The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he turns it wherever he will.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the heart.
3 To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
8 The way of the guilty is crooked,
but the conduct of the pure is upright.
9 It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11 When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12 The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
he throws the wicked down to ruin.
13 Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
will himself call out and not be answered.
14 A gift in secret averts anger,
and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.
16 One who wanders from the way of good sense
will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
and the traitor for the upright.
19 It is better to live in a desert land
than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
20 Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling,
but a foolish man devours it.
21 Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty
and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue
keeps himself out of trouble.
24 “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man
who acts with arrogant pride.
25 The desire of the sluggard kills him,
for his hands refuse to labor.
26 All day long he craves and craves,
but the righteous gives and does not hold back.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
how much more when he brings it with evil intent.
28 A false witness will perish,
but the word of a man who hears will endure.
29 A wicked man puts on a bold face,
but the upright gives thought to his ways.
30 No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel
can avail against the Lord.
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but the victory belongs to the Lord. Proverbs 21 ESV
Proverbs 21
He turns it wherever He will - God is the true sovereign, and this is a comfort when we look at our leaders, because they are all sinful creatures like ourselves. A king can purpose something in his mind, but God knows his heart, and He may obstruct, remove obstruction, or change the king's mind. Our rulers are also a reflection of our general state, of both God's judgement and His mercy. It is our tendency to view them in a harsher way, assigning evil, or too lightly, not speaking up for good. They are just men after all, and we should have enough humility, realizing our own lack, to pray for them, and hope for their best in doing justice.
1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered on behalf of all men 2 for kings and all those in authority, so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,… 1 Timothy 2: 1-3
…11 The magicians could not stand before Moses, because the boils had broken out on them and on all the Egyptians. 12 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had told Moses. Exodus 9: 11-12
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes - We are all the heroes in our story because we think too highly of ourselves. Even our ideals of humility are fraught with pride, evaluating ourselves as humble, logical, reasonable creatures, or for some as necessarily arrogant. All are hypocrites, thinking we choose justly, spinning the results of our decisions in a way that paints us in the best light. We cannot tolerate a true portrait of ourselves for that is not the picture we see in our mind's eye.
As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. Mark 10: 17-22
To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice - It is the fallacy of a fallen nature, just like being right in our own eyes, to put more upon religious ceremony and ritual than obedience to God. The prosperity and self help teachers of our day, have called it science what is really superstition. "I give this, God has to give me back what I want. I send Him beads, trinkets, repetitious prayers, give to this ministry, and God gives me back the desires of my heart," though the heart is wicked and deceitful above all things. We think we may steal in one place, but make up for it in confession before a "priest", cover our sins with Hail Mary, or by giving a gift to a supposed "man of God". The God of the Bible is not worshiped this way.
…4 because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for me. 6 In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.… Hebrews 10: 4-6
…2 You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.… James 4: 2-4
But everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty - Consider the cost. Look at what resources you have, weigh the risk verses the gain, be reasonable in your estimations. There is a lot of waste with poor stewardship and not researching and planning properly. Carefully listen to what people propose, seek good counsel, and that may protect you from the snake oil salesman.
…27 And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple. 28 Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it? 29 Otherwise, if he lays the foundation and is unable to finish the work, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,…Luke 14: 27-29
It is better to live in a corner of a housetop -
What a great affliction it is to a man to have a brawling scolding woman for his wife, who upon every occasion, and often upon no occasion, breaks out into a passion, and chides either him or those about her, is fretful to herself and furious to her children and servants, and, in both, vexatious to her husband. If a man has a wide house, spacious and pompous, this will embitter the comfort of it to him—a house of society (so the word is), in which a man may be sociable, and entertain his friends; this will make both him and his house unsociable, and unfit for enjoyments of true friendship. It makes a man ashamed of his choice and his management, and disturbs his company. What many a man is forced to do under such an affliction. He cannot keep up his authority. He finds it to no purpose to contradict the most unreasonable passion, for it is unruly and rages so much the more; and his wisdom and grace will not suffer him to render railing for railing, nor his conjugal affection to use any severity, and therefore he finds it his best way to retire into a corner of the house-top, and sit alone there, out of the hearing of her clamour; and if he employ himself well there, as he may do, it is the wisest course he can take. Better do so than quit the house, and go into bad company, for diversion, as many, who, like Adam, make their wife’s sin the excuse of their own. - Matthew Henry
When a scoffer is punished the simple becomes wise - He learns from their mistake, and will avoid the same action because of the consequence, but the reverse is also true.
Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor - It is sad when we hit the state in which we cannot be bothered. It is sad when we speak up only for someone else to intervene, but will not take up the cross our-self.
A gift in secret averts anger - Abigail
Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man - He will have no restraint, borrow and beg to keep in his way.
The wicked is a ransom for the righteous -
The wicked is a ransom for the righteous -
The wicked, that are the troublers of a land, ought to be punished, for the preventing and turning away of those national judgments which otherwise will be inflicted and in which even the righteous are many times involved. Thus when Achan was stoned he was a ransom for the camp of righteous Israel; and the seven sons of Saul, when they were hanged, were a ransom for the kingdom of righteous David. 2. What is often done by the providence of God: The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked comes in his stead, and so seems as if he were a ransom for him, ch. 11:8 . God will rather leave many wicked people to be cut off than abandon his own people. I will give men for thee, Isa. 43:3, Isa. 43:4 . - Matthew Henry
Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue - A hard lesson, and pride will not acknowledge the seriousness of these words.
For his hands refuse to labor - He loves ease and it starves him to death. Teach your children this.
