As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
(As) the fining pot (crucible) for silver (note, Proverbs 17:3 ) ... so is a man to (according to; Hebrew, lªpiy (H6310 )) his praise. As fire shows the purity, or else impurity of silver, so does praise show the virtue, or else the vanity of the man, according as he is puffed up or humble under it. The believer transfers the praise from himself to God. The unbeliever, like Herod (Acts 12:1-25), takes it to himself to his own hurt. Gesenius takes the "man" to be "the fining pot," or crucible, and "his praise" the metal to be tried by him. 'What a crucible is to silver, that let a man be to the mouth that praises him.' Let him examine the praise carefully, seeing the quantity of dross that cleaves to the praises which others bestow, by the standard of his conscience and the Word of God (cf. Romans 2:29; 2 Corinthians 10:18). But men are generally the 'silver and gold' to be tested (Proverbs 17:3; 1 Peter 1:7): "praise" is the crucible and the furnace.