Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 16:3
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
3. Commit unto ] Lit. Roll upon. Comp. Psa 22:8 [Hebrews 9 ], Psa 37:5, and notes there in this Series.
thoughts ] or, purposes, R.V. marg. The precept is germane to that in Pro 16:1. Commit to Jehovah the execution in works (as in Pro 16:1, the explanation in words) of thy plans and purposes, and they shall prosper.
In each of the seven opening proverbs of this chapter the name Jehovah is introduced, and in each of them His work is made prominent.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Commit – literally, as in the margin, as a man transfers a burden from his own back to one stronger and better able to bear it. Compare the margin reference.
Thy thoughts – i. e., The plans or counsels out of which the works spring.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Pro 16:3
Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Doing our duty is committing our way to God
There is no instrinsic value in things. They only possess a relative value. All things depend upon seasonableness. The Scripture speaks of a word in season. If there can be words in season, there can be words out of season. A word not in season is merely a right thing in a wrong place. Therefore it is not the value of the thing in itself; there is no such thing; values are all from without. The idlest dream a man has is that a bit of gold has an intrinsic value. But a thing that is worthless to-day is not therefore worthless at another time. The word for to-day, in this text, is one of rest. Many people say that committing your ways to the Lord, is to tell them to Him when you pray. But that is only saying something. A large part of the piety of the people consists in saying feelings instead of doing. When we say Commit thy works unto Him, it is with a view to put down fret, fever, and distress, and to learn a lesson of the holiday of the soul, rather than of the work-day and mammon. Committing your burden unto the Lord is getting Him to carry it. It does not mean sit still and do no work. There is always something left for man to do, even when God takes the matters up. Commit thy ways must mean something in the spirit by which, while a man goes on in life, he gets the fret, and the burdens and the gall, and the weariness off his shoulders. There are two difficult and painful businesses. One is, to fit your circumstances to yourself; and the other is, to fit yourself to your circumstances. Ambition is seldom desirable. A profound sense of duty will do all that ambition can do, and leave nothing of the bitterness behind. Suit thyself to thy circumstances; do thy duty; and so commit thy way unto the Lord. Committing your ways is just the absence of ambition: it is to do thy work, and leave it to the great laws of God. He commits his ways unto the Lord who does his duty simply in the state in which he is. As to the results. The text notes the establishment of the thoughts–not always the success of the work–but the establishment of the man. Quietness–uprightness–Slow gains and few shames. Commit thyself, with all thy way, and work, and soul, to Him. Say thy prayers, confess thy sins, do thy little piece of work, and do it honestly; God will redeem thee, atone for thee, regenerate thee, be the guardian of thy tomb, fashion for thee a new body, weave for thee an eternal dress, and provide for thee a house not made with hands. Think of the blessed result. Be at rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him; He shall establish thy thought; He shall save thy soul; He shall crown thee with eternal peace. (George Dawson, M.A.)
Works and thoughts
I. The precept or counsel.
1. The object, or thing itself, which is committed: our works. Either the works done by us, or the works done to, or upon us. Our affairs and businesses. Whatever action we go about, we are to commit ourselves to the Lord, and to refer ourselves still to Him for the disposing of it. We are to commit our works to the Lord in regard to our performance of them; to the acceptance of them; and to their success. Our conditions; those things which in any way concern us, we are also to commit unto the Lord.
2. The act: committing. In a way of simple commendation: presenting them, and laying them open before Him. This is required in order that God may direct and assist us; and also as a piece of respect to God Himself. In a way of humble resignation. Implying that we have some sense of the difficulty and burdensomeness of those works that are upon us. This is necessary, that we may labour the more for strength and ability to the discharge of them; that we may be the more humbled for our failings and neglects in it, as coming short of that exactness and perfection that was required of us; and in reference to others, in a way of compassion; to pity those in the same condition: in a way of assistance, and concurrence with them, for easing their burden; and in a way of thankfulness and acceptance, by acknowledging that labour and pains which hath been taken by them. Committing our works to God must not be taken as allowing us to omit the doing of them. In a way of faithful improvement. Order, dispose, and direct all thine actions unto Him. Roll our works to Him as we would roll a bowl to the mark. Make Him the scope and end and aim of all our endeavours. In a way of thankful acknowledgment.
3. The person to whom the deposition is committed. Consider His wisdom and knowledge; His strength and power; His faithfulness and truth; His willingness to undertake our burden. We are to commit our burden to Him, and to no one else: to the Lord, not to self; not to other men; not to fortune or chance.
