angela hormberg

Category: Matthew Henry’s Commentary

  • Proverbs 10:19

    Proverbs 10:19

    Refraining Speech

    Commonplace –

    “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise” (10:19).

    This verse is good for reflection for the New Year. How many words am I putting out there? Are they measured? Are they good? Do they uplift?

    Pausing for a moment before speaking. Taking a breath. Letting thoughts sit for a little longer. – All good actions.

    But keep sharing stories. Good stories with the right amount of words to tell the story well, form a lovely stream. Extraneous words turn into streamlets that reduce the force of the stream and turn the whole system into a swamp.

    Matthew Henry offers the following:

    He “that often checks himself, suppresses what he has thought, and holds in that which would transpire, is a wise man; it is evidence of his wisdom, and he therein consults his own peace. Little said is soon amended” (691).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 10:19.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    We'd love to hear from you!

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 10:18

    Proverbs 10:18

    When the Outcome of Hatred is Flattery and Slander

    Commonplace –

    “He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool” (Proverbs 10:18).

    The first seventeen verses of Proverbs 10 juxtaposed good and evil. This is the first verse without a ‘but’. Solomon gives two scenarios: hiding hatred with lying lips and uttering slander and both actions are those of a fool. There is no good in them.

    In the first action, hiding hatred with lying lips is hypocritical. We should hate evil, so hatred isn’t bad, if it is directed correctly. Hating and hiding it is bad, because, if we know something is evil, we should not lie and say we do not hate it. There is a time to speak out, there is a time to remain quiet, but there is not a time to lie about it in order to make ourselves easier or appease the hearer.

    In the second action, Solomon points out that turning hatred into slander is also foolish. This seems pretty straight forward. Slander is awful; the slanderer is lying about someone in order to harm their reputation. Yet, gossip is often the outcome of hatred. People love to hear bad things about other people.

    Matthew Henry connects the two actions in his Commentary. Hatred isn’t good when it “is concealed by flattery and dissimulaiton”, but it is also not good when it is “vented in spiteful and mischievous language” (693). If we have hatred toward something, we must learn self-control.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 10:18.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    We'd love to hear from you!

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 10:17

    Proverbs 10:17

    The Way of Life

    Commonplace –

    “He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth” (Proverbs 10:17).

    Proverbs 10:17 is a simple truth well stated. Keep instruction and you will be in the ‘way of life’, eternal life, avoiding the way of death. I really like Matthew Henry’s thoughts on this verse and ‘the way of life’.

    “That those are in the right that do not only receive instruction, but retain it, that do not let it slip through carelessness, as most do, nor let it go to those that would rob them of it, that keep instruction safely, keep it pure and entire, keep it for their own use, that they may govern themselves by it, keep it for the benefit of others, that they may instruct them; those that do so are in the way of life, the way that has true comfort in it and eternal life at the end of it” (693).

    Henry packs alot into his notes. I work best from lists, so I’ll convert what he says here on what ‘keeping instruction’ means to him:

    1. Receive instruction
    2. Retain instruction
    3. Keep instruction by taking care of it
    4. Keep instruction safe
    5. Keep instruction pure
    6. Keep instruction entire
    7. Keep instruction for your own use, to govern yourself by it
    8. Keep instruction for the benefit of others, to instruct them

    This is why I like Matthew Henry. He looks at exactly what it means to keep instruction. It goes beyond just hearing it. We must retain it, recall it, and teach it, not just parts of it, all of it. We have a duty to the instruction we receive.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 10:17.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    We'd love to hear from you!

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 10:16

    Proverbs 10:16

    Labor

    Commonplace –

    “The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin” (Proverbs 10:16).

    We all labor every day at something. Here Solomon tells us the results of those endeavors; we are either laboring for the good or laboring for the bad. It seems very simplistic, yet everything we do results in either one or the other, depending on the purpose. What is the purpose?

