Contentment

How Nave’s arranged it

• General scriptures concerningPsalms 16:6Psalms 37:7Psalms 37:16Proverbs 14:10Proverbs 14:14Proverbs 15:13Proverbs 15:15Proverbs 15:30Proverbs 16:8Proverbs 17:1Proverbs 17:22Proverbs 30:8Ecclesiastes 2:24Ecclesiastes 3:12Ecclesiastes 3:13Ecclesiastes 4:6Ecclesiastes 5:12Ecclesiastes 6:7–9Ecclesiastes 8:15Ecclesiastes 9:7–9
• See Affliction, Resignation in
• See Resignation
• INSTANCES OF
• Esau, in refusing Jacob's presentGenesis 33:9
• Barzillai, in refusing to go with David to Jerusalem2 Samuel 19:33–37
• The Shunammite, in refusing to make a request of Elisha2 Kings 4:13

The passages, in Bible order (33)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 33:9

   “I already have plenty, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what belongs to you.”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 33:91 voice

   “And Esau said, I have enough, my brother,.... Or "I have much" (o), and stand in no need of this present, or have much more than thou hast: keep that thou hast unto thyself; for the use of himself and family, which is large; in this Esau showed himself not only not a covetous man, but that he was truly reconciled to his brother, and needed not anything from him, to make up the difference between them. (o) יש לי רב "est mihi multum", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; "plurima", V. L. "quamplurima", Vatablus.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 33:9→

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2. 2 Samuel 19:33–37

   The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will provide for you at my side in Jerusalem.”

   Verse page →Original language →

3. 2 Kings 4:13

   and Elisha said to Gehazi, “Now tell her, ‘Look, you have gone to all this trouble for us. What can we do for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’” “I have a home among my own people,” she replied.

   ›Commentary on 2 Kings 4:131 voice

   “Thou hast been careful for us - For the prophet and his servant, who must have been lodged as well as his master. I dwell among mine own people - The woman declines Elisha’s offer. She has no wrong to complain of, no quarrel with any neighbor, in respect of which she might need the help of one in power. She “dwells among her own people” - her friends, and dependents, with whom she lives peaceably.

   Everything gathered on 2 Kings 4:13→

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4. Psalms 16:6

   The lines of my boundary have fallen in pleasant places; surely my inheritance is delightful.

   ›Commentary on Psalms 16:62 voices

   Jesus found the way of obedience to lead into "pleasant places." Notwithstanding all the sorrows which marred his countenance, he exclaimed, "Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart."

   “God is the chief good, and supplies all need (De 10:9). portion of mine inheritance and of my cup--may contain an allusion to the daily supply of food, and also to the inheritance of Levi (De 18:1, 2). maintainest--or, drawest out my lot--enlargest it.

   Everything gathered on Psalms 16:6→

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5. Psalms 37:7

   Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes.

   ›Commentary on Psalms 37:71 voice

   “(Verse 7.) Be subject to the Lord and beseech Him. Not only should you be subject to God, but also beseech the Lord, so that you can fulfill your desire for submission, as it also says above: Reveal your way to the Lord and hope in Him. It is not only fitting to reveal your way; but also to hope in the Lord. However, submission should not be abject, lowly, but glorious and exalted; for he is subject to God who does the will of the Lord.

   Everything gathered on Psalms 37:7→

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6. Psalms 37:16

   Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many who are wicked.

   ›Commentary on Psalms 37:162 voices

   “A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. This is a fine proverb. The little of one good man is contrasted with the riches of many wicked, and so the expression is rendered the more forcible. There is more happiness in the godly dinner of herbs than in the stalled ox of profane rioters.

   “(Vers. 16.) It is better to be a little just, than to have many riches from the sins of the wicked. Therefore, riches are not condemned, but the riches of sinners; unless perhaps because a sinner said: All these things have been delivered to me, and I give them to whomever I wish (Luke 4:6). Furthermore, since riches inflame the torch of greed more, and each person desires greater things, they do not turn away from the paths of sin. Hence, the Savior said: Make friends for yourselves with the mammon of wickedness (Luke 16:9).

   Everything gathered on Psalms 37:16→

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7. Proverbs 14:10

   The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares in its joy.

   ›Commentary on Proverbs 14:101 voice

   “The heart knoweth his own bitterness,.... Or "the bitterness of his soul" (l), the distress of his conscience, the anguish of his mind; the heart of man only knows the whole of it; something of it may be known to others by his looks, his words, and gestures, but not all of it; see 1Co 2:10; bitterness of soul often arises from outward troubles, pains, and diseases of body, losses, crosses, and disappointments, 1Sa 1:

   Everything gathered on Proverbs 14:10→

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8. Proverbs 14:14

   The backslider in heart receives the fill of his own ways, but a good man is rewarded for his ways.

   ›Commentary on Proverbs 14:141 voice

   “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways - 1. Who is the backslider? סוג sug. 1. The man who once walked in the ways of religion, but has withdrawn from them. 2. The man who once fought manfully against the world, the devil, and the flesh; but has retreated from the battle, or joined the enemy. 3. The man who once belonged to the congregation of the saints, but is now removed from them, and is set down in the synagogue of Satan. 2. But who is the backslider in Heart?

