A Gentle Answer and the Tongue of the Wise

Solomon, the king of peace, tells in Pro 15:1 how to calm down someone who is inflamed in anger. This applies to all situations in which a person is furious because of a (supposed) injustice done to him. It can happen in a family, in a friendship relationship, in the living and working environment and in the church. How important it is then to respond to the outburst of anger with “a gentle answer”. Someone who is agitated in his temper can be calmed down with a gentle or thoughtfully spoken answer, which removes the tension and restores calm.

Opposed to a gentle answer is “a harsh word”. This does not calm things down, but rather stirs up anger. A harsh word is not only a hurtful word, but also a sharp word that causes pain or grief. Such a word causes a fierce, angry reaction. When a carnal expression is met with a carnal expression, it is war.

We have a clear example of both ways of answering in Scripture. Gideon’s way of addressing the displeased Ephraimites is an example of a soft response (Ri 8:1-3). By what he says, the worst is over. The harshness with which Jephthah speaks to these same again displeased Ephraimites causes a civil war with many casualties (Jdg12:1-6; 1Kgs 12:13-16).

How wise people are can often be determined by what they say (Pro 15:2). The wise know when, where and how to speak. The good use that wise people make of knowledge with their tongues gives knowledge a good name, makes knowledge acceptable and attractive to others and worth pursuing. Then knowledge is not theory but practice, and knowledge means blessing to those who listen to it.

Knowledge comes from the wise and folly from the fools. The so-called knowledge of fools is folly. What comes out of the mouth of fools is nothing but folly. Their mouth spouts with it. The many words that bubble up from their mouth like water from a spring show how foolish of heart they are.

The LORD Sees Everything and Everybody

God knows and sees through everyone completely. He is omniscient and omnipresent and possesses a complete knowledge of His entire creation, of people and of things. Nothing is hidden from Him. He watches everything and everyone, as a watchman does guarding a city. Nothing and no one eludes Him (Jer 23:24; Psa 11:4; Psa 33:13-14; Heb 4:13). This is necessary if He is to be the Judge of every man (cf. Jer 32:19).

The thought continues in the second line of verse. The knowledge that God sees everything is a warning to “the evil” people and a comfort to “the good” people. The bad people are both the great sinners and the neat people who live neatly, but neither allow God into their lives. They are both those who sin openly and those who sin in secret. God wants them to become aware that He sees them so that they will repent.

The good people are also sinners in themselves, but they do good because they have acknowledged that they are sinners. They live out of a good relationship with God. That relationship has become good because of their confession of sins and their faith in God’s forgiveness of these sins. God can give that forgiveness on the basis of Christ’s work on the cross that He accomplished for every penitent sinner. Knowing that God is watching them is an encouragement to live life to His glory (2Chr 16:9).

The Soothing Tongue

That the tongue, that is, the words spoken with the tongue, is presented as “soothing”, literally “healing”, presupposes that the hearer is dejected. Soothing words are as a medicine, they are gentle, soothing, beneficent words. This fits well with the picture of “a tree of life” signifying a source of vitality for others. The tree of life is mentioned here for the fourth time in Proverbs (Pro 3:18; Pro 11:30; Pro 13:12; Pro 15:4).

Whoever manages to cheer up someone who is in misery with his good and comforting words, thereby restores his connection to the tree of life, as it were. Life then regains luster and meaning, it regains something of the splendor of paradise. The words spoken are words from and about the Lord Jesus and refer to Him. He is the Tree of Life.

Words with “perversion” in them have the opposite effect. They are deceptive words that crush the spirit. Perversion in words inwardly affects the person addressed, breaking him down and causing him to languish (Isa 65:14). What Job’s friends said was not medicine of the tongue for Job. There was perversion in what they said, with the result that the breach in Job’s mind about the suffering that befell him remained.

Rejecting or Regarding Discipline

Only “a fool rejects his father’s discipline”. No one but a father can discipline a child in the most penetrating and yet appropriate way. He knows his child and knows what he needs. He also knows life and knows where the dangers lurk. The child who takes no notice of a loving discipline from his father and even rejects it contemptuously is a fool.

