Proverbs 4:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

NIV: She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.'

NASB: She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty.'

CSB: She will place a garland of favor on your head; she will give you a crown of beauty."

NLT: She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.'

KJV: She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

NKJV: She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”

David continued his advice to Solomon (Proverbs 4:3) by promising that wisdom gives an attractive life to those who embrace it. Wisdom also extends life. The beautiful crown mentioned in this verse likely describes gray hair or age. Proverbs 16:31 says, "Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life." Although longevity is not guaranteed to Christians, applying wisdom to daily life can keep a believer from making injurious decisions. It also produces a life to be admired, even among those who reject God (Matthew 5:16).

For example, a wise Christian will say "no" when enticed by the wicked to sin. He will guard his health because he dedicates his body to God (Romans 12:1) and knows it is the temple of the Holy Spirit and wants to use it to glorify God (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). The apostle Paul recognized that his body belonged to God, and he wanted to use it well to run the Christian race. He declared in 1 Corinthians 9:26–27: "So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."

Proverbs 4:1–9 looks back on Solomon's childhood and the wise instruction he received from his father David. He rehearses that instruction and passes it along to his young students. Echoing David, Solomon credits wisdom with the power to protect, honor, and grace the life of whoever acquires it. ''Wisdom,'' used in these passages, means the ability to act according to godly knowledge.

Common for the first nine chapters of Proverbs, Solomon urges his sons—possibly also other students—to listen to his words. He recalls his early years, when he heard some of these words from his father, David. Wisdom is upheld as the most beneficial thing a person can acquire in life. It brings honor and safety. In contrast, the wicked are perpetual wrongdoers whose goal is to lead others astray. They live for wickedness and violence, and they stumble in the darkness. Solomon urges his sons not to deviate from the path of godly wisdom, either ''to the right or to the left.''

The first nine chapters of the book of Proverbs focus on extolling the value of godly wisdom. In this chapter King Solomon continues to pass along this message to his son. His advice to his sons—possibly also meaning his students—in chapter 4 is similar to what he says in Proverbs 1:8–9; 2:1–6; 3:1–2, 21–26; 5:1–2; 6:20–22; 7:1–3, 24; and 8:22–36. The words of this chapter are partly taken from advice Solomon recalls hearing from his own father, David.

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.