Bird's-eye view
In this brief but potent passage, Solomon moves from general instruction to the personal heart of the matter. These two verses are a father's heartfelt response to the central purpose of the entire book of Proverbs: the successful impartation of wisdom to his son. The passage reveals a profound connection between a child's internal state and a parent's joy. It is not the son's worldly success or material accomplishments that make the father's heart glad, but rather the state of his son's heart. When wisdom takes root there, the father rejoices. This internal reality then finds its necessary expression in the son's speech. The father's joy is compounded, moving from gladness of heart to exultation in his inmost being, when the son's lips speak what is right. This is covenantal succession in its most beautiful form, a picture of generational faithfulness where godly wisdom is passed down and genuinely embraced.
Outline
- 1. The Father's Internal Joy (v. 15)
- a. The Condition: A Son's Wise Heart
- b. The Result: The Father's Own Heart Glad
- 2. The Father's Expressed Exultation (v. 16)
- a. The Evidence: A Son's Upright Speech
- b. The Result: The Father's Inmost Being Rejoices
Context In Proverbs
Throughout the book of Proverbs, the primary mode of address is that of a father speaking to his son. The book is a curriculum for life, designed to instill the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. After numerous warnings against folly, the adulteress, drunkenness, and laziness, and after many exhortations to pursue wisdom, we have here a tender and personal interlude. This is not abstract instruction; it is relational. The father is invested. His own emotional and spiritual state is bound up with that of his son. This passage reveals the payoff, the great reward for both the father who teaches faithfully and the son who receives that instruction. It stands in stark contrast to the many proverbs that describe the grief and shame a foolish child brings to his parents (Prov. 10:1; 17:25). This is the other side of that coin, the deep, abiding gladness that comes from seeing your child walk in truth.
Clause-by-Clause Commentary
v. 15 My son, if your heart is wise, My own heart also will be glad;
My son, if your heart is wise - The address is direct and affectionate: "My son." This is the language of covenant and relationship. The condition laid out is not "if you get good grades," or "if you make the varsity team," or "if you land a good job." The condition is singular and foundational: "if your heart is wise." Wisdom in Proverbs is never merely intellectual; it is a moral and spiritual orientation. It begins with the fear of the Lord (Prov. 9:10). A wise heart is a heart that is rightly related to God, one that understands His world and seeks to live according to the grain of His created reality. The heart is the wellspring of life (Prov. 4:23), the center of a man's being. The father is concerned with the root, not just the fruit.
My own heart also will be glad - Here is the consequence. The father's joy is not detached or superficial. It is a deep, internal gladness of the heart. There is a profound sympathy between the heart of the father and the heart of the son. This is not a selfish joy, as though the son were a mere extension of the father's ego. Rather, it is the joy of seeing someone you love embrace what is good, true, and beautiful. It is the joy of a successful discipleship. Parents are called to bring their children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4), and there is no greater joy for a Christian parent than to see that instruction take root and blossom into genuine, heartfelt wisdom. This is a righteous gladness, a participation in the joy of God Himself, who delights in the wisdom of His children.
v. 16 And my inmost being will exult When your lips speak upright things.
And my inmost being will exult - The language here intensifies. The word for "inmost being" is literally "my kidneys," which the Hebrews, along with the heart, regarded as the seat of the deepest emotions and conscience. The father's reaction moves from gladness to exultation, a triumphant joy. This is not just a smile, but a deep, visceral rejoicing. It is the kind of joy that makes you want to leap. The father is not a stoic observer of his son's development; he is passionately invested. His very reins rejoice.
When your lips speak upright things - What causes this exultation? It is the external evidence of the internal reality described in the previous verse. A wise heart will inevitably produce upright speech. As Jesus taught, "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matt. 12:34). "Upright things" refers to speech that is true, just, straight, and honest. It is the opposite of the perverse or crooked speech of the fool. When the father hears his son speaking truth, defending the good, giving wise counsel, and praising God, he knows that the wisdom in his heart is genuine. The words are the proof. This is the joy of seeing the invisible grace in the heart become audible and visible in the world. It is the confirmation that the covenant promises are being embraced and lived out by the next generation.
Application
The primary application here is for parents. What is it that will make your heart truly glad? Our culture tempts us to rejoice in our children's academic achievements, athletic prowess, or future earning potential. These things are not evil in themselves, but this proverb calls us to a much higher and deeper standard of joy. Our ultimate gladness should be tethered to the state of our children's hearts. Do they fear God? Do they love wisdom? This is the one thing necessary. We should pray for it, teach toward it, and model it. Our central task is not to raise successful children, but to raise wise children.
For children and young people, the application is to recognize the profound impact your life has on your parents. Your choices are not made in a vacuum. To pursue folly is not only to harm yourself, but to bring deep grief to those who love you most. To pursue wisdom, to cultivate a heart that fears the Lord, is to give your parents one of the greatest gifts you possibly can: a glad heart and an exultant spirit. This is a central part of honoring your father and mother.
Ultimately, the perfect fulfillment of this proverb is found in the relationship between God the Father and His only Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the truly wise Son, whose heart was perfectly aligned with the Father's will. His lips always spoke upright things. And the Father's response was the ultimate exultation: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17). Through our union with Christ, we are adopted as sons, and God the Father rejoices over us with gladness and exults over us with loud singing when, by His Spirit, our hearts are made wise and our lips learn to speak what is right.