   Everything gathered on Proverbs 14:14→

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9. Proverbs 15:13

   A joyful heart makes a cheerful countenance, but sorrow of the heart crushes the spirit.

   ›Commentary on Proverbs 15:131 voice

   “By sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken - Every kind of sorrow worketh death, but that which is the offspring of true repentance. This alone is healthful to the soul. The indulgence of a disposition to sighing tends to destroy life. Every deep sigh throws off a portion of the vital energy.

   Everything gathered on Proverbs 15:13→

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10. Proverbs 15:15

    All the days of the oppressed are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

    ›Commentary on Proverbs 15:152 voices

    “All the days of the afflicted are evil,.... And some are afflicted all their days, from their youth up; so that not only the days of old age are evil days, in which they have no pleasure, but even the days of their youth; all their days, as Jacob says, "few and evil have the days of the years of my life been", Gen 47:9; because they had been filled up with affliction and trouble of one sort or another.

    “Afflicted - The affliction meant here is less that of outward circumstances than of a troubled and downcast spirit. Life to the cheerful is as one perpetual banquet, whether he be poor or rich. That which disturbs the feast is anxiety, the taking (anxious) thought” of Mat 6:34.

    Everything gathered on Proverbs 15:15→

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11. Proverbs 15:30

    The light of the eyes cheers the heart, and good news nourishes the bones.

    ›Commentary on Proverbs 15:302 voices

    “53:1), maketh . . . fat--or, "gives prosperity" (Pr 3:13-17; The last clause is illustrated by the first. (Compare Pr 10:17). reproof of life--which leads to life. abideth . . . wise--is numbered among them.

    “The light of the eyes rejoices the soul, etc. It rightly delights the human mind, when it recognizes, by the Lord's revelation, that it has perceived the light of heavenly mysteries. Which another translation more clearly says, The eye seeing good things delights the heart, …

    Everything gathered on Proverbs 15:30→

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12. Proverbs 16:8

    Better a little with righteousness than great gain with injustice.

    ›Commentary on Proverbs 16:81 voice

    “Better is a little with righteousness, etc. And the Lord says, Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God (Matthew V). And again, Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation (Luke VI). It can also be understood …

    Everything gathered on Proverbs 16:8→

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13. Proverbs 17:1

    Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.

    ›Commentary on Proverbs 17:11 voice

    “Sacrifices - The feast accompanied the offerings Pro 7:14. Part of the victims were burned upon the altar, the rest was consumed by the worshipper and his friends. The “house full of sacrifices” was therefore one abounding in sumptuous feasts.

    Everything gathered on Proverbs 17:1→

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14. Proverbs 17:22

    A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

    ›Commentary on Proverbs 17:222 voices

    “The effect of the mind on the body is well known. medicine--or, "body," which better corresponds with "bone." drieth--as if the marrow were exhausted.

    “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine - Instead of גהה gehah, a medicine, it appears that the Chaldee and Syriac had read in their copies גוה gevah, the body, as they translate in this way. This makes the apposition here more complete: “A merry heart doeth good to the body; but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Nothing has such a direct tendency to ruin health and waste out life as grief, anxiety, fretfulness, bad tempers, etc. All these work death.

    Everything gathered on Proverbs 17:22→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Proverbs 30:8

    Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.

    ›Commentary on Proverbs 30:82 voices

    “Therefore, pay attention to yourself, poor man, pay attention, wealthy man; because there are trials in both poverty and riches. And therefore the Wise Man says: Do not give me riches or poverty, give me only what is sufficient for me. Because riches, like feasts, stretch the stomach and the mind with worries and anxieties. And therefore he asks to be established with what is necessary and sufficient: Lest, he says, being filled, I become a liar and say: Who sees me? But if I become poor, I will commit theft and swear in the name of the Lord (Ibid.).

    “Remove far from me vanity and lies - 1. שוא shav, all false shows, all false appearances of happiness, every vain expectation. Let me not set my heart on any thing that is not solid, true, durable, and eternal. 2. Lies, דבר כזב debar cazab, all words of deception, empty pretensions, false promises, uncertain dependences, and words that Fail; promises which, when they become due, are like bad bills; they are dishonored because they are found to be forged, or the drawer insolvent.

    Everything gathered on Proverbs 30:8→

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16. Ecclesiastes 2:24

    Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.

    ›Commentary on Ecclesiastes 2:242 voices

    “English Version gives a seemingly Epicurean sense, contrary to the general scope. The Hebrew, literally is, "It is not good for man that he should eat," &c., "and should make his soul see good" (or "show his soul, that is, himself, happy"), &c. [WEISS].

    “Is it not good for man that he eats and drinks and shows his soul satisfaction in his labour? And even that, I perceived, is from the hand of God. For who should eat and who should make haste except me? To the man who pleases Him He has given wisdom, knowledge and joy; but to the sinner He has given the urge to gather and amass - that he may hand it on to one who is pleasing to God. That, too, is vanity and a vexation of the spirit.

    Everything gathered on Ecclesiastes 2:24→

    Verse page →Original language →