Proverbs Categorized

This week, Lord willing, I will finish a preaching series on the Book of Proverbs. It has taken 58 weeks to sufficiently cover what I believe is the heart of the Book of Proverbs. Chapters 1-9 and the last 3 chapters were preached exegetically and verse-by-verse. The majority of Proverbs though does not lend itself to verse-by-verse preaching as the congregation would be in a loop of hearing the same topical sermon over and over a few weeks apart. For example, about 25 verses of Proverbs teach on sloth; could you imagine hearing 25 weeks of preaching on sloth in the course of a preaching series?

For chapters 10-28, that which is topical in the book, I made an extensive list of topics dealt with in the Proverbs. I scoured commentaries and material on Proverbs and compared their lists--many of which are incomplete. I read and re-read Proverbs scribbling down its content topic-by-topic. I did not find a list that I thought was complete and most (many? several?) Proverbs commentaries leave out huge portions of the book. Completing my list, I set out to preach each of the themes that I found in the Book of Proverbs. It was not an easy task, especially for a preacher that does not preach a lot of topical sermons.

Recently--and well after my work of preparation and preaching chapters 10-28 was complete--I stumbled across a similar list of topics and texts that was compiled by the Puritan Matthew Henry. Full disclosure: if I had found this list before preaching my series on Proverbs I would have merely appropriated his list, but alas, life is harder than that, isn't it? Road less traveled and all that.

Henry's list is a treasure--and a hidden treasure for many, as it is buried in the middle of his six volume commentary! After un-digging and dusting off, I share it here with you for your spiritual pleasure and godly meditations.

Enjoy.

Of the comfort, or grief, parents have in their children, according as they are wise or foolish, godly or ungodly: ch. 10:1; 15:20; 17:21, 25; 19:13, 26; 23:15, 16, 24, 25; 27:11; 29:3.

Of the world's insufficiency, and religion's sufficiency, to make us happy: ch. 10:2, 3; 11:4.

The preference to be therefore given to the gains of virtue above those of this world: ch. 15:16, 17; 16:8, 16; 17:1; 19:1; 28:6, 11.

Of slothfulness and diligence: ch. 10:4, 26; 12:11, 24, 27; 13:4, 23; 15:19; 16:26; 18:9; 19:15, 24; 20:4, 13; 21:5, 25, 26; 22:13, 29; 24:30-34; 26:13-16; 27:18, 23, 27; 28:19.

Particularly the improving or neglecting opportunities: ch. 6:6; 10:5.

The happiness of the righteous, and the misery of the wicked: ch. 10:6, 9, 16, 24, 25, 27-30; 11:3, 5-8, 18-21, 31; 12:2, 3, 7, 13, 14, 21, 26, 28; 13:6, 9, 14 15, 21, 22, 25; 14:11, 14, 19, 32; 15:6, 8, 9, 24, 26, 29; 20:7; 21:12, 15, 16, 18, 21; 22:12; 28:10, 18; 29:6.

Of honour and dishonour: ch. 10:7; 12:8, 9; 18:3; 26:1; 27:21.

Of vain-glory: ch. 25:14, 27; 27:2.

The wisdom of obedience, and folly of disobedience: ch. 10:8, 17; 12:1, 15; 13:1, 13, 18; 15:5, 10, 12, 31, 32; 19:16; 28:4, 7, 9.

Of mischievousness and usefulness: ch. 10:10, 23; 11:9-11, 23, 27; 12:5, 6, 12, 18, 20; 13:2; 14:22; 16:29, 30; 17:11; 21:10; 24:8; 26:23, 27.

The praise of wise and good discourse, and the hurt and shame of an ungoverned tongue: ch. 10:11, 13, 14, 20, 21, 31, 32; 11:30; 14:3; 15:2, 4, 7, 23, 28; 16:20, 23, 24; 17:7; 18:4, 7, 20, 21; 20:15; 21:23; 23:9; 24:26; 25:11.

Of love and hatred, peaceableness and contention: ch. 10:12; 15:17; 17:1, 9, 14, 19; 18:6, 17-19; 20:3; 25:8; 26:17, 21; 29:9.

Of the rich and poor: ch. 10:5, 22; 11:28; 13:7, 8; 14:20, 24; 18:11, 23; 19:1, 4, 7, 22; 22:2, 7; 28:6, 11; 29:13.

Of lying, fraud, and dissimulation, and of truth and sincerity: ch. 10:18; 12:17, 19, 22; 13:5; 17:4; 20:14, 17; 26:18, 19, 24-26, 28.

Of slandering: ch. 10:18; 16:27; 25:23.

Of talkativeness and silence: ch. 10:19; 11:12; 12:23; 13:3; 17:27, 28; 29:11, 20.

Of justice and injustice: ch. 11:1; 13:16; 16:8, 11; 17:15, 26; 18:5; 20:10, 23; 22:28; 23:10, 11; 29:24.

Of pride and humility: ch. 11:2; 13:10; 15:25, 33; 16:5, 18, 19; 18:12; 21:4; 25:6, 7; 28:25; 29:23.

Of despising and respecting others: ch. 11:12; 14:21.

Of tale-bearing: ch. 11:13; 16:28; 18:8; 20:19; 26:20, 22.

Of rashness and deliberation: ch. 11:14; 15:22; 18:13; 19:2; 20:5, 18; 21:29; 22:3; 25:8-10.

