"When you walk about, they will guide you. When you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk to you."
Solomon is making the necessary assumption that the parents of the people he is addressing are seeking their children's best and protecting the children with their advice and instructions. There is the natural tendency to rebel from our parents’ advice and think that it is a new day, and they are only trying to restrict us from having fun.
Your parents gave you certain instruction for a reason. They are older and wiser and have seen more of what the world will do to people. They understand how small and seemingly innocent things lead to bigger things. They have insights into how to navigate through the world into which they are birthing you.
walk
This is the Hebrew word halik, which means step. The idea is wherever life is taking you.
guide
This is the Hebrew word naha, which means lead or guide. Your parents’ wisdom will direct you through the maze of tough decisions that you will face in life. If you have rebelled from them, you will not pay attention to the small, little directions that are so crucial to building a good life. Go back and think through what they told you to do and start paying attention. Let what they said guide you; they know what they are talking about.
sleep
This is the Hebrew word sakab, which means to lie down. There is the possibility that Solomon is also suggesting the idea of whom you marry and have sexual relations with as the word sekobetis a related word and it means physical intimacy.
watch
This is the Hebrew word samar, which means to keep, guard, observe. The idea here is that if you listen to the direction of your parents’ commands, then you will be much more secure when and where you sleep at night. Also, their commands will help you find a good mate.
awake
This is the Hebrew word qits, which means to awake. Solomon is saying that when you get started in the day, the things that your parents said will rule out certain activity and rule in certain activity that will really help.
talk
This is the Hebrew word siha, which means meditate, muse, speak. Clearly we are the product of many of the things that our parents said to us and directed us into. If we would be willing to listen to the righteous declarations of our parents by not rebelling from their restrictions, then our ability to make better choices would improve. This is the idea of standing on their shoulders and being able to see more clearly.
Too many kids feel the need to reinvent everything themselves and mess up their lives in the process. This does remind us parents that we can have a huge impact in our kids’ lives by the direction we give them and the way that we approach them. If we can keep them in a relationship with us, then they will listen to our direction; and it will save them from a lot of problems later.
Until tomorrow,
Gil Stieglitz