In contrast, a son testifies that he is “sensible” when he “regards reproof”. By doing so, he shows that he realizes that he still has much to learn and needs correction. He shows common sense

After accepting the fear of the LORD, accepting discipline from the parents is of the highest value. The authority of the father and parents is the authority of God. Discipline must begin at home and is the responsibility of the father or the parents. That is where our life begins. Because we are prone to do the wrong thing, we need correction. David was a sensible one. He considered it a favor when he was reproved (Psa 141:5).

Great Wealth or Trouble

“The house of the righteous” is characterized by “great wealth”. By wealth is not necessarily meant money and goods. Above all, it can also mean spiritual wealth. If love, joy and peace, the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22), characterize the house of the righteous, it is great wealth (Pro 15:16). If the inhabitants of the house treat each other with respect for each person’s abilities and qualities, that is also great wealth.

Of such great wealth the wicked knows nothing. He may have a great income, but in that income is the seed of trouble and misery. There is a curse on it, for he thinks only of himself. Pride and covetousness prevent him from enjoying it with satisfaction. He is led by envy of others who have just a little more. There is also fear that it will be taken away from him. All these factors are in his income and rob him of its joy. Along with his income, confusion, restlessness and sleeplessness enter his house.

The Lips of the Wise and the Hearts of Fools

Wise people spread knowledge when they speak. Their words are useful and profitable to the listeners. In the same way, so too is knowledge used appropriately. Knowledge is not meant to be kept to oneself, or shared only with a select few. “The lips of wise men” will let all hear the knowledge of God and His will that is in their heart. They do so not to show off their knowledge, but to benefit others. The knowledge they have, they have received to share.

That knowledge is “spread” includes the thought of multiplication. Seed that is spread develops into a great harvest. Whatever knowledge is spread by the lips of the wise comes into the heart of many who, in turn, also spread the received knowledge.

The lips of the Lord Jesus have spread knowledge so that His hearers might know God and His assessment of them. It is important that we pass on to others what we have learned from God’s Word about God and Christ as well as about ourselves. Then we show that we have “lips of the wise”.

There is no knowledge in “the hearts of fools”. Fools keep their hearts closed to knowledge. As a result, there is nothing in the hearts of fools that could be useful to others. Fools have no understanding of knowledge. Nor do they want it; they do not open themselves to it. As a result, they are unable to spread it out.

What Is an Abomination to the LORD

Here, as everywhere else in the Bible, “the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD” (Pro 15:8) because the heart of those who bring it is insincere (1Sam 15:22; Isa 1:10-17; Jer 6:20). Not only is it unacceptable to God, but He abhors it. Cain was such a wicked who came with a sacrifice that was rejected by God with disgust (Gen 4:5). Cain brought a self-willed sacrifice and God should be satisfied with that. Thus, so-called Christians come to God with all kinds of sacrifices. These are the sacrifices of their good works, but God rejects them. We find these abundantly in roman-catholicism.

What He accepts is “the prayer of the upright”. Prayer is called a “sacrifice” (Psa 141:2). When it is offered to Him by the upright, it is “His delight”. The upright take their true place before God. In their heart, they stand right before God. They realize that they can approach Him only on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice and not on the basis of anything of themselves. Their prayer is the prayer of faith. They pray knowing that they are a sinner by nature. Prayer is contrasted with the haughty sacrifice of self-satisfied people who tell God how well they do serve Him (Lk 18:10-14).

Not only is the sacrifice of the wicked, or the mere fulfillment of religious obligations, an abomination to God, but so is “the way of the wicked”, i.e. his whole life (Pro 15:9). Similarly, not only is the prayer of the upright His delight, but the whole life of “one who pursues righteousness” is. Whoever does so “He loves”. To pursue righteousness is to give to others what is rightfully his, and above all to God what is rightfully His. It is an active, persistent, and even dangerous search for righteousness (1Tim 6:11). A person can do this only if he has new life.

Pro 15:10 connects with Pro 15:9, the way of the wicked, for the wicked is one who “forsakes the way” that God wants man to go. The way here is the way of righteousness, as emphasized throughout the book. The one who forsakes that way must be grievously punished. This is not pleasant, but it is necessary. Whoever does not listen to punishment from his parents or anyone else, shows thereby that he hates punishment. That will result in death (cf. 2Chr 25:16; 2Pet 2:15; 21; Rom 8:13).

