The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil. Proverbs 19:23
19:1-7 The proverbs are both idealistic and realistic. This section insists that “better a poor man whose walk is blameless” and yet is well aware that “a poor man is shunned by all his relatives” and avoided by all his friends. The wonderful thing about the proverbs is that despite their utter realism, they persistently remind us to choose what is right rather than what is expedient. If you face a choice between a blameless walk and wealth, choose the former.
19:1 This proverb presents a poor person in a more favorable light than a rich person. In this case, the poor person’s life is marked by integrity, whereas the successful person has gained his wealth through cheating and deception. The Book of Proverbs does not place a premium on health and wealth. It gives that honor to integrity.
1 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
19:8 Ultimately, to find good means to find the Lord in His Word.
8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.
19:10 The phrase is not fitting might also be rendered “is not a pretty sight.” For the wrong people to rule is an outrage. It is also not fitting because wealth permits the foolish person to indulge himself and thus confirms his folly.
10 Luxury is not fitting for a fool, Much less for a servant to rule over princes.
19:21 A wise person commits his or her plans to the Lord. A person whose plans oppose the Lord may actually become God’s enemy. But the person whose ways are from God will certainly succeed.
17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.
19:17 The word translated “poor” is one that emphasizes weakness and thus a desperate need for help. When we assist a person in real need, God Himself accepts the obligation to repay us.
19:18 The rabbis observed that, however perverse a child may be, a father was to keep on correcting, rather than give up and say, “There’s nothing more I can do!” We keep on disciplining because in parental discipline there is hope. There may be even more here. The second part of the proverb suggests some parents become hostile toward unresponsive children and wish to be rid of them. But hope protects us from hostility.
18 Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.
19:21 A wise person commits his or her plans to the Lord. A person whose plans oppose the Lord may actually become God’s enemy. But the person whose ways are from God will certainly succeed.
21 There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel–that will stand.
19:23 This proverb emphasizes the lifelong nature of genuine piety and the abundant rewards that it gives. The fear of the Lord is contrasted with all other pleasures, because it alone keeps the believer innocent and provides lifelong satisfaction.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.
19:25 A rabbinic saying that sums up this proverb’s teaching says, “To the wise man with a hint, to the fool with a fist.”
25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.
** Fear and confidence seem to be two unrelated concepts. But fear of the Lord gives us confidence. If we let Him, God trains us like He is our father — to be tough, to be honorable, and upright. It’s like entering West Point. Going through its program may be tough but it trains us to have a strong disciplined body and spirit which will in turn give us confidence and dignity.
19 1 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
2 Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, And he sins who hastens with his feet.
3 The foolishness of a man twists his way, And his heart frets against the Lord.
4 Wealth makes many friends, But the poor is separated from his friend.
5 A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape.
6 Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts. 7 All the brothers of the poor hate him; How much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.
8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies shall perish.
10 Luxury is not fitting for a fool, Much less for a servant to rule over princes.
11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
12 The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 A foolish son is the ruin of his father, And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.
14 Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15 Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, And an idle person will suffer hunger.
16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die.
17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.
18 Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.
19 A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.
20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days.
21 There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel–that will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.
24 A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.
26 He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.
27 Cease listening to instruction, my son, And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A disreputable witness scorns justice, And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
29 Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And beatings for the backs of fools.
