Proverbs 3:6

Acknowledge ¹  him in all your ways, ²  and he will make your paths straight. ³ 

in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.

Listen for GOD's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track.

In all your ways give ear to him, and he will make straight your footsteps.

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Acknowledge ¹  him in all your ways, ²  and he will make your paths straight. ³ 

¹ tn Heb “know him.” The verb יָדַע (yadah, “to know”) includes mental awareness of who God is and the consequential submission to his lordship. To know him is to obey him. The sage is calling for a life of trust and obedience in which the disciple sees the Lord in every event and relies on him. To acknowledge the Lord in every event means trusting and obeying him for guidance in right conduct.

² tn The term דֶרֶךְ (derekh, “way”) is figurative (hypocatastasis: implied comparison) referring to a person’s course of life, actions and undertakings (Prov 2:8; 3:6, 23; 11:5; 20:24; 29:27; 31:3; BDB 203 s.v. 5; cf. TEV “in everything you do”; NCV, NLT “in all you do”). This is a call for total commitment in trust for obedience in all things.

³ tn The verb יָשָׁר (yashar) means “to make smooth; to make straight” (BDB 444 s.v.). This phrase means “to make the way free from obstacles,” that is, to make it successful (e.g., Isa 40:3). The straight, even road is the right road; God will make the way smooth for the believer.