Everything Lies Open Before the LORD

The development of thought in these two lines of verse is an argument from the lesser to the greater (“how much more”). “tomb” (Sheol) and “decay” (Abaddon) represent the remote underworld and all the powerful forces that reside there but are powerless there (Job 26:6; Psa 139:8; Amos 9:2; Rev 9:11). This area is completely beyond the perception of humans, but has no secret to God. That this remote region with its inhabitants lies open to Him means that He is omniscient. This also means that He certainly also knows “the hearts of men”.

The word “hearts” means the motives and thoughts (Psa 44:21b). The eyes of the LORD not only see all men and their deeds (Pro 15:3), but He also sees their hearts and all that is in them. No man knows his own heart, let alone another’s, but God knows every heart (Jer 17:10; Jn 2:25; Heb 4:12-13). He knows every intention of every individual.

A Scoffer Does Not Go to the Wise

A scoffer resists all attempts to reform him. He does not like reproof or rebuke and therefore he “does not love one who reproves him”. He rigidly clings to his own nonsensical opinions which he spreads around him with great pleasure. His goal is to scoff at others and especially God and His service. That is what his life consists of. He loves the fun and mockery far too much to abandon them.

He will not go to the wise to become wise, which proves that a scoffer is a fool. He does not even want to be in the company of the wise. Imagine if he were to take anything from their wisdom. He cannot imagine life without mockery. Scoffers are people who do not want to come to the light because they do not want to be revealed (Jn 3:19-20). Their own self is their god and goal, and scoffing is their life, causing them to contemptuously reject all wisdom from above.

A Joyful, Intelligent and Cheerful Heart

The emotional condition of a person, what he experiences in his soul, has a definite effect on his mind. If a person has “a joyful heart”, it can be seen on his face (Pro 15:13). One who is on his way to meet his beloved will have a joyful heart. The joy of that encounter will radiate from his face. So it is with a heart that is filled with the Lord Jesus and lives with Him. There is joy over the redemption of sins and the judgment thereof and over the coming encounter with Him.

When a heart is sad, when it is filled with worry, “the spirit is broken”. The words used here emphasize pain and depression with a thought of despair. A broken spirit gives a sad facial expression. Nehemiah was experiencing “sadness of heart”, which could be read on his face (Neh 2:2; cf. Gen 40:6-7). With Hannah, her face changed from dejected to happy after she received the assurance that her prayer for a son would be answered: “So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad” (1Sam 1:18b). Thus, we too can bring our worries, which make us broken of spirit, to the Lord in prayer. This produces a change for the better in our mood.

Here again, this is stated generally, with no guarantee that this always and immediately happens. There may be situations where a person is depressed and remains depressed (for a long time) even though he brings everything to the Lord. This can have all kinds of causes, which we do not always understand. It is so when it happens to ourselves and certainly when it happens to others. For a long time Job did not have a cheerful heart and did not walk around with a happy face. Only when God had come to His purpose with him did this change completely (Job 42:6-17).

Opposite “the mind of the intelligent” is “the mouth of fools”, opposite “seeks” is “feeds” and opposite “knowledge” is “folly” (Pro 15:14). Both the intelligent and the fool are bent on filling his mind with something. He who is intelligent in mind seeks knowledge. He who has knowledge longs for more knowledge. It is knowledge about how life should be lived according to the thoughts of God. When a mind seeks that, it demonstrates wisdom.

In the heart of fools, the desire for that knowledge is not present. He does seek something “to eat”. Hence reference is made to “the mouth of fools” and to feeding. To “feed” is to graze as cattle do and points to the fool being satisfied with fodder of the brand of “folly” (cf. Isa 44:20).

What a person seeks is evidenced among other things by what he reads and what he looks at. An intelligent mind has “tasted the kindness of the Lord” (1Pet 2:3) and therefore longs for “the pure milk” of the Word of God (1Pet 2:2). Fools feed their minds on depraved reading and they watch bad movies. They graze like the obtuse cattle in defiled pastures and gobble up the folly of these pastures without any filtering.

