Proverbs 15:13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Give Your Heart To Jesus

The Proverbs found in verses 13-17 explore the relationship between inner happiness and outer circumstances. You can either allow your heart to be led by your outward circumstances, or allow your heart to be led by Jesus Christ.

What is the condition of YOUR heart?

The Bible mentions the “heart” over 1000 times, and in no instance can I find the Bible talking about the muscle in our chest that pumps blood. The “heart” as the Bible addresses it is the center of our souls, the part of us that reasons and drives us. We previously studied:

Proverbs 4:23 (ESV) Keep {guard} your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

As “God is Spirit” (John 4:24), and “in Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28), outside of the Incarnate Son of God neither the Father nor the Spirit have a “blood pump” in their chests. And yet, the Bible says that God has a “heart”. We are told in:

Genesis 6:5-6 (ESV) … the LORD saw the wickedness of man was great on the earth … and it GRIEVED HIM TO HIS HEART

When God saw the Shepherd David, He said:

1 Samuel 13:14 (NKJV) … the LORD sought for Himself a man AFTER HIS OWN HEART …

Acts 13:22 (KJV) {the LORD said} I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.

What we allow in our hearts will ultimately effect how we respond to conditions around us. The human heart before it is born again gravitates toward godlessness. The Prophet Jeremiah said (17:9, ESV) “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”. Our Lord Jesus did not rely on what those around Him thought, because:

John 2:24-25 (ESV) … Jesus on his part did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

Where does evil come from? It comes from unrestrained and godless hearts. Jesus said:

Mark 7:21-23 (ESV) From within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.

The way a person is saved is by REPENTING, and giving their HEART over to Jesus.

When we realize that we are unable to live the Christian way of life in our own power, when we give our hearts over to Jesus as both Lord and Savior, God creates in us a new heart (Psalm 51:10). This is the promise of the New Covenant. God promised:

Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV) … I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Once saved, we have hearts attuned to God and His Word – but we must guard what we put in our hearts.

Proverbs 15:13 A MERRY HEART maketh a cheerful countenance …

Word Study: The word translated “MERRY” is the Hebrew śāmēaḥ (pro. saw-may’-akh). The word means “to rejoice, to be filled with joy”. When you live your life seeking to please God, śāmēaḥ (pro. saw-may’-akh) is what fills your heart.

• When Israel honored God and kept His commandments, then “the Lord blessed them … and they surely REJOICED [śāmēaḥ (pro. saw-may’-akh)]” (Deuteronomy 16:15).
• When those who are helpless and broken come to God, trusting in Him, “the barren keep house, and are made JOYFUL [śāmēaḥ (pro. saw-may’-akh)] mother of children” (Psalm 113:9).
• When we dwell on the glories that God has given us in the past, how faithful our God is, “we are GLAD [śāmēaḥ (pro. saw-may’-akh)]” (Psalm 126:3)

The saved – when tried – focus their hearts on God and not on their circumstances. We “count it all joy when we meet various kinds of trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:2-3). Those who are focused on God as they go through the highs and lows of life are blessed – and it shows on their “countenance” or faces.

Proverbs 15:13 … BUT by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

As is usual with the Proverbs, one fact is followed by an opposing or opposite fact. “BUT”. “BUT” if you don’t keep your focus on Jesus, “BUT” if your heart is filled with SORROW rather than the LORD … the SPIRIT or HEART is broken. What you allow in your heart matters. We are told:

Proverbs 18:14 A man’s spirit will endure sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

When you allow your heart to be filled with hopelessness rather than the hope of God in Christ, in time you will begin to think “why do I bother? Why do I live?” From depression and depressive hearts comes suicide. The Scripture says:

2 Corinthians 7:10 (ESV) … godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Godly grief seeks a solution is GOD, whereas worldly grief seeks a solution in HUMANITY. God offers hope. The world does not! The Bridges Commentary notes:

“ Let sense and feeling be kept within their bounds; and the Savior’s voice, encouraging confidence, will be practically regarded. (lsaiah l:10) Even our very “sighing and crying for the abominations of the land” (Ezekiel 9:4) must not issue in heartless complaints, but, rather stimulate to the diligent improvement of present opportunities. Did we realize, as we ought, our present privilege, and grasp our eternal prospects; no sorrow of the heart would break our spirit. ‘I wonder many times’– says Rutherford –‘that ever a child of God should have a sad heart, considering what his Lord is preparing for him.’ The gleam of the present sunshine is the earnest of what it will be, when — as he again beautifully observes–‘we shall be on the sunny side’ … Meanwhile the first step in religion is, not only beginning “to be serious, but to be happy.”

