John Gill Commentary Proverbs 15:15

"All the days of the afflicted are evil; But he that is of a cheerful heart [hath] a continual feast." — Proverbs 15:15 (ASV)

All the days of the afflicted [are] evil And some are afflicted all their days, from their youth up; so that not only the days of old age are evil days, in which they have no pleasure,

but even the days of their youth; all their days, as Jacob says, "few and evil have the days of the years of my life been", (Genesis 47:9) ; because they had been filled up with affliction and trouble of one sort or another.

Or, "all the days of the poor" ^F6 ; either in purse, who want many of the good things of life; or in knowledge, as Gersom and Aben Ezra observe;

but he that is of a merry heart [has] a continual feast ; a heart that has "the kingdom of God" in it, which lies "not [in] meat and drink, but [in] righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost", (Romans 14:17) :

which has the love of God shed abroad in it by the Spirit, where Christ dwells by faith; and that lives by faith on him, and on the provisions of his grace; all this is a constant continual feast to a gracious soul, made joyful hereby.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F6: (yne) "pauperis", V. L. Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Michaelis.