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Deuteronomy 24:12-17
And if the manbe poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge: …

Job 24:7-10
They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, thatthey have no covering in the cold…

Isaiah 58:7
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

vinegar

Proverbs 10:26
As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, sois the sluggard to them that send him.

so

Psalm 137:3,4
For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted usrequired of us mirth,saying, Sing usone of the songs of Zion…

Ecclesiastes 3:4
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Daniel 6:18
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

or vinegar poured on a wound
Vinegar, in biblical times, was often used as a preservative and a cleaning agent, but when applied to a wound, it would cause pain and irritation. This metaphor highlights actions that exacerbate someone's suffering rather than alleviate it. The use of vinegar here can be compared to the bitterness and sharpness of words or actions that fail to comfort. This aligns with the broader biblical theme of using words wisely, as seen inProverbs 15:1, which advises that a gentle answer turns away wrath.

is one who sings songs to a heavy heart
Singing songs, typically associated with joy and celebration, can be inappropriate when directed at someone who is grieving or distressed. This phrase underscores the importance of empathy and timing in offering comfort. The Bible frequently addresses the need to mourn with those who mourn, as seen inRomans 12:15, which calls believers to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. This teaching reflects the character of Jesus, who showed compassion and understanding in His interactions, such as when He wept with Mary and Martha at the death of Lazarus (John 11:33-35).

Proverbs 25:20 reads, “Like one who removes a garment on a cold day or vinegar poured on a wound is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.” Solomon strings together three vivid pictures so we can feel the force of a single truth: careless cheer can deepen sorrow instead of relieving it.

• In harsh weather, stripping off a coat intensifies the chill. Comfort is replaced with pain.

• In the same way, forcing light-heartedness on someone grieving strips away the warmth of empathy they desperately need.

• Cross references: Job’s friends remained silent for seven days before speaking (Job 2:13), modeling warmth and presence rather than premature words.Romans 12:15 urges, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep,” underscoring that timing matters in comfort.

• Vinegar disinfects, but its sting is immediate and sharp.

• Similarly, a merry song poured on raw sorrow may have a noble intent—trying to help—but it hurts first, adding sting to suffering.

•Psalm 69:21 portrays enemies giving the psalmist vinegar for thirst, intensifying agony rather than easing it;Luke 23:36 shows the Roman soldiers repeating the insult at the cross.

• Music is a blessing (Ephesians 5:19), yet even a good gift misapplied can wound.

• A “heavy heart” (literally crushed or downcast) cannot simply be sung into joy.Ecclesiastes 3:4 teaches there is “a time to weep and a time to laugh.”

•Proverbs 27:14 warns, “If one blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse,” highlighting how misplaced cheer becomes irritating rather than comforting.

• Listen first; speak—or sing—later.Job 13:5: “If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!”

• Match your ministry to the moment.Galatians 6:2 calls believers to “carry one another’s burdens,” which often means quiet presence, not pep rallies.

• Use discernment:Isaiah 50:4 speaks of “a word that sustains the weary.” Sometimes the sustaining word is soft and sorrow-shared.

• Reserve celebration for the right season. Jesus Himself wept at Lazarus’s tomb (John 11:35) before raising him, showing compassion precedes restoration.

Proverbs 25:20 warns that cheerful words delivered at the wrong time can feel like stripping someone’s coat on a freezing day or splashing vinegar on an open wound. Genuine comfort requires empathy, timing, and sensitivity—rejoicing only when hearts are ready and mourning with those who mourn until God grants healing.

Is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.--Not the true sympathy advised by St. Paul. (Romans 12:15.)

"Strains of gladness
Suit not souls with anguish torn." The true Christian sympathy teaches to "rejoice with them that rejoice, to weep with them that weep" (Romans 12:15). Plumptre, in the 'Speaker's Commentary,' suggests that the effervescence caused by the mixture of acid and alkali is taken as a type of the irritation produced by the inopportune songs. But this is importing a modern view into a paragraph, such as would never have occurred to the writer. The Septuagint, followed partially by Jerome, the Syriac, and the Targum, introduces another proverb not found in the Hebrew, "As a moth in a garment, and a worm in wood, so the sorrow of a man hurts his heart."

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