1: The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the channels of water: he turns it wherever he wishes.

What a comfort, especially today in the USA! Even the king…even the president cannot do what he wants to apart from the sovereign will of God. That means that total and ultimate control belongs to the LORD: in Roanoke Virginia, in Washington DC, and in every other place where life exists. Praise God that though the world looks out of control, He remains in full control.

16: The man that wonders out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

Even a little bit of wandering isn’t safe because it can and will very quickly lead to endless wandering; to the place where the world welcomes us with open arms and our flesh agrees that we should stay. But that place is not the place of victory, hope or righteous living. It is a congregation of the dead where the wanderer shall remain.

13: Whosoever shuts his ears at the cry of the poor, will also cry himself, but shall not be heard.

There are far too many people who don’t want to hear of the great needs of others; this information doesn’t ‘concern’ them and they have no sympathy or compassion over the suffering of their fellow man. At some point however, the man or woman who never desired to bother with the cries of the poor, begins to cry himself due to difficulties in his own life. What happens? Will he get the kind of treatment that he refused to give to others when he was ‘above’ them? No, men will not hear him, but reward him as he rewarded others. God will not hear him either because ‘he that showed no mercy shall have judgment without mercy’ (James 2:13). Sometimes we forget that God is the Just Judge. Nothing escapes His attention nor will he accept any excuse; He knows our hearts.

21: He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness and honor.

When we follow…we will find. When He is the object of our desire, we will be satisfied.