    Matthew Henry’s Commentary is along the same lines. He notes: “The things of this world are good or evil, life or death, as they are used, and as those are that have them” (693).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 10:16.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    We'd love to hear from you!

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 10:15

    Proverbs 10:15

    Wealth and Poverty

    Commonplace –

    “The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty” (Proverbs 10:15).

    Superficially, this verse seems to uplift the wealthy and deride the poor. By now, we know to look deeper.

    Solomon tells us that a rich man’s wealth is his strong city. What does this mean?

    If a man is wealthy, his wealth can protect him. It can buy him a home with high walls. It can buy him food and clothing. It can provide his every need, until it doesn’t. Wealth, in and of itself, is not evil. It’s how the man views his wealth which leads to problems.

    Solomon tells us that the destruction of the poor is their poverty. Is this true? Is every poor man destroyed by his poverty. It is terrible to be without food, without clothing, without a home. Does this have to destroy someone?

    The question really seems to be: what is the wealth that we are talking about? Is it tangible, physical, material wealth? It can’t be, because we know that one rich man’s physical wealth is only a strong city, until another, wealthier rich man comes along. It’s not a very strong city that can be easily replaced by another one. Every day, we see one rich man’s wealth usurped by another.

    What this really seems to be about is spiritual wealth and spiritual poverty. If a man is spiritually wealthy, he has a strong city that can never be taken from him. If he is spiritually poor, he has nothing.

    Here is a quick glimpse of Matthew Henry’s thoughts on 10:15 from his Commentary :

    “This may be taken in two ways:

    1. As a reason why we should be diligent in our business…
    2. As a representation of the common mistakes of both rich and poor concerning their outward condition” (692-693).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 10:15.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2026 Angela Hormberg

  • The Beatitudes

    The Beatitudes

    For the Peacemakers

    Commonplace –

    “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

    Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

    Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

    Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

    Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

    Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

    Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

    Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:1-12).

    In particular, verse 9 struck me today. We need peacemakers now more than ever.

    Works Cited

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    We'd love to hear from you!

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 10:14

    Proverbs 10:14

    Laying up Knowledge

    Commonplace –

    “Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction” (Proverbs 10:14).

    So far in the first thirteen verses of Proverbs Chapter 10, Solomon has mentioned the mouth or lips six times, four times with a negative connotation and two times with a positive connotation.

    Negative References to mouth or lips:

    1. “violence covereth the mouth of the wicked” (10:6)
    2. “a prating fool shall fall” (10:8)
    3. “a prating fool shall fall” (10:10)
    4. “violence covereth the mouth of the wicked” (10:11).

    Positive References to mouth or lips:

    1. “the mouth of a righteous man is a well of life” (10:11)
    2. “In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found” (10:13)

    In Proverbs 10:14, Solomon adds another negative reference to mouth or lips: “the mouth of the foolish is near destruction”. This brings the total references to mouth to seven in the first fourteen verses, which means half the verses are dealing with what we say, and, of those seven references, five of the seven are negative.

    Summary

    14 verses

    7 references to mouth or lips, 5 of which are negative

    Clearly, the takeaway is that our mouth can bring us trouble.

    If we take anything away from Solomon’s references to the mouth, it is a warning. This isn’t just a warning to watch what we say but to remember where our words come from: our heart. If we want our mouth to overflow with good things, we must fill our hearts with wisdom and knowledge. If we don’t take the time to store up good things, Matthew Henry warns we will become like the foolish, whose mouths are “near destruction, having the sharp arrows of bitter words always at hand to throw about” (692).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 10:14.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    We'd love to hear from you!

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 10:13

    Proverbs 10:13

    Understanding

    Commonplace –

    “In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding” (Proverbs 10:13).

    In Proverbs 10:13, Solomon contrasts the life of those who seek understanding and those who do not. The pursuit of understanding brings the reward of wisdom to the seeker: words of wisdom are on his lips. Based on what Solomon has already taught us in Proverbs, we know that if wisdom is on a person’s lips, there is a potential for a heart full of wisdom. Further investigation would be required to determine the extent of understanding.