Life can be miserable or pleasant, depending on one’s circumstances and nature (Pro 15:15). “The afflicted” is one who feels inwardly miserable all the days. All those days “are bad”. He cannot find any joy in anything, because inside he feels afflicted. No matter what is tried to cheer him up, affliction so dominates that he sees only affliction. Everything is bad. Nothing tastes, nothing makes him happy. He is constantly afflicted.

There is affliction when we fail to find our help in God. Jacob said to Pharaoh: “Few and unpleasant have been the years of my life” (Gen 47:9). That is because his life was full of going his own way without asking God to help him. Naomi, with her husband Elimelech, also went her own way. She testifies that she has experienced “great bitterness” in that way (Rth 1:20-21).

Those who have “a cheerful heart” see and live life in the light of the sun, that is, in the light of the Lord Jesus, Who is called “the sun of righteousness” (Mal 4:2). For a cheerful heart, life is “a continual feast”. We have a cheerful heart when we are rejoicing in the Lord and living in fellowship with Him. Even bad days will not be able to affect the cheerful state of mind. If there is joy within, outward circumstances cannot take away that joy.

The prophet Habakkuk testifies to this. Though he sees around him desolate barrenness and emptiness, he testifies and says: “Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation” (Hab 3:18). We are offered a continual meal by the Lord Jesus in Himself (Jn 6:35). He wants to dine with us and we may dine with Him if we open our heart to Him (Rev 3:20).

Better … Than …

These two verses clearly belong together. They say that spiritual things are better than material things or material wealth (cf. Psa 37:16). Pro 15:16 is about money and the fear of the LORD; Pro 15:17 is about food and love.

Pro 15:16 says that fear or reverence of God brings more satisfaction than “great treasure and turmoil with it”. Turmoil expresses itself in confusion, panic, tumult. Turmoil is fear. There is a saying that goes: The more possessions, the more fear. The reverence of God knows no such fear, for through it comes contentment and peace, the opposite of turmoil.

Solomon makes it clear that the righteous will not let wealth dominate them. So you can have a lot of money, the most expensive car, the fastest computer, the largest television with the sharpest screen, a house equipped with everything and still not have peace (cf. Ecc 4:6; Ecc 5:12). That peace is found only in walking reverently with God.

Pro 15:17 says that a happy, loving relationship is better than a delicious meal where the hearts of those who partake of the meal are filled with hatred toward one another. This is the situation in a family where wealth replaces love. Certainly, there can also be a rich meal with love, but here we are talking about a situation where a choice must be made between a luxurious meal and hate on the one hand and a poor meal and love on the other.

Many people recognize that a house with cheap furniture in which people love each other is preferable to a luxuriously furnished house in which people hate each other. Love makes difficult circumstances bearable, while hate destroys all the joy that a good meal is meant to bring about. You can have food of the very best quality in abundance on the table and still not have that “continual meal” of Pro 15:15. Instead, you feel miserable every day and are consumed in your heart by fear, turmoil, hatred and bitterness. The leaven of hatred prevents one from truly enjoying the meal.

Even though someone is not listed as rich and has to make do with very modest meals, he can still be in a constant feasting mood. That is so, if he knows, appreciates and enjoys his spiritual riches. That makes the heart truly and constantly happy. There is peace and contentment, the opposite of turmoil and restlessness.

We can also apply these verses to a local church. If in a church there is a “great treasure” of knowledge, the possibility of turmoil is also great if people start boasting about it. Such was the case in Corinth, where the believers were rich in Christ (1Cor 1:4-7). However, this did not make them humble and thankful, but puffed up, while love was lacking (1Cor 8:1).

Because the Corinthians boasted of their knowledge, there was discord and confusion and all kinds of abuses (1Cor 1:10-12; 1Cor 14:33; 1Cor 11:17-22). In contrast, what the Lord Jesus says of the church in Philadelphia ( which means “brotherly love”) is that they have only “little power”. He praises and encourages them (Rev 3:7-13).

