Bridges on Proverbs 19:11
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 19:11
 
 1 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 5 
 6-7 
 8 
 9 
 10 
 11 
 12 
 13 
 14 
 15 
 16 
 17 
 18 
 19 
 20 
 21 
 22 
 23 
 24 
 25 
 26 
 27 
 28-29 
 

11.  The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. {discretion: or, prudence}
 
What is anger, but temporary madness? To yield therefore to its paroxysm, to act without deliberation under its impulse, is to do we know not what, and what will surely bring work for repentance. (Chapter 14:17, 29.) An interval between the inward rising and the outward manifestation of the anger is most important. The discretion of a man deferreth his anger. Mindful of his own infirmity, he will guard against indecent sallies of temper, taking time to weigh, and careful not to overcharge the offense. An affront therefore is the test, whether he has discretion, or whether he is the slave of his own passion. The standard of common usage is — ‘To be even, and to return one insult by another.’ The Christian standard is to be above; “not rendering railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing.
Again – To pass over a transgression - such is the proud folly of man's judgment! is disgrace, want of courage and proper spirit. But Solomon, a wise man and a King, declares it to be weakness, not strength or greatness, to be able to bear nothing. It is glory to pass over a transgression. So it must be, because it is likeness to God. What a motive! ‘Let it pass for a kind of sheepishness to be meek. It is a likeness to him, that was “a sheep before the shearers, not opening his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7.) It is a portion of his spirit.’
And what a pattern is his long-suffering with such willful daily, hourly, provocations! (Ephesians 4:31, 32. Colossians 3:13.) If he create us anew, it must be, as before, in his own image. Forbearance and forgiveness will therefore take the place of resentment and malice. Moral strength may, in some men, curb the outward expression. But the poison lurks within. Forbearance from a pure motive, passing over transgression in free love, is a noble triumph of grace, most honorable to God, fraught with the richest spoils to our own souls.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 14:17
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}
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 16:32. Ecclesiastes 7:9. James 1:19. Compare 1 Samuel 10:27. Even Heathen moralists acknowledge the value of this discretion. — ‘I would have beaten thee, if I was not angry,’ — said the philosopher to his offending servant. Augustus under the impulse of anger was requested to repeat the alphabet, to give him time to cool. ‘It is easier’ — as Seneca wisely observed — ‘not to admit the passion, than, when admitted, to govern it.’ Justin Martyr, when asked what was Christ’s greatest miracle, named his so great patience in such great trials.
 

 
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.
 
Ecclesiastes 7:9
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
 
James 1:19
19 ¶ Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
 
Compare
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}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
1 Peter 3:9. The example of Joseph, Genesis 45:4-15; 50:21. David, 1 Samuel 24:7-19. Psalm 35:7-14; 38:12-14. The prophet, 1 Kings 13:4-6. Mr. Scott justly remarks upon the identity of the Old Testament standard with that of Christ and his apostles, Compare Matthew 5:38-42; 18:21, 22. Romans 12:17-21, with Chapter 25:21, 22.
 

 
1 Peter 3:9
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
 
The example of Joseph,
Genesis 45:4-15
4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. {nor...: Heb. neither let there be anger in your eyes} 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. {to preserve...: Heb. to put for you a remnant} 8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: 10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: 11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. 12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. 13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. 14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
 
Genesis 50:21
21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. {kindly...: Heb. to their hearts}
 
David,
1 Samuel 24:7-19
7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. {stayed: Heb. cut off} 8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. 9 ¶ And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? 10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed. 11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. 12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. 15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. {deliver: Heb. judge} 16 ¶ And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. 18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. {delivered: Heb. shut up} 19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
 
Psalm 35:7-14
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. 8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. {at...: Heb. which he knoweth not of} 9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. 10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him? 11 ¶ False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. {False...: Heb. Witnesses of wrong} {they...: Heb. they asked me} 12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. {spoiling: Heb. depriving} 13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. {humbled: or, afflicted} 14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. {behaved myself: Heb. walked} {as though...: Heb. as a friend, as a brother to me}
 
Psalm 38:12-14
12 ¶ They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. 13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. 14 Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
 
The prophet,
1 Kings 13:4-6
4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. 5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD. 6 And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before. {the LORD, and: Heb. the face of the LORD, etc.
 
Mr. Scott justly remarks upon the identity of the Old Testament standard with that of Christ and his apostles, Compare:
Matthew 5:38-42
38 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
 
Matthew 18:21, 22
21 ¶ Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
 
Romans 12:17-21
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 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.
 
with
Proverbs 25:21, 22
21 ¶ If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: 22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
The Roman moralist could say: —
 
Infirmi est animi exiguique voluptas.
 
Juven. Sat. xiii. 190, 191
 
 
Isaiah 53:7
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
 
 
Footnote:
Leighton on 1 Peter 3:3, 4.
 

 
1 Peter 3:3, 4
3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
 
 
Ephesians 4:31, 32
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
 
Colossians 3:13
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. {quarrel: or, complaint}