The UNDERSTANDING Heart

Proverbs 15:14 The heart of him that hath UNDERSTANDING seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.

Word Study: There is the joy filled or rejoicing heart [śāmēaḥ (pro. saw-may’-akh)] that is focused on God. Now we are introduced to the “UNDERSTANDING” (bîn, pro. bene) heart. This Hebrew word means “perceptive, discerning, one that thoughtfully dwells on something”. This was what King Solomon prayed for when he asked God:

1 King 3:9 (KJV) Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may DISCERN (bîn, pro. bene) between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

Solomon realized that it was impossible for him to effectively rule Israel unless God gave him the wisdom to do so. So Solomon admitted his inability, and asked God to give him a heart that was (bîn, pro. Bene) filled with wisdom. This particular Hebrew word is in the Book of Proverbs thirty times. The mouths of “FOOLS”, godless creatures, “feeds on foolishness”. They do not discern, but scream and cry and wheedle and demand like toddlers who don’t get their way. The godly person, however, carefully examines the situation in the light of God’s Word.

Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the afflicted are EVIL: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

How you perceive your situation in life with your heart matters. The word “EVIL” here does not refer to immorality or sinfulness. Those who feel that the trials of life are an “AFFLICTION” are constantly miserable because of their perspective. They are negative, gloomy, and never see a bright spot in their lives. They feel that the universe hates them, and they live out their lives making others around them just as miserable as they are.

Illustrate: Such a person was Jacob. God reached out to Jacob, and sent the lineage of Christ through Jacob rather than Esau. Jacob was given the promises of God. From Jacob God honored His promise to Abraham, and raised up the nation Israel. God blessed Jacob all throughout his miserable life, giving abundant grace to this creature. When Jacob – in the midst of a great famine – found out that Joseph was alive, and the right hand man to Pharaoh the King of Egypt – he went to Joseph and Pharaoh for help. Pharaoh told Joseph:

Genesis 47:5-6 (KJV) … Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: 6 The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.

Saved from the famine, restored to his son Joseph, Jacob should have been deliriously happy. Yet when the Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”, Jacob replied:

Genesis 47:9 (KJV) … The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.

Jacob lived the life of the afflicted.

Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the afflicted are EVIL: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

Those who are perpetually miserable hate life. Yet those who look Godward have a “CONTINUAL FEAST”. The Apostle Paul, along with the fathers of the Church suffered horribly. Paul wrote:

2 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NIV) … dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Paul sang in the prison like he was in the palace.
When his goods were stolen, he praised God.

The Apostle said:

Philippians 4:10-13 … I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

When we learn, as the Apostle did, to look Christward in the bad times as well as the good, then every day is a feast, a party, a time of joy unspeakable and full of glory. God tells the believer to:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV) … give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

People that focus their hearts Godward are treasures to others. There was a disciple of Christ in the early Church called Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus. Many who came to Christ were shunned by their families, and lost their businesses. Joseph decided to sell a field that belonged to him, and contribute the proceeds to the needy. After he did this we read:

Acts 4:36 … Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement)

You can be an encourager or a discourager. You can spread joy, or misery. The key is the direction of your heart.

King David wrote in Psalm 4:7-8,

“You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased. 8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Proverbs 15:16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.

“FEAR OF THE LORD” means to have holy reverence toward and obedience to God. We honor God when we recognize that HE IS GOD and we are not. We honor God when we acknowledge Him as our Creator and Master. To fear God is to hate what He hates, and to love what He loves (Proverbs 8:13).

Wealth and power do not guarantee happiness nor peace. With riches comes trouble. The average man focused on living for Christ need not fear being robbed at gunpoint, unlike the wealthy who live in mansions and hire body guards. Further, the Bible tells us that:

Proverbs 11:4 (ESV) Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

Being rich may allow you to get away with murder in this life, but not in the next. John the Revelator, speaking of the Great White Throne Judgment, wrote:

Revelation 20:12 … I saw the dead, small and GREAT, stand before God

If you are not saved by grace through Christ, though you be famous, rich, or whatever …. you will stand before God one day and be judged. Riches will not save you. God owns “the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10). The deer and wildlife do not belong to the government, but to the Lord Himself. “Every beast of the forest is Mine”. Your riches will not impress God when you stand before Him – nor do they impress God now.

