How is one who sings songs to a heavy heart like vinegar on soda (Proverbs 25:20)?

Then, again, what is it to remove a wrap in cold weather? Does it not aggravate the chill? as vinegar acts on nitre, not to soothe but to irritate. So are both like him "that sings songs to a sad heart." Prayer is seasonable for the afflicted, sympathy is suited; but singing songs is for the merry, not the sad. Mirth and its outflow must jar, as being wholly incongruous.

"As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as Vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart." If in verse 19 a "time of trouble" is contemplated, in verse 20 it is rather heaviness of heart. If one is thus badly affected by trouble of whatever kind are we prepared to meet his need with the proper ministry? Sadly, a common characteristic of the last days is a shallow, frivolous spirit that seeks to dismiss spiritual exercise of soul with assumed feelings of happiness or excitement. Singing songs to a heavy heart will not meet the need of that heart. It might rather expose him to the cold winds of unbelief, like the taking away of a garment. For if he is given to understand that Christianity is merely a sentimental, emotional appeal to the material senses, then he will deduce that it does not hold the answer to the real need of his soul: he is left exposed in the cold. Or, "as vinegar upon nitre," - not what is termed "nitre" now, but a mineral soda of Palestine. This combination would effervesce, giving an appearance of activity, but empty as foam. By this kind of thing the distress of the heart would only be increased. True joy in the Lord is real and precious, but an appearance of joy is false if the need of the soul is not met. "Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses" by imitations of the truth and Hymeneus and Philetus by falsehood "overthrew the faith of some" (2 Tim. 3:8; 2:17. 18). At least these stand as salutary warnings to us.

The natron of the moderns, not what is now called nitre, which is saltpetre. As vinegar upon natron or alkali (which would effervesce and evaporate) so is the unsuitableness of singing mirthful songs to a heavy heart. Prov. 25:20. It is a mineral alkali, and with oil is made into soap. Jer. 2:22.

But the examples need not be all selected from the astronomical sphere. Boastful modern philosophy has often laughed at Solomon's ignorance of chemistry when he spoke of the action of vinegar upon nitre in Proverbs 25. For nitre does not effervesce when acid is poured thereon. But the fault does not lie with the origin but in the medium of transmission. The estimable Westminster theologians although great linguists knew nothing of chemistry and were misled by the form of words. The Hebrew word used by Solomon was nether corresponding to nitron in the Greek which really describes sodium carbonate (our familiar "washing soda") the source of all effervescence on a modern commercial scale. The proper use of the word is well shown in Jeremiah, "For though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much sope." (Jer. 2:20).

This was a thin sour wine, that might be called either wine or vinegar, there being other words for wine of a better quality. It was the drink of the reapers and of the Roman soldiers. It is represented as intoxicating, and as irritating to the teeth. "As vinegar upon nitre [natron, an alkali], so is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart." Prov. 25:20. Its acidity is referred to in Prov. 10:26.

So our visiting should be practical. If we called on a widow and her children left in affluence, it might well be that a few well-chosen words said in true sympathy might convey true comfort. But suppose we visit a poor widow and destitute children, a few pious words with no material help might only harden a widow in her grief.

For all mere human efforts to comfort, apart from God and the truth, are inefficient because more or less ignorant. And the failure is the more apparent in proportion to the bitterness of the trial to be faced. This is shown in the history of Job, His three friends were evidently sincere in their regard for the sufferer, and anxious to serve him in the hour of his sorrow. But the cause of the patriarch's affliction completely baffled them. They failed to understand how such a perfect and upright man, as Job was, should be so very severely tried. Hence, after seven days' silence, by their insinuations and misrepresentations they caused that patient man to exclaim in the bitterness of his soul, "Miserable comforters, are ye all." They might have been of service if his were an ordinary case; but when an eminently righteous man was stripped of every earthly possession in an unexampled manner, their tongues were dumb. Not comprehending in any degree the ways of God with His own, they caused Job to feel, by their false and unworthy suggestions, their utter inability to help him and threw him back on God Himself. So that eventually he said, "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee" (Job 42:5).

As to the question of singing at funerals, it must entirely depend upon our spiritual power at the time. A person may be so bowed down with sorrow as to be wholly unable to sing, but you could not make such an one a model for others or hinder their singing on the ground of sympathy with him. We believe nothing can be more magnificent, more morally grand, than a hymn of praise, a song of triumph, chanted amid the very dust of death. To hear a congregation of saints singing at the grave of a brother or sister is a positive triumph over the enemy. But if anyone be so crushed under the sorrow as to be unable to sing, we feel assured the loving tender heart of Jesus feels the sorrow and puts the tears into His bottle. The one who wept and groaned at the grave of Lazarus would not rebuke the tears and groans of a crushed and desolate heart. Back

(2) He next challenges Job: Where has he gained superior wisdom to them? Has he been in the secret counsel of God from the beginning, before the earth and hills were made? Only divine Wisdom, the eternal Son, could claim such a relation to God as that (Prov. 8). As for Job, he is like themselves, only with less experience than many to whom Eliphaz could appeal. Being no wiser than others, why does he refuse the "consolations of God" which these friends were ministering to him? It certainly requires a stretch of imagination to call their galling words — like vinegar upon nitre — by such a tender term. The second part of this verse should probably reiterate the first, "And the word gently spoken to thee?" Why, he asks, does Job's eyes flash the rebellion of his wayward heart, instead of bowing to the charges of the friends? This he reckons as turning from God — a charge of heresy against one who does not bow to his inquisitors — which is common enough.