The lips of a king speak as an oracle, and his mouth does not betray justice.
Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord; all the weights in the bag are of his making.
Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness.
Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value the one who speaks what is right.
A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but the wise will appease it.
When a king’s face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
Proverbs 16:10-15
This brief section shows the reader two very important things: First, an earthly king is ordained by God and as such, He exercises authority delegated to him by God. Second, that earthly king must live up to the same standards that God requires of every man and woman. Tor us in the 21st century, the whole notion of a king ruling his Nation seems rather quaint as the few kings that are still out there largely reign as ceremonial heads of state rather than ruling a Nation. For us, the king represents a government in that it is ordained by God, and subject to His righteous standards in daily practice, something that both the kings of old and the governments of today have been known to overlook.
The king can pronounce authoritatively, but he must not do so unjustly, for God requires that the king (government) follow His ways and will hold them accountable.
Verse 11 speaks of scales and balances. God sets the scales and the king’s duty is to ensure that they are always honest. They do not put up with wrongdoing, and neither do they do wrong. Kings place a high priority on honesty, both for others and themselves. One does not want to raise the wrath of the king, but the wise appease it, for they follow the laws. Living a life that follows the ways of the Lord will lead to a long and happy life and will be rewarded by the king and by God.
As we continue our adventure through the Proverbs, we notice that there are more fools in the world than there are wise people, and now, we might even come to expect that as far as kings and governments go, one that is truly righteous and just and true is rare indeed.
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