Hot-Tempered or Slow to Anger

The contrast is between “a hot-tempered man”, literally “a man of anger”, one who is quick-tempered, and one who is “slow to anger” (cf. Jam 1:19). Hot-temperance is expressed by certain circumstances. Someone who is hot-tempered is proud by nature, otherwise he would not be so quick to get excited about something that affects him. Because of hot-temperance, arguments arise. A hot-tempered man must and will demand his right, even if it is in court.

He who is slow to anger does not stand his ground and knows how to calm the excitement by not reacting excitedly. By his calm response, he stills the “dispute” that has arisen. It takes a lot of patience and calm to maintain or restore peaceful relationships. It takes two people to argue. If one is slow to anger, the dispute will be quieted. The patient is a peacemaker. Peacemaking begins in the heart that bows before God in Christ. This will characterize the spirit and the walk. Abram showed this spirit when there was dispute between the shepherds of his cattle and the shepherds of Lot’s cattle (Gen 13:7-9).

The Way of the Lazy and the Path of the Upright

The lazy man sees his “way”, that is, his life, “as a hedge of thorns”, through which he feels hindered from getting to work. His life, he believes, is littered with difficulties, dangers and painful experiences. He looks for and finds excuses in everything that happens to him in life to avoid working. The hedge of thorns he sees is blocking him, so he believes himself and wants to make others believe. Because the lazy person is contrasted with the upright and not the diligent in the second line of verse, laziness appears to be evidence of insincerity.

Upright people are not bothered by a hedge of thorns. Their “path ... is a highway”. It is a well paved path, a path that looks good. They walk on “a highway …, a roadway, and it will be called the Highway of Holiness” (Isa 35:8). They have no reason to take a detour or take evasive action. This does not at all mean that the path of the upright is smooth and that they have an easy life.

Both the lazy and the upright walk a path on which they encounter setbacks and difficulties. The difference is the way they deal with setbacks and difficulties. The lazy sees in the difficulties lions and bears, a hedge of thorns, on his way; the upright also see their difficulties, but see God above them and go their path in trust in Him, because they know that He has put them on that path. They count on His grace.

The Influence of Wisdom and Folly

If a son (or daughter) behaves wisely in response to the father’s strongly protective love and the mother’s warm affection, he (or she) will cause them joy (Pro 15:20). However, if a son (or daughter) behaves foolishly, it represents a contempt for the parental investment of care. It is a declaration to the mother that she was wrong to have brought him (or her) into the world.

Wise children give parents reason to rejoice over them. Foolish children show contempt for their mother. They show an unnatural harshness that causes great suffering to their mother. The greatest joy and the bitterest sadness in this world of tears are found in the hearts of parents. There is no greater joy than to see children walk in the truth (3Jn 1:4). There is no greater sorrow than to see a child reject the truth and live and die in unbelief (2Sam 18:33).

The fool not only lives without God in his sins, but he finds his joy in foolishness (Pro 15:21). This marks him as a man “who lacks sense”. Any man who delights in expressing or seeing foolishness has no sense. He goes a foolish way that ends in eternal death. He who does have sense or “understanding walks straight”, which is the path of life that ends in eternal life.

The fool follows every fad and lives by the whim of the day. That life is a pleasure for him, because he has no understanding of God’s will, nor does he want to. Someone with understanding does know what God’s will is for him and therefore walks straight, he walks the way God has laid out for him. He knows “that a man’s way is not in himself, nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps” (Jer 10:23).

Many Counselors Make a Plan Succeed

It is not God’s purpose for us to do everything alone. He created man as a social being who needs others to function well. Even in the church, He has made members interdependent on one another (1Cor 12:14-31). Self-will always turns out badly. Often nothing comes of the plans of someone who works alone, without consulting others. The success of plans requires seeking and accepting good advice.

Wanting to implement a plan without consultation also shows haste. Time is needed to consult. Consultation may be seen as wasted time, but it is not. After all, two see more than one. It is good to see one’s own limitations, no matter how gifted one is. Consultation with reliable and competent people is decisive for a good result, for the realization of the plan.

This is a general observation of value in society both on a personal and national level. It means that we need others. The same is true of matters in the church. In the consultation over whether or not the Gentiles should keep the law in Acts 15, we have a good example of consultation leading to the necessary outcome (Acts 15:5-31). The outcome is good because Scripture and the Holy Spirit are listened to (Psa 119:24). In all consultation, it is most important above all to look to Him Who is “Counselor” (Isa 9:5).

