The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
All Commentaries on Proverbs 16:1 Go To Proverbs 16
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
It is the part of man That is, a man should prepare in his heart and soul what he is to say; but after all, it must be the Lord that must govern his tongue, to speak to the purpose. Not that we can think any thing of good without God's grace: but after that we have (with God's grace) thought and prepared within our souls what we would speak; if God does not govern our tongue, we shall not succeed in what we speak. (Challoner)
He will put into our mouths what we have to say to persecutors, Luke xxi. 14. He often causes us to utter the reverse of what we intended, as Balaam did, Numbers xxiii. (Menochius)
The fairest prospects miscarry without God's blessing. The enemies of grace would infer from this text, that the beginning of salvation depends on free-will. But St. Augustine (con. 2. epist. Pelag. ii. 8.) has solidly refuted them, and Solomon does not mean that man acts alone, chap. viii. 35., (Septuagint) John xv. 5., and 2 Corinthians iii. 5. "Man "says St. Augustine, "does no good things, which God does not cause him to perform. "(Calmet)
The Scripture cannot contradict itself. A fresh grace is requisite to execute what God has enabled us to devise, ver. 9. (Worthington)
