Proverbs 3:16 Commentary and Bible Study

Length of days is in her right hand - that is, wisdom, salvation, the knowledge of God and the things that he gives. It does not necessarily mean a long life literally; it means all the things for which a long life stands. The promise here is that the children of God - even if their lives are short - may have great influence for good in the lives of others. They may have exerted a great testimony. Many, many people who they have been a blessing to appreciate them and love them. They have the satisfaction of seeing even in a short life such a wealth of constructive blessing and productivity in spiritual things. God has been their strength and their portion. This is what it is all a picture of here. Her ways - the salvation of God, the knowing of Christ, the blessings of God, the understanding which he imparts through his word - her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. If you go along this road as a trader (the illustrations collide), it is an agreeable road, says the Hebrew. They are ways that are agreeable, that are in harmony with your desires and with your spirit. That is what is meant. They are pleasant ways. From God is only good, never bad. Even the discipline is for our eternal good and is perfectly wise and exactly what we need. Of course, there are bad aspects of our experience in this world for there are temptations to resist and hills to climb and pitfalls to watch out for, but the spiritual side of life is a road which is illustrated by a perfect, scenic route. It is a scenic route - there is so much to see, there are so many wonderful things to see. Can you imagine this, you are on a holiday and you take a walk and along a route and it has everything. It has sights, it has views, it has scents, the aroma of the vegetation and the plants growing around. You breathe deeply – it is such a wonderful place to be. Not only the sights but the sounds – the birdsong, it is so beautiful. New sounds, new sights, new scents and your whole being is surprised and overwhelmed by the many, different kinds, the whole variety of experiences and of beauty and of wonder. That is what Solomon means here in these wonderful words when he says this that all her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.