
Proverbs 4
Proverbs 4 provides wisdom from a father to his son, emphasizing the importance of acquiring wisdom and understanding. The chapter speaks about how wisdom leads to life, righteousness, and security, warning against the path of wickedness. It calls for attentiveness to instruction and for guarding one's heart, as it is central to life. The father advises staying on the right path and avoiding evil, highlighting how walking in wisdom ensures safety and well-being.
Proverbs 4:1-10 (NKJV)
1 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding;
2 For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.
3 When I was my father’s son, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 He also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live.
5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many.
The father urges his children to listen attentively to his teachings. He recalls the wisdom passed down to him by his own father, emphasizing the centrality of wisdom and understanding. Wisdom is portrayed as a guardian that preserves life. The father advises that wisdom and understanding are the most valuable things to acquire, bringing honor, grace, and long life to those who embrace them. The message stresses how wisdom not only leads to success but also enhances one's life in every way.
Proverbs 4:11-13 (NKJV)
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.
The father reassures his child that he has provided guidance along the path of wisdom. Walking this path ensures stability and security, as it prevents stumbling and leads to unhindered progress. The son is encouraged to tightly hold on to wisdom and instruction, as it is the key to life itself.
Proverbs 4:14-17 (NKJV)
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
The father sternly warns against following the path of the wicked. He emphasizes the need to avoid the way of evil entirely, steering clear of it. The wicked are depicted as being restless until they commit evil, and they live off wickedness and violence, symbolized by eating bread and drinking wine of destruction.
Proverbs 4:18-19 (NKJV)
18 But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.
The contrast between the just and the wicked is stark. The path of the righteous is like the dawning light, becoming clearer and brighter over time. In contrast, the way of the wicked is shrouded in darkness, causing them to stumble without understanding why. This shows the clarity and progress in living righteously versus the confusion and danger in following evil.
Proverbs 4:20-22 (NKJV)
20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.
The father again calls for attentiveness to his words, urging his son to focus on them and internalize them in his heart. These teachings are not just moral advice; they are life-giving and bring health to the whole body. Wisdom and instruction are portrayed as essential for physical and spiritual well-being.
Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.
The heart is central to life, and the father advises his son to guard it carefully. The heart, in biblical terms, is the source of thoughts, emotions, and desires, and from it flows everything that shapes life. Maintaining a pure and guarded heart ensures that one's life remains on the right path.
Proverbs 4:24-27 (NKJV)
24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.
The chapter concludes with practical advice. The father warns his son to avoid deceitful speech and focus on honesty. He also advises him to stay focused on the right path, avoiding distractions. Pondering one's steps ensures they are solid and aligned with wisdom. The final instruction is to avoid turning aside into evil, emphasizing a steady, righteous walk.