Righteous living.
v.31 Gray hair. The proverb indicates that long life is the result of righteous living. This is a general principle of course and doesn’t include the case of an old wicked man or a righteous man who dies young. The idea is that the wise (those that walk righteously) grow old while the fool (those who walk as seems right to them) dies prematurely. See Lv 19:32.
v.32 Slow to anger. He who is slow to anger and rules his spirit is better than the mighty man who conquers a city. Those who are patient can see things more clearly. Strength in war is sometimes needed, but in general it is better to be patient and in control of oneself than in control of others.
v.33 The lot is cast. All decisions come from the Lord, even if die are cast. God determines the future. In the Old Testament, leaders cast the Urim and Thummim because they believed God would determine the outcome. Proverbs 16 ends as it began with a word about God’s sovereignty.

Read Proverbs 16:31-33

A worthless man.
v.25 Way of death. This proverb tells us that what seems right to man may be a way that ends in death. Trust in the Lord alone for your paths. See 14:12 and Mt 7:13-14.
v.26 Appetite. A laborer’s appetite (hunger) drives him on. We work hard in order to meet our desires.
v.27 A worthless man. A worthless man (scoundrel) plots evil in his heart and his speech contains devastation. He digs up evil and propagates it with his mouth, harming others.
v.28 A dishonest man. The gossip and dishonest cause divisions as they spread slander among people. v.27-29 are talking about the same person and highlight a different part of his (lack of) character.
v.29 A man of violence. The man of violence (crime) leads his neighbor along in a way that is not good (the antithesis of choosing wisdom). Keep away from (don’t associate with) such people.
v.30 Whoever winks his eyes. A persons mannerisms and facial expressions often give away that they are planning evil.

Read Proverbs 16:25-30

Wisdom is sweet.
v.20 Meditate. Here the proverb tells us the you will find good if you give thought to the word (of God). I understand this as meditation (and heeding the instruction). The second verset states that blessings will be upon those who fear the Lord. The fear of the Lord is he beginning of wisdom. It seems to say that you will find your way prosperous if you live a life rightly before God. Amen.
v.21 Wise speech. Here the focus is on the reputation on the one who has a habit of speaking wisely. He (or she) will be known as discerning and his words will be persuasive. His words are sweet or pleasant (because they are well received).
v.22 Good sense. To him who has it, good sense is a fountain of life. This good sense is obtained by fearing God and thereby gaining wisdom. On the other hand the instruction of fools (stupid people, Longman, 335) is just the opposite (folly or stupidity) and brings punishment (for sin).
v.23 Judicious speech. Here the heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and persuasive. The wise heart “guides” his speech. Your words are a reflection of what’s in your heart. See also v.21 above.
v.24 Gracious words. Gracious words are sweet to the soul like honey to the mouth and bring healing to the old bones (your core person).

Read Proverbs 16:20-24

Wisdom is better than gold.
v.16 Wisdom. Acquire wisdom and understanding because they are better than wealth (material possessions). The comparison is between wisdom without wealth and wealth without wisdom. This verse is the middle of the book and restates one of its major themes.
v.17 Turn aside from evil. The path (highway) of the upright is to turn away from evil and protect (the quality of) his path, thereby guarding his life. The well cared for life of the righteous avoids evil.
v.18 Pride. The consequences of pride are destruction and a fall. In contrast to the life of the upright in v.17, the proud have disintegration to look forward to. Pride leads to many problems.
v.19 A lowly spirit. One should cultivate a humble outlook on life. It is better to be lowly with the poor than be proud and share the plunder of ill gotten gain.

Read Proverbs 16:16-19

Relationships with the king and the Lord.
v.10 Wise King. The wise king will not pervert justice with his lips. When the king speaks officially, it is as an oracle, and he must avoid sinning.
v.11 Just scales. The Lord approves of just scales (that weigh out food for the people, for example). The Lord is the source of honesty and justice in business relationships. We should conduct ourselves in light of the fear of the Lord.
v.12 Abomination. Unrighteousness is an abomination to kings, for their throne is established by righteousness. Righteous dealings result in stability in government.
v.13 Honesty. The (ideal) king loves honest lips and not flattery. Honest input from his councilors helps him rule the kingdom righteously (and succeed in his endeavors).
v.14 Appease the king. When the ruler is angry the wise will appease him. Kings make life or death decisions and appeasing him at the right time is necessary for life.
v.15 The king’s favor. There is light in the kings face (when he is delighted). This contrasts with the anger of the king in the previous verse. The king’s favor is compared to rain clouds which are necessary for the harvest.

Read Proverbs 16:10-15

The Lord’s Sovereignty
v.1 God provides. This proverbs teaches that while the plans of the heart belong to man, God provides the ability to articulate and accomplish the plan. We make plans, but God determines the future. Be careful to obtain God’s concurrence for any plans you make. See also v.3.
v.2 Motives. We cannot evaluate ourselves fully because we are easily deceived; but God knows (weighs) the motives in our heart (or spirit). Spend some time reflecting on your motives.
v.3 Work/plans. Our plans will succeed when we commit them to the Lord. This is a source of great comfort when our plans are aligned with God’s.
v.4 Sovereignty. God has made everything for his sovereign purposes. The wicked will not escape their day of judgment (he made them for that purpose). For every act there is a just retribution (Ross, 146). See Rom 8:28.
v.5 The arrogant. “Humble yourselves before the Lord…” (Jas 4:10a). But the arrogant will must assuredly not go unpunished. This may be an application of the principle given in v.4.
v.6 Atonement. How do we atone for sin? By love and faithfulness (through Jesus’ sacrifice) God remembers our sin no more. It is as though we did not sin. The second verset is in parallel and indicates our complete freedom from sin (through the fear of the Lord).
v.7 Peace. How can we be at peace with even our enemies? By following a path that is pleasing to the Lord. This is part of God’s plans for the faithful.
v.8 Unjust wealth. It is much better to have a little with righteousness than to have great wealth that was obtained unjustly. In other words righteousness is more important than material wealth. We want our treasures in heaven (Mt 6:19-21).
v.9 Sovereignty. This verse, repeating the theme of v.1, indicates the sovereignty of the Lord over our every day life. We make plans in our heart, but the Lord establishes them.

Read Proverbs 16:1-9