He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous.
Good men and their God
I. The character of good men.
1. They are spoken of as the “righteous.” The moral code of the universe may be reduced to two words: “Be just.” Be just to yourselves, to others, and to God. Virtue, morality, and religion constitute a righteous man.
2. They are spoken of as “walking uprightly.” Goodness in all moral creatures is not stationary, but progressive.
3. They are spoken of as “saints.” They are consecrated to God’s service, set apart to His use; they are the living and imperishable temples of the Holy Ghost.
II. The God of good men.
1. His relation to creation generally. He is the great original, central, exhaustless fountain of intelligence. The “Father of lights”--the light of instinct, reason, genius, conscience. Wherever there is a ray of truth, a beam of intelligence, a gleam of virtue, there is God, and in them He should be recognised and worshipped.
2. His relation to the good in particular. He makes special provision for them. He provides for their instruction. He is their buckler, their shield, and their enemies must strike through Him to injure them. He superintends their career. He vouchsafes their ultimate perfection. (David Thomas, D. D.)
Importance of wisdom
Not more necessary are constant supplies of water to the growth of vegetation in the sultry regions of the East than the influence of Divine truth to the existence of human happiness. If a tree, planted by the margin of a refreshing river, is proof against the heat of the sun or the unfavourableness of the seasons, he also who, into a well-prepared heart, receives continual infusions of religious wisdom, is flourishing and happy amidst all the inconveniences of life. (Bp. Jebb.)
A buckler to them that walk uprightly.
God the safeguard of wisdom
We are ill keepers of our own goodness and wisdom. God therefore is pleased to lay it up for us, and that it may be safe, Himself is the buckler and safeguard of it. But it must be sound and real wisdom and goodness, or else He careth not for it. The word translated “sound wisdom” signifieth essence or being; but it is used also to signify virtue, wisdom, and the law of God, because other things pass away, but they have a durable being--they make the well-being of man, they support the being of all things that are. As a buckler taketh the blows on itself which are directed to another, so God taketh the wrongs done to the righteous as done to Himself, and so doth receive them, as that He taketh away the hurt from His servants. The buckler also shows that they who will live uprightly must strive and fight. Let every one resist the enemy valiantly, for he that resisteth shall have an unwearied helper, and triumphing shall not want a bountiful rewarder. God will defend and preserve those that walk uprightly from falling into errors in seeking for wisdom. It is from God, by fearing Him, that wisdom is obtained, and that wisdom so obtained is alone sound wisdom. The paths of judgment God will keep for Himself, the ways of holiness He will preserve for His saints; and He preserving the ways of holiness, the ways will preserve them that walk in them. The words may, however, mean, He will so keep judgment that He will preserve mercy; He will so preserve mercy that He will keep judgment. The ways cross not so much in themselves but that they can meet in Him. Note that they are but paths, narrow paths of judgment, which the Lord keepeth, but it is a broad way of mercy which He preserveth. The force of Proverbs 2:8 is that God, who is Himself exact righteousness, guideth His servants in the ways of righteousness. The word “understanding“ may seem to be derived from standing, according as the Greek word also hath its derivation. Clemens Alexandrinus giveth the reason of the derivation, because understanding doth stay and settle the mind, which, before being unresolved, was carried hither and thither. But though this be true of a natural understanding, yet a spiritual understanding doth rather consist in walking the paths that lead from earthly things to heavenly. To understand righteousness is from a civil righteousness to walk to a religious righteousness. (M. Jermin.)