Proverbs 16:3

Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) Commit thy works unto the Lord.—Literally, roll them upon Him, as a burden too heavy to be borne by thyself. “Thy works” signify all that thou hast to do. (Comp. Psalm 37:5.) God provides such works for us. (Comp. Ephesians 2:10.)

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

Benson Commentary

Proverbs 16:3. Commit thy works unto the Lord — Hebrew, גל אל יהוה, literally, Roll unto the Lord, &c., namely, as a man rolls to another a burden, which is too heavy for himself, imploring his help. Refer all thy actions and concerns to God, and to his glory, as the end of them; and, in the discharge of thy duty, depend upon God’s providence and grace for assistance and success; and thy thoughts shall be established — Thy honest desires and designs shall be brought to a happy issue one way or other.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

16:1 The renewing grace of God alone prepares the heart for every good work. This teaches us that we are not sufficient of ourselves to think or speak any thing wise and good. 2. Ignorance, pride, and self-flattery render us partial judges respecting our own conduct. 3. Roll the burden of thy care upon God, and leave it with him, by faith and dependence on him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Commit - literally, as in the margin, as a man transfers a burden from his own back to one stronger and better able to bear it. Compare the margin reference.

Thy thoughts - i. e., The plans or counsels out of which the works spring.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3. (Compare Margin). Rely on God for success to your lawful purposes.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Commit thy works unto the Lord, Heb. Roll, &c., as a man rolls a burden to another, which is too heavy for himself, imploring his help. Refer all thy actions and concerns to God, and to his glory, as the end of them, and in the discharge of thy own duty depend upon God’s providence for assistance and success.

Thy thoughts shall be established; thy honest desires and designs shall be brought to a happy issue one way or other.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Commit thy works unto the Lord,.... Natural, civil, or religious; seek to him for strength and assistance in all, and leave the success of all with him: or "roll thy works on" or "unto the Lord" (b); devolve all upon him, cast all care upon him and his providence for supply, support, and sustenance in life; and commit the business of the salvation of thy soul, and the important affairs of it, wholly to him, who is able, willing, and faithful, to keep what is committed to him; and, having so done, may sit down easy and satisfied, as one that is rid of a burden by casting it on another, better able to bear it, or more equal to the work committed to him: the Targum is, "reveal thy works to God"; and so the Syriac and Vulgate Latin versions, "reveal thy works to the Lord"; thy case, condition, and circumstances; thy wants and necessities; seek and ask for a supply of him, make known thy requests to him; for though he is not ignorant of the affairs of his people, yet he will be sought unto to do the things for them he intends to do, and they stand in need of;

and thy thoughts shall be established; when a man has, by faith and in prayer, committed himself, his case, his ways and works, to the Lord, his mind is made easy, his thoughts are composed and settled, and he quietly waits the issues of things; he says, the will of the Lord be done; he knows that he causes all things to work together for good; and whatever is for his good and God's glory shall be brought to pass; and this makes him calm, sedate, and easy; and he is in a fair way of having his designs, desires, and endeavours accomplished; see Psalm 37:5.

(b) "devolve in Jehovam facta tua", Junius & Tremellius; "negotia tua", Piscator; "volve in Dominum quae tibi facieuda sunt", Michaelis; "volve ad Jehovam opera tua", Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius; so Mercerus, Gejerus, Schultens, Tigurine version.

Geneva Study Bible

Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. Commit … unto] Lit. Roll … upon. Comp. Psalm 22:8 [Hebrews 9], Psalm 37:5, and notes there in this Series.

thoughts] or, purposes, R.V. marg. The precept is germane to that in Proverbs 16:1. Commit to Jehovah the execution in works (as in Proverbs 16:1, the explanation in words) of thy plans and purposes, and they shall prosper.

In each of the seven opening proverbs of this chapter the name Jehovah is introduced, and in each of them His work is made prominent.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - Commit thy works unto the Lord. "Commit" (gol) is literally "roll" (κύλισον, Theodotion), as in Psalm 22:8 and Psalm 37:5; and the injunction means, "Transfer thy burden to the Lord, cast upon him all that thou hast to do; do all as in his sight, and as an act of duty to him." Thus Tobit says to his son, "Bless the Lord thy God alway, and desire of him that thy ways may be directed, and that all thy paths and counsels may prosper" (Tobit 4:19). The Vulgate, using a different punctuation (gal), renders, "Reveal to the Lord thy works?' As a child opens its heart to a tender parent, so do thou show to God thy desires and intentions, trusting to his care and providence. And thy thoughts shall be established. The plans and deliberations out of which the "works" sprang shall meet with a happy fulfilment, because they are undertaken according to the will of God, and directed to the end by his guidance (comp. Proverbs 19:21; Psalm 90:17; 1 Corinthians 3:9). This verse is not in the Septuagint. Proverbs 16:3

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

3 Roll on Jahve thy works,

   So thy thoughts shall prosper.

The proverbs PRomans 16:1-3 are wanting in the lxx; their absence is compensated for by three others, but only externally, not according to their worth. Instead of גּל, the Syr., Targ., and Jerome read גּל, revela, with which the על, Psalm 37:5, cf. Psalm 55:23, interchanging with אל (here and at Psalm 22:9), does not agree; rightly Theodotion, κύλισον ἐπὶ κύριον, and Luther, "commend to the Lord thy works." The works are here, not those that are executed, Exodus 23:16, but those to be executed, as Psalm 90:17, where כּונן, here the active to ויכּונוּ, which at Proverbs 4:26 as jussive meant to be placed right, here with ו of the consequence in the apodosis imperativi: to be brought about, and to have continuance, or briefly: to stand (cf. Proverbs 12:3) as the contrast of disappointment or ruin. We should roll on God all matters which, as obligations, burden us, and on account of their weight and difficulty cause us great anxiety, for nothing is too heavy or too hard for Him who can overcome all difficulties and dissolve all perplexities; then will our thoughts, viz., those about the future of our duty and our life-course, be happy, nothing will remain entangled and be a failure, but will be accomplished, and the end and aim be realized.