v.1 The intentions of the heart belong to a man,
but the answer of the tongue comes from the LORD.
Does it mean we can blame God when we have a slip of tongue? NET bible suggests otherwise.
(NET) ...what one actually says differs from what the person intended to say... The proverb then is giving a glimpse of how God even confounds the wise.
Summary and Reflection: People may be proud of how fluence they had spoken, but the forming of works from our thought is under the control of God. We have to give glory to the One who is behind our "wise speech."
v.3 Commit your works to the LORD,
and your plans will be established.
(NET) commit= The figure of rolling (an implied comparison or hypocatastasis), as in rolling one’s burdens on the LORD, is found also in Pss 22:8 [9]; 37:5; and 55:22. It portrays complete dependence on the LORD. This would be accomplished with a spirit of humility and by means of diligent prayer, but the plan must also have God’s approval.
(NET) be established=People should commit their works in order that the LORD may establish them. J. H. Greenstone says, “True faith relieves much anxiety and smoothens many perplexities” (Proverbs, 172).
Summary and reflection: Be humble and then commit my work into prayer and then have faith and do not have to be anxious about my work.
v. 6 Through loyal love and truth iniquity is appeased;
through fearing the LORD one avoids evil.
loyal love and truth=(NET) “faithful loyal love” The couplet often characterize the LORD, but here in parallel to the fear of the LORD it refers to the faithfulness of the believer. Such faith and faithfulness bring atonement for sin.
appeased= (NET) Atonement in the OT expiated sins, it did not merely cover them over (cf. NLT). C. H. Toy explains the meaning by saying it affirms that the divine anger against sin is turned away and man’s relation to God is as though he had not sinned (Proverbs [ICC], 322). Genuine repentance, demonstrated by loyalty and truthfulness, appeases the anger of God against one’s sin.
avoids= (NET) Heb “turns away from”; NASB “keeps away from.”
Summary (NET) One half speaks of atonement for sin because of the life of faith, and the other of avoidance of sin because of the fear of the LORD.
Reflection: The true faith will not just stop at having our atonement for sin, but we will seek to avoid sin.
Comments