Charles Ellicott Commentary Proverbs 16

The preparations of the heart in man ... —Rather, To man belong the counsels of the heart. He may turn over in his mind what is the right thing to be said on any occasion, but from the Lord is the answer of the tongue .

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes. —Yet that does not excuse his faults in God’s sight. (Compare to 1 Corinthians 4:4). So much the more reason is there for anxious self-examination and testing the conduct by God’s word, and, when this has been done to the best of our power, still to pray for cleansing from faults which have escaped our notice (Psalms 19:12).

Commit your works to the Lord.— Literally, roll them upon Him, as a burden too heavy to be borne by yourself. “Your works” signify all that you have to do . God provides such works for us .

And your thoughts shall be established.— Your plans shall prosper, for they will be undertaken according to the will of God, and carried out by His aid (Compare to 1 Corinthians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 6:1).

The Lord has made all things for himself— that is, to serve His own purposes, so that His wisdom, goodness, etc., may be revealed in that way.

Or the passage may be translated, “has made all for its own end or purpose.” The assertion that He has made the wicked for the day of evil, does not mean that He created anyone for punishment—that is, predestined him for destruction.

It only teaches that even the wicked are subservient to God’s eternal purposes. Pharaoh, for instance, by his rebellion could not change God’s plans for the deliverance of His people, but only gave Him an occasion for demonstrating His power, justice, goodness, and longsuffering.

The “day of evil,” that is, punishment, at last overtook Pharaoh in accordance with the law and purpose of God that the wicked, if unrepentant, shall be punished, and thus serve as a warning to others. But God, by His longsuffering, showed that He was “not willing” that he should “perish,” but rather that he “should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). This also appears to be the teaching of Saint Paul in Romans 9:17 and the following verses.

Though hand join in hand. See Note on Proverbs 11:21.