Proverbs 17:20

Pro 17:20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

Ver. 20. He that hath a froward heart findeth no good.] Who this is that hath a froward heart and a perverse tongue, Solomon shows, {Pro 11:20} viz., the hypocrite, the "double minded man," {Jas 1:8} that hath "a heart and a heart," {Psa 12:2, mart.} one for God, and another for him that would have it, as that desperate Neapolitan boasted of himself. And as he hath two hearts, so two tongues too, {1Ti 3:8} wherewith he can both "bless and curse," talk religiously or profanely, according to the company, {Jas 3:10-11} speak Hebrew and Ashdod, the language of Canaan and the language of hell, like those in an island beyond Arabia, of whom Diodorus Siculus {a} saith, that they have cloven tongues, so that therewith they can alter their speech at their pleasure, and perfectly speak to two persons, and to two purposes, at once. Now how can these monsters of men expect either to find good, or not to fall into mischief? How can they escape the damnation of hell, whereof hypocrites are the chief inhabitants, yea, the freeholders, as it were? for other sinners shall have "their part" {μερος, Mat 24:51} with the devil and hypocrites.

{a} Antiq., lib. iii.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CRITICAL NOTES.—

Pro_17:20. A froward heart, rather a false heart.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

Note, 1. Framing ill designs will be of no advantage to us; there is nothing got by them: He that has a froward heart, that sows discord and is full of resentment, cannot promise himself to get by it sufficient to counterbalance the loss of his repose and reputation, nor can he take any rational satisfaction in it; he finds no good. 2. Giving ill language will be a great disadvantage to us: He that has a perverse tongue, spiteful and abusive, scurrilous or backbiting, falls into one mischief or other, loses his friends, provokes his enemies, and pulls trouble upon his own head. Many a one has paid dearly for an unbridled tongue.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The second clause advances on the first. The ill-natured fail of good, and the cavilling and fault-finding incur evil.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(20) He that hath a froward heart, findeth no good.—For he is an abomination to God (Pro_11:20), and so gains no blessing from Him.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He that hath a froward heart findeth no good,.... Who is of a perverse spirit, meditates and devises evil things; is not ingenuous and sincere, but false and deceitful to God and men: such an one gets no good from either; he obtains not the favour of God, nor a good name, credit, and reputation among men;

and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief; or "that turns himself", or "is turned in his tongue" (w); whose tongue is changeable, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions; who sometimes says one thing, and sometimes another, and is not consistent with himself; as well as is contrary to all men: sooner or later he falls into mischief, into a pit, which he himself has dug for others; see Jam 3:6.

(w) "qui verterit se", Pagninus; "et verteus se in lingua sua", Montanus; "qui vertitur in lingua sua". Mercerus, Gejerus.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He that hath a froward heart, whose heart is not plain and upright, but false towards God or men,

findeth no good; shall not get that advantage by his dissimulation which he intends and expects, but shall fall into mischief, as is implied from the opposite clause.

He that hath a perverse tongue; that speaks deceitfully or wickedly. So here is a comparison between an evil heart and an evil tongue, and, the ill effects of both of them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

20. A froward heart — A perverse, crooked disposition, which hinders his finding good.

A perverse tongue — Literally, he whose tongue is turned; hence an untruthful tongue.

Falleth into mischief — Trouble. Truly such a tongue is “an unruly member.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He that hath a froward heart findeth no good. (For "froward," see on Pro_11:20; for "find good," on Pro_16:20) The perverse, wilful man shall not prosper, shall win no blessing in his worldly matters, much less in spiritual things. Septuagint, "He who is hard of heart meeteth not with good things." He that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief; literally, he who turns himself about with his tongue, saying one thing at one time and something quite contrary at another. Vulgate, qui vertit linguam; Septuagint, anhbolov glwssh , "easily changed in tongue". (comp. Pro_8:13 Pro_10:31, where the word is different) "Mischief" (ra) "is trouble," "calamity," as in Pro_13:17. Speaking of the various aspects which words may assume, Cato ("Dist.," 4:20) says"Sermo hominum mores et celat et indicat idem." "Man"s words his character reveal, But often they his mind conceal?

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

No good - Shall not get that advantage which he expects.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The history of God’s ancient people is a picture of frowardness with all its barren results. Let their long-suffering God do what he would to them and for them, they found no satisfying good. (Psa 78:1-72 .) Self-will, even in its fullest indulgence, instead of bringing the desired good, always ends in disappointment; and, when the perverse tongue breaks out, in frightful mischief.†1 The best of us are too often governed by this waywardness. Even when we seek to walk with God, how does the froward heart struggle to walk by its own inclination! The good Lord give us a mortified spirit, to restrain us from the guidance of our corrupt fancies! Many an erratic course in the Church we trace to some unhappy bias, not disciplined by the Divine Spirit, not molded to reverential faith. Most graciously therefore does our God assert his own right to supremacy; promising us — not freedom from restraint, but a yoke (Mat 11:29 ), a binding law, a strict obligation, and — above all — the heart to love and obey.†2 Here is now self-control and stability; not impulse and feeling, but fixed and steady principle. Shall not we then cry with filial simplicity — ’Not my will, O Lord. Let me have anything but my own way. Leave me not to my perverse heart.’ In proportion as the froward heart is thus subdued, the perverse tongue is bridled; and we have the "perfect man" in Christian consistency, humility, and love.

Footnotes:

†1 Pro 11:20; Pro 18:6-7 . Num 16:1-50 . Act 13:8-11 .

†2 Jer 31:33. Eze 36:26-27 .

Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

v. 20. He that hath a froward heart, one that is crooked and malicious, findeth no good, will never prosper; and he that hath a perverse tongue, a wayward tongue, one which is not consistent, but winds and twists to suit the occasion, falleth into mischief, plunging himself into a well-deserved punishment.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.