Proverbs 3

My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:

For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.

Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.

The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.

Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.

The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

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Proverbs 3:7

“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.”

Study Summary

A warning against pride: 'Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.' The instruction to 'not be wise in your own eyes' (al thi hakham be'eyneycha) directly addresses the pretension of wisdom. To evaluate oneself as wise is to be in danger of self-deception and resistance to correction. 'Fear the LORD'—covenant reverence—and 'shun evil' are the true marks of wisdom. This verse reveals that self-assessment is dangerous for the young; they should mistrust their own judgment and lean instead on reverence for God and deliberate avoidance of wickedness. The triad of self-sufficiency, fear of the Lord, and separation from evil encapsulates the choice before the reader. Pride in one's own understanding is the gateway to folly; humility before God is the gateway to authentic wisdom.

Community Reflections

Markus Bauer (test user)1d ago

The heart of worship — Proverbs 3

God is faithful in every circumstance.. It implies covenant loyalty, steadfast love that never wavers.. Faith isn't the absence of doubt — it's choosing to believe despite it.. Today it speaks comfort; a year ago it spoke conviction.. Following God is costly, but the reward is eternal.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. His timing, His methods, His purposes — all beyond our comprehension, yet perfectly good.. The Hebrew word used here carries a richness that English can't fully capture. God is faithful in every circumstance.. What a reminder that God's ways are not our ways. God is faithful in every circumstance.. His timing, His methods, His purposes — all beyond our comprehension, yet perfectly good.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. I think this is a call to trust beyond what we can see. We bring nothing; He provides everything.. Reading the Psalms alongside this gives a fuller picture…

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