A false balance is abomination to the Lord Under which are included all false weights and measures, and all fraudulent practices in commerce and dealing; which are forbidden by the Lord, and are abominable to him, as being injurious to the estates and properties of men: and more especially must be…

When pride cometh, then cometh shame The one follows the other, or rather keep pace together; as soon as one comes, the other comes; as in the case of the angels that sinned, Adam and Eve, Haman, Nebuchadnezzar, and others; and will be the case of the Romish antichrist, who, while vaunting and…

The integrity of the upright shall guide them The Spirit of God is the best guide of an upright man; he leads into all truth, and unto the land of uprightness, and continues to be a guide, even unto death; and it is right to walk after him, and not after the flesh: and besides him, the upright man…

Riches profit not in the day of wrath When God takes away the soul, and summons to judgment, and brings to it; and as riches profited not Rome Pagan, in the day of the Lamb’s wrath upon it; so neither will they profit Rome Papal, when it will come in remembrance before God, to give it the cup of…

The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way Or “make it plain” [[5]]; that is, the righteousness of those who are perfect in Christ, complete in him, perfectly justified by his righteousness; that righteousness makes their way plain; it is the direct way, the highway, the pathway to…

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them From death, as in ; and from falling by sin, totally and finally; or into it, so as to perish eternally; as well as it shall deliver those out of Babylon, who are the Lord’s people, that will be found therein when that is about to fall; see ; but…

When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish His expectation of a longer life, of getting more riches, attaining to more honour, enjoying more pleasure here, and of having happiness hereafter, and of being delivered from wrath to come; he will then find, when he comes to die, that his…

The righteous is delivered out of trouble One after another he comes into, if not in this life, yet at death; which is to him a perfect deliverance out of all tribulation; see ; or when the wicked die, as in , then the righteous are delivered from the trouble they gave them, or designed to give…

An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour Deceives him with his flatteries and lies, and draws him into destructive schemes and practices; or “corrupts” him, as the word [[8]] signifies, and as the Targum renders it, with false doctrines; so, with fair words and good speeches, such who…

When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth, &c.] As it always does, even in the worst of times; in times of public calamity and distress, and when enemies rise up on all hands; it is well with them in life, in death, and to all eternity; see ; but there are particular times when it…

By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted That is, either by the blessings with which they are blessed; and these are either temporal or spiritual: when good men are blessed with temporal blessings, the place where they live is the better it; and especially the poor, for they do not eat…

He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour Not only in his heart, but by giving him opprobrious language; he speaks contemptibly of him, either because he thinks he is wiser than his neighbour, and therefore calls him fool at every turn; as those who are most destitute of wisdom conceit they…

A talebearer revealeth secrets The Arabic version adds, in the congregation, openly and publicly; that goes about with tales from place to place, who is like a walking merchant or peddler, as the word [[10]] signifies; who takes up his wares at one place, and exposes them to sale, and vends them at…

Where no counsel is, the people fall Where there is no wise and prudent, sound and good counsel, as the word signifies; where that is not, there had as good be none, or better; a people, a kingdom, a commonwealth, nation, or city, fall into ruin and destruction, or into schemes which bring them to…

He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it Or in “breaking shall be broken” [[15]], ruined and undone; he engaging or becoming a bondsman for one whose circumstances he knew not; and these being bad bring a load upon him, such an heavy debt as crushes him to pieces. Mr.

A gracious woman retaineth honour Or “a woman of grace” “a gracious woman divides glory;” that is, between herself and her husband; to which the Arabic version agrees, which renders it, “a gracious woman raises up glory to her husband.” Jarchi interprets it of the congregation of Israel; his note…

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul Or “to himself”: a man of mercy or grace, a liberal bountiful man, he comfortably enjoys what God has given him, ; and he does good to others with it, and thereby does good to himself also; as well as he is solicitous in a spiritual sense for the good and…

The wicked worketh a deceitful work Such a wicked man as before described; that neither enjoys the good things of life he has, nor suffers others to enjoy them; and all to accumulate riches, which are deceitful and perishing; and who abstains from meats, which God has created for use, under a…

As righteousness tendeth to life Or, is unto life: not mere outward acts of moral righteousness; these may be done where there is no principle of spiritual life, and are no other than dead works, and will never bring to everlasting life; indeed the best righteousness of man’s is no justification of…

They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord Such as are men of perverse dispositions and principles; that are contrary to the light of nature, the law of God, and Gospel of Christ; who, like the Jews of old, please not God, and are contrary to all men, to all good men; as…

Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished Though they give the hand to one another, unite in their counsels, enter into combinations, confederacies, and strict alliances, and join all their force and strength together; or though with both hands, with all their might and main,…

As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout The allusion seems to be to the ringing of swine, to prevent their rooting up the earth; which is usually done by putting an iron ring into their snout; which is much more proper and suitable than a gold ring, or a jewel set in gold, which is very unbecoming…

The desire of the righteous is only good Or, “what is good” [[24]]; only good is the object of it. His desire is to do good, and that only; though be does not always do what he would do: as he delights in the law of God, after the inward man; as he is a righteous, holy, and good man, and would be…

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth That scattereth “his own”, as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions add: that disperses his money here and there, among many poor objects, plentifully and liberally; and his substance is so far from being lessened by such a conduct,…

The liberal soul shall be made fat Or, “the soul of blessing” [[2]]: that is, as the Vulgate Latin version renders it, “the soul which blesseth”; not that merely prays for a blessing upon others, and wishes them well, and gives them good words; but bestows blessings on them, gives good things unto…

He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him That hoards it up for a better price, in hopes of a better market; and does not bring it out, and expose it to sale, when there is a scarcity of it; so the Targum adds, “in famine”; or, “in straits”, as the Syriac version; in a time of distress…

He that diligently seeketh good Or “early”; who rises early in the morning, as the word [[4]] signifies, and seeks both to do good, and to enjoy it all the day; who, in the first place, seeks the kingdom of God and his righteousness; who, in the morning of his youth, inquires after the best things;…

He that trusteth in his riches shall fall As leaves in autumn, which are withered and dry. To trust in riches is to trust in uncertain things; things not to be depended on, being here today and gone tomorrow; it is like leaning upon a broken staff, which giving way, the person falls: and so the…

He that troubleth his own house His family, his wife, and children, and servants; by being bitter to the one, and by provoking the others to wrath, and continually giving out menacing words to the rest; or through idleness, not providing for his family; or through an over worldly spirit, pushing on…

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life Either the fruit which grows upon Christ, the tree of life, and which they receive from him; even all the blessings of grace, peace, pardon, righteousness, and life, ; or the fruits which the righteous bring forth under the influence of divine grace;…

Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth Which Aben Ezra understands of the recompence of their good works. There is a reward for the righteous, and which they have now in keeping, though not “for” keeping, the commandments of God; they have the promise of this life, as well as of…