II. The promise, or argument to enforce it. Something implied in this sentence: thy thoughts shall be established. Where there are works there will be thoughts. Our chiefest business is composing and settling our minds. Establishing of our thoughts is a very great happiness and mercy. Something expressed. Thou shalt have a mind free from any other trouble and distraction when thou hast practised this counsel in the text. (T. Horton, D.D.)
Dependence on God
The counsel implies–
1. That all our purposes and all our doings should be according to Gods will.
2. That none of our works can prosper without God.
3. That it is therefore the imperative duty of intelligent creatures to own their independence, and to seek, on all occasions, the Divine countenance and blessing.
4. That what is our duty is, at the same time, our interest.
5. A general truth is expressed, that God will graciously smile on the efforts, and accomplish the purposes and wishes of him who, in all that he does, piously and humbly acknowledges Him and seeks His blessing. (R. Wardlaw, D.D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 3. Commit thy works unto the Lord] See that what thou doest is commanded; and then begin, continue, and end all in his name. And thy thoughts shall be established – these schemes or arrangements, though formed in the heart, are agreeable to the Divine will, and therefore shall be established. His thoughts – his meditations – are right; and he begins and ends his work in the Lord; and therefore all issues well.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Commit thy works unto the Lord, Heb. Roll, &c., as a man rolls a burden to another, which is too heavy for himself, imploring his help. Refer all thy actions and concerns to God, and to his glory, as the end of them, and in the discharge of thy own duty depend upon Gods providence for assistance and success.
Thy thoughts shall be established; thy honest desires and designs shall be brought to a happy issue one way or other.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. (Compare Margin). Relyon God for success to your lawful purposes.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Commit thy works unto the Lord,…. Natural, civil, or religious; seek to him for strength and assistance in all, and leave the success of all with him: or “roll thy works on” or “unto the Lord” b; devolve all upon him, cast all care upon him and his providence for supply, support, and sustenance in life; and commit the business of the salvation of thy soul, and the important affairs of it, wholly to him, who is able, willing, and faithful, to keep what is committed to him; and, having so done, may sit down easy and satisfied, as one that is rid of a burden by casting it on another, better able to bear it, or more equal to the work committed to him: the Targum is, “reveal thy works to God”; and so the Syriac and Vulgate Latin versions, “reveal thy works to the Lord”; thy case, condition, and circumstances; thy wants and necessities; seek and ask for a supply of him, make known thy requests to him; for though he is not ignorant of the affairs of his people, yet he will be sought unto to do the things for them he intends to do, and they stand in need of;
and thy thoughts shall be established; when a man has, by faith and in prayer, committed himself, his case, his ways and works, to the Lord, his mind is made easy, his thoughts are composed and settled, and he quietly waits the issues of things; he says, the will of the Lord be done; he knows that he causes all things to work together for good; and whatever is for his good and God’s glory shall be brought to pass; and this makes him calm, sedate, and easy; and he is in a fair way of having his designs, desires, and endeavours accomplished; see Ps 37:5.
b “devolve in Jehovam facta tua”, Junius Tremellius “negotia tua”, Piscator; “volve in Dominum quae tibi facieuda sunt”, Michaelis; “volve ad Jehovam opera tua”, Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius; so Mercerus, Gejerus, Schultens, Tigurine version.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
3 Roll on Jahve thy works,
So thy thoughts shall prosper.
