Proverbs 3:1
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My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
We are here taught to live a life of communion with God; and without controversy great is this mystery of godliness, and of great consequence to us, and, as is here shown, will be of unspeakable advantage. I. We must have a continual regard to God's precepts, Pro 3:1, Pro 3:2. 1. We must, (1.) Fix God's law, and his commandments, as our rule, by which we will in every thing be ruled and to which we will yield obedience. (2.) We must acquaint ourselves with them; for we cannot be said to forget that which we never knew. (3.) We must remember them so that they may be ready to us whenever we have occasion to use them. (4.) Our wills and affections must be subject to them and must in every thing conform to them. Not only our heads, but our hearts, must keep God's commandments; in them, as in the ark of the testimony, both the tables of the law must be deposited. 2. To encourage us to submit ourselves to all the restraints and injunctions of the divine law, we are assured (Pro 3:2) that it is the certain way to long life and prosperity. (1.) It is the way to be long-lived. God's commandments shall add to us length of days; to a good useful life on earth, they shall add an eternal life in heaven, length of days for ever and ever, Psa 21:4. God shall be our life and the length of our days, and that will be indeed long life, with an addition. But, because length of days may possibly become a burden and a trouble, it is promised, (2.) That it shall prove the way to be easy too, so that even the days of old age shall not be evil days, but days in which thou shalt have pleasure: Peace shall they be continually adding to thee. As grace increases, peace shall increase; and of the increase of Christ's government and peace, in the heart as well as in the world, there shall be no end.…
Open source ↗3:1-12 The Lord blesses those who trust him and seek his will. His correction benefits those who follow him. 3:1 To store God’s commands in your heart means not just memorizing them but making them an integral part of life and acting on them.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
Give me understanding that I may obey Your law, and follow it with all my heart.
I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have revived me.
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.
You must carefully follow every commandment I am giving you today, so that you may live and multiply, and enter and possess the land that the LORD swore to give your fathers.
I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.
Look upon my affliction and rescue me, for I have not forgotten Your law.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.