Proverbs 3

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;a ²for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.b ³Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.c

⁴Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.d ⁵Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;e ⁶in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.f

⁷Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.g ⁸This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.h ⁹Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest;i ¹⁰then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.j

¹¹My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke;k ¹²for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.l

Wisdom is more precious than jewels

¹³Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,m ¹⁴for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold.n ¹⁵She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her.

¹⁶Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.o ¹⁷All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful.p ¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.q

¹⁹The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding.r ²⁰By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew. ²¹My son, do not lose sight of this: Preserve sound judgment and discernment.s

²²They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck. ²³Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. ²⁴When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.t

²⁵Do not fear sudden danger or the ruin that overtakes the wicked,u ²⁶for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from the snare.v ²⁷Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act.w

²⁸Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”— when you already have the means.x ²⁹Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you. ³⁰Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm.

³¹Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways;y ³²for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright.z ³³The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous.aa

³⁴He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.ab ³⁵The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.

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Commentary

Proverbs 3 is a father’s heartfelt instruction on the path of wisdom, centering on trust in the Lord as the foundation for a flourishing life. It moves from the promise of long life and peace for those who keep God’s commands (vv. 1-12) to a celebration of wisdom’s supreme value (vv

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Bible Dictionary· Proverbs 3(12)

Body Father Grace Hand Harvest Honor House Right Soul Sweet The Way Wine

References· Proverbs 3

a: v.1 — John 14:21-24, Proverbs 4:5, Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Psalms 119:16, Proverbs 1:8, Psalms 119:34, Psalms 119:93, Deuteronomy 8:1, Jeremiah 31:33, Psalms 119:47-48
b: v.2 — Ephesians 6:1-3, Proverbs 4:10, Psalms 91:16, Proverbs 9:11, Psalms 128:6, Romans 15:13, Psalms 21:4, Psalms 119:165, Proverbs 10:27, Job 5:26
c: v.3 — Proverbs 7:3, 2 Corinthians 3:3, Hebrews 10:16, Deuteronomy 11:18-21, Malachi 2:6, Proverbs 6:21, Ephesians 5:1-2, Proverbs 16:6, Ephesians 5:9, Proverbs 1:9
d: v.4 — Luke 2:52, 1 Samuel 2:26, Romans 14:18, Psalms 111:10, Genesis 39:2-4, Genesis 39:21, Acts 2:47, Daniel 1:9, Joshua 1:7-8
e: v.5 — Psalms 37:5, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Proverbs 28:26, Psalms 37:3, Psalms 62:8, Isaiah 26:3-4, Isaiah 12:2, Psalms 37:7, Proverbs 3:7, Jeremiah 10:23
f: v.6 — Proverbs 16:3, Psalms 32:8, Philippians 4:6, Proverbs 16:9, Jeremiah 10:23, James 1:5, Isaiah 30:21, Isaiah 48:17, Psalms 25:8-9, Colossians 3:23
g: v.7 — Job 28:28, Romans 12:16, Proverbs 26:12, Proverbs 16:6, Job 1:1, Psalms 34:11-14, Ecclesiastes 12:13, Isaiah 5:21, Proverbs 14:27, Romans 11:25
h: v.8 — Proverbs 4:22, Psalms 147:3, Proverbs 16:24, Job 21:24, Ezekiel 16:4-5, Jeremiah 30:12-13, Isaiah 1:6
i: v.9 — Deuteronomy 26:2-15, 1 Corinthians 16:2, Exodus 23:19, Proverbs 14:31, Philippians 4:17-18, Exodus 22:29, Malachi 3:8-10, Haggai 1:4-9, 2 Corinthians 8:2-3, Exodus 34:26
j: v.10 — Proverbs 19:17, Deuteronomy 28:8, Proverbs 11:24-25, Joel 2:24, Proverbs 22:9, 2 Corinthians 9:6-11, Ecclesiastes 11:1-2, Malachi 3:10-11, Haggai 2:19, Matthew 10:42
k: v.11 — The Lord disciplines those He loves: Hebrews 12:5; Job 5:17, Revelation 3:19, Hebrews 12:5-12, Psalms 94:12, Isaiah 40:30-31, 1 Corinthians 11:32, 2 Corinthians 4:16-17, 2 Corinthians 4:1, Hebrews 12:3, Proverbs 24:10
l: v.12 — Deuteronomy 8:5, Revelation 3:19, Proverbs 29:17, Proverbs 13:24, Psalms 103:13
m: v.13 — Proverbs 8:32-35, Proverbs 4:5-9, Ecclesiastes 9:15-18, 1 Kings 10:23-24, Proverbs 2:4, Proverbs 18:1, 1 Kings 10:1-9
n: v.14 — Proverbs 16:16, Proverbs 8:19, Job 28:13-19, Revelation 3:18, Matthew 16:26, Proverbs 8:10-11, 2 Chronicles 1:11-12, Proverbs 2:4, Psalms 119:111, Psalms 119:162
o: v.16 — Proverbs 3:2, 2 Corinthians 6:10, Proverbs 22:4, 1 Kings 3:13, Mark 10:30, 1 Timothy 4:8, Proverbs 8:18-21, Psalms 21:4, 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, Proverbs 4:6-10
p: v.17 — Luke 1:79, Isaiah 26:3, Philippians 4:8-9, Proverbs 2:10, Psalms 119:165, Proverbs 22:18, Matthew 11:28-30, Psalms 112:1, Psalms 119:14, Psalms 19:10-11
q: v.18 — Proverbs 11:30, Proverbs 15:4, Revelation 2:7, Genesis 2:9, Proverbs 13:12, Genesis 3:22, Revelation 22:2
r: v.19 — Psalms 104:24, Jeremiah 10:12, John 1:3, Jeremiah 51:15, Psalms 136:5, Proverbs 8:27-29
s: v.21 — Joshua 1:8, Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Deuteronomy 32:46-47, Proverbs 4:21, Hebrews 2:1-3, Deuteronomy 4:9, 1 John 2:27, John 8:31, Proverbs 3:1-3, John 15:6-7
t: v.24 — Psalms 3:5, Psalms 4:8, Proverbs 6:22, Job 11:19, Psalms 121:4-7, Jeremiah 31:26, Psalms 127:2, Leviticus 26:6, Ezekiel 34:15
u: v.25 — Isaiah 41:10-14, Psalms 112:7, Psalms 91:5, 1 Peter 3:14, Isaiah 8:12-13, Matthew 8:24-26, Luke 21:18-28, Matthew 24:6, Psalms 46:1-3, Job 11:13-15
v: v.26 — Psalms 91:3, 1 Samuel 2:9, Proverbs 14:26, Psalms 91:9-10, Habakkuk 3:17-18
w: v.27 — Galatians 6:10, James 2:15-16, Romans 13:7, James 5:4, Genesis 31:29, Micah 2:1, Titus 2:14
x: v.28 — Leviticus 19:13, Deuteronomy 24:12-15, 2 Corinthians 8:11, Ecclesiastes 9:10, 1 Timothy 6:18, Ecclesiastes 11:6, 2 Corinthians 9:3, Proverbs 27:1
y: v.31 — Proverbs 24:1, Psalms 37:1, Ecclesiastes 5:8, Galatians 5:21, Proverbs 23:17, Proverbs 24:19-20, Proverbs 12:12, Proverbs 1:15-18, Proverbs 2:12-15, Psalms 37:7-9
z: v.32 — Psalms 25:14, Proverbs 11:20, John 15:15, Proverbs 17:15, Proverbs 8:13, John 14:21-24, Matthew 13:11, Psalms 18:26, Matthew 11:25, Job 29:4
aa: v.33 — Psalms 37:22, Leviticus 26:14-46, Job 8:6-7, Psalms 91:10, Malachi 2:2, Deuteronomy 7:26, Proverbs 21:12, Zechariah 5:3-4, Psalms 1:3, Deuteronomy 28:2-68
ab: v.34 — God resists the proud: James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5, Psalms 138:6, Proverbs 9:12, Proverbs 21:24, Isaiah 57:15, Proverbs 9:7-8, Proverbs 19:29

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