    Let’s think about that for a minute. If a person picks up the Bible and reads a Proverb, then, in that moment, wisdom is on their lips. Does that mean their heart is full of wisdom? No, it does not. One quick reminder of this is recalling the temptation of Christ in the desert in Matthew 4:1-11. The devil was able to quote scripture and use it effectively in an argument; he could use verses out of context to support his argument, proof texting. Christ, however, had a heart full of wisdom, was able to discern the devil’s agenda, knew the actual context of those quote verses in relation to the entire message of the Bible, and countered quickly with the correct scripture. Another good reminder of the importance of knowing the word deeply is James 2:19, which says, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble”. So, a person who simply gives lip service to Bible verses does not necessarily have wisdom, understanding is crucial.

    For grasp this more clearly, we can turn to Matthew Henry’s Commentary, where he notes the following:

    “Wisdom and grace are the honour of good men: He that has understanding, that good understanding which those have that do the commandments, wisdom is found in his lips, that is, it is discovered to be there, and consequently that he has within a good treasure of it, and it is derived thence for the benefit of others. It is a man’s honour to have wisdom, but much more to be instrumental to make others wise” (692).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 10:13.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    We'd love to hear from you!

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 10:12

    Proverbs 10:12

    Choosing to Love or to Hate

    Commonplace –

    “Hate stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins” (Proverbs 10:12).

    “Hate is a strong word” is a phrase I often use with my children, when they toss the word around lightly towards one another or things they don’t like or things they don’t like doing. As Solomon says, hate stirs up strife, and that stirring up begins within our own soul. Love is also a strong word that tends to get overused. However, we think it is okay to use it, because love is good. Yet, because it is also a strong word, we should use it lightly. In both cases, it’s important to pause and reflect on why we are having such a strong feeling.

    When we say we love something or hate something, it’s important to examine our heart and ask if that is really the correct word to use for the situation. What is causing such a strong feeling within us? Are we feeling hate because of something evil? Then, it is appropriate and should move us to action. Or do we feel hate because of something annoying or inconvenient? Then, hate is not appropriate, because it is rooted in pride. We can and should ask the same question if we are feeling love, which might seem incorrect, because the proverb is telling us that love covers all sins. Isn’t love always good? Well, are we feeling love because of something good? Or do we feel love because something is affirming our ego, which is rooted in our pride?

    In Proverbs 10:12, Solomon is connecting love and hate with the covering of sins, indicating this is about those times when we have been wronged. When someone sins against us, we have a choice on how we will react. Matthew Henry notes the following about hate, which sounds a lot like our current culture of constantly being offended.

    “Here is,

    1. The great mischief maker, and that is malice. Even when there is no manifest occasion of strife, yet hatred seeks occasion and so stirs it up and does the devil’s work” (692).

    In contrast, Henry notes the following in regard to love:

    “The great peace-maker, and that is love, which covers all sins, that is, the offences among relations which occasion discord. Love, instead of proclaiming and aggravating the offence, conceals and extenuates it as afar as it is capable of being concealed and extenuated” (692).

    We have a choice in how we feel and react. When some situation is evoking such a strong reaction, it’s important to know why.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 10:12.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    We'd love to hear from you!

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 10:11

    Proverbs 10:11

    Words Matter

    Commonplace –

    “The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked” (Proverbs 10:11).

    The lesson of Proverbs 10:11 is – Words Matter. The good man says good things. “His mouth, the outlet of his mind, is a well of life” (Henry 692). Later, Jesus echoes Solomon’s sentiments when he is speaking to the Pharisees.

    “ O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34).

    In regard to the wicked, Matthew Henry notes the following:

    “The mouth of the wicked covers violence, disguises the designed mischief with professions of friendship, that it may be carried on the more securely and effectually, as Joab kissed and killed, Judas kissed and betrayed; this is his sin, to which the punishment answers” (692).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 10:11.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    We'd love to hear from you!

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg