Proverbs 4:13
Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
Hold on to instruction
The Hebrew word for "instruction" here is "mûsār," which encompasses discipline, correction, and teaching. In the ancient Near Eastern context, instruction was not merely academic but a holistic approach to living a life aligned with divine wisdom. The phrase "hold on" suggests a firm, unwavering grip, indicating the importance of actively maintaining and valuing the teachings of wisdom. This is a call to prioritize divine guidance above all else, recognizing it as a vital component of a righteous life.

do not let go
This phrase emphasizes persistence and commitment. The Hebrew verb "rāphâ" can mean to slacken or let go, and here it serves as a warning against becoming complacent or neglectful. In a world filled with distractions and temptations, the believer is urged to remain steadfast in their pursuit of wisdom. This echoes the broader biblical theme of perseverance in faith, as seen in the New Testament exhortations to "run with endurance" (Hebrews 12:1).

Guard it
The word "guard" translates from the Hebrew "shāmar," which means to keep, watch, or preserve. This term is often used in the context of a watchman vigilantly protecting a city. Similarly, believers are called to be vigilant in safeguarding the wisdom they have received. This involves not only internalizing instruction but also defending it against external influences that may seek to undermine or distort it.

for it is your life
The phrase "it is your life" underscores the essential nature of wisdom in the believer's existence. In Hebrew, "ḥayyîm" refers to life in its fullest sense, encompassing physical, spiritual, and eternal dimensions. This reflects the biblical understanding that true life is found in alignment with God's will and wisdom. The verse concludes with a powerful reminder that wisdom is not merely an accessory to life but its very essence, guiding the believer toward a fulfilling and God-honoring existence.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Solomon
Traditionally considered the author of Proverbs, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom. He wrote Proverbs to impart wisdom and understanding.

2. Israel
The nation to whom Solomon originally addressed his teachings, emphasizing the importance of wisdom and instruction in the life of God's chosen people.

3. The Path of Wisdom
A metaphorical journey that represents living according to God's instructions and commands, which is a central theme in the book of Proverbs.
Teaching Points
The Vitality of Instruction
Instruction is not merely advice but is essential for spiritual life and growth. Just as physical nourishment is necessary for the body, spiritual instruction is vital for the soul.

Active Engagement
Holding on to instruction requires active engagement. It is not passive but involves a deliberate effort to retain and apply what is learned.

Guarding Wisdom
Guarding instruction implies vigilance. Just as one would protect a valuable treasure, believers are called to protect the wisdom and teachings they receive from God.

Life-Defining Choices
The choices we make in holding onto or neglecting instruction can define the course of our lives. Embracing God's wisdom leads to a life aligned with His will.

Perseverance in Faith
The exhortation to not let go of instruction encourages perseverance. In times of trial or temptation, clinging to God's word provides stability and direction.
Bible Study Questions
1. What practical steps can you take to "hold on to instruction" in your daily life?

2. How does the concept of guarding instruction as described in Proverbs 4:13 relate to the idea of guarding one's heart in Proverbs 4:23?

3. In what ways can you ensure that the wisdom you receive from God's word is actively influencing your decisions and actions?

4. Reflect on a time when holding onto God's instruction provided guidance or protection in your life. How did it impact your faith journey?

5. How can you encourage others in your community or family to value and guard the instruction they receive from Scripture?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Proverbs 3:18
This verse also emphasizes the life-giving nature of wisdom, describing it as a tree of life to those who embrace it.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9
These verses stress the importance of keeping God's commandments close to one's heart and teaching them diligently to one's children, similar to the exhortation to hold on to instruction in Proverbs 4:13.

James 1:22-25
James speaks about being doers of the word and not hearers only, which aligns with the idea of actively guarding and living out the instruction received.
A Wise CautionProverbs 4:13
Breakers AheadJ. Thain Davidson, D.D.Proverbs 4:13
Contamination of Evil SocietyChurch of England Teachers' MagazineProverbs 4:13
Curiosity a Temptation to SinPlain Sermons by Contributors to the "Tracts for the Times."Proverbs 4:13
Education the Business of LifeH. Ware, D. D.Proverbs 4:13
Hold FastFrancis Taylor, B. D.Proverbs 4:13
Popular AmusementsCharles Stovel.Proverbs 4:13
Religious InstructionLord Bishop of Winchester.Proverbs 4:13
Take Fast HoldJ. J. Ellis.Proverbs 4:13
The Hold FastC.H. Spurgeon Proverbs 4:13
The Hold-Fast ReligionProverbs 4:13
The Two PathsHugh Stowell Brown.Proverbs 4:13
Vigorous SteadfastnessDavid Thomas, D.D.Proverbs 4:13
The Solicitude of the Wise Father: a Sermon to Parents and ChildrenW. Clarkson Proverbs 4:1-13
The Tradition of PietyE. Johnson Proverbs 4:1-13
People
Solomon
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Desist, Fast, Firm, Guard, Hands, Hold, Instruction, Lay, Learning
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Proverbs 4:10-13