The proverbs Pro 16:1-3 are wanting in the lxx; their absence is compensated for by three others, but only externally, not according to their worth. Instead of , the Syr., Targ., and Jerome read , revela , with which the , Psa 37:5, cf. Psa 55:23, interchanging with (here and at Psa 22:9), does not agree; rightly Theodotion, , and Luther, “commend to the Lord thy works.” The works are here, not those that are executed, Exo 23:16, but those to be executed, as Psa 90:17, where , here the active to , which at Pro 4:26 as jussive meant to be placed right, here with of the consequence in the apodosis imperativi: to be brought about, and to have continuance, or briefly: to stand (cf. Pro 12:3) as the contrast of disappointment or ruin. We should roll on God all matters which, as obligations, burden us, and on account of their weight and difficulty cause us great anxiety, for nothing is too heavy or too hard for Him who can overcome all difficulties and dissolve all perplexities; then will our thoughts, viz., those about the future of our duty and our life-course, be happy, nothing will remain entangled and be a failure, but will be accomplished, and the end and aim be realized.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Note, 1. It is a very desirable thing to have our thoughts established, and not tossed, and put into a hurry, by disquieting cares and fears,–to go on in an even steady course of honesty and piety, not disturbed, or put out of frame, by any event or change,–to be satisfied that all shall work for good and issue well at last, and therefore to be always easy and sedate. 2. The only way to have our thoughts established is to commit our works to the Lord. The great concerns of our souls must be committed to the grace of God, with a dependence upon and submission to the conduct of that grace (2 Tim. i. 12); all our outward concerns must be committed to the providence of God, and to the sovereign, wise, and gracious disposal of that providence. Roll thy works upon the Lord (so the word is); roll the burden of thy care from thyself upon God. Lay the matter before him by prayer. Make known thy works unto the Lord (so some read it), not only the works of thy hand, but the workings of thy heart; and then leave it with him, by faith and dependence upon him, submission and resignation to him. The will of the Lord be done. We may then be easy when we resolve that whatever pleases God shall please us.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Ways Committed Are Established
Verse 3 directs that the plans and activities of the righteous (see Pro 12:5) be rolled upon the LORD, with confidence that such will be established, Psa 55:22; Php_4:6. See examples in experience of David, 1Sa 17:45-50;and Daniel, Dan 6:10-23.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(3) Commit thy works unto the Lord.Literally, roll them upon Him, as a burden too heavy to be borne by thyself. Thy works signify all that thou hast to do. (Comp. Psa. 37:5.) God provides such works for us. (Comp. Eph. 2:10.)
And thy thoughts shall be established.Thy plans shall prosper, for they will be undertaken according to the will of God, and carried out by His aid. (Comp. 1Co. 3:9; 2Co. 6:1.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Commit to the Lord To Jehovah; or, as we say, “ Cast upon the Lord” thy works, undertakings, enterprises.
Thy thoughts (plans, purposes) shall be established This is the surest way to have honest designs accomplished. Compare Pro 19:21; Psa 22:8; Psa 37:5; Psa 90:17.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 3. Commit thy works unto the Lord,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
DISCOURSE: 792
TRUSTING IN GOD
Pro 16:3. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
WE all believe in the existence of a Supreme Being, and in a general way acknowledge his agency in the government of the world: but his particular care of us individually we find it extremely difficult to imagine. This, however, is most clearly revealed in the Holy Scriptures; and our duty is so to realize it, as, under all circumstances of trial and of difficulty, to look to him for his gracious interposition, and to expect from his hands whatever shall most conduce to our real benefit.
In the words before us we see,
I.
A state supposed
[It is here supposed that we may be in a state of great perplexity, so as not to know what to do for the best. This is often the case with nations, especially when menaced by a potent enemy [Note: Isa 7:2 and Joe 2:6; Joe 2:10.] Nor is there scarcely an individual to be found, who does not, at some time or other, experience an oppression of mind, arising out of difficulties with which he has to contend, and troubles which he knows not how to avert Even in relation to mens spiritual concerns, the same trials are felt. Many, in a season of deep conviction, have poured out their complaints like Israel of old [Note: Isaiah 59. from the middle of ver. 9. to 12.] And many, under grievous temptation, have been reduced to the desponding frame of David [Note: Psa 77:6-9.] At such times their thoughts are altogether distracted; and they are, like the persons so beautifully described in the 107th Psalm, brought, as it were, to their wits end.]
But in all such cases there is abundant consolation, if only we use,
II.
The remedy prescribed
The remedy is both simple in itself, and invariably efficacious: Commit your works unto the Lord
[Believing that God both knows your trials, and is willing to afford you the help you need, carry them to him, and spread them before him, as Hezekiah did the letter of blaspheming Rabshakeh [Note: Isa 37:14.]. Then plead his promises, which are so exceeding great and precious: and roll on him [Note: See the marginal reading.] your entire burthen, assured that he will sustain you [Note: Psa 55:22.], and accomplish your most enlarged desires [Note: Psa 81:10.]. This is the direction given to every living man [Note: Psa 37:5 and the margin there.]: and.]
In the performance of this duty you will find effectual relief
[Nothing can be more fluctuating than the thoughts of men, especially in seasons of great embarrassment. But the very instant we commit our works to God, our thoughts become composed, and peaceful, and established. God has taught us to expect this [Note: Php 4:6-7 and Isa 26:3.]: and to what an extent he fulfils his word, we may see in Hezekiah; who, from a state of the most extreme distress, was filled in an instant with the liveliest joy and most confident exultation [Note: Isa 37:3; Isa 37:22; Isa 37:33. See also Psa 40:1-3.] ]
Observe, then, with humble and adoring gratitude,
1.
How exalted are the privileges of the true Christian!
[It is your privilege, Brethren, to be without carefulness [Note: 1Co 7:32.], both in relation to your temporal concerns [Note: Mat 6:25-34.], and even in respect to your immortal souls [Note: 2Ti 1:12.]. All your care, whether for the one and the other, should be cast on God, who careth for you [Note: 1Pe 5:7.]. Then, though you will have many trials to bear, you shall be able to say with Paul, We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken: cast down, but not destroyed [Note: 2Co 4:8-9.]. Be your trials what they may. you shall be more than conquerors over all.]
2.
How marvellous is the condescension of our God!
[From low thoughts of God, we are apt to fear that he will not exert himself for us. But he will attend to us, if we trust in him, as much as if there were not another creature in heaven or on earth to attract his notice. Nor is it in great things only that he will interpose for us, but in the smallest that can possibly be imagined. In fact, there is nothing great or small with him; nor indeed is there any thing small as it respects us. Let any one see in Scripture what good arose from the accidental opening of some national records by King Ahasuerus, or what evil arose from Davids accidental glance at Bathsheba, and we shall see that we need the divine care in every thing: and in every thing it shall be afforded us, if only we commit our ways to God, and place all our confidence in him. Not so much as a hair shall fall from the head of any of his saints, but according to his all-wise appointment; nor any circumstance occur which shall not be overruled for their everlasting good [Note: Rom 8:28.].]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Pro 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Ver. 3. Commit thy works unto the Lord. ] Depend upon him alone for direction and success; this is the readiest way to a holy security and sound settlement. Hang not in doubtful suspense, as meteors do in the air. Neither make discourses in the air, so one renders it, as those use to do, whose hearts are haunted with carking cares. Let not your thoughts be distracted about these things; so the Syriac hath it. But “cast your burden upon the Lord,” Psa 55:22 by a writ of remove, as it were. Yea, “cast all your care upon God, for he careth for you.” 1Pe 5:7 I will be “careless” according to my name, said John Careless, martyr. “Commit the matter to God, and he will effect it.” Psa 37:5
And thy thoughts shall be established.
a Mr Case.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
thoughts = plans. Compare Pro 16:1.
shall be established. Illustrations: Jacob (Gen 32:24-30; Gen 46:1-4); Ruth (Rth 2:12); David (1Sa 17:45; 1Sa 30:8-19. 2Sa 5:19-25); Ezra (Ezr 8:21-23, Ezr 8:31, Ezr 8:32). Esther (Est 4:14-17; Est 8:15-17); Daniel (Dan 6:10. Psa 37:4-6).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 16:3
Pro 16:3
“Commit thy works unto Jehovah, And thy purposes shall be established.”
“I consider that work as good as done, that trial as good as borne, which I have solemnly committed to God in prayer. “Deo Volente” (God willing)should be understood as the invariable condition, whether stated or not, that finally determines any mortal achievement. See Jas 4:15.
Pro 16:3. This verse is very similar to Psa 37:5 : Commit thy way unto Jehovah; Trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass. The promise of Psa 37:4 is: Delight thyself also in Jehovah: And he will give thee the desires of thy heart. God does not always overrule our purposes (He wouldnt unless they are wrong or unless He had some special plan for us), but it is His blessing that makes our plans and purposes come to pass.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Commit: Heb. Roll
thy works: Job 5:8, Psa 37:4, Psa 37:5, Psa 55:22, Mat 6:25-34, Luk 12:22, Phi 4:6, 1Pe 5:7
thy thoughts: Job 22:28, Isa 7:5-7
Reciprocal: Psa 22:8 – He trusted Psa 90:17 – establish Pro 3:6 – In Ecc 9:1 – that the Luk 17:10 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 16:3. Commit thy works unto the Lord Hebrew, , literally, Roll unto the Lord, &c., namely, as a man rolls to another a burden, which is too heavy for himself, imploring his help. Refer all thy actions and concerns to God, and to his glory, as the end of them; and, in the discharge of thy duty, depend upon Gods providence and grace for assistance and success; and thy thoughts shall be established Thy honest desires and designs shall be brought to a happy issue one way or other.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
When we cast (lit. roll) our cares on God (1Pe 5:7), He will arrange our plans. The AV and RV have "thoughts" for "plans," but the idea is the same. This proverb stresses the importance of depending on the Lord.
"The admonition commit to (gol ’el, lit. ’roll to/upon’; cf. Gen 29:3; Gen 29:8; Gen 29:10; Psa 22:8[9], Psa 37:5) connotes a sense of finality; roll it unto the LORD and leave it there." [Note: Waltke, The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15-31, p. 11.]