CRITICAL NOTES.—
Proverbs 16:5. Though hand join in hand, literally “hand to hand,” as in chap. Proverbs 11:21. This phrase is variously understood. Stuart renders it “Should hand be added to hand,” i.e., although a haughty man should employ all his powers of resistance, “he shall not go unpunished.” Delitzsch and Zöckler render it “assuredly,” as in chap. Proverbs 11:21. See also the comments on the verse.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 16:5
HEART-PRIDE
I. That which may be hidden from all others is ever manifest to One Being. There is coin in the world that is not money nor money’s worth, although it often passes through the hands of many before its worthlessness is detected. But there are eyes which could tell at once that it was not genuine, and hands which if it came into their possession would soon reduce it to its true level among the baser metals. So there is in the world a feigned humility, which has so much the appearance of the genuine article that no earthly creature suspects that it is the covering of a heart big with pride. But when God judges whether a man is proud or humble He looks through the words and actions at the heart. “Everyone that is proud in heart,” etc.
II. God abhors pride.
1. It is entirely contrary to His own nature. God is entirely without pride. His condescension is one of His most remarkable attributes. God manifest in flesh abased Himself beyond the possibility of any finite creature. “Being in the form of God He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 3:7-8). We always find that in proportion as men are holy and god-like they are destitute of pride. The proudest men are always those who have least to be proud of. Therefore pride can have no place in the character of the holy and ever-blessed God.
2. It is opposed to the possessor’s well-being. God not only abhors pride because He is Himself supremely good, but He holds it in abomination because He desires men’s good. Whatever is opposed to God’s nature must be opposed to man’s interest. He who desires the salvation of all His creatures hates pride because it holds men tied and bound in fetters which hinder their approach to Him; because it makes men akin to the fallen angels. (On this subject see also on Chapter s Proverbs 11:1; Proverbs 13:10, page 305, etc.)
III. Union is no guarantee against punishment. “Though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.” When that which is an abomination to God is the foundation of a confederation, it must be overthrown by the power of the stronger arm. And it contains within itself an element of overthrow. A house may have an appearance of compactness which may lead a casual onlooker to think it is destined to stand for many a century. But its foundation is in the sand, and its fall is only the work of time, even if storms and tempests never beat upon its walls. So there may be an appearance of strength where pride is the basis of union, but it can be only an appearance. Pride is a dividing force and not a binding one, and all confederations against God being based upon it, they rest only upon a foundation of sand. (See also on chap. Proverbs 11:21.)
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
(1.) If God has made everthing for His purpose (Proverbs 16:4), how foolish the man who arrogantly forgets Him!
(2.) If God has besought us to work under His plans (Proverbs 16:3), how wicked the man who proudly mutinies. If God works even in kings (chap. Proverbs 21:1), how absurd the man who would work away from Him. How can it work well? “Hand to hand,” i.e., in close quarters (chap. Proverbs 11:21), as we shall come all of us at the last, how can the workers outside of the Almighty possibly “go unpunished?”—Miller.
How many sins are in this sinful world, and yet, as Solomon saith of the good wife (Proverbs 31:29), “Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou surmountest them all.” So I may say of pride, many sins have done wickedly, but thou surmountest them all; for the wrathful man, the prodigal man, the lascivious man, the surfeiting man, the slothful man, is rather an enemy to himself than to God; the envious man, the covetous man, the deceitful man, the ungrateful man, is rather an enemy to men than to God; but the proud man sets himself against God, because he doth against His laws, he maketh himself equal with God, because he doth all without God, and craves no help of Him; he exalteth himself above God, because he will have his own will, though it be contrary to God’s will. As the humble man saith, “Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but to Thy name give the glory” (Psalms 115:1); so the proud man saith, “Not unto Him, not unto Him, but unto us give glory.”.… Therefore God is specially said to resist the proud, because the proud resist Him. Here is heaven against earth, the Creator against the creature, the Father against the Son, the Prince against the subject—who is like to win the field?.… It had been too heavy for them, if he had said the Lord doth not care for them; for God’s care preserveth us, and our own care doth but trouble us; but to say that the Lord doth resist them, is as if Michael should denounce war with the dragon till he hath cast him into the pit.—Henry Smith, 1590.
Some make “hand in hand” to be no more than “out of hand,” “immediately,” or “with ease,” for nothing is sooner or with more ease done than to fold one hand in another. God “shall spread forth His hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim, and He shall bring down their pride together with the spoil of their hands” (Isaiah 25:11). The motion in swimming is easy, not strong; for strong strokes in the water would rather sink than support. God, with greatest facility, can subdue His stoutest adversary when once it comes to handy-gripes—when once his hands join to the proud man’s hand—so some sense this text—so that they do manus conserere, then shall it appear that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God (Hebrews 10:31).—Trapp.
From hand to hand expresses the consecutive connection of causes through which the Lord works; though the proud escape one occasion of His punishment, yet he is reserved for another.—Mercer.