Proverbs 16
Old Testament · Wisdom · King James Version
Proverbs 16 sets human planning under the sovereignty of God, opening and closing with the reminder that people propose but the LORD disposes (verses 1, 9, 33). Between those bookends it weighs the heart and its motives, commends entrusting one's work to God, and warns that pride leads to destruction while humility and righteous speech bring life. The chapter is a cluster of wisdom sayings, not a single argument, so each proverb is a general principle to be held together with the rest of Scripture rather than a guaranteed formula.
The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.
Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.
When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.
A just weight and balance are the Lord’s: all the weights of the bag are his work.
It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.
Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.
The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.
In the light of the king’s countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.
The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.
The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.
An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.
A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.
He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.
The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
Context
Proverbs 16 belongs to the large central collection headed 'The proverbs of Solomon' (Proverbs 10:1), a series of mostly two-line sayings that contrast the wise and the foolish, the righteous and the wicked. This chapter clusters several sayings about the LORD's sovereignty over human plans, the king's just rule, and the ruin that follows pride. As Hebrew wisdom literature, its proverbs state what is generally and characteristically true; they are calibrated observations about how life ordinarily works under God, not unconditional promises for every case.
Themes & application
- God's sovereignty over human plans and outcomes (verses 1, 9, 33)
- The LORD weighs motives, not just actions (verses 2, 5)
- Pride and its downfall versus humility (verses 18-19)
- Righteous speech and just rule
Proverbs 16 invites honest planning that is held with an open hand: make your plans, but commit them to God and hold them loosely, since he directs the steps. It also turns a searchlight on pride, the sin most likely to feel like strength while leading to a fall.
Key verses
“Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.”
To 'commit' is to roll one's works onto the LORD, entrusting both the doing and the outcome to him; the promised establishing is of thoughts and plans aligned with his will, not any scheme we choose.
Application: Bring your work and plans to God in dependence rather than merely asking him to bless what you have already decided.
Commonly misread: Read as a guarantee that any goal will succeed if you simply 'commit' it to God.
“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.”
Human beings really do plan and choose, yet the LORD's providence governs where those steps actually land; the verse holds genuine responsibility and divine sovereignty together.
Application: Plan wisely and diligently, but rest in God's oversight when the path turns out differently than you intended.
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
Pride is not a harmless flaw but the leading edge of ruin; the haughty spirit that overreaches is already on the way down.
Application: Treat self-exalting confidence as a warning sign, not a virtue, and cultivate the humility that Scripture says God honors.
Commonly misread: Quoted as 'pride comes before a fall,' softening a two-part saying that names destruction, not just an embarrassing stumble.
“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
Sincerity and self-confidence are not proof of being right; a path can feel obviously correct and still end in death.
Application: Test what 'seems right' against God's revealed wisdom and wise counsel rather than trusting the strength of your own conviction.
Verse notes
- v2 — 'All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits' — the chapter grounds its warnings in God's reading of hidden motives.
- v33 — 'The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord' closes the chapter by returning to divine sovereignty, even over what looks like chance.
Common misreadings of Proverbs 16
Misreading: Proverbs 16:3 promises that any plan will succeed if you 'commit' it to the LORD.
In context: Committing works to God means entrusting them to his will and care; the establishing is of purposes shaped by him, not a blank check on our own ambitions (compare James 4:13-15).
Misreading: Because the LORD directs the steps (verse 9), human planning and responsibility do not matter.
In context: The verse affirms both: the heart genuinely 'deviseth his way' and God governs the outcome. Proverbs everywhere calls for diligent, responsible planning under God's oversight.
Misreading: These sayings are unconditional promises, so a proverb must hold true in every case.
In context: Proverbs are general wisdom — reliable observations about how life ordinarily works — not iron guarantees. They are meant to be read alongside the rest of Scripture, including Job and Ecclesiastes.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 19:21 — 'There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand' restates the theme of verses 1 and 9.
- James 4:13-15 — 'If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that' is the New Testament posture toward planning that Proverbs 16 commends.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 — Trusting the LORD rather than leaning on one's own understanding parallels committing works to him in verse 3.
- 1 Peter 5:5 — 'God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble' echoes the warning of verses 18-19.
- Luke 14:11 — 'Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted' restates the pride-and-fall principle.
Frequently asked questions about Proverbs 16
What is the main message of Proverbs 16?
Does Proverbs 16:3 guarantee my plans will succeed?
Is 'pride goes before a fall' an accurate quotation?
Are the sayings in Proverbs 16 unconditional promises?
Sources & editorial notes
- Translation
- Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), which is in the public domain.
- Authorship
- Proverbs 16 sits within the collection titled 'The proverbs of Solomon' (Proverbs 10:1); the book as a whole is associated with Solomon and also gathers other wisdom collections (for example Proverbs 25:1, copied out by 'the men of Hezekiah'). The genre is Hebrew wisdom literature, whose sayings state what is generally true rather than issue unconditional promises.
- Editorial process
- This chapter overview was written by The Lord Will Editorial Team and reviewed by Ugo Candido. It is a devotional and educational summary that draws on the plain text of the passage and widely held, mainstream Christian understanding; it is not peer-reviewed academic scholarship and makes no claim to specialist credentials.
References
- The Holy Bible, King James Version (1611), public domain. — The translation basis for every quotation on this page (KJV, public domain).
- Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710), on Proverbs 16 — public domain. — Reading the chapter as a cluster of sayings on God's sovereignty over human plans and the ruin that follows pride.
- Proverbs 10:1 and 25:1 (KJV). — The Solomonic collection and the wisdom-literature genre described in the authorship note.
- James 4:13-15 (KJV). — The New Testament framing of planning 'if the Lord will,' which guards against misreading verses 3 and 9 as a success formula.
Author: The Lord Will Editorial Team · Reviewed by: Ugo Candido · Updated: 2026-07-05