Passage
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
Proverbs 16:6 (KJV)
Nearby Context
Proverbs 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Proverbs 16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Proverbs 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
Study Lenses
The verse centers on "mercy", "truth", "iniquity", "purged", "fear", "lord", "depart", and "evil". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "mercy" and "truth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 5's "Every one that is proud in heart..." into verse 7's "When a man s ways please the...", so "mercy" and "truth" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "mercy" and "truth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.