In The Word
Read: Proverbs 10:1-11:13
Contrast of the Righteous and the Wicked
10 The proverbs of Solomon.
A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish son is a grief to his mother.
2 Ill-gotten gains do not benefit,
But righteousness rescues from death.
3 The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger,
But He will reject the craving of the wicked.
4 Poor is one who works with a lazy hand,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,
But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
7 The mentioning of the righteous is a blessing,
But the name of the wicked will rot.
8 The wise of heart will receive commands,
But a babbling fool will come to ruin.
9 One who walks in integrity walks securely,
But one who perverts his ways will be found out.
10 He who winks the eye causes trouble,
And a babbling fool will come to ruin.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all offenses.
13 On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,
But a rod is for the back of him who has no sense.
14 Wise people store up knowledge,
But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.
15 The rich person’s wealth is his fortress,
The ruin of the poor is their poverty.
16 The wages of the righteous is life,
The income of the wicked, punishment.
17 One who is on the path of life follows instruction,
But one who ignores a rebuke goes astray.
18 One who conceals hatred has lying lips,
And one who spreads slander is a fool.
19 When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable,
But one who restrains his lips is wise.
20 The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver,
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of understanding.
22 It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich,
And He adds no sorrow to it.
23 Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool,
And so is wisdom to a person of understanding.
24 What the wicked fears will come upon him,
But the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy one to those who send him.
27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
But the years of the wicked will be shortened.
28 The hope of the righteous is gladness,
But the expectation of the wicked perishes.
29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright,
But ruin to the workers of injustice.
30 The righteous will never be shaken,
But the wicked will not live in the land.
31 The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom,
But the perverted tongue will be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked, what is perverted.
Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked
11 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
But a just weight is His delight.
2 When pride comes, then comes dishonor;
But with the humble there is wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright will guide them,
But the perversity of the treacherous will destroy them.
4 Riches do not benefit on the day of wrath,
But righteousness rescues from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way,
But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright will rescue them,
But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.
7 When a wicked person dies, his expectation will perish,
And the hope of strong people perishes.
8 The righteous is rescued from trouble,
But the wicked takes his place.
9 With his mouth the godless person destroys his neighbor,
But through knowledge the righteous will be rescued.
10 When things go well for the righteous, the city rejoices,
And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
But by the mouth of the wicked, it is torn down.
12 One who despises his neighbor lacks sense,
But a person of understanding keeps silent.
13 One who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
But one who is trustworthy conceals a matter.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
We begin our devotions now in the second section of Proverbs entitled “Proverbs of Solomon.” Many believe the entire book of Proverbs was written by Solomon. That’s incorrect; there are many authors. Three of the authors are Solomon, Agur, and Lemuel, and others are known as only “Wise Men.” Our studies for the next ten days will cover Proverbs 10—22:16. These chapters are attributed to King Solomon; Proverbs 22:17—24 are the words of Wise Men.
Though there are many words of wisdom in our reading today, I would like to focus on the proverbs about the righteous versus the wicked, how the righteous get security and the wicked get fear and insecurity. In Proverbs 10:2-3, God takes an active role in the life of the believer; He delivers from death and hunger. In Proverbs 10:24-25 the righteous people have their desires granted and receive the sure foundation of an everlasting relationship with the Father, not so with the wicked. The wicked people’s hunger is their own responsibility; there is no divine intervention (Proverbs 10:3). The wicked are left with their fears and the hopelessness of a non-existent future (Proverbs 10:24-25). As believers we take for granted this security we have in knowing Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The unbeliever has no such security, and this is where our conversation with them should center. Your testimony and your witnessing is what could bring them to a decision to accept Christ and His promise of eternal life. As we begin to witness more and more insecurity in our world, a world in which the unbeliever has trusted in, more and more people will begin to look to you for answers. They will see in your eyes the security they wish they had!