Proverbs 24:5

24:1,2 Envy not sinners. And let not a desire ever come into thy mind, Oh that I could shake off restraints! 3-6. Piety and prudence in outward affairs, both go together to complete a wise man. By knowledge the soul is filled with the graces and comforts of the spirit, those precious and pleasant riches. The spirit is strengthened for the spiritual work and the spiritual warfare, by true wisdom. 7-9. A weak man thinks wisdom is too high for him, therefore he will take no pains for it. It is bad to do evil, but worse to devise it. Even the first risings of sin in the heart are sin, and must be repented of. Those that strive to make others hateful, make themselves so. 10. Under troubles we are apt to despair of relief. But be of good courage, and God shall strengthen thy heart. 11,12. If a man know that his neighbour is in danger by any unjust proceeding, he is bound to do all in his power to deliver him. And what is it to suffer immortal souls to perish, when our persuasions and example may be the means of preventing it? 13,14. We are quickened to the study of wisdom by considering both the pleasure and the profit of it. All men relish things that are sweet to the palate; but many have no relish for the things that are sweet to the purified soul, and that make us wise unto salvation. 15,16. The sincere soul falls as a traveller may do, by stumbling at some stone in his path; but gets up, and goes on his way with more care and speed.

A wise man is strong,.... He can do that sometimes by his wisdom, and which requires strength and courage too, which another cannot do by his strength; see Proverbs 21:22 . This may be understood of one that is spiritually wise, wise unto salvation, wise for another world, is made to know true wisdom in the hidden part. The Stoic philosophers say much of their wise man; that he is happy, and rich, and mighty, and even a king; all which may be said more truly of a good man; he is strong, not absolutely, but comparatively, in comparison of what he himself was; and wicked men are without strength, and do not seek for any elsewhere; nor do they, nor can they do, that which is spiritually good, and are ignorant of their weakness: but so is not a wise man; he has some spiritual strength; he seeks to Christ for more, and, through Christ strengthening him, does all things; and is sensible of his own weakness, and finds that when he is weak he is strong: one eminently wise is strong, in comparison of less knowing and more feeble saints; some are children in knowledge, weak in faith and in conduct, more easily drawn into sin and temptation than others; and, in comparison of these, some are strong, who are to bear with and support the weak, and restore them.

A wise man is strong, not in and of himself; he cannot think a good thought, nor do a good action, nor preserve himself from sin and Satan; but he is strong in Christ, and in the power of his might, and in his grace; and, through spiritual strength communicated to him, his heart is strengthened, and the work of grace in his heart; he is strengthened to exercise grace more strongly, to perform the duties of religion, to bear the cross of Christ, to withstand temptations, and to oppose his own corruptions.

5 . strong ] Lit. in strength , A.V. and R.V. marg. Comp. The voice of Jehovah is in might; The voice of Jehovah is in majesty. Psalm 29:4 . “The expression is more forcible than if adjectives denoting these qualities (‘mighty,’ ‘majestic’) had been used. Comp. ἐν ἐξουσίᾳ , Luke 4:32 ; ἐν ἰσχύϊ (rec.), Revelation 18:2 .”—Bp Perowne. increaseth strength ] Lit., as in margin A.V. and R.V., strengtheneth might .

Verses 5, 6. - Wisdom is beneficial in peace and war. Verse 5. - A wise man is strong. בעוז , "in strength," full of strength, because, however feeble in body, he is wise in counsel, firm in purpose, brave in conduct, thoroughly to be depended upon, and supported by his perfect trust in God (comp. Proverbs 21:22 ). The Septuagint, with which agree the Syriac and Chaldee, reading differently, renders, "A wise man is better than a strong man" - a sentiment which Lesetre compares to Cicoro's "cedant arma togae." A man of knowledge increaseth strength; literally, strengtheneth power ; shows greater, superior power, as Amos 2:14 . The Septuagint, from some corruption of the text, renders, "And a man having prudence (is better) than a large estate ( γεωργίου μεγάλου );" i . e . wisdom will bring a man more worldly advantages than the possession of extensive farms. The gnome is proved by what follows. Proverbs 24:5