19:1 Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his speech and is a fool.
It is better to walk silently in Bible doctrine than to speak without knowledge of Bible doctrine.
19:2 It is dangerous to have zeal without knowledge, and the one who acts hastily makes poor choices.
The Hebrew word for “zeal” is נֶ֣פֶשׁ (nephesh), meaning soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, or emotion. If one has a great passion to accomplish a task without Bible doctrine, then they place themselves in danger. They will spend their life attempting to master a sport, skill, art, or discipline of the satanic world system. They should spend all of their energy on understanding and applying Bible doctrine at the deepest level. They should attempt to know God and make Him known.
19:3 A person’s folly subverts his way, and his heart rages against the Lord.
A person without Bible doctrine will begin to love the satanic world system, but hate the Lord. He will make many mistakes and blame them on God.
19:4 Wealth adds many friends, but a poor person is separated from his friend.
In the satanic world system, wealthy people have many friends. Poor people have very few friends.
19:5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and the one who spouts out lies will not escape punishment.
Perjurers and liars will not escape divine punishment. Unbelievers will be sent to hell. Believers will be spanked by God.
19:6 Many people entreat the favor of a generous person, and everyone is the friend of the person who gives gifts.
In the satanic world system, many people will flatter a ruler in order to take advantage of other people.
19:7 All the relatives of a poor person hate him; how much more do his friends avoid him— he pursues them with words, but they do not respond.
In the satanic world system, a man of poverty cannot find any friends. He is even a nuisance to his family members.
19:8 The one who acquires wisdom loves himself; the one who preserves understanding will prosper.
The one who masters and applies Bible doctrine will love himself. This is not an arrogant type of love, but a divine love. The reason that he loves himself is because he is beginning to know God and make Him known. He finds himself in the will of God. He prospers accomplishing the will of God. This brings happiness to his soul. Anyone who does not master and apply Bible doctrine will become bored and miserable in life.
19:9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and the one who spouts out lies will perish.
Those who give false testimony will be judged by the God of the universe. Those who tell lies in court will perish in the courtroom of life. Perjury should be a capital offense, because it condemns the innocent.
19:10 Luxury is not appropriate for a fool; how much less for a servant to rule over princes!
Those who lack Bible doctrine are spending their money on the wrong things. It is inappropriate for a slave to rule over a king who was trained to rule.
19:11 A person’s wisdom makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
Those who master Bible doctrine will become slow to anger. They will be more likely to overlook an offense and not seek revenge.
19:12 A king’s wrath is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
A king possesses the power to either execute one or reward another, depending upon the situation.
19:13 A foolish child is the ruin of his father, and a contentious wife is like a constant dripping.
A child without Bible doctrine makes his father look bad. A nagging wife is worse than a dripping pipe.
19:14 A house and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
Wealth often comes from inheritance, but a good wife comes from the Lord.
19:15 Laziness brings on a deep sleep, and the idle person will go hungry.
Lazy people will fall into a deep sleep and lose precious time. Lazy people who refuse to work will go hungry.
19:16 The one who obeys commandments guards his life; the one who despises his ways will die.
The one who keeps the Mosaic Law will live. Those who do not keep the Mosaic Law will die. When one does not keep the Mosaic Law, then they became a threat to the community. Israel will be kicked out of the land for not obeying the Law.
19:17 The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.
Under the Mosaic Law, widows, orphans, and the poor were protected. God will reward those who give to the poor.
It is important to note that the modern church is to take care of the poor in their local congregation. The church is not to feed the poor of the world, because they will be feeding their enemies. They will be feeding the army of the satanic world system. The army of the satanic world system will use this nutrition to raise up against the believers and destroy them. It is better to let Satan feed his own. If the unbelievers do not like Satan's food, shelter, or clothing, then they can switch to the winning side.
19:18 Discipline your child, for there is hope, but do not set your heart on causing his death.
Most of the verses in Proverbs are written as declarative sentences. This verse is written as an imperative. Parents were given a strong warning against passive discipline. If a parent neglects discipline of their children, then this lack of discipline would cause an early death to the child. Either they would break the Mosaic Law and receive capital punishment, or they would do something foolish and die prematurely. Many modern parents who fail to discipline their children lose them to drugs, reckless driving, a premature bad marriage, or sexual diseases. Many children who do not learn Bible doctrine will enter into atheism, agnosticism, evolutionism, same sex marriage, transgenderism, cults, or isms.
19:19 A person with great anger bears the penalty, but if you deliver him from it once, you will have to do it again.
Those who do not possess strong Bible doctrine will become hot-tempered. Hot-tempered people usually get themselves into trouble. If a person with strong Bible doctrine pulls a hot-tempered person out of trouble, then maybe the hot-tempered person will learn their lesson and control their temper.
19:20 Listen to advice and receive discipline, that you may become wise by the end of your life.
Those with strong Bible doctrine will listen to advice and receive discipline.
19:21 There are many plans in a person’s mind, but it is the counsel of the Lord which will stand.
Man’s free will cannot overrule God’s sovereignty.
19:22 What is desirable for a person is to show loyal love, and a poor person is better than a liar.
The Hebrew word for “loyal love” is חָ֫סֶד (hesed), meaning that a person loves another unconditionally. This is the kind of love that God has for Israel. Israel continually sinned, but God still loved them. Those who possess strong Bible doctrine will contain this same kind of חָ֫סֶד (hesed) love to others.
Poor people have been despised and shunned throughout history. Religions such as Hinduism have formed a separate class for them called “the untouchables.” They falsely teach that poor people are reincarnated evil people from a former life. Modern prosperity preachers falsely teach that God materially prospers those who are righteous (meaning that those who are poor are not blessed by God). The Bible, unlike other religions and literature, protects widows, orphans, and the poor. Most people will become good friends with liars, but they will shun the poor.
19:23 Fearing the Lord leads to life, and one who does so will live satisfied; he will not be afflicted by calamity.
Fearing the Lord means respecting the Lord. Those who respect the Lord will study the entire counsel of the Word of God at the deepest level. This will cause them to lead a prosperous life. A prosperous life is not one of material prosperity, but of accomplishing God’s will and earning eternal rewards in heaven.
Those who master Bible doctrine will live in peace with themselves. One cannot live in peace in the satanic world system, unless they are accomplishing the will of God. If one wants to accomplish the will of God, then he must study Bible doctrine at the deepest level. Once he begins to apply this Bible doctrine, then the enemy will come against him. But God will place a hedge around the believer and keep him from the evil intents of the enemy.
19:24 The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish, and he will not even bring it back to his mouth!
Some people are so lazy, that they do not even have the strength to place food in their mouth. Many kings would have their servants hand-feed them.
19:25 Flog a scorner, and as a result the simpleton will learn prudence; correct a discerning person, and as a result he will understand knowledge.
Those who do not know sound Bible doctrine will never learn the effects of evil unless they are flogged. Those who know sound Bible doctrine will learn from a simple rebuke.
19:26 The one who robs his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and disgrace.
A grown son who mistreats his parents is a disgrace to humanity. Parents are to be honored, but not disgraced.
19:27 If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will stray from the words of knowledge.
When a child stops listening to Bible doctrine, then he will stray away from the truth and be deceived by the schemes of the satanic world system.
19:28 A crooked witness scorns justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
Those who commit perjury are evil men who are perverting justice. God is a just God, so scorning justice is a terrible crime against God.
19:29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and floggings for the backs of fools.
God has prepared judgment for scorners who will not listen to Bible doctrine. He created floggings for those who are too foolish to master Bible doctrine.