Of suretyship: ch. 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26, 27; 27:13.

Of good and bad women, or wives: ch. 11:16, 22; 12:4; 14:1; 18:22; 19:13, 14; 21:9, 19; 25:24; 27:15, 16.

Of mercifulness and unmercifulness: ch. 11:17; 12:10; 14:21; 19:17; 21:13.

Of charity to the poor, and uncharitableness: ch. 11:24-26; 14:31; 17:5; 22:9, 16, 22, 23; 28:27; 29:7.

Of covetousness and contentment: ch. 11:29; 15:16, 17, 27; 23:4, 5.

Of anger and meekness: ch. 12:16; 14:17, 29; 15:1, 18; 16:32; 17:12, 26; 19:11, 19; 22:24, 25; 25:15, 28; 26:21; 29:22.

Of melancholy and cheerfulness: ch. 12:25; 14:10, 13; 15:13, 15; 17:22; 18:14; 25:20, 25.

Of hope and expectation: ch. 13:12, 19.

Of prudence and foolishness: ch. 13:16; 14:8, 18, 33; 15:14, 21; 16:21, 22; 17:24; 18:2, 15; 24:3-7; 7:27; 26:6-11; 28:5.

Of treachery and fidelity: ch. 13:17; 25:13, 19.

Of good and bad company: ch. 13:20; 14:7; 28:7; 29:3.

Of the education of children: ch. 13:24; 19:18; 20:11; 22:6, 15; 23:12; 14:14; 29:15, 17.

Of the fear of the Lord: ch. 14:2, 26, 27; 15:16, 33; 16:6; 19:23; 22:4; 23:17, 18.

Of true and false witness-bearing: ch. 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, 28; 21:28; 24:28; 25:18.

Of scorners: ch. 14:6, 9; 21:24; 22:10; 24:9; 29:9.

Of credulity and caution: ch. 14:15, 16; 27:12.

Of kings and their subjects: ch. 14:28, 34, 35; 16:10, 12-15; 19:6, 12; 20:2, 8, 26, 28; 22:11; 24:23-25; 30:2-5; 28:2, 3, 15, 16; 29:5, 12, 14, 26.

Of envy, especially envying sinners: ch. 14:30; 23:17, 18; 24:1, 2, 19, 20; 27:4.

Of God's omniscience, and his universal providence: ch. 15:3, 11; 16:1, 4, 9, 33; 17:3; 19:21; 20:12, 24; 21:1, 30, 31; 29:26

Of a good and ill name: ch. 15:30; 22:1.

Of men's good opinion of themselves: ch. 14:12; 16:2, 25; 20:6; 21:2; 26:12; 28:26.

Of devotion towards God, and dependence on him: ch. 16:3; 18:10; 23:26; 27:1; 28:25; 29:25.

Of the happiness of God's favor: ch. 16:7; 29:26.

Excitements to get wisdom: ch. 16:16; 18:1; 19:8, 20; 22:17-21; 23:15, 16, 22-25; 24:13, 14; 27:11.

Cautions against temptations: ch. 16:17; 29:27.

Of old age and youth: ch. 16:31; 17:6; 20:29.

Of servants: 17:2; 19:10; 29:19, 21.

Of bribery: ch. 17:8, 23; 18:16; 21:14; 28:21.

Of reproof and correction: ch. 17:10; 19:25, 29; 20:30; 21:11; 25:12; 26:3; 27:5, 6, 22; 28:23; 29:1.

Of ingratitude: ch. 17:13.

Of friendship: ch. 17:17; 18:24; 27:9, 10, 14, 17.

Of sensual pleasures: ch. 21:17; 23:1-3, 6-8, 19-21; 27:7.

Of drunkenness: ch. 20:1; 23:23, 29-35.

Of the universal corruption of nature: ch. 20:9.

Of flattery: ch. 20:19; 26:28; 28:23; 29:5.

Of undutiful children: ch. 20:20; 28:24.

Of the short continuance of what is ill-gotten: ch. 20:21; 21:6, 7; 22:8; 28:8.

Of revenge: ch. 20:22; 24:17, 18, 29.

Of sacrilege: ch. 20:25.

Of conscience: ch. 20:27; 27:19.

Of the preference of moral duties before ceremonial: ch. 15:8; 21:3, 27.

Of prodigality and wastefulness: ch. 21:20.

The triumphs of wisdom and godliness: ch. 21:22; 24:15, 16.

Of frowardness and tractableness: ch. 22:5.

Of uncleanness: ch. 22:14; 23:27, 28.

Of fainting in affliction: ch. 24:10.

Of helping the distressed: ch. 14:11, 12.

Of loyalty to the government: ch. 24:21, 22.

Of forgiving enemies: 25:21, 22.

Of causeless curse: ch. 26:2.

Of answering fools: ch. 26:4, 5.

Of unsettledness and dissatisfaction: ch. 27:8, 20.

Of cowardliness and courage: ch. 28:1.

The people's interest in the character of their rulers: ch. 28:12, 28; 29:2, 16; 11:10, 11.

The benefit of repentance and holy fear: ch. 28:13, 14.

The punishment of murder: ch. 28:17.

Of hastening to be rich: ch. 28:20, 22.

The enmity of the wicked against the godly: ch. 29:10, 27.

The necessity of the means of grace: ch. 29:18.