My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,
for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.
Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first-fruits of all your produce;
then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
My son, do not despise the LORD’S discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
Comment: This passage has 4 commands in the ‘don’t’ way of speaking (underlined above) and 3 in the ‘do’ way of speaking (in italics above). Don’t 1. don’t forget basic parental teaching. Some earthly parents teach little and often erroneous stuff. The heavenly Father teaches good stuff! Don’t 2. Don’t step outside the steadfast love and faithfulness primarily of God but if your parents are loving be wrapped in it. Many parents are loving, God’s nature is love but not love that overlooks discipline – and He has a gloriously multi-faceted nature! Don’t 3. Don’t be puffed up! Humility and honesty before God is wisdom. You’ll not succeed in fooling Him! Don’t 4. Discipline may be unjust or just. God’s is just and given to show His caring love for you or me as it may be!
And the three ‘does’ are what we might expect and they make perfect sense! 1. Obey good teaching – from parents, wise teachers, God’s word! 2. Trust in the Lord! Not only in words which can be meant, or not meant, but with all your heart! 3.Honour God – which is a command both for our speech and even more for our day by day living in a way that honours Him.
Prayer: Please keep me true to You, and humbly repentant when I fall into error and sin.
As I read it! 