Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 15:26
The thoughts of the wicked [are] an abomination to the LORD: but [the words] of the pure [are] pleasant words.
26. thoughts of the wicked pleasant words ] Lit. devices of evil words of pleasantness. The contrast is between these, and then further between the former, as “abomination to Jehovah,” and the latter as “pure,” and therefore acceptable to Him. There is possibly, as Maurer suggests, a sacrificial reference (“sensu Levitico”); comp. Pro 15:8 above and “a pure offering,” Mal 1:11.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Some prefer the margin, and render, words of pleasantness are pure. Gracious words are to God as a pure acceptable offering, the similitude being taken from the Levitical ritual, and the word pure in half ceremonial sense (compare Mal 1:11).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The thoughts of the wicked; and much more their words, which express their thoughts; for thoughts are said to be free, and wicked men are seldom and but little concerned for the sins of their thoughts.
The words of the pure, which discover and proceed from their thoughts, Mat 15:19.
Pleasant; acceptable to God, which is opposed to abomination to him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
26. are pleasant wordsthatis, pleasing to God (Pro 8:8;Pro 8:9).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The thoughts of the wicked [are] an abomination to the Lord,…. They are known unto the Lord, who is the searcher of the heart, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of it; he knows they are vain and sinful, yea, that they are only evil, and that continually, and therefore are hateful and abominable to him; it may be rendered “the thoughts of evil”, as by the Targum; or evil thoughts, as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and the Oriental versions; but Aben Ezra interprets as we, the thoughts of a wicked man, which are never otherwise but evil; whereas in a good man, though there are many evil thoughts which are abominable to himself, yet there are some good thoughts, and which are pleasing to the Lord, as follows;
but [the words] of the pure [are] pleasant words; that is, unto the Lord; which are the same with their thoughts, and are the effect of them, and so stand opposed to the thoughts of the wicked; these, expressed either in a way of prayer or of praise, are sweet and pleasant, and acceptable unto God through Christ; as likewise their words and discourse in religious conversation, which also minister grace unto the hearer, and are very delightful and pleasing to saints; the words may be supplied thus, “but [the thoughts] of the pure”, of such who are pure in heart, whose hearts are purified by faith in the blood of Christ, are “words of pleasantness”, so Gersom; there is a language in thought which is known to a man’s self, and by the Lord; there is the meditation or discourse of the heart, and this being about divine and spiritual things is pleasing to God; he hearkens to it, and writes a book of remembrance for them that fear him, and have thought on his name; see Ps 19:14.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
26 An abomination to Jahve are evil thoughts;
But gracious words are to Him pure.
Not personally (Luther: the plans of the wicked) but neutrally is here meant as at Pro 2:14, and in , Pro 6:24 (cf. Pers. merdi nku , man of good = good man), vid., Friedr. Philippi’s Status Constr. p. 121. Thoughts which are of a bad kind and of a bad tendency, particularly (what the parallel member brings near) of a bad disposition and design against others, are an abomination to God; but, on the contrary, pure, viz., in His eyes, which cannot look upon iniquity (Hab 1:13), are the , words of compassion and of friendship toward men, which are (after 26a) the expression of such thoughts, thus sincere, benevolent words, the influence of which on the soul and body of him to whom they refer is described, Pro 16:24. The Syr., Targ., Symmachus, Theodotion, and the Venet. recognise in the pred., while, on the contrary, the lxx, Jerome, and Luther (who finally decided for the translation, “but the pure speak comfortably”) regard it as subject. But that would be an attribution which exceeds the measure of possibility, and for which or must be used; also the parallelism requires that correspond with ‘ . Hence also the reference of to the judgment of God, which is determined after the motive of pure untainted law; that which proceeds from such, that and that only, is pure, pure in His sight, and thus also pure in itself.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.
