Proverbs 23:17 Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the LORD all the day long. Many mistake by viewing religion as separate from common life, and as hardly to be made to accord with it. I. THE PRINCIPLE WHICH IS TO ACTUATE US. "The fear of the Lord." The fear attends the whole of religion. 1. As a quality, to temper the whole; to bind doctrine and knowledge; to keep confidence from growing up into rank presumption, and liberty from degenerating into licentiousness. 2. As a quickener, to excite and to enliven the whole. II. THE EXTENSIVENESS OF ITS INFLUENCE. To be in the fear shows the frequency of its exercise, and of its invariable constancy. See the attributes of this fear as regards — 1. Devotions, regular and ejaculatory. 2. The business of the day. 3. The trials of the day. 4. Its relaxation, recreation, and refreshment. 5. The company of the day. 6. The opportunities and occasions of the day. III. THE ADVANTAGE OF ITS HABITUALNESS. 1. It will render religion more easy and pleasant. 2. It will render your religion more obvious and certain. It furnishes the best evidences of its reality. Then be concerned to exercise diligence. (1) All the day long you are in danger. (2) God is all day long doing you good. (3) All the day long you are observed, even by your fellow-creatures, much more than you are aware of. (4) You are accountable all the day long. (W. Jay.) Parallel Verses KJV: Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.WEB: Don't let your heart envy sinners; but rather fear Yahweh all the day long. |
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