CRITICAL NOTES.—
Proverbs 3:31. Envy thou not, &c., or “emulate not” (Vulg.) “Do not anxiously covet” (Stuart).
Proverbs 3:32. Secret. His “secret compact,” “familiar intimacy.”
Proverbs 3:34. “If,” or “Seeing that He scorneth the scorners,” &c.
Proverbs 3:35. The promotion, &c., literally “shame lifts up,” i.e., in order to sweep away and destroy them; so Lange translates. Miller reads, “fools are each piling shame.” Stuart says on this verse, “Glory means here honour or an exalted station. Ziegler and Ewald render the next clause, ‘Shame shall elevate fools,’ spoken sarcastically. I prefer the meaning sanctioned by Ezekiel 21:23; Isaiah 57:14, viz., to take off, to sweep away, as the dust which is elevated by the wind and is swept off, as may be seen in Isaiah 17:13. Compare Isaiah 29:5; Psalms 35:5. At least, the image understood in this way is very vivid. It stands thus: ‘Fools are elevated like the light dust, and then are swept away in the same manner.’ ”
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH— Proverbs 3:31-35
THE OPPRESSOR NOT TO BE ENVIED
The children of Wisdom are strongly tempted sometimes to do this. Like Asaph (Psalms 73.), they see the prosperity of the wicked encompassed with pride, and clothed, as it were, with violence (Proverbs 3:6), and they are tempted to say: “Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.”
Such a state of mind is—
I. Dangerous. It is the first step to becoming like him. Envy of the oppressor may result in “choosing his ways.” A conviction that there is anything belonging to the oppressor that can be envied may lead to becoming oppressors ourselves.
II. Unwise.
1. Because the oppressor is held in universal abhorrence by men. True it is that he possesses power, or he could not oppress, but sooner or later the power will be transferred to the hands of those whose rights he has trampled on, and the outburst of rejoicing at his overthrow is the revelation of the hidden hatred of which he has all along been the subject.
2. Because he is an abomination to the Most High (Proverbs 3:32). As there is in the noblest of human kind an intense loathing of those who use their power to the injury of others, so this feeling exists more strongly in the mind of God in proportion as His goodness and benevolence exceeds that of the most perfect man. This is not only declared in revelation, but is manifested in the retributions of Providence. Since Pharaoh and his hosts were overthrown in the Red Sea, God has been slaying “mighty kings” who have followed in Pharaoh’s footsteps, because “He is good, and His mercy endureth for ever” (Psalms 136).
3. Because of the contrast in the character, and in the present and future reward of the oppressor and the child of Wisdom. The oppressor is “froward.” He will not submit to the voice of instruction or correction, but will be his own absolute lord and master. His actions, if not his words, say: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice?” The righteous are submissive to the Divine will—they are the “lowly,” who are willing to learn of Him who was meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29). Such opposite characters must necessarily meet with opposite dealing from a righteous Ruler. It is a righteous law that “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). With the froward Thou wilt show Thyself froward—with the merciful Thou wilt show Thyself merciful—are the curse and the blessing which rest respectively upon, not only the froward and lowly man, but upon those to whom they belong—their house—those who are bound to them in family relation. The scorn of the froward man reaps a harvest of scorn, but “grace” is the reward of lowliness and humility (Proverbs 3:34). The contrast in the future inheritance is still greater. The present curse and blessing may not be always evident to onlookers, but the future glory and shame will be manifest to the universe (Matthew 25:31-36).
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
Proverbs 3:32. The Lord will freely reveal to the righteous what He keeps from others—the truths and promises, the blessings and joys of His covenant of peace, secret to the soul that possesses them, intransferable, “passing all understanding,” “unspeakable and full of glory.”—Wardlaw.
There is no less a secret of godliness than there is of any other trade or profession. Many profess an art or a trade, but thrive not by it because they possess not the secret or mystery of it, and many profess godliness but are little the better for it, because they have not the true secret of it. He hath that with whom God is in secret in his heart, and he that is righteous in secret where no man sees him, he is the righteous man with whom the secret of the Lord is.—Jernim.
They shall be of His cabinet council who choose rather to lie in the dust than to rise by evil arts, by wicked principles.—Trapp.
Proverbs 3:33. Whatever cost be there, there can be no true cheer, for God’s curse mars all; this will either rot the timber, and pull it down, or undermine the foundation, and blow it up. Possibly there may be in thy house a loving wife, loving children, many servants, stately rooms, costly furniture, dainty fare, great earthly delights; but, man, the curse of God is there. A spoonful of this, like copperas, will turn all thy wine into ink; thy sea of honey into gall and wormwood. How can thy sweetest dish be savoury, when the curse of God is thy sauce? Or thy finest raiment delight thee when in every suit there is the curse of God like a plague-sore? or how can thy most beautiful building content thee, when this curse of God on thee for thy wickedness turns it into a prison to keep thee, who art in the bond of iniquity, till the hour of death, the time of thine execution?—Swinnock.
The houses of the wicked are of two kinds, some dwell in their merits, others in their vices. The Pharisees of the world dwell in the lofty houses of their own meritorious holiness. But as St. Bernard saith, What more foolish than to dwell in a house yet hardly begun? The debauched people of the world dwell in the dirty houses of their wicked lives, and cannot be gotten out of them. But the curse of God is upon both. The righteous dwell in God’s mercy which covereth them from the anger of His justice.… The rich glutton may keep out Lazarus, but he keeps in God’s curse.—Jermin.
Here are the gods—could the philosopher say of his poor habitation, meaning his heathenish household gods—whatever else is wanting to me. How much more may the saint say so of his God.—Trapp.
Proverbs 3:35. They shall be promoted, indeed, but their exaltation shall be like that of Haman, who was exalted when he was hung upon a gallows fifty cubits high.—Lawson.
This last contrast carries us forward to the coming day when all shall “discern” in the full delight of eternity (Malachi 3:18). The wise—the heirs of glory—are identified with the lowly (Proverbs 3:34)—the heirs of grace. Self-knowledge—the principle of lowliness—is the very substance of wisdom. Their inheritance also is one—grace and glory (Psalms 84:11). For what higher glory can there be than the grace which hath redeemed a worm of the earth and made him a king and priest unto God?—Bridges.
Humility is both a grace and a vessel to receive grace.—Trapp.