The former part of this verse speaks of thoughts, the latter of words, but they come all to one; for thoughts are words to God, and words are judged of by the thoughts from which they proceed, so that, 1. The thoughts and words of the wicked, which are, like themselves, wicked, which aim at mischief, and have some ill tendency or other, are an abomination to the Lord; he is displeased at them and will reckon for them. The thoughts of wicked men, for the most part, are such as God hates, and are an offence to him, who not only knows the heart and all that passes and repasses there, but requires the innermost and uppermost place in it. 2. The thoughts and words of the pure, being pure like themselves, clean, honest, and sincere, are pleasant words and pleasant thoughts, well-pleasing to the holy God, who delights in purity. It may be understood both of their devotions to God (the words of their mouth and the meditations of their heart, in prayer and praise, are acceptable to God,Psa 19:14; Psa 69:13) and of their discourses with men, tending to edification. Both are pleasant when they come from a pure, a purified, heart.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Thoughts and Words Weighed
Verse 26 reveals the LORD’s attitude toward the thoughts or purposes of the wicked and the words of the pure. See comments on Pro 12:5.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Pro. 15:26. The words of the pure are pleasant, or pure in His sight are pleasant words.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 15:26
WICKED THOUGHTS AND HOLY WORDS
I. A present power of the wicked manhe thinks. The ideas and purposes which fill his mind concerning himself, his fellow-men, and God, are the result of a mental process just as the potters vessel is the result of a certain manipulating process. His thoughts are the result of the exercise of a God-given power, just as the potters vessel is the result of a power which has been given to him by God. From the same source comes the power to think and the power to turn the wheel. But although the power to think comes from God, it rests with man as to what kind of thoughts shall be the outcome of that power. God holds him responsible for the use which he makes of the power given him. It would be useless for the potter to say that the vessel which leaves his hand took its form by chancewe hold him responsible for the shape which the clay assumes under his hands. And it is equally vain for a man to say that he has no power over his thoughts. God holds him guilty if he thinks thoughts of sin.
II. The thoughts of the wicked are abhorred by God.
1. Because of the harm they do to his own soul. If the body is held bound under the sway of a deadly malady it becomes weak and unable to fulfil the end of its creation, and if it continues long under its influence it dies. So soul-disease and moral death are the result of the rule of evil thoughts to the man who thinks them. He becomes incapable of fulfilling the high spiritual destiny for which God called him into being.
2. Because of the misery they inflict upon others. All the evil words and deeds that have ever been done in the world were once thoughts. While they were only thoughts the harm they inflicted was confined to the thinker of them, but as soon as they became words or deeds the moral poison spread, and others became sufferers from them. God hates whatever will increase the misery of his creatures, and therefore the thoughts of the wickedthose fruitful germs of sin and sufferingmust be an abomination to Him.
3. Because they are utterly at variance with Gods thoughts and purposes. The thoughts of God towards the wicked themselves are opposed to the thoughts and purposes which they have concerning themselves. Gods thoughts towards them are thoughts of peace and not of evil (Jer. 29:11). He desires that the wicked forsake his way and return unto Him. He declares that His thoughts even concerning sinners are as much higher than their thoughts concerning themselves as the heavens are higher than the earth (Isa. 55:7-8). This is one ground of Gods quarrel with the thoughts of the wicked, that they cross His gracious plans for redeeming them. But
III. The words of the pure are pleasing to God. Likeness of character draws men togetherthe pure delight in those who are pure, and the words of a pure man are pleasant to the ear of another man of purity. Pure men are like God in character, and He must find pleasure in those who reflect His own image, and who are one with Him in sympathy. Delighting in them, their words are pleasant unto Him. He delights in them when they take the form of prayer (See Homiletics on Pro. 15:8, page 407). The prayers of saints are as sweet incense to Him (Rev. 5:8; Rev. 8:3). They are well-pleasing when they take the form of praise. He has commanded men to render honour where honour is due (Rom. 13:7), and when it is rendered to Himself the most worthy to receive honour and glory and blessing, it is a most acceptable sacrifice (Lev. 7:12; Heb. 13:15). The words of the pure are pleasant to God when they are spoken to console and bless their fellow-creatures. (On this subject see Homiletics on chap. Pro. 12:18, page 275.)
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
Pleasant words are pure. (See Critical Notes.) This is the Scripture ethics. If we desire to know whether words are pure (and, words here, for Eastern reasons, mean actions as well as words; nay, really mean the whole round of conduct; see Job. 20:12; Isa. 10:7), if we wish to know whether a mans whole life is pure, all we have to ask isIs it kind? It is the plans of mischief that are the abomination of Jehovah.Miller.
How lightly do most men think of the responsibility of their thoughts! as if they were their own, and they might indulge them without restraint or evil. One substantial sin appals men, who quietly sleep under the mighty mass of thinking without God for months and years, without any apprehension of guilt. But thoughts are the seminal principles of sin.Bridges.
Words of pleasantness are purethe gracious words that seek to please, not wound, are to Him as a pure acceptable offering, the similitude being taken from the Jewish ritual, and the word pure used in a half ceremonial sense, as in Mal. 1:11.Plumptre.
