Proverbs 15:13-17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 15:13

Here, 1. Harmless mirth is recommended to us, as that which contributes to the health of the body, making men lively and fit for business, and to the acceptableness of the conversation, making the face to shine and rendering us pleasant one to another. A cheerful spirit, under the government of wisdom and grace, is a great ornament to religion, puts a further lustre upon the beauty of holiness, and makes men the more capable of doing good. 2. Hurtful melancholy is what we are cautioned... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 15:14

Here are two things to be wondered at:?1. A wise man not satisfied with his wisdom, but still seeking the increase of it; the more he has the more he would have: The heart of him that has understanding, rejoices so in the knowledge it has attained to that it is still coveting more, and in the use of the means of knowledge is still labouring for more, growing in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ. Si dixisti, Sufficit, periisti?If you say, I have enough, you are undone. 2. A fool well... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 15:15

See here what a great difference there is between the condition and temper of some and others of the children of men. 1. Some are much in affliction, and of a sorrowful spirit, and all their days are evil days, like those of old age, and days of which they say they have no pleasure in them. They eat in darkness (Eccl. 5:17) and never eat with pleasure, Job 21:25. How many are the afflictions of the afflicted in this world! Such are not to be censured or despised, but pitied and prayed for,... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 15:16-17

Solomon had said in the foregoing verse that he who has not a large estate, or a great income, but a cheerful spirit, has a continual feast; Christian contentment, and joy in God, make the life easy and pleasant; now here he tells us what is necessary to that cheerfulness of spirit which will furnish a man with a continual feast, though he has but little in the world?holiness and love. I. Holiness. A little, if we manage it and enjoy it in the fear of the Lord, if we keep a good conscience and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 15:13

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance ,.... Or, a "joyful heart" F3 לב שמח "cor gaudens", V. L. Baynus. ; that is joyful in the God of its salvation; that rejoices in Christ Jesus; is filled with joy and peace through believing in him, in his person, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice; that has a comfortable view of his justification by his righteousness, of peace and pardon by his blood, of the atonement of his sins by his sacrifice; to whom he has said, "be of good cheer,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 15:14

The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge ,.... He that has in his heart an understanding of divine and spiritual things, of the Gospel and of the truths of it, will seek earnestly and diligently in the use of proper means after more knowledge; as he will desire to know more of Christ, his person, offices, and grace, he will follow on to know him, and not be content with the present degree of knowledge he has attained unto; he will hear and read the word, and pray and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 15:15

All the days of the afflicted are evil ,.... And some are afflicted all their days, from their youth up; so that not only the days of old age are evil days, in which they have no pleasure, but even the days of their youth; all their days, as Jacob says, "few and evil have the days of the years of my life been", Genesis 47:9 ; because they had been filled up with affliction and trouble of one sort or another. Or, "all the days of the poor" F6 עני "pauperis", V. L. Pagninus, Junius... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 15:16

Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith. Not that a "little" is better than "much" of that which is good, as the things of this world are in themselves; poverty is not better than riches, simply considered; but as these are attended with different circumstances: if a man has but little of worldly substance, yet if he has "the fear of God" in his heart, and before his eyes; that fear which has God for its author and for its object, and which is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 15:17

Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is ,.... What Plautus F9 Capteivei, Act. 1. Sc. 2. v. 80. &. 3. Sc. 1. v. 37. calls "asperam et terrestrem caenam", "a harsh and earthly supper", made of what grows out of the earth; which is got without much cost or care, and dressed with little trouble; a traveller's dinner, as the word F11 ארחת "viaticum", Montanus, Amama; "commeatus", Cocceius. signifies, and a poor one too to travel upon, such as is easily obtained, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 15:13

By sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken - Every kind of sorrow worketh death, but that which is the offspring of true repentance. This alone is healthful to the soul. The indulgence of a disposition to sighing tends to destroy life. Every deep sigh throws off a portion of the vital energy. read more

Group of Brands