Proverbs 3:2 For length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.

Proverbs 3:17 Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace.

A major theme in Proverbs is blessed and blessing and how to attain that state of mind, body and soul. Did you know that the word happy is used interchangeably with blessed in the Bible? And did you also know that peace is used as a foundation stone for experiencing happiness and blessing? And that is why in this 31 Day Word Study we will look for all three of these words and their variations!!

I think it is safe to say that most people want to live in peace. But, what exactly is peace, how is it obtained and how is the human race doing on obtaining it and then hanging on to it? That is a subject that very large books have contemplated. Feel free to Google those and peruse in your free time. Here we will do a simple tip of the iceberg, as the saying goes. 

These two verses and their context, actually give us a very concise path to finding true peace. We need to back pedal just one verse. Remember Solomon is writing to his son.

Proverbs 3:1 Do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments. 

Solomon’s son is then told that if he does verse one, then he will truly have the peace promised in verse two along with length of days and years of life. Verses three and four list for us what the teaching is; kindness, truth, fear the LORD, turn away from evil, honor the LORD with your wealth, etc…Then the summation of this list and really of the whole Bible is given right smack in the middle of our peace verses. You may know these by heart.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

And what do we find on these straight paths? According to our verse 17, we find peace!

As the Bible and history tell us Solomon did not take his own counsel here and his sons did not follow this straight path either. They did not stay on the path filled with God’s peace and so they were not happy or blessed. For in just two generations from King David the northern kingdom of Israel was torn in two. The kings following Solomon were not kind, they did not pursue truth and wisdom and understanding. These kings did not have long lives and their paths were certainly not straight. They rejected God as LORD and peace was nowhere to be found for the nation of Israel; and the people groaned. We will find other verses in Proverbs about why people groan in other 31 Day Word Studies.

But God! Always there was a remnant of people and a handful of kings who loved the LORD and followed and stayed on the peaceful straight path of wisdom and truth and kindness, etc…True peace has nothing to do with people or circumstances.

True peace has everything to do with God!