God is Higher than the king (Prov 21:1)

King of kings: A king who thinks he knows what's always best is proud (Prov 21:4); he'll one day come to a shocking realization that God is a much higher judge than he (Prov 21:2). Prov 21:1 says, "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will." To see God above a king or boss or leader who is above you and who may rule over you is to have faith in God and to fear God, not man (Prov 29:25). Otherwise, we'll exalt and worship a mere man for favoring you, and curse him for being against you.

God is always the final answer, never man: Variations of Prov 21:2 is repeated through out Proverbs (Prov 16:2), because we are so easily self-deceived, while God exposes our true deepest inner motives: "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart."

No excuse for laziness and impatience: "The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty" (Prov 21:5; 10:4). "Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich" (Prov 21:17). The lazy also "craves and craves" "all day long" (Prov 21:26), but he is never satisfied (Prov 21:25 - "The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.").

Fight but don't fight against God; don't fight without God: Fight: "One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty and pull down the stronghold in which they trust" (Prov 21:22). Don't fight against God because "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord" (Prov 21:30). Don't fight without God because "The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord" (Prov 21:31).

Prov 21:1-31 Daily Devotional by Don Carson

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