Proverbs 28 Commentary
Integrity, Poverty, Riches…
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KEY THOUGHT: He who trusts in his own heart is a fool. [Proverbs 28:26a NKJV]
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Proverbs 28 NKJV
The Righteous Are Bold as a Lion
28 The wicked flee when no one pursues,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
2 Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
But by a man of understanding and knowledge
Right will be prolonged.
3 A poor man who oppresses the poor
Is like a driving rain [a]which leaves no food.
4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
But such as keep the law contend with them.
5 Evil men do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord understand all.
6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
7 Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
But a companion of gluttons shames his father.
8 One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.
9 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination.
10 Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,
He himself will fall into his own pit;
But the blameless will inherit good.
11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding searches him out.
12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory;
But when the wicked arise, men [b]hide themselves.
13 He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
14 Happy is the man who is always reverent,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
Is a wicked ruler over poor people.
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor,
But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
17 A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;
Let no one help him.
18 Whoever walks blamelessly will be [c]saved,
But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
19 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
21 To [d]show partiality is not good,
Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.
23 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
Than he who flatters with the tongue.
24 Whoever robs his father or his mother,
And says, “It is no transgression,”
The same is companion to a destroyer.
25 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.
26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
27 He who gives to the poor will not lack,
But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked arise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Footnotes
Proverbs 28:3 Lit. and there is no bread
Proverbs 28:12 Lit. will be searched for
Proverbs 28:18 delivered
Proverbs 28:21 Lit. recognize faces
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 28 Commentary
Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though rich. Verse 6. One can be poor, but not blameless. This is a shame. To be rich and perverse is equally shameful.
The scripture isn’t contradicting itself. Poverty is to be abhorred. It’s a consequence of laziness and poor decisions. But we have hints of poverty that may come because we have walked in integrity.
We have the same argument for suffering. It lands as punishment for wickedness and poor decisions. But Jesus and His followers suffer for being righteous!
This is where the “better” comes in! You don’t count yourself blessed when you are punished for your wickedness! Or when you starve because you haven’t worked.
The scripture severally underlines ungodly wealth as both transient and fake. But it also points to the blessedness of true righteousness regardless of an outward appearance.
Looks can deceive; this appears to be the message to the world. What many consider “wealth” could be “death”, while the poverty of the righteous could be a myth.
Fear characterizes the life of evildoers. What are they afraid of? Judgment, perhaps.
“Many rulers” is a reference to a lack of the rule of Christ in individuals. There are many voices making all sorts of decisions. But only the rule of Christ brings order. All other voices must remain quiet.
The stingy, the greedy, the wicked, and those who don’t take instructions, all have the ‘fool’ tag. These are the many rulers within the unsaved soul.
But the righteous tremble before the LORD. Let the rule of Christ prevail, they seem to say. Don’t let greediness have its way.
Take note of how the scripture describes the outcome of a blameless life. He is richly blessed. They are kept safe. Good things are done for them or to them. On the other hand, the wicked man goes out by himself to make things work for him. He rules himself.
For the righteous, life happens to them through their master. The wicked attempt to make it happen. They trust themselves. They praise their methods. They pour scorn on the rest for not making it.
The scripture seems to be saying that the saint must wait upon the LORD, even as they work diligently.
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