Where there is fear of the Lord, there is moderation and contentment, joy and peace.

Jesus said, “Beware of greed. Your life is not increased by the stuff you possess” (Luke 12:15, AP). A materially poor soul is not worth less than the materially rich soul. Jesus spoke of a rich man who never thought of God, but whose money was his god (Luke 12:16-20). When God his soul from his body, the Father called him “You FOOL!”. Many today need to heed this. God does not care how many Facebook, Instagram, or Tik Tok followers you have. God does not care if your videos go “viral” on You Tube. Taylor Swift has 282 million followers on Instagram. God doesn’t care. Judgment day is coming. Better get your eyes on God.

Proverbs 15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Some versions render the words “STALLED OX” as “fatted calf”, though the Hebrew šôr (pro. Shore) can mean “ox, bullock, cow”. The word translated “STALLED” is the Hebrew āḇas (pro. Aw-bas’), which means “to be well fed, well nourished, plump”. In the ancient world someone who owned an Ox was well off. Oxen were used to plow fields. Oxen who were well cared for, who were kept in a stall and fed, were the mark of the well to do farmer. The well to do farmer – with his fancy ox – ate very well. But the farmer who had just a hoe, a shovel, and a rake – just a small plot – ate poorly in comparison.

Solomon tells us that without love the better table is the poorer table. If you don’t have the love of your family and the love of God, your rich meal really isn’t that nourishing.

Proverbs 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Just as a miserable person spreads misery where ever they go, a person with a short temper spreads anger where ever they go. Self control is a valuable asset to possess. Those who learn to control their anger and their actions, along with their tongue, are the best leaders. My commentary notes:

The Pulpit Commentary remarks: “It requires two to make a quarrel, and where one keeps his temper and will not be provoked, anger must subside.” We may add that it takes two carnal natures to start a fight. The Vulgate renders this verse: “He who is patient soothes aroused quarrels.” The Septuagint reads: “A long suffering man appeases even a coming battle.”

Our Lord Jesus said, “Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS, for they shall be called the sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). We should remind ourselves who are Christians that it was the fact that God is slow to anger that led to our salvation

Psalm 103:8 (NKJV) The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

2 Peter 3:15 … count the patience of our Lord as salvation

If our God were not “SLOW TO ANGER” then none of us would be saved! Jesus warned us that “everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment..” (Matthew 5:22). Hot temper and uncontrolled anger do little to fix a situation – but it will inflame it.

When anger gets the BEST of us, it reveals the WORST in us. Ask God to help you control your anger.

Proverbs 15:19 The way of the SLOTHFUL MAN is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.

For the slothful and the procrastinator, there is always a reason not to do something. The slothful build “a HEDGE OF THORNS”. They do not want progress, but want others to delay so that they themselves will feel justified in their vain way of life. The slothful contribute nothing but hindrance and irritation. They are a thorn in the flesh of the Church. Though they go no where, when there is no blessing they look about for others to blame.

Proverbs 10:4 (ESV) A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

You make no progress in the journey if you don’t move. Nothing changes if you do nothing. The slothful, the sluggard will do nothing but cause irritation.

Proverbs 10:26 (ESV) Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.

The righteous, however, know what they must do. They do not procrastinate, but follow the directive of the Lord to “Go, Tell, Make”. We who love the Lord have His Word as (Psalm 119:105) “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”. As Enoch walked with God daily until God took him home, we must walk with God daily. We are not called to doubt, nor to comfort, but to walk. Adam Clarke wrote:

“Because he is slothful, he imagines ten thousand difficulties in the way which cannot be surmounted; but they are all the creatures of his own imagination, and that imagination is formed by his sloth.”

Charles Spurgeon said:

“Unthinking persons suppose that the sluggard lives a happy life, and travels an easy road. It is not so…. Labor of a holy sort has ten thousand times more joy in it than purposeless leisure.”

May God draw you closer to Christ by His Word and His Spirit. Amen.