Section 3:1–12

Third lesson: Humbly trust in the LORD

This lesson consists of a series of commands. Each set of parallel commands is followed by a promised result, except for 3:12, which gives a reason for the command.

Another heading for this section is:

Trusting in the Lord (New Living Translation (2004))

Paragraph 3:1–4

3:1

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

1a My son, do not forget my teaching,

1b but let your heart keep my commandments;

3:1a–b

do not forget…let your heart keep: These commands are negative and positive ways to say the same thing—the son should remember and heed the instructions of the father. The author used negative and positive commands in this way to add emphasis.

3:1a

My son: This same phrase occurs in 1:8a.

do not forget my teaching: The clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as do not forget my teaching is a command to not intentionally forget, ignore, or reject the father’s teaching. This is the same Hebrew verb as used in 2:17b. See the note there. Other ways to translate this command are:

don’t forget what I teach you (Good News Translation)
-or-
do not turn away from my teaching

3:1b

let your heart keep my commandments: In Hebrew, this command indicates that the son should remember his father’s commandments. It also implies that the son should pay attention to these commandments and obey them. Other ways to translate this command are:

Always remember what I tell you to do. (Good News Translation)
-or-
keep my commands in mind (God’s Word)

See the note on “my commands” in 2:1b.

your heart: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as heart refers here mainly to a person’s thoughts. In your language it may be necessary to use a different expression, such as “mind” or “thoughts” or “liver,” to refer to thinking or remembering.

General Comment on 3:1a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel terms “teaching” and “commandments.” For example:

1a My child, remember my teachings and instructions

1b and obey them completely. (Contemporary English Version)

In some languages, it may be more natural to give the positive command before the negative command. For example:

1a My child, always remember and obey my teachings and commands.

1b Do not ignore them.

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