     5658   boys
     8351   teachableness

Proverbs 4:11-13

     8130   guidance, from godly people

Library
Monotony and Crises
'When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.'--PROVERBS iv. 12. The old metaphor likening life to a path has many felicities in it. It suggests constant change, it suggests continuous progress in one direction, and that all our days are linked together, and are not isolated fragments; and it suggests an aim and an end. So we find it perpetually in this Book of Proverbs. Here the 'way' has a specific designation, 'the way of Wisdom'--that is
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

From Dawn to Noon
'The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.'--PROVERBS iv. 18. 'Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father.--MATT. xiii. 43. The metaphor common to both these texts is not infrequent throughout Scripture. In one of the oldest parts of the Old Testament, Deborah's triumphal song, we find, 'Let all them that love Thee be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might.' In one of the latest parts of the Old Testament,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Keeping and Kept
'Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.'--PROVERBS iv. 23. 'Kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.'--1 PETER 1. 5. The former of these texts imposes a stringent duty, the latter promises divine help to perform it. The relation between them is that between the Law and the Gospel. The Law commands, the Gospel gives power to obey. The Law pays no attention to man's weakness, and points no finger to the source of strength. Its office is to set clearly
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Two Paths
'Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. 11. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. 12. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 13. Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. 14. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 16. For they sleep not,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Curiosity a Temptation to Sin.
"Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away."--Proverbs iv. 14, 15. The chief cause of the wickedness which is every where seen in the world, and in which, alas! each of us has more or less his share, is our curiosity to have some fellowship with darkness, some experience of sin, to know what the pleasures of sin are like. I believe it is even thought unmanly by many persons (though they may not like to say
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

The Hold Fast
A sermon (No. 1418) delivered on Lord's Day morning, June 9th, 1878, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, by C. H. Spurgeon. "Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life."----Proverbs 4:13. Faith may be well described as taking hold upon divine instruction. God has condescended to teach us, and it is ours to hear with attention and receive his words; and while we are hearing faith comes, even that faith which saves the soul. To take "fast hold" is an exhortation
C.H. Spurgeon—Sermons on Proverbs

The Great Reservoir
A sermon (No. 179) delivered on Sabbath morning, February 21, 1858 At The Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens, by C. H. Spurgeon. "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."--Proverbs 4:23. If I should vainly attempt to fashion my discourse after lofty models, I should this morning compare the human heart to the ancient city of Thebes, out of whose hundred gates multitudes of warriors were wont to march. As was the city, such were her armies, as was her inward strength,
C.H. Spurgeon—Sermons on Proverbs

Eyes Right
A sermon (No. 2058) by C. H. Spurgeon "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee."----Proverbs 4:25. These words occur in a passage wherein the wise man exhorts us to take care of all parts of our nature, which he indicates by members of the body. "Keep thy heart," says he "with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight
C.H. Spurgeon—Sermons on Proverbs

The Aggravated Guilt of Him who Delivered Christ to Pilate.
"Then saith Pilate unto him, 'Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?' Jesus answered, 'Thou couldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above: Therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.'" Judea was conquered by the Romans and reduced to a province of their empire, before Christ suffered for the sins of men. When the Jews conspired his death, Pilate was governor of that province. The
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

The Great Reservoir
You have seen the great reservoirs provided by our water companies, in which the water which is to supply hundreds of streets and thousands of houses is kept. Now, the heart is just the reservoir of man, and our life is allowed to flow in its proper season. That life may flow through different pipes--the mouth, the hand, the eye; but still all the issues of hand, of eye, of lip, derive their source from the great fountain and central reservoir, the heart; and hence there is no difficulty in showing
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

Last Journey and Death, 1858 --Concluding Remarks.
We are now arrived at the closing scene of John Yeardley's labors. The impression which he had received, during his visit to Turkey in 1853, of the opening for the work of the Gospel in the Eastern countries, had never been obliterated; it had rather grown deeper with time, although his ability to accomplish such an undertaking had proportionately diminished. This consideration, however, could not satisfy his awakened sympathies, and, according to his apprehension, no other course remained for him
John Yeardley—Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel

Epistle cxx. To Claudius in Spain .
To Claudius in Spain [78] . Gregory to Claudius, &c. The renown of good deeds being fragrant after the manner of ointment, the odour of your glory has extended from the Western parts as far as here. Besprinkled by the sweetness of which breath of air, I declare that I greatly loved one whom I knew not, and within the bosom of my heart seized thee with the hand of love; nor did I love without already knowing him to be one whose good qualities I had learnt. For of him who is known to me by great
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Twenty-Fourth Day. Firmness in Temptation.
"Jesus saith unto him, Get thee hence, Satan."--Matt. iv. 10. There is an awful intensity of meaning in the words, as applied to Jesus, "He suffered, being tempted!" Though incapable of sin, there was, in the refined sensibilities of His holy nature, that which made temptation unspeakably fearful. What must it have been to confront the Arch-traitor?--to stand face to face with the foe of His throne, and His universe? But the "prince of this world" came, and found "nothing in Him." Billow after
John R. Macduff—The Mind of Jesus

Notes on the Fourth Century
Page 238. Med. 1. In the wording of this meditation, and of several other passages in the Fourth Century, it seems as though Traherne is speaking not of himself, but of, a friend and teacher of his. He did this, no doubt, in order that he might not lay himself open to the charge of over-egotism. Yet that he is throughout relating his own experiences is proved by the fact that this Meditation, as first written, contains passages which the author afterwards marked for omission. In its original form
Thomas Traherne—Centuries of Meditations

How the Slothful and the Hasty are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 16.) Differently to be admonished are the slothful and the hasty. For the former are to be persuaded not to lose, by putting it off, the good they have to do; but the latter are to be admonished lest, while they forestall the time of good deeds by inconsiderate haste, they change their meritorious character. To the slothful therefore it is to be intimated, that often, when we will not do at the right time what we can, before long, when we will, we cannot. For the very indolence of
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Truth Hidden when not Sought After.
"They shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."--2 Tim. iv. 4. From these words of the blessed Apostle, written shortly before he suffered martyrdom, we learn, that there is such a thing as religious truth, and therefore there is such a thing as religious error. We learn that religious truth is one--and therefore that all views of religion but one are wrong. And we learn, moreover, that so it was to be (for his words are a prophecy) that professed Christians,
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

How Christ is the Way in General, "I am the Way. "
We come now to speak more particularly to the words; and, first, Of his being a way. Our design being to point at the way of use-making of Christ in all our necessities, straits, and difficulties which are in our way to heaven; and particularly to point out the way how believers should make use of Christ in all their particular exigencies; and so live by faith in him, walk in him, grow up in him, advance and march forward toward glory in him. It will not be amiss to speak of this fulness of Christ
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

The Christian Faith
Scripture references: Hebrews 11; Matthew 9:29; 17:20; Mark 10:52; 11:22; Acts 2:38; 3:16; 10:43; 16:30,31; Romans 1:17; 5:1; 10:17; Galatians 2:20. FAITH AND PRACTICE Belief Controls Action.--"As the man is, so is his strength" (Judges 8:21), "For as he thinketh in his heart so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). "According to your faith be it unto you" (Matthew 9:28,29). "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23). The Scriptures place stress upon the fact that
Henry T. Sell—Studies in the Life of the Christian

"Be Ye Therefore Sober, and Watch unto Prayer. "
1 Pet. iv. 7.--"Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." We now come to consider the coherence and connexion these duties have one to another. First, Prayer is the principal part of the Christian's employment, and sobriety and watchfulness are subordinate to it. "Be sober, and watch unto prayer." (1.) Prayer is such a tender thing that there is necessity of dieting the spirit unto it. That prayer may be in good health, a man must keep a diet and be sober, sobriety conduces so much to its
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

And for Your Fearlessness against them Hold this Sure Sign -- Whenever There Is...
43. And for your fearlessness against them hold this sure sign--whenever there is any apparition, be not prostrate with fear, but whatsoever it be, first boldly ask, Who art thou? And from whence comest thou? And if it should be a vision of holy ones they will assure you, and change your fear into joy. But if the vision should be from the devil, immediately it becomes feeble, beholding your firm purpose of mind. For merely to ask, Who art thou [1083] ? and whence comest thou? is a proof of coolness.
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

An Appendix to the Beatitudes
His commandments are not grievous 1 John 5:3 You have seen what Christ calls for poverty of spirit, pureness of heart, meekness, mercifulness, cheerfulness in suffering persecution, etc. Now that none may hesitate or be troubled at these commands of Christ, I thought good (as a closure to the former discourse) to take off the surmises and prejudices in men's spirits by this sweet, mollifying Scripture, His commandments are not grievous.' The censuring world objects against religion that it is difficult
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Proverbs
Many specimens of the so-called Wisdom Literature are preserved for us in the book of Proverbs, for its contents are by no means confined to what we call proverbs. The first nine chapters constitute a continuous discourse, almost in the manner of a sermon; and of the last two chapters, ch. xxx. is largely made up of enigmas, and xxxi. is in part a description of the good housewife. All, however, are rightly subsumed under the idea of wisdom, which to the Hebrew had always moral relations. The Hebrew
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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