CHAPTER 21 Apr. 11 
God Know All about Us
The king’s heart is in Yahweh’s hand like the watercourses; He turns it wherever He desires. 2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but Yahweh weighs the hearts. 3To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to Yahweh than sacrifice. 4A high look and a proud heart are the lamp of the wicked, and are sin. 5The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit; and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty. 6Getting wealth by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapour for those who seek death. 7The violence of the wicked will drive them away, because they refuse to do what is right. 8The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

Don’t Live Just for Today
9It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than to share a house with a contentious woman. 10The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbour finds no mercy in his eyes. 11When the mocker is punished, the simple gains wisdom. When the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge. 12The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked, and brings the wicked to ruin. 13Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he will also cry out, but shall not be heard. 14A gift in secret pacifies anger; and a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath. 15It is joy to the righteous to do justice; but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity. 16The man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall remain in the assembly of the dead. 17He who loves pleasure shall be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil shall not be rich. 18The wicked is a ransom for the righteous; the treacherous for the upright. 19It is better to dwell in a desert land, than with a contentious and fretful woman. 20There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man swallows it up. 21He who follows after righteousness and kindness finds life, righteousness, and honour. 22A wise man scales the city of the mighty, and brings down the strength of its confidence. 23Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles. 24The proud and haughty man, scoffer is his name; he works in the arrogance of pride. 25The desire of the lazy kills him, for his hands refuse to labour. 26There are those who covet greedily all day long; but the righteous give and don’t withhold. 27The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination: how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind! 28A false witness will perish, but a man who listens speaks consistently. 29A wicked man hardens his face; but as for the upright, he establishes his ways. 30There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Yahweh. 31The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but victory is with Yahweh. 

Commentary

21:2 He turns it wherever He desires- See on 16:1.
21:4 The wicked see life within the light of their own pride; everything becomes subjected to their need to present themselves well.
21:13 We will all cry out for mercy and grace at the day of judgment. The mean may appear prosperous in this life, but we should live ever aware that we are spiritually poor, through our own bad decisions just as the poor are often poor because of their own weaknesses and poor decision making; and we will cry out to God for His mercy at the last day. We therefore ought to be responsive to the cries of the poor today.
21:16 Remain in the assembly of the dead- The punishment for the wicked, including those who once walked with God, is eternal death, and not eternal conscious torment.
21:19 Solomon often interjects some comment about the misery of living with an unspiritual woman, apparently out of context with what he is writing about (:9 also). Although he was inspired in his writing, this may reflect how always weighing on his mind was the fact that his 1000 wives and concubines never brought him happiness but only a desire for isolationism from everybody (1 Kings 11:3); and he therefore keeps on making this kind of comment. Intimacy between persons can only be achieved God’s way, which is through lifelong stable relationships bound together by Him (Mt. 19:6).