Turn Not to the Right or Left - Proverbs 4:27

In the book of Proverbs Solomon told his son, “Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established”, and in chapter four and verse twenty-seven of Proverbs Solomon said, “turn not to the right hand nor to the left” where we read,

Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove your foot from evil.

The verse begins, “Turn not to the right hand nor to the left:”. Solomon began with the words, “turn not to the right hand” or “do not stretch out, extend, bend or be inclined toward the right side direction” “nor to the left” which means “not in any way toward the left side direction”. Solomon told his son not to bend or extend himself toward his right or left side direction.

The verse continues, “remove your foot from evil.” Solomon added the words, “ remove your foot” or “depart, turn aside, depose, reject, retract or abolish your, the son of Solomon's, physical foot or pace” “from evil” which means “separate and apart from disagreeableness, unpleasantness, unhappiness, misery, malignancy and displeasure”. Solomon instructed his son to keep his pace separate and apart from wickedness, malignancy and displeasure.

When we consider words in this verse, we learn how Solomon told his son not to alter his path from the straight and narrow way. He was not to wander toward the left of straightforward or the right of straightforward. He was to separate and turn aside from any malignant and wicked way of living. God wants this for us. He knows we have sin in our lives and are prone to live in wicked ways, so He sent His Son Jesus into the world to be crucified on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When we believe and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, he will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us to continue on the straight and narrow path and to keep ourselves from wickedness. (See Matthew 7:14)

Next time we begin a new chapter and see Solomon tell his son, “attend unto my wisdom”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".