Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, saying: “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked will I leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job...
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised (Proverbs 31:30 CSB). King Lemuel’s mother noted the passing nature of outer beauty and the deceitful nature of manipulative charm. In contrast to this, note that a woman who fears the Lord has...
Every word of God is pure; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Don’t add to his words, or he will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar (Proverbs 30:5,6 CSB). Agur valued God’s Word as being completely true, and because it is true,...
A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise person holds it in check (Proverbs 29:11 CSB). It is the nature of the fool to think that everyone is interested in his feelings, and there is some sort of obligation for the fool to reveal to everyone exactly...
Better the poor person who lives with integrity than the rich one who distorts right and wrong (Proverbs 28:6 CSB). Some people become rich by taking advantage of others financially, with little regard for honesty and fairness. God will protect and be on the side of those who are humble...
Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17 CSB). A piece of iron can sharpen another piece of iron, and it usually happens by striking the pieces together, with friction from one piece to the other, creating heat and causing sparks to fly. This is reminiscent of the...
As a dog that returns to his vomit, so also a fool repeats his foolishness (Proverbs 26:11 CSB). This chapter continues in the nature of the fool and the lazy man. A fool will normally not change his ways unless he has some sort of catastrophic event that causes the...
Don’t boast about yourself before the king, and don’t stand in the place of the great; for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here!” than to demote you in plain view of a noble (Proverbs 25:6,7 CSB). We should always avoid self-exalting. Even as we...
Don’t say, “I’ll do to him what he did to me; I’ll repay the man for what he has done.” (Proverbs 24:29 CSB) When we speak against others without cause, the tendency is to exaggerate or bend the truth into something that is more deceptive. This is exactly what wisdom...
Don’t gaze at wine because it is red, because it gleams in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper (Proverbs 23:31,32 CSB). Today’s chapter devotes seven verses to the misery of abusing alcohol. Wine can be pleasing on...