Proverbs 3:1

DeHoff recognized three divisions in this chapter: "(1) a call to complete commitment (Proverbs 3:1-10), (2) the happiness and blessing of those who trust in God (Proverbs 3:11-20), and (3) the confidence and security of those who walk with God (Proverbs 3:21-35)."[1] Halley noted that the big words in the chapter are: "Kindness, Truth, Long Life, Peace, Trust in God, Honoring God with our Substance, Prosperity, Security, Happiness, and Blessing."[2] It is a supremely superb and beautiful chapter indeed!

A CALL TO COMPLETE COMMITMENT

Proverbs 3:1-10

"My son, forget not my law;

But let thy heart keep my commandments:

For length of days, and years of life,

And peace will they add to thee.

Let not kindness and truth forsake thee;

Bind them about thy neck;

Write them upon the tablet of thy heart:

So shalt thou find favor and good understanding

In the sight of God and man.

Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart,

And lean not upon thine own understanding:

In all thy ways acknowledge him,

And he will direct thy paths.

Be not wise in thine own eyes;

Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil:

It will be health to thy navel,

And marrow to thy bones.

Honor Jehovah with thy substance,

And with the first-fruits of all thine increase:

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,

And thy vats shall overflow with new wine."

"My son, forget not my law" (Proverbs 3:1). Harris wrote that, "These words are not to be pressed as a reference to Moses' law";[3] but we believe that the word [~torah] (the Hebrew word which is translated law) here could hardly refer to anything else. The same writer admitted that there is probably an allusion to Exodus 20:12 in the following verse; and Walls pointed out that, "The reference to first-fruits in Proverbs 3:9 points back to the Mosaic Law in Deuteronomy 26, where the worshipper was commanded to bring each year as an offering to God the first-fruits of his fields and flocks."[4] "There are definite reflections of the Book of Genesis in Proverbs 3:19-20. Also, as Kidner wrote, "The term [~torah] as used here is the Jewish name for the Pentateuch."[5]

We have often pointed out that practically the whole Bible from the end of Deuteronomy to Malachi is written in the shadow of the Law of Moses, the nearest thing to an exception to that being the Book of Job. There is certainly nothing in the Book of Proverbs that diminishes that conviction.

"Length of days, years of life, and peace" (Proverbs 3:2). "These are the blessings that come of right living."[6] Some profess not to believe this, but it is true. See Christ's promise (Mark 10:30). In spite of exceptions, this is the divine law; and whenever there are variations from it, they are clue to the element of chance that happens to all men (Ecclesiastes 9:11), to divine chastening, to the devices of Satan, to the exercise by wicked men of the freedom of their will, or to the curse that rests upon the earth "for Adam's sake." The most obvious proof of this is the fact that the material prosperity of every nation on earth is directly related to the degree of their acceptance of Christianity. Just take a look at the wretched squalor of those countries where God's Word is not honored!

"Let not kindness and truth forsake thee" (Proverbs 3:3). The KJV reads "mercy and truth," and the RSV reads "loyalty and faithfulness." Neither of the more recent versions is any improvement over the King James in this passage. Cook noted that, "Mercy shuts out all selfishness and hate, and that truth shuts out all falsehood, hypocrisy and deceit."[7]

"Write them upon the tablet of thy heart" (Proverbs 3:3). This is simply a metaphor that means, "Whatever you do, do not forget the commandments of the Lord." The literalizing of such passages as this resulted in the phylacteries worn by the Pharisees.

"Favor ... in the sight of God and man" (Proverbs 3:4). This verse brings to mind Luke 2:52, where it is said that Jesus increased in favor with God and men. Christian character blesses and beautifies human personality; and the people who live godly lives are instinctively loved, trusted, and favored by their fellow mortals. The devil's caricature of a godly person as "a disagreeable old sour-puss" is a malicious and ridiculous exaggeration.

"Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart ... etc." (Proverbs 3:5-6). Any preacher of the gospel can identify with the words of McGee on this passage. "In any religious service where people are invited to quote favorite passages of scripture, these verses are invariably quoted."[8] These beautiful lines deserve the loving appreciation that has been lavished upon them.

"In all thy ways acknowledge him" (Proverbs 3:6). "Not merely in acts of solemn worship, or in great crisis only, but in all thy ways, acknowledge the Lord."[9] Many people turn to God, acknowledge him by their prayers and supplications in times of great anxiety, distress or danger; but the true servant of God continually acknowledges God, without intermission, during long years that may progress evenly without emergency or crisis, doing so as a constant way of life, never deviating from the constant worship on Lord's Days.

"Be not wise in thine own eyes" (Proverbs 3:7). "The great hindrance to all true wisdom is the conceit that one has already attained it."[10] This same warning is given repeatedly in Proverbs. "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool" (Proverbs 28:26). True wisdom is found only in the Lord and in his holy word. "True confidence cannot be placed in one's own ability to think and act; the fear (and obedience) of Jehovah is the real basis of confidence."[11]

The world boasts many men who are allegedly wise; "But we cannot be truly wise unless we renounce all dependence upon our own wisdom and become fools, depending fully upon the Lord."[12] Something like this is what Jesus meant when he said, "Let a man deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). Isaiah wrote, "Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes" (Proverbs 5:21); and the same precept was advocated by Paul, "Be not wise in your own conceits" (Romans 12:16).

"It will be health to thy navel" (Proverbs 3:8). Here we have another ridiculous emendation in the RSV that gives us the word flesh instead of navel. If translators would stop trying to tell us "what the Holy Spirit was trying to say," and give us what he actually said, it would greatly expedite Biblical interpretation. As Adam Clarke stated it, "There is no better translation of the Hebrew word here than navel."[13] The meaning of this is that, "Just as the umbilical cord (of which the navel is a part) is the only source of life and growth for the unborn child, so also that wisdom that comes from God is the only source of life and growth for God's servant."[14]

"Honor Jehovah with your substance" (Proverbs 3:9). This means simply, "Don't forget to give to God's work as the Scriptures command." "The word first-fruits in this same verse recalls Deuteronomy 28:4; 26:2; and Amos 6:6. The promise in Proverbs 3:10 agrees with Deuteronomy 28:8 and Malachi 3:10-12."[15] Thus we have further confirmation of the truth that the entire Old Testament from Deuteronomy to Malachi carries countless reflections of the Pentateuch.

"So shall thy barns be filled with plenty ..." (Proverbs 3:10). See under Proverbs 3:2 above, for a discussion of the prosperity that God promises his faithful. The passage cited above by Tate from the Book of Malachi is another Old Testament witness to the same truth. Wilson cited Proverbs 3:9-10 here as an example of the parallelism in Proverbs in which the first clause is elaborated in succeeding lines that extend or explain the meaning.[16] Of course, there are far more wonderful blessings that result from the faithful service of God than material prosperity. "The remaining verses in the chapter carry the reminder of better prizes than prosperity."[17]