Proverb 16:1-8: A Modern Bible Commentary

“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” (Prov. 16:1)

This verse demonstrates God’s sovereignty over human will. The human may plan out what they desire to do, but the final decision or answer comes from the Lord.

Jeremiah 10:23 also expresses this same idea: “I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.” Ultimate guidance comes from God.

Moreover, there is nothing unbiblical or unwise about planning in advance what you seek to do. In fact, without vision a person will perish. Without counting the cost before one builds is unwise. Nevertheless, divine intervention determines the outcomes.

Finally, the preposition “from” (min) denotes origin or source, affirming that the ultimate outcome comes from God. This reinforces the theological idea of God’s sovereignty in human affairs.

This verse reminds me of Joseph’s rise in Egypt. The human plan was for his brothers to get rid of Joseph through faking his death. Instead, the Lord used this opportunity to providentially guide him to become the interpreter of Pharoah’s dreams, and the second most powerful being on the planet.

This passage also recalls the time when David wanted to build the temple for God in 2 Samuel 7:1-16. Though his plan was noble, God redirects this ultimate task to King Solomon. This shows how human plans align with God’s greater purpose.

“All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit.” (Prov. 16:2)

The Hebrew word for “pure” (zākāh) conveys the idea of being clean or righteous, suggesting that people often believe their actions and motives are flawless. However, the second line reveals the fallacy of such confidence: “the Lord weighs the spirit.” The verb “weighs” (tākan) literally means to measure or assess, often in the context of scales, symbolizing God’s ability to discern the true nature of one’s inner motives.

God understands at a deeper level than appearances or justifications for one’s actions. He knows the inner motive of the heart and can discern the deepness and mystery of man’s decision-making. God makes it clear when he states this in Jeremiah 17:10: “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways.”

The idea of weighing motives reflects ancient practices of justice. In the Near East, scales were a common metaphor for fairness and accuracy, as seen in Job 31:6: “Let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity.” Proverbs often uses such imagery to emphasize God’s perfect justice, which contrasts with human bias and imperfection. This also ties into the broader wisdom tradition, which cautions against pride and self-deception (Proverbs 3:5–7).

The pairing of “pure” and “weighs” contrasts subjective human perspectives with God’s objective standard. The Hebrew syntax amplifies the tension between the two clauses, with the conjunction “but” (wĕ) serving as a pivot.

The use of the plural “ways” (derekim) suggests the broad scope of human activity, while the singular “spirit” (rûaḥ) shifts focus to the individual’s core essence. This structure reinforces the idea that while humans see their actions as generally acceptable, God’s scrutiny reveals the truth of their underlying motivations.

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” (Prov. 16:3)

When we trust in God with our work, He will establish us. If we acknowledge Him in all our ways, he will direct our paths. Committing our heart and soul to the Lord is absolutely essential. By doing so, God orchestrates our plans for our good. All things work together for good to those who are called according to His purposes.

In the New Testament, Jesus told his disciples to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, and the blessings of God will be given as well (Matt. 6:33). This profound truth is evident in the lives of those who are holy and committed to God’s plans.

Oftentimes, God tells us that his plans are not our plans. His ways are not out ways, says the Lord in Isaiah 55:8-9. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God’s ways higher than our ways and his thoughts higher than our thoughts.

I think of the story of Esther. She was not certain about how God would intervene in the lives of the Hebrew people. But her willingness to speak the truth to the king and let him know of her Jewishness ultimately saved the Israelites from destruction.

I think of the apostle Paul. He was shipwrecked, beaten with rods, and almost stoned to death for his willingness to spread the gospel throughout Asia and Rome. I can’t imagine, from Paul’s perspective, believing that God was going to find a way for his plans to be established. It just seemed like Paul was being punished in everything he was doing, but the Bible makes it clear that we are to rejoice when we face various trials, knowing the testing of our faith produces perseverance.

When I first became a believer, I would preach the gospel in the open air. I had many people curse and yell in my face, but the Lord had plans. He kept me safe and I continued to preach throughout the Indianapolis area, and when I went to seminary, He gave me the opportunity to share the gospel in Louisville, Kentucky.

In one instance, I remember preaching at a local college. An individual got saved there that day and promised to do what his grandmother had said to him from the very beginning: to become a preacher. That’s what he did. He currently pastors in Louisville, Kentucky to this day. What an amazing testimony to the glory of God.

“The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” (Prov. 16:4)

God is clearly demonstrating his supreme authority over creation. He has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. This means there is nothing that surprises God, and there is a reason for even those who outright reject the Savior–condemnation.

Romans 8:28 emphasizes the same point when it states: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purposes.” However, it doesn’t work towards the good for everyone because the wicked will ultimately suffer the vengeance of almighty God.

I think a more accurate verse that shows God’s supreme nature over the fate of the wicked is Isaiah 45:7. It states, “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.” What a reluctant passage to read out loud. I don’t personally believe that God allows evil in this world, but certainly he is permitting it to occur.

This theme of God’s sovereignty over even the wickedness of man is found throughout scripture. For example, God hardened Pharoah’s heart so that he would continue in his wickedness, constantly chasing Moses and the Israelites to his own demise.

What about King Belshazzar? God had the writing on the wall to remind him of his defeat and ultimate destruction during the fall of Babylon. Daniel 5 recounts this story and demonstrates the King of kings ultimate judgment over His creation.

Another story I am reminded of where God’s sovereignty destroyed the wicked is Sodom and Gomorrah. You recall how Abraham was pleading with God to save the righteous. He continued to ask God if there are just a few righteous, would he spare the city? And God said of course he would. However, over time, it became clear that there was no on righteous in that city, and he completely destroyed it.

Of course, the most notable example in Scripture where God makes everything for a purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble is Judas Iscariot in Matthew 26:14-16. Judas’ betrayal of Jesus was part of God’s plan, even though it involved the wickedness of betrayal. God worked out His plan for salvation through the actions of Judas, leading to the crucifixion, which was ultimately for the redemption of humanity.

It’s important to recognize that God doesn’t will that any of the wicked perish, but all come to repentance and faith. The Bible teaches this in 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Therefore, while considering God’s wrath, we also must highly consider the Lord’s abundant grace.

“Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.” (Prov. 16:5)

The chief antagonist of the biblical narrative is Lucifer. He is known as Satan, the serpent, the devil who was cast out of heaven for his pride (Isa 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:12-19). It’s clear that the Lord hates pride and arrogance, and be assured, just like Satan will be cast into outer darkness, so too will those who worship the god of pride.

James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” I like this contract because the word for humility is humus, which is the ground. Where are humans made from? The dust or ground, which is why we ought to be humble. Pride has no room for the human as we are not God, we are contingent beings, and there is nothing we can boast about.

Another biblical example that happened was the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9). If you recall from this story, the people during that time tried to build a tower to reach to heaven speaking in one language.

They were trying to reach heaven, not with good intentions, but in order to overthrow and become the gods of their own desire. They wanted to be exalted, and yet God confused their language and scattered them, demonstrating how prideful ambitions lead to confusion and judgment.

Do you recalled King Herod’s pride in Acts 12:20-23? He accepted praise from people, proclaiming himself as a god. Consequently, God struck him down dead, showing that pride leads to divine punishment. Therefore, it’s crucial as Christians that we show no sign of arrogance in our interactions with others.