How Delightful Is a Timely Word

There is an answer here without reading about a question. The question at issue here and to which the answer comes could be about anything. It can be a verbal question, the request for an opinion, but also a situation with which someone is embarrassed. The second line of verse makes it clear that it is not about a direct and formally correct answer. It is about an answer that does address the content of the question, but that is also given timely, at the right time, not sooner and not later.

Therefore, the joy such an answer brings is not so much the result of its correctness, but of its right timing. We speak wise when we speak at the right time, when there is a need for what we say at that time. “For a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure” (Ecc 8:5b). Saying the right things at the right time gives deep satisfaction; it requires knowledge and wisdom and self-denial. Saying the right thing, but at the wrong time, is counterproductive, that is, it leads to the opposite of what is sought.

If Paul had told the jailer to believe in the Lord Jesus before throwing him in jail, Paul would have been right, but would have had no result. It was not the time for the right word then. That time came when the jailer was about to kill himself (Acts 16:27-32). We can learn this way of speaking only from the Lord Jesus (Isa 50:4).

The Path of Life Leads Upward

“The wise” sees life in its proper perspective. He knows that he is on the path of life and that this path also leads to life. It is a path “upward”, it leads to eternal life, to heaven, where eternal life is enjoyed in its fullness. The Christian who is wise will seek the things that are above, that are upward, for there is Christ, his life (Col 3:1-2). He fixes his eyes on “Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Heb 12:2).

The wise walks that path because he wants to keep as far away from “Sheol below” as possible. It is not about the fact that there would still be a chance that he would end up in Sheol, i.e. hell. Through the blood of Christ, he knows that he has escaped the judgment of hell and will not end up there. The point is about the fact that he is now walking the path to life and therefore in the practice of his life he is also distancing himself from things that belong to “Sheol below”. He is born from above and goes the path upward. He belongs to heaven and not to hell. This is evident in the orientation of his life.

The LORD Protects the Widow

The LORD will tear down the “proud” and their entire house, but He protects the vulnerable “widow”. The contrast is between the proud and the widow, between those who rely entirely on themselves and one who is powerless, who has no one but God (Psa 68:5). Scripture amply affirms that God defends the cause of the widow, the orphan, the poor and the needy.

The antithesis assumes that the widow is the prey of the proud, who want to take her land and home (Isa 5:8-10). God has established the boundaries of His people in the land and will maintain them (Deu 19:14). Those who do not take that into account, the proud, He tears down and also their entire “empire” on which they rely and which they believe is fixed forever. Only what has been fixed by God, like the widow’s boundary stone, is immovably established.

Evil Plans or Pleasant Words

God hates not only the sacrifice and way of the wicked (Pro 15:8-9), but also their “plans” and thoughts. A wicked person is a deviser of “evil plans”. The plans he makes are aimed at harming others, disadvantaging and damaging them. There is no thought of God with him at all. Everything revolves around himself. The LORD knows his heart. What he plots in it is “an abomination” to Him.

The contrast in the second line of verse is that between hidden plans or thoughts and “lovely words”. Lovely words need not be hidden, but can be spoken. They cannot but come from a heart that is pure because it is focused on God. Those words do not reflect evil thoughts; they are not unclean, but pure words.

David is the “sweet psalmist of Israel” (2Sam 23:1). The words he spoke are pure words because they were spoken by the Spirit of God in him (2Sam 23:2). When we speak by the Spirit of God, our words are sweet and pure.

Warning Against Illicit Profit

“Illicit profits” are got by dishonest practices, such as the use of “bribes”, which distort justice (Exo 23:8; Deu 16:19; Job 8:3; Mt 28:11-15; Exo 18:21; 1Sam 8:3; Isa 33:15; 1Pet 5:2). The greedy man is the one who rushes to get rich and does not care how that happens. He not only brings misfortune upon himself, but he drags others down with him. He plunges his entire home, wife and children, into trouble.

