Thy Strong Word — Proverbs 13:1-12: Discipline, Speech, and Contentment

In these proverbs, Solomon offers wisdom on the themes of discipline, communication, and contentment. It teaches that a wise son listens to his father’s instruction, whereas a mocker does not respond to rebukes. The passage emphasizes the importance of careful speech and integrity, suggesting that those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. Additionally, it discusses the contrast between the desires of the diligent, which are fully satisfied, and the cravings of the wicked, which go unfulfilled.

Rev. David Bass, pastor of St. Michael Lutheran Church and School in Ft. Meyers, FL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Proverbs 13:1-12

Step into the spiritually rich landscape of the Book of Proverbs, a text divinely inspired and attributed to Solomon, the sage king endowed by God with unsurpassed wisdom. This ancient scripture begins with heartfelt lessons from a father to a son, laying a foundation of moral and ethical guidance before unfolding into a collection of timeless proverbs. It uniquely personifies wisdom and folly as two paths that stand before humanity, offering a choice between a life filled with virtue, fear of the Lord, and understanding, and one marred by shortsighted pleasures and foolishness. Proverbs serves as a compass for those seeking to walk in righteousness, offering insights that resonate deeply with the human experience, guiding us toward a life of purpose and discernment according to God’s will.

Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

Thy Strong Word is graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Through the mission gifts of people like you, LHF translates, publishes, distributes and introduces books that are Bible-based, Christ-centered and Reformation-driven. Learn more at lhfmissions.org.

Proverbs 13:1-12

13 A wise son hears his father’s instruction,
    but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
²From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good,
    but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.
³Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
    he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
⁴The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
    while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
⁵The righteous hates falsehood,
    but the wicked brings shame^[a] and disgrace.
⁶Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless,
    but sin overthrows the wicked.
⁷One pretends to be rich,^[b] yet has nothing;
    another pretends to be poor,^[c] yet has great wealth.
⁸The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
    but a poor man hears no threat.
⁹The light of the righteous rejoices,
    but the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
¹⁰By insolence comes nothing but strife,
    but with those who take advice is wisdom.
¹¹Wealth gained hastily^[d] will dwindle,
    but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
¹²Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

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Footnotes

Proverbs 13:5 Or stench
Proverbs 13:7 Or One makes himself rich
Proverbs 13:7 Or another makes himself poor
Proverbs 13:11 Or by fraud

Rev. Dr. Phil Booe

Native North Carolinian Rev. Dr. Phil Booe serves pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, and host of Thy Strong Word on KFUO Radio. His parishioners probably think he can’t teach Bible study without a mug of coffee in his hand, and he’ll always be happy to eat a plate of sushi. When he’s not shepherding his flock or teaching on the radio, you might find him watching bad movies from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and especially binging RiffTrax and MST3K episodes. Some day he’d love to travel to the Lutheran homeland in Germany, but for now he spends time in Minnesota with his wife, son, daughter, and cat, and looks forward to Holy Week every year.