Bridges on Proverbs 23:15-16
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 23:15-16
 
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 26-28 
 29-35 
 
15.  My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. {even...: or, even I will rejoice} 16.  Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
 
The wise man now turns from parents, and addresses himself most tenderly to children (Chapter 1:8, 10, 15, &c.), perhaps to his own child. What Christian parent but responds? Could we be happy to see our child honored in the world, admired, talented, prosperous, without godliness? If thine heart be wise — this is the spring of parental joy — my heart shall rejoice, even mine. His health, his comfort, his welfare, is inexpressibly dear to us. But while we watch over the casket, it is the jewel that we mainly value. The love of our child's soul is the life and soul of parental love.† None but a parent knows the heart of a parent. None but a Christian parent knows the yearning anxiety, the many tears, prayers, and “travailing in birth again” for the soul of a beloved child; or the fervor of joy and praise, when the first budding of heavenly wisdom bursts to view.† The sight brings joy into the innermost depths of the bosom.† Parents, who sympathize not with these sensations, and with whom Solomon's language is unfelt and uninteresting, realize neither their responsibilities nor their privileges.
Greatly is the parent's joy heightened to hear his son's lips speaking right things; to see him, in a day of apostasy and unstable profession, openly standing forth on the Lord's side; “asking for the old paths of rest,” now that “the highways are” too often “unoccupied, and the travelers walking through bye-ways.”†
But surely this child, now the father's joy, is one, from whom correction has not been withheld. The “foolishness bound in his heart has thus been driven from him;”† and its place graciously supplied by a wise heart — a witness to the subsequent rule and promise — “Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest.” (Chapter 29:17.)
And are not ministers also partakers of this parental joy? “Paul the aged” was filled with prayerful delight in his “beloved son in the faith.”† The thriving churches were “his glory and joy.”† Another Apostle “had no greater joy, than to hear that his children walked in truth.”† And may we not rise higher, and adore the manifestation of this joy in heaven† — yea, in the bosom of God himself over the return of his corrected child to a wise heart — “This my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found”? (Ib. Verses 13-24.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chapter 1:8, 10, 15, &c.
 
 
Footnote:
See Solomon's own education, chapter 4:3, 4.
 
 
Proverbs 4:3, 4
3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. 4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
 
 
Footnote:
Verses 24, 25; 10:1; 15:20; 29:3. ‘Lord, let thy blessing so accompany my endeavor’ (were the pleadings of a godly parent) ‘that all my sons may be Benaiahs (the LORD's building); and then they will be all Abners (their Father's light); and that all my daughters may be Bethiahs (the LORD's daughters); and then they will be all Abigails (their Father's joy).’ – Swinnock's Christian Man's Calling, ii. 29, 30.
 
 
Proverbs 23:24, 25
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. 25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
 
Proverbs 10:1
1 ¶ The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
 
Proverbs 15:20
20 ¶ A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.
 
Proverbs 29:3
3 ¶ Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.
 
 
Footnote:
The reins, as deeply seated in the body, are a frequent scriptural illustration of the inner thoughts and affections. Psalm 16:7; 26:2. Jeremiah 12:2. Lamentations 3:13.
 
 
Psalm 16:7
7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
 
Psalm 26:2
2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
 
Jeremiah 12:2
2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins. {they grow: Heb. they go on}
 
Lamentations 3:13
13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins. {arrows: Heb. sons}
 
 
Footnote:
Judges 5:6. Jeremiah 6:16.
 
 
Judges 5:6
6 ¶ In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. {travellers: Heb. walkers of paths} {byways: Heb. crooked ways}
 
Jeremiah 6:16
16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 22:15; 29:15.
 
 
Proverbs 22:15
15 ¶ Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
 
Proverbs 29:15
15 ¶ The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
 
 
Proverbs 29:17
17 ¶ Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.
 
 
Footnote:
2 Timothy 1:2-5.
 
 
2 Timothy 1:2-5
2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; 4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; {Greatly...: or, remembering thy tears, I greatly desire to see thee that} 5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
 
 
Footnote:
1 Thessalonians 2:19, 20; 3:8, 9.
 
 
1 Thessalonians 2:19, 20
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? {rejoicing: or, glorying?} 20 For ye are our glory and joy.
 
1 Thessalonians 3:8, 9
8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;
 
 
Footnote:
2 John 4. 3 John 4.
 
 
2 John 4.
4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
 
3 John 4.
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
 
 
Footnote:
Luke 15:7, 10.
 
 
Luke 15:7, 10
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
 
 
Luke 15:13-24
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.