The verse is a warning against accepting bribes. Gifts can be harmless, but they can also change one’s standards and values, that is, lower them. Those who hate gifts meant as bribes “will live” and keep troubles away from their families. Illicit profit is slavery. He who hates Illicit profit will live the true life now and will soon do so in full. It is living in the freedom of the Spirit.

Think First, Then Answer

“The righteous” is not a blabbermouth. He “ponders” in his heart what he will answer when he is asked something or when something happens to him from God (Hab 2:1). To ponder is to weigh or study. He who is wise is careful with his words. For a good answer, we need Godly wisdom because we are surrounded by an evil world. Therefore, we must carefully consider what and how to answer.

The wicked are not guided by the fear of God. Therefore, out of their mouths comes a stream of evil things. They cause evil with what comes out of their mouth. Their mouth overflows with it. Their mouth is an unstoppable source of pain to others. They bring evil things out of the evil treasure of their heart (Mt 12:34-35).

The LORD Answers the Prayer of the Righteous

The wicked keep the LORD at a distance. As a result, He is far from them. When they need Him because they believe He can be of service to them, He proves to be inaccessible to them and deaf to their cries to Him. His grace, love and help are not available to them because they refuse to break with their sins. Of course, a prayer of repentance from the wicked is the exception, for thereby they become righteous. When they pray as righteous, He answers (Jam 5:16b-18; Psa 34:16; 18; 1Pet 3:12).

What Gladdens the Heart and Puts Fat on the Bones

“Bright eyes gladden” is literally “the light of the eyes gladdens”. It is about the light from heaven, from God. When that light comes into the eyes, when the eyes are bright, the heart is gladdened by it (cf. Ecc 11:7). Because of the light of God in our eyes, we can see all that God has done and praise Him for it. This applies to both the old creation and the new creation, to both the material world and the spiritual world. If “the eyes of our hearts are enlightened” (Eph 1:15), this means that we are able to know all the spiritual blessings we have received from God.

“Good news” refers to something good that our ears hear. That has a refreshing effect on our bones. We see this with Jacob when he hears that Joseph is still alive. His spirit revives and he goes to him (Gen 45:27-28). We gain strength for our walk when we hear about the good that God purposes for us by His discipline (Heb 12:11-13). Ten of the twelve spies spread bad news about the promised land and thus paralyzed the people, causing them to refuse to move on.

To Listen and to Fear Is Life, Wisdom and Honor

“Reproof” can be painful, but “he whose ear listens” to it will consequently live, according to the wisdom of God. A teachable person belongs among the wise, for he who “listens to the life-giving reproof” shows that he is wise. The wise person wants to live to the glory of God. Reproof serves to remove from life that which prevents it. He who has an open ear for that, “will dwell among the wise” that is, he finds rest in the midst of the wise. He is one of them.

“He who neglects discipline”, which goes beyond refusing to listen to reproof, “despises himself” (Pro 15:32). He thinks no one should interfere with his life. He wants to live as he thinks best for himself. It escapes him that by such an attitude he despises his life. The discipline is meant to make him live the true life, that is, as God has meant it to be lived. That gives full satisfaction to life.

He who “listen to reproof acquires understanding”; he acquires understanding of himself and of life. Then one can grow spiritually, intellectually and emotionally. He will know how to live to God’s glory. For his neighbor, he will seek not evil, but good and know what God requires of him.

He who is guided in his life by “the fear of the LORD” is constantly instructed, in the sense of being taught, to walk wisely through life (Pro 15:33), for “the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD” (Pro 9:10). He knows how to make the right choice when there is a need to choose and so also to avoid evil. His life is attuned to doing the will of God.

The first effect of wisdom is that it produces “humility” in the righteous. The fear of God is accompanied by humility. Where there is the one, there is also the other. The one is the way to wisdom; the other is the way to honor. Humility is a mind of heart that we must learn. We can learn humility from Him Who is Wisdom. He said: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt 11:29).

Humble submission in trust in the Lord brings “wisdom” and “honor”. The Lord Jesus humbled Himself and was exalted by God. He is the example of what He says to us: “He who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 14:11b). Our exaltation, the honor we will receive, depends on our humiliation. If we humble ourselves “under the mighty hand of God”, He will exalt us “at the proper time” (1Pet 5:6).