Because a throne is established on righteousness

Proverbs 16 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

The plans of the heart belong to a person,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
² All the ways of a person are clean in his own sight,
But the Lord examines the motives.
³ Commit your works to the Lord,
And your plans will be established.
⁴ The Lord has made everything for its own purpose,
Even the wicked for the day of evil.
⁵ Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
^[Be assured, he will not go unpunished.
⁶ By mercy and truth atonement is made for wrongdoing,
And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
⁷ When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He causes even his enemies to make peace with him.
⁸ Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.
⁹ The mind of a person plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.
¹⁰ A divine verdict is on the lips of the king;
His mouth should not err in judgment.
¹¹ A just balance and scales belong to the Lord;
All the weights of the bag are His concern.
¹² It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
Because a throne is established on righteousness.
¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And one who speaks right is loved.
¹⁴ The fury of a king is like messengers of death;
But a wise person will appease it.
¹⁵ In the light of a king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain.
¹⁶ How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.
¹⁷ The highway of the upright is to turn away from evil;
One who watches his way protects his life.
¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
¹⁹ It is better to be humble in spirit with the needy
Than to divide the spoils with the proud.
²⁰ One who pays attention to the word will find good,
And blessed is one who trusts in the Lord.
²¹ The wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
²² Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,
But the discipline of fools is foolishness.
²³ The heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds persuasiveness to his lips.
²⁴ Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
²⁵ There is a way which seems right to a person,
But its end is the way of death.
²⁶ A worker’s appetite works for him,
For his hunger urges him on.
²⁷ A worthless person digs up evil,
While his words are like scorching fire.
²⁸ A perverse person spreads strife,
And a slanderer separates close friends.
²⁹ A person of violence entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰ He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;
He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
³¹ A gray head is a crown of glory;
It is found in the way of righteousness.
³² One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And one who rules his spirit, than one who captures a city.
³³ The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord.

The text says: The plans of the heart belong to a person, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a person are clean in his own sight, But the Lord examines the motives. Commit your works to the Lord, And your plans will be established. In Psalm 37:3-5 the psalmist says: Trust in the Lord and do good; Live in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.  When we delight in the Lord our hearts and our plans become aligned with His. We want what He wants, so our plans are established because they are God’s plans for us. In Jeremiah 29:11 God says: For I know the plans that I have for you, plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

The text says: By mercy and truth atonement is made for wrongdoing, And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil… A just balance and scales belong to the Lord; All the weights of the bag are His concern. It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, Because a throne is established on righteousness.  God is a merciful God who provided a way of atonement for wrongdoing. It is also a way of truth. In John 14:6 Jesus says: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” God is also a God of justice and righteousness. Psalm 89:14 says: Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before You. Those who do not accept God’s mercy given through Christ, will know His justice. Romans 6:23 says: The wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. We may not have a king, but it is true of all in authority that it is an abomination for them to commit wicked acts because as Romans 13:1 says: There is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Daniel 2:20-21 says: May the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the periods; He removes kings and appoints kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, And knowledge to people of understanding.  Those who use their authority to advance evil, lawlessness and unrighteousness are an abomination to the throne of God. They will reap the wages of their sin. The text says: There is a way which seems right to a person, But its end is the way of death.

The text says: One who pays attention to the word will find good, And blessed is one who trusts in the Lord. The wise in heart will be called understanding…  Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, But the discipline of fools is foolishness. The heart of the wise instructs his mouth And adds persuasiveness to his lips. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. 1 Corinthians 1:25 says:  The foolishness of God is wiser than mankind, and the weakness of God is stronger than mankind. 1 Corinthians 3:19 says: The wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. For it is written: “He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE BY THEIR CRAFTINESS”

I will gladly be called foolish by the world to know the wisdom of God. I will pay attention to His word and trust Him. Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit for Your mercy, Your justice and truth. I am blessed by You and in You. Amen.