Wisdom and understanding continue to be Solomon's prime topics. Find them, keep them, do not stray from them is his repeated refrain.
Without mentioning his two prime topics, Solomon puts an exclamation mark on his words with verse 23: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Solomon is not talking about guarding our physical heart, but rather 'heart' refers to our inner person, the core and essence of who we are. One lexicon says of the figurative meaning of heart, ""heart" became the richest Biblical term for the totality of man's inner or immaterial nature."
I am to guard who I am, my inner self, my real self because everything flows from it. To guard my heart in need is to wall it off from evil or bad influence. Then I have to install in it good things, like wisdom and understanding. Verses 24-27 give practical mechanisms to guard one's heart.
Mind your tongue… keep it from perversity and corrupt talk (24). Control your eyes, look ahead… don't gaze to the right or left. Don't gaze into the shadows were evil lurks (25). Monitor your path… beware traveling with the wrong crowds or into the wrong areas. Stay as they say, on the straight and narrow (26-27).
Following this advice will certainly guard our hearts and lives… practical thoughts for living as God would have us live.
Lord, this is easier considered than followed, even Solomon slipped on his own advice. Help me, Lord, for it takes more than will power to live faithfully before You. Help me… In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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