Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on a wound, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
The concern of this proverb is that a person's counsel be appropriate. It is not opposed to singing songs, to a word of cheer and joy. However, if those songs are sung to a person with a heavy heart it is counter-productive. The action is compared to snatching away a person's garment on a cold day or pouring highly acidic vinegar on a wound. These are thoughtless and cruel acts and they highlight what a bad thing it is to deal inappropriately with needy people. If a preacher ignores the heavy hearts that people in his congregation carry and does the equivalent of singing songs to them, he is cruel and heartless. If he is genuinely going to gladden people's hearts he needs to think carefully about how he will sing to those with heavy hearts because still in their sins or because they are passing through a time of testing.
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