Daily Bible Verse - 10/21/2007 - Proverbs 25:20

Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
or like vinegar poured on soda,
is one who sings songs to a heavy heart. (NIV)

As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart. (KJV)

Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on soda, Is he who sings songs to a troubled heart. (NASB)

Proverbs 25:20

Commentary
Pouring vinegar on an alkali (e.g., baking soda) produces a reaction like boiling or turning tranquility into agitation. So is the effect of singing joyful songs without sympathy to the sorrowful. Cf. Ps. 137:3, 4.


MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Pr 25:20). Nashville: Word Pub.

Illustration
Keith Weston told of a fellow minister who was making his first hospital visit. "He found a poor patient with both legs strung up to pulleys, both arms in plaster, and an intravenous in one of them. And he said with his big evangelical smile and taking out his big evangelical Bible, 'Brother, are you rejoicing?'" Weston said, "The minister never told me what the patient said, but it wasn't very polite."

MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Pr 25:20). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.