PROVERBS CHAPTER 3

1. My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments; 2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4. So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 

God's word here tells us to not forget His law and to keep His commandments, this we have clearly not done. Man has changed God's law to meet his own circumstances and we clearly do not keep the commandments by all the crime in this world. Therefore the promise of length of days , long life and peace will not be honored and by not showing mercy and not being truthful, individuals in general or nations, will not find favour and good understanding in the sight of God . We seem to sabotage our own happiness by not obeying God's word. 

5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct they paths. 

Again man has taken the place of God by ruling on the marriage issue. Man thinks he knows what is best for him. We are not all knowing as God is, we do not know the future as God does. We have perimeters that we are not to cross by God's laws, but we have. 

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord, and depart from evil, 8 It shall be health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones, 9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. 

God's promise here is to be faithful in giving a portion back to him of what he has given us. If we honor the Lord with our substance we are thanking Him for His blessings on us and following His commandments. He in return has promised that our barns be filled with plenty and we shall want for nothing. 

11 My son despise not the chastening of he Lord; neither e weary of his correction;

12 For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. 

 We are here instructed to not despise the chastening of the Lord, and he gives an example so that we might understand more completely. If you let a child bring himself up he will do what he thinks is right. It is our job to teach our children right from wrong by following God's commandments. How else do we become good citizens thoughtful and courteous and loving towards others. This is what God is doing with us when He is chastening us...He is teaching us how to a better person here on earth. Again that self will gets in the way and we want to do things our way.

13. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. 14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain

thereof than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies:  and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is every one that retaineth her. 19 The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens. 20. By His knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. 

Wisdom and understanding will last a life time, it is a ruler for measuring life judgements and making decisions. Money and material things are temporary, they will pass away. God promises happiness to those who retaineth them. He continues to give examples of the use of them....." by wisdom He founded the earth...by understanding He established the heavens......by His knowledge the depths are broken up and the clouds drop down the dew"

21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: 22. So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck, 23 Then shalt thou walk

in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. 24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. 25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. 26 For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. 

This paragraph is explaining how sound wisdom and discretion will be life to thy soul and grace to thy neck. They will provide safety by the Lord and sweet sleep at night. By trusting fully in the Lord God we will not be afraid of sudden fear or when we hear of the wicked being desolated. The Lord is our protector when we deeply truly trust that He will take care of us and protect us. 

27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thin hand to do it. 28 Say not unto thy neighbor, "Go, and come again and tomorrow I will give" when thou hast it by thee. 29 Devise not evil against thy neighbor, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. 

30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.

The definition of strive here is" to rival, to struggle vigorously as in opposition or resistance"

31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways,  32 For the froward is abomination to the Lord; but his secret is with the righteous. 

Definition of oppressor is "to burden with cruel or unjust impositions or restraints, subject to a burdensome or harsh exercise or authority or power... ex. a people oppressed by totalitarianism." Definitions of froward here is" willfully, contrary; not easily managed: example, to be worried about one's froward, intractable child" Now intractable child is a child that is not easily controlled or directed, not docile or manageable; stubborn; obstinate".....So you can see why God warns us not to be like such people and why they are an abomination to the Lord.

33. The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but He blesseth the habitation of the just. 34 Surely He scorneth the scorners; but He giveth grace unto the lowly, 35 The wise shall inherit glory but shame shall be the promotion of fools. 

Here is God's promise to the wicked and to the just.  Today in this world and in the next for eternity.

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