Bridges on Proverbs 12:16
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 12:16
 
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16.  A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame. {presently: Heb. in that day}
 
Let the tongue be ever under discipline. An unbridled tongue is the proof of an unrenewed heart. (Ib. verse 26; 3:2.) But specially never let it be loose in a moment of wrath. How readily is the fool known by his wrath! He has no command of himself. On the first rising, he bursts out with an ungovernable impulse. (Chapter 14:17, 29; 25:28.) Truly is wrath called shame. For is it not a shame, that unruly passions should, as it were, trample reason under foot, disfigure even the countenance, and subjugate the whole man to a temporary madness? (Daniel 3:19.) What else were Saul's unseemly sallies against David and Jonathan; Jezebel's boiling rage against Elijah; Nebuchadnezzar's unreasonable decree to kill his wise men, because they could not interpret his vision?
Yet far more painful is the sight of the fool's wrath in the children of God; in Moses, the meekest of men; in David, “the man after God's own heart; in “Asa, whose heart was perfect with God all his days.” Nothing more excites the scoff of the ungodly, than the sight of these gross ebullitions, which Divine grace ought to restrain. But what is “man in his best estate,” left to himself! animated with the spirit of a wild beast! in that day he becomes an object of shame. (Chapter 17:12.)
Self-control, that covers the shame, and represses the rising fermentation, is true Christian prudence. (Chapter 29:11. Judges 8:2, 3.) Even as a matter of policy, it is most commendable. (1 Samuel 10:27.) But as a gracious principle, it is indeed a victory more honourable than the martial triumph (Chapter 16:32; 19:11; 20:3); not only subduing our own spirit, but melting the hardness of our adversary. (Romans 12:18-21.)
Do we feel our temper at any time ready to rise? Cry instantly to Him, who quiets the storm. (Matthew 8:26. Psalm 65:7.) Keep before our eyes his blessed example, “who, being reviled, reviled not again” (1 Peter 2:23); and be what we behold. (2 Corinthians 3:18.)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
James 1:26
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
 
James 3:2
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
 
 
Proverbs 14:17, 29
17 ¶ He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated. 29 ¶ He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. {hasty...: Heb. short of spirit}
 
Proverbs 25:28
28 ¶ He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
 
 
Daniel 3:19
19 ¶ Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. {full: Chaldee, filled}
 
 
Footnote:
1 Samuel 18:10, 11; 19:9-11; 20:30-34.
 

 
1 Samuel 18:10, 11
10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand. 11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
 
1 Samuel 19:9-11
9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand. 10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. 11 ¶ Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.
 
1 Samuel 20:30-34
30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness? {Thou...: or, Thou perverse rebel: Heb. Son of perverse rebellion} 31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die. {shall...: Heb. is the son of death} 32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done? 33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David. 34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1 Kings 19:1, 2
1 ¶ And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
 
 
Footnote:
Daniel 2:12, 13.
 

 
Daniel 2:12, 13
12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
 
 
 
Footnote:
Numbers 20:10, 11.
 

 
Numbers 20:10, 11
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
 
 
Footnote:
1 Samuel 25:21, 22.
 

 
1 Samuel 25:21, 22
21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. 22 So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.
 
 
Footnote:
2 Chronicles 16:10.
 

 
2 Chronicles 16:10
10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time. {oppressed: Heb. crushed}
 
 
Proverbs 17:12
12 ¶ Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
 
 
Proverbs 29:11
11 ¶ A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
 
Judges 8:2, 3
2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that. {anger: Heb. spirit}
 
 
1 Samuel 10:27
27 But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace. {held...: or, was as though he had been deaf}
 
 
Proverbs 16:32
32 ¶ He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
 
Proverbs 19:11
11 ¶ The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. {discretion: or, prudence}
 
Proverbs 20:3
3 ¶ It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
 
 
Romans 12:18-21
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
 
 
Matthew 8:26
26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
 
Psalm 65:7
7 Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.
 
 
1 Peter 2:23
23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: {himself: or, his cause}
 
 
2 Corinthians 3:18
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. {by the...: or, of the Lord the Spirit}