The words of the pure are pleasant words. Such as God books up, and makes hard shift to hear, as I may so say; for He hearkens and hears (Mal. 3:16).Trapp.
God seeth that Himself is not in all the thoughts of the wicked, and what can it be but abomination to God where God is not? It is God in all things that is pleasing to Himself, and it is the absence of God in anything that makes it to be abominable. But as for the thoughts of the pure, they are words of pleasantness, wherein they sing and make melody in their hearts to the Lord. In them they sweetly converse to themselves, by them they heavenly converse with God. Pleasant they are to themselves by the joy they have in them, pleasant they are to God by the delight He taketh in them. The wicked, though alone, and though doing nothing, yet are doing wickedly; for even then their thoughts are working, and working so naughtily as to be an abomination to the Lord. There is no need of company to draw them into villany, they have always a rout of mischievous thoughts on hand to give them entertainment. And as great is the pleasure which themselves take in them, so great is the abomination which God hath of them.Jermin.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(26) The thoughts of the wicked.Rather, thoughts of evil, wicked designs.
But the words of the pure are pleasant words.Rather, pleasant words (i.e., kindly meant, soothing words; comp. Pro. 16:24) are pure in Gods sight; accepted by Him as coming from a well-meaning heart.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. Thoughts of the wicked Or, wicked devices, plans.
Words of the pure are pleasant “Words of kindness are pure or gracious words.” So Conant and Zockler. The ideas are derived from the Hebrew ritual of things clean and unclean. The wicked and their devices are unclean, and an abomination to Jehovah; the righteous and their words are clean, and acceptable to him.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 26. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 15:26 The thoughts of the wicked [are] an abomination to the LORD: but [the words] of the pure [are] pleasant words.
Ver. 26. The thoughts of the wicked are abomination. ] Let him not think to think at liberty. Thought is not free, as some fools would have it. To such God saith, “Hearken, O earth; behold I bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts.” Jer 6:19 The very heathen could say, Fecit quisque quantum voluit, What evil a man wills he doth. And Incesta est et sine stupro quoe stuprum cupit. He that lusteth after a woman, hath lain with her in his heart. “If I regard iniquity in mine heart,” saith David, “shall not God find this out, and for it reject my prayer?” Psa 66:18 Kimchi, being soured with Pharisaical leaven, makes this strange sense of that text: If I regard iniquity only in my heart, so that it break not forth into outward act, the Lord will not hear me – that is, he will not hear so as to impute it or account it a sin. But was not this caedem Scripturarum facere, as Tertullian hath it, to murder the Scripture, or at least to set it on the rack, so as to make it speak what it never intended, to force it to go two miles when it would go but one.
But the words of the pure are pleasant words.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the wicked = an evil-doer. Hebrew. ra’a same word as “evil” in Pro 15:3.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 15:26
Pro 15:26
“Evil devices are an abomination to Jehovah; But pleasant words are pure.”
A better antithesis is this: “The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him.
Pro 15:26. Evil devices would include everything from the simplest plot to outsmart somebody to the most complex invention for the production of evil. Such inventers may be lauded, and such devisers may think themselves shrewd, but such is not Gods view. God is against evil and everything and everybody multiplying it. Words that are pleasant (or pleasing) are pure and not evil.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
thoughts: Pro 6:16-19, Pro 24:9, Jer 4:14, Mat 15:19
but: Pro 15:23, Psa 19:14, Psa 37:30, Psa 37:31, Psa 45:1, Mat 12:34-37
pleasant words: Heb. words of pleasantness
Reciprocal: Pro 16:24 – Pleasant Pro 21:8 – but Ecc 12:10 – acceptable words Isa 59:7 – their thoughts Jer 6:19 – even Mar 2:8 – Why Luk 5:22 – perceived Act 8:20 – thou 2Co 10:5 – every thought
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 15:26. The thoughts of the wicked Their evil intentions and affections, their wicked designs and contrivances, nay, their very thoughts and imaginations; are an abomination to the Lord Are abhorred, and will be punished by him; but the words of the pure Which discover and proceed from their thoughts, Mat 15:19; are pleasant words Acceptable to God, the reverse of being an abomination to him.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
15:26 The thoughts of the wicked [are] an abomination to the LORD: but [the words] of the pure [are] {h} pleasant words.
(h) That is, wholesome and profitable to the hearers.