This is among the more often-quoted verses of the entire Bible. Solomon offers sound advice for life. Human understanding is always subject to error. What appears to be the right choice may be the wrong choice. But the Lord sees the big picture and He always knows what is best for us. The point here is not to be mindless or naïve. Rather, we need to recognize our own limitations. Just because we're in over our heads does not mean God is no longer in control. The following verses add insights to this instruction (Proverbs 3:6–12).

Abraham could not see how everything would work out for the best when the Lord commanded him to slay his son Isaac on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:1–2), but he trusted in the Lord with all his heart. The Lord had promised Abraham that He would establish His covenant with Isaac and his descendants (Genesis 17:19), so Abraham believed that, if necessary, the Lord would raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17–19). At Mount Moriah, Abraham tied Isaac to an altar and raised a knife to plunge into Isaac's chest, when the Lord intervened and substituted a ram for Isaac (Genesis 22:9–14). The Lord did not disappoint Abraham's wholehearted trust, nor will He disappoint us if we trust Him with all our heart. Our understanding may need time to catch up with His will, but in the end we'll see how He is always working for good.

Proverbs 3:1–12 is an exhortation from Solomon to his son, urging him to heed his teaching and trust wholeheartedly in the Lord. He cites some of the valuable results of obedience and trust. This section builds on the counsel Solomon gave in Proverbs 2. The following section describes the blessings that come to those who find wisdom and understanding.

This chapter of Proverbs is addressed to Solomon's son. The term, ''my son'' occurs 15 times in chapters 1—7. The words may apply to one of Solomon's students in his court or to one of his biological sons. The application of wisdom in Proverbs 3 shows the benefits of trusting in the Lord with one's whole heart. Solomon credits obedience to and trust in God for longevity, success, guidance, health, reward that exceeds monetary wealth, enjoyment, peace, security, confidence, excellent human relationships, the Lord's blessing and favor, and honor. As with all ''proverbs,'' biblical or otherwise, their purpose is to impart general wisdom, not absolute prophecy. Like the original audience, modern readers are not expected to see these guidelines as absolute guarantees for any one person.

This passage lies in the second section of the book, found in chapters 1—9. The author, King Solomon, reigned over Israel from 971 to 931 BC. The first section of Proverbs, the preface, is found in Proverbs 1:1–7. The third section, chapters 10—22, were also written by Solomon. These proverbs were likely written by Solomon in his middle years, whereas he probably wrote Song of Songs in his early adulthood, and Ecclesiastes near the end of his life. As in the first two chapters, wisdom is stressed in Proverbs 3.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.

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