Proverbs 20

Atonement

Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? Proverbs 20:9

The proverb's question expects the answer 'no one.' Nobody can make his own heart clean; that honest admission is what makes a Redeemer necessary, and Latter-day Saint scripture teaches that only Christ's blood cleanses sin.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

• alluded to by 1 John 1:7-8 — If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves; the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.

Jehovah

Jehovah — the covenant name, rendered LORD

Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD. Proverbs 20:10

Jehovah, the premortal Christ, hates cheating in business. The God of Israel who gave the law of honest weights is the same Lord who later taught honesty in person.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• alludes to Deuteronomy 25:13-16 — The law against divers weights and measures, an abomination unto the LORD.

Creation by Christ

The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them. Proverbs 20:12

The LORD made the ear and the eye. Latter-day Saint scripture teaches that Jehovah, the premortal Christ, was the Creator under the Father's direction.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• the same title in John 1:3 — All things were made by Him, the Word.
• the same title in Psalm 94:9 — He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see?

Savior

Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee. Proverbs 20:22

Instead of getting even, we wait on the LORD, and He saves. Jehovah is the only Savior, the same Jesus who taught His disciples not to return evil for evil.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• the same title in Isaiah 43:11 — I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

Jehovah

Jehovah — the covenant name, rendered LORD

Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good. Proverbs 20:23

A repeat of verse 10: Jehovah, the premortal Christ, judges honesty in the small things.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

Jehovah

Jehovah — the covenant name, rendered LORD

Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way? Proverbs 20:24

Our steps are directed by the LORD, so we need His guidance to understand our own path. Jehovah is the one who leads His people.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• alluded to by Jeremiah 10:23 — The way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

Light of Christ

The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly. Proverbs 20:27

The human spirit is a lamp lit by the LORD that searches the heart. Latter-day Saints recognize here the Light of Christ given to every person, which helps them know good from evil (Moroni 7:16; D&C 93:2).

Atonement

The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly. Proverbs 20:30

In context this is about correction that purifies the inner person. Its picture of wounds and stripes that cleanse evil softly echoes the Messiah, of whom Isaiah said 'with his stripes we are healed.'