Proverbs Chapter 7

Proverbs 7:3
"Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart."

Solomon spends a lot of time writing to his son about commandments, law, wisdom and understanding. Educated guess here….It must be very important to Solomon that his son have these as a part of his life so as to be able to resist the temptation to fall sin, and in particular sexual sin.

This is the 3rd time in the first seven chapters that Solomon has used this word “bind”. To bind is to tie something up or to connect one thing with another by tying. It is also used in the OT for two groups or men conspiring together or forming an alliance in order to achieve a common goal. In chapter 3 we are told to bind mercy and truth around our neck and write them on our heart. In chapter 6 it says to bind the commandments on our heart and tie them around our neck. Here in 7:3 Solomon says to bind the commandments on your fingers and write them upon the table of your heart. He also says in verse two to guard his law as you would your own eye. The apple of the eye refers to the pupil without which we could not see.

It is interesting that Solomon connects the law with the eyes, the fingers, and the heart. He knows that if his son were to fall into temptation it would be by what he saw, what he did, or what he thought. This sounds very much like what John tells us in 1 John 2:16 about the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. We must keep God’s Word in our eyes, on our hands and written down on our hearts so that we don’t follow the path of the simple young man Solomon describes in the rest of this chapter.

So what if you’ve already followed the path of sin like the simple young man did? Maybe sin’s allure has enticed you and you have fallen. The answer is now as it has always been…Jesus Christ. Turn to Him and He will forgive. Turn to Him and He can heal your hurting soul. Turn to Him and let Him wash you “white as snow”. Get into His Word daily. Guard it like you would your own eye. Bind it on your fingers. Write it on your heart. Gain wisdom, knowledge and understanding from it. Allow Jesus Christ through His Word to literally change your life.