Proverbs 15:30

15:29. God sets himself at a distance from those who set him at defiance. 30. How delightful to the humbled soul to hear the good report of salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ! 31. Faithful, friendly reproofs help spiritual life, and lead to eternal life. 32. Sinners undervalue their own souls; therefore they prefer the body before the soul, and wrong the soul to please the body. 33. The fear of the Lord will dispose us to search the Scriptures with reverence; and it will cause us to follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit. While we humbly place all our dependence on the grace of God, we are exalted in the righteousness of Christ.

Not so much the visive power, the faculty of seeing, a strong and clear eyesight; though this is a great mercy, and from the Lord, and to be prized, and does give joy of heart; but rather the objects seen by the light of the eyes, as Jarchi; as green gardens, flowing rivers, pleasant meadows, rising hills, lowly vales, herbs, plants, trees, birds, beasts, and creatures of every kind; nor is the eye ever satisfied with seeing; especially light itself beheld rejoiceth the heart, and particularly that grand luminary and fountain of light, the sun. "Light is sweet", says the wise man, Ecclesiastes 11:7 , "and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun", which is a proper comment on this text: and much more pleasant and delightful, cheering and rejoicing, must be the spiritual light of the eyes of the understanding, when opened by the Spirit of God at conversion; it is marvellous light souls are then called into, and wonderful things do they then behold, which rejoice their hearts; as Christ the sun of righteousness himself, the light of the world, the glories of his person and office, the fulness of grace that is in him, pardon of sin by his blood, justification by his righteousness, and free and full salvation through him for the worst and chief of sinners: in the light which is thrown into them they see light; the light of God's countenance, his face and favour, which put gladness into them; the light of the divine word, and the precious truths of it; yea, the light,

Proverbs 15:30 . The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart, &c. — “In the same manner that the sensible light rejoices a sound eye, and diffuses its pleasure through the whole soul, so a good reputation gives pleasure, and contributes to the health of the body. The wise man frequently advises his disciple to labour for a good reputation: see Proverbs 10:7 ; Proverbs 22:1 . He often proposes to him human motives, and reasons of private interest, to incline him to virtue and his own good: weak minds have need of this sort of succours. They raise them, by little and little, to more elevated sentiments, and to the most pure and sacred motives.” — See Calmet.

30 . The light of the eyes ] This is sometimes understood to mean the beaming eyes of kindly regard with which others look upon us (comp. the phrase “the light of the countenance,” Psalm 4:6 [Hebrews 7]; Proverbs 16:15 ). “We all want to see that light in the eyes of our friends, which rejoices the heart,” Horton. Occurring, however, in a proverb, the phrase may well have a wider meaning: whatever gives light acts as a luminary (the Heb. word is rather light-bearer, φωστήρ , comp. Genesis 1:14-16 , than light, φῶς ) to the eyes, casting light and brightness upon them, extends through them its influence to the heart; just as, in the following clause, whatever charms the ear (lit. good hearing ), be it “good tidings,” R.V., or the pleasant voice of a friend, or the tender accents of affection, or the sweet strains of music, refreshes and invigorates the whole bodily frame. By the gateway of the eye and of the ear alike the citadel of the heart may be reached for good.

The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart; the light which we see with our eyes, and by the help of which we see many other pleasant objects, is a great comfort and refreshment. Compare Ecclesiastes 11:7 , Truly the light is sweet , and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun ; which is a good comment upon this place. A good report; either, 1. Glad tidings. Or rather, 2. A good name, which is a more lasting thing, and makes deeper impression. Maketh the bones fat; not only cheereth a man for the present, but gives him such solid and stable comfort as doth both revive his soul, and give health and rigour to his body. So he compares two senses together, seeing and hearing, with respect to their several objects, and prefers the latter before the former.

Verse 30. - The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart ( Proverbs 16:15 ). The beaming glance that shows a pure, happy mind and a friendly disposition, rejoices the heart of him on whom it is turned. There is something infectious in the guileless, joyful look of a happy man or child, which has a cheering effect upon those who observe it. The LXX. makes the sentiment altogether personal: "The eye that seeth what is good rejoiceth the heart." A good report (good tidings) maketh the bones fat; strengthens them and gives them health (comp. Proverbs 3:8 ; Proverbs 16:24 ). Sight and hearing are compared in the two clauses, "bones" in the latter taking the place of "heart" in the former. The happy look and good news alike cause joy of heart. Proverbs 15:30