Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Proverbs
Book: Proverbs
Chapter: 25
Overview:
1-3 God needs not search into any thing; nothing can be hid
from him. But it is the honour of rulers to search out matters,
to bring to
Light hidden
Works of
Darkness. 4,5. For a
Prince
to suppress vice, and reform his people, is the best way to
support his government. 6,7. Religion teaches us
Humility and
self-denial. He who has seen the
Glory of the
Lord in
Christ
Jesus, will feel his own unworthiness. 8-10. To be hasty in
beginning strife, will bring into difficulties.
War must at
length
End, and might better be prevented. It is
So in private
quarrels; do all thou canst to settle the matter. 11,12. A
Word of counsel, or reproof, rightly spoken, is especially
beautiful, as fine
Fruit becomes still more beautiful in
Silver
baskets. 13. See what ought to be the aim of him that is
trusted with any business; to be
Faithful. A
Faithful Minister,
Christ's
Messenger, should be thus acceptable to us. 14. He
who pretends to have received or given that which he never had,
is like the morning
Cloud, that disappoints those who look for
Rain. 15. Be patient to
Bear a present hurt. Be mild to speak
without
Passion; for persuasive language is the most effectual
to prevail over the hardened mind. 16.
God has given us leave
to use grateful things, but we are cautioned against excess.
17. We cannot be upon good terms with our neighbours, without
discretion as
Well as sincerity. How much better a Friend is
God
than any other friend! The oftener we come to him, the more
welcome. 18. A false
Testimony is dangerous in every thing.
19. Confidence in an unfaithful
Man is painful and vexatious;
when we
Put any stress
On him, he not only fails, but makes us
feel for it. 20. We take a wrong course if we think to relieve
those in sorrow
By endeavouring to make them merry. 21,22. The
precept to
Love even our enemies is an Old
Testament
commandment. Our
Saviour has shown his own great
Example in
loving us when we were enemies. 23. Slanders would not be
So
readily spoken, if they were not readily heard.
Sin, if it
receives any check, becomes cowardly. 24. It is better to be
alone, than to be joined to one who is a hinderance to the
comfort of
Life. 25.
Heaven is a country afar off; how
refreshing is good news from thence, in the
Everlasting Gospel,
which signifies glad tidings, and in the
Witness of the Spirit
with our spirits that we are
God's children! 26. When the
righteous are led into
Sin, it is as hurtful as if the public
fountains were poisoned. 27. We must be, through
Grace, dead
to the pleasures of sense, and also to the praises of men. 28.
The
Man who has
No command over his
Anger, is easily robbed of
peace. Let us give up ourselves to the
Lord, and pray him to
Put
his
Spirit within us, and cause us to walk in his statutes.