At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore (Ps. 16: 11)
My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
Proverbs 27:11
The nervous system that transmits signals of shame, dishonor, kvelling pride, and so on, is a system that extends throughout the organism of the family. The Scriptures teach that there really is such a thing as family honor.
When a son does something shameful, his mother feels it deeply. When the rod is not applied judiciously, a child left to himself brings shame to his mother (Prov. 29:15). A son is fully capable of bringing shame and reproach to both his parents (Prov. 19:26).
So in this proverb, the father is rightly exhorting his son. Do right, be wise, and gladden my heart. Otherwise I might not have anything to say when my adversary comes up to me and throws the stupid behavior of a stupid son in my face.
A man is greatly blessed in his sons, but not in the raw number of them. Samuel would not have been more greatly blessed with five sons who took bribes instead of two. Aaron would not have been more greatly blessed with four sons who perished in fire from the Lord instead of two. David would not have been more greatly blessed if he had three sons rebel against his rule instead of just one.
A man is blessed in his sons, when his quiver is full of them. A quiver holds arrows, and the quiver needs to be in the possession of and under the control of the warrior.
“Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be ashamed, But they shall speak with the enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:5).
He is contending with his adversaries in the city council, and his sons are there, and most importantly, his sons are on his side. They are standing behind him, shoulder to shoulder. On top of that, in line with our proverb here, they have not discredited their father’s cause through foolish and unwise behavior.
