A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
A merry heart doeth good (like) a medicine - or else, 'make good (i:e., effectual) medicine;' cf. margin: so Mercer. The same root as here х geehah (H1456)] occurs in Hosea 5:13, "cure." Gesenius thinks the root-meaning to be the removal of the ligature of a wound. Quiet, diet, and cheerfulness flowing from a good conscience, are the best medicines (Proverbs 15:15; Proverbs 3:7-8; Proverbs 4:22).