Proverbs
Proverbs 16
KJV
The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.
Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.
When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.
A just weight and balance are the Lord’s: all the weights of the bag are his work.
It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.
Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.
The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.
In the light of the king’s countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.
The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.
The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.
An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.
A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.
He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.
The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
Overview
Proverbs 16 sets human planning under the sovereignty of God, opening and closing with the reminder that people propose but the LORD disposes (verses 1, 9, 33). Between those bookends it weighs the heart and its motives, commends entrusting one's work to God, and warns that pride leads to destruction while humility and righteous speech bring life. The chapter is a cluster of wisdom sayings, not a single argument, so each proverb is a general principle to be held together with the rest of Scripture rather than a guaranteed formula.
Setting and context
Proverbs 16 belongs to the large central collection headed 'The proverbs of Solomon' (Proverbs 10:1), a series of mostly two-line sayings that contrast the wise and the foolish, the righteous and the wicked. This chapter clusters several sayings about the LORD's sovereignty over human plans, the king's just rule, and the ruin that follows pride. As Hebrew wisdom literature, its proverbs state what is generally and characteristically true; they are calibrated observations about how life ordinarily works under God, not unconditional promises for every case.
Themes
God's sovereignty over human plans and outcomes (verses 1, 9, 33) · The LORD weighs motives, not just actions (verses 2, 5) · Pride and its downfall versus humility (verses 18-19) · Righteous speech and just rule
Reflection
Proverbs 16 invites honest planning that is held with an open hand: make your plans, but commit them to God and hold them loosely, since he directs the steps. It also turns a searchlight on pride, the sin most likely to feel like strength while leading to a fall.
Reading notes
Committing works to God means entrusting them to his will and care; the establishing is of purposes shaped by him, not a blank check on our own ambitions (compare James 4:13-15). The verse affirms both: the heart genuinely 'deviseth his way' and God governs the outcome. Proverbs everywhere calls for diligent, responsible planning under God's oversight. Proverbs are general wisdom — reliable observations about how life ordinarily works — not iron guarantees. They are meant to be read alongside the rest of Scripture, including Job and Ecclesiastes.
Key passages
Proverbs 16:3: To 'commit' is to roll one's works onto the LORD, entrusting both the doing and the outcome to him; the promised establishing is of thoughts and plans aligned with his will, not any scheme we choose. Bring your work and plans to God in dependence rather than merely asking him to bless what you have already decided. Proverbs 16:9: Human beings really do plan and choose, yet the LORD's providence governs where those steps actually land; the verse holds genuine responsibility and divine sovereignty together. Plan wisely and diligently, but rest in God's oversight when the path turns out differently than you intended. Proverbs 16:18: Pride is not a harmless flaw but the leading edge of ruin; the haughty spirit that overreaches is already on the way down. Treat self-exalting confidence as a warning sign, not a virtue, and cultivate the humility that Scripture says God honors. Proverbs 16:25: Sincerity and self-confidence are not proof of being right; a path can feel obviously correct and still end in death. Test what 'seems right' against God's revealed wisdom and wise counsel rather than trusting the strength of your own conviction.
Questions readers ask
What is the main message of Proverbs 16? That God is sovereign over human plans. People genuinely think, plan, and choose, but the LORD weighs the heart and directs the steps, so wisdom means planning humbly and entrusting the outcome to him. Does Proverbs 16:3 guarantee my plans will succeed? No. To commit your works to the LORD is to entrust them to his will and care, not to secure success for whatever you have already decided. The plans that are 'established' are those shaped by and surrendered to God. Is 'pride goes before a fall' an accurate quotation? It is a paraphrase. Proverbs 16:18 actually reads, 'Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall,' a fuller warning that names destruction, not merely an awkward stumble. Are the sayings in Proverbs 16 unconditional promises? No. Like the rest of the book, they are general wisdom — reliable descriptions of how life usually works under God — and are meant to be read together with the whole of Scripture rather than as guarantees for every situation.