Skip to content
Verse 9
Theosis · English Bible
Sirach

Sirach 15

Old TestamentTheosis · English Bible

1He that feareth the Lord will do good; and he that hath the knowledge of the law shall obtain her; 2and as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married of a virgin. 3With the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink. 4He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded. 5She shall exalt him above his neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth. 6He shall find joy and a crown of gladness, and she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name. 7But foolish men shall not attain unto her, and sinners shall not see her. 8For she is far from pride, and men that are liars cannot remember her. 9Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent him of the Lord. 10For praise shall be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it. 11Say not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away: for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth. 12Say not thou, He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of the sinful man. 13The Lord hateth all abomination; and they that fear God love it not. 14He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel; 15if thou wilt, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness. 16He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt. 17Before man is life and death; and whether he liketh shall be given him. 18For the wisdom of the Lord is great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things: 19and his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of man. 20He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man licence to sin.

Read chapter in the app
Sirach 15:9

John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom4th century

A wise individual cautions me and warns that “praise is not suitable in the mouth of a sinner.” Just as a garland requires not only pure flowers but also a pure hand to weave them, so too sacred hymns necessitate not just holy words but also a devoted spirit crafting them.

Firstly, the righteous are called to sing; one must align one's life with virtue before offering praises to the Almighty, for “praise is not pleasant in the mouth of a sinner.” Secondly, our praise needs to manifest not just in words but through our actions as well. God seeks this kind of exaltation: “let your light so shine,” He instructs, “before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). In this way, the cherubim honor Him. Therefore, upon hearing that divine hymn, the prophet, in his humility, lamented: “Woe is me! I perish! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips” (Is. 6:5). Likewise, the Psalmist, in urging us to praise, begins with the heavenly beings, proclaiming: “Praise the Lord from heaven; praise Him in the highest” (Ps. 148:1). It is essential to embody an angelic nature first before offering praise to God. We should not view this act of praise as trivial; rather, let our lives elevate our words, and let our actions resonate loudly before our speech. In this manner, we can honor God in stillness, and through our lives create a harmonious melody of worship.