Wesley's Notes on the Bible Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 4:1 A father - Of me, who have paternal authority over you and affection for you.
For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. 4:3 Tender - Young and tender in years, and tenderly educated. Only beloved - Beloved above all the rest.
He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 4:4 Said - The following verse s, at least as far as the tenth verse , are the words of David.
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 4:7 With all - Even with the price of all.
Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 4:8 Exalt - Let her have thine highest esteem and affection.
She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. 4:9 Grace - A beautiful ornament, such as they used to put upon their heads.
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 4:16 For - They cannot sleep with quietness.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 4:17 For - Wickedness is as pleasant to them as their bread.
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 4:18 But - Just men daily grow in knowledge, and grace, and consolation, 'till all be perfected and swallowed up in glory.
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. 4:19 Darkness - Full of ignorance and error, of uncertainty and confusion, of danger and misery.
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 4:23 Heart - Thy thoughts, will, and affections. For - From thence proceed all the actions, as of the natural, so of the spiritual life, which lead to eternal life.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 4:24 Mouth - All sorts of sinful words.
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 4:25 Right on - Direct all thine actions to a right end, and keep thy mind fixed upon that way which leads to it, and neither look or turn aside to the right - hand or the left.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 4:26 Ponder - Consider thine actions before thou dost them, and see that they agree with the rule. And - Let thine actions be uniformly and constantly good in spite of all temptations.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible by John Wesley [1754-65] Bible Hub |
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