expedient to save him. — That. Sept. "he despises." Sym. "throws down."
*H A secret present quencheth anger: and a gift in the bosom, the greatest wrath.
Ver. 14. Bosom. In private. C. — They put all valuable things in the bosom. H.
*H It is joy to the just to do judgment: and dread to them that work iniquity.
Ver. 15. To do judgment. Or to see it done, while the wicked depend only on the corruption of their judges.
*H A man that shall wander out of the way of doctrine, shall abide in the company of the giants.
Ver. 16. Giants, in hell. C. xv. 11. Job xxvi. 5. Ezec. xxii. 21.
*H He that loveth good cheer, shall be in want: he that loveth wine, and fat things, shall not be rich.
Ver. 17. Rich. Economy is constantly recommended. C. — Those who squandered away their goods, were fined by the Areopagites. Athen. iv. 19.
*H The wicked is delivered up for the just: and the unjust for the righteous.
Ver. 18. Righteous. Many are deterred from wickedness by the punishment of malefactors, whose injuries are frequently irreparable. God abandoned Pharao and Aman to save his people. He treated them as victims of wrath. Is. xliii. 3.
*H There is a treasure to be desired, and oil in the dwelling of the just: and the foolish man shall spend it.
Ver. 20. Treasure of provisions. Temporal blessings were promised as a figure of more lasting ones, which are set before Christians.
*H The wise man hath scaled the city of the strong, and hath cast down the strength of the confidence thereof.
Ver. 22. Thereof. Nothing can resist. Matt. xii. 29. Eccle. ix. 16. C.
*H He that keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from distress.
Ver. 23. Mouth, from eating too much. Lyran.
*H The proud and the arrogant is called ignorant, who in anger worketh pride.
Ver. 24. Ignorant. Heb. "a scoffer." Sept. "pestilent." H. — Such a one is always actuated by pride, when he attempts to turn good advice and religion to ridicule.
*H Desires kill the slothful: for his hands have refused to work at all.
Ver. 25. At all. Hence his desires of riches and wisdom prove fruitless. C. xiii. 4.
*H The sacrifices of the wicked are abominable, because they are offered of wickedness.
Ver. 27. Wickedness. Heb. "with an evil thought." Mont. Eccli. xxxiv. 24. H.
*H A lying witness shall perish: an obedient man shall speak of victory.
Ver. 28. Obedient. Attentive, faithful witness, shall speak with triumph, or he who obeys the law, shall gain the victory over the devil, &c. Phil. ii. 8.
*H The wicked man impudently hardeneth his face: but he that is righteous, correcteth his way.
Ver. 29. Face. Never blushing, or yielding to good advice.
*H The horse is prepared for the day of battle: but the Lord giveth safety.
Ver. 31. Battle. It was kept for no other purpose by the eastern nations, who used oxen to till the land; asses and camels to carry burdens. Job xxxix. 18. Ps. xix. 8. and xxxii. 17. C.