Pr 10:29
29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright,
But ruin to the workers of iniquity.
The Parts
Parallelism Examined |
|
29a |
29b |
|
the way of the Lord |
(the way of the __________) |
|
stronghold |
ruin |
|
to the upright |
to the workers of iniquity |
stronghold – safety, protection, fortress. The verb related to this noun carries the idea of taking shelter quickly, Ex9.19 (safety); Jer4.6; 6.1. In word-pictures we would see mountains, a harbor, a temple.
upright – ethically sound, with integrity. The related verb speaks of being “complete.” Pictures an “entire” (day), “healthy” (vine), “soundness” (of flesh). It’s used of sacrifices, to be complete, healthy, sound.
ruin – cf: Pr10.14. Basic idea is to be broken.
workers – often used of moral activity, i.e., someone foreign to God’s things, plan, land, people, kingdom.
References to consider:
Pr 21:15
15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,
But is terror to the workers of iniquity.
cf: Ps52.7; 28.8; Isa25.4; 27.5
Ps 27:1
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?
Job 1:1; 9:20
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.
20 “Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me;
Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.
(This is not perfectionism or self-righteousness! Job never claimed sinlessness. He was whole-hearted in his commitment and life to the Lord.)
Sharpening for my life today:
As with the previous Proverb, our stronghold rests exclusively on the Lord’s justice and nature! This Proverb hits at the very heart of our security! That security is in integrity with the Lord and a whole-hearted life with Him.
It is worth the time to define: “The way of the Lord” . . .
And, it’s worth the time to define what is not: “The way of the Lord” . . .
Here’s a good opportunity to take some time and get a fresh look at the Lord of these Proverbs. The following article will get you well started.
The Doctrine of God in the Proverbs |
| His names. The name Yahweh is used of God in Proverbs eighty-seven times, ??l?hîm occurs only seven times (Pr2:5, 17; 3:4; 14:31; 25:2; 30:5, 9) and ??l??h occurs once (Pr30:5). God is also called the Holy One (Pr9:10; 30:3), the Righteous One (Pr21:12), the Defender (Pr23:11), and the Maker (Pr14:31; 17:5; 22:2).
His attributes. The attributes of God presented in the book of Proverbs include his holiness (“the Holy One,” Pr9:10; 30:3), omnipresence (Pr5:21; 15:3), omnipotence (as the Creator of the universe [Pr3:19–20; 8:22–31; 30:4] and of man’s ears and eyes [Pr20:12; 29:13], and the Maker of the poor [Pr14:31; 17:5; 22:2] and the rich [Pr22:2]), and omniscience (in examining and knowing death [Pr15:11], man’s conduct [Pr5:21; 21:2], man’s motives [Pr16:2], and heart [Pr17:3; 20:27; 24:12] and in seeing good and evil [Pr15:3], and those who gloat over others’ misfortunes [Pr4:16–17]). God also possesses sovereignty, working everything for His purposes (Pr16:4; 19:21), even determining man’s decisions (Pr16:33) and course of action (v. 9), directing the hearts (or interests and decisions) of kings (Pr21:1), and superseding every plan of mankind (Pr19:21; 21:30). God has wisdom (Pr3:19–20) and justice. In His justice (Pr29:26) He is the Righteous One (Pr21:12) who thwarts and punishes the wicked (Pr3:33; 10:3; 11:8; 21:12; 22:12), the crafty (Pr12:2), and the proud (Pr15:25), and He upholds the poor and afflicted (Pr22:22–23; 23:10–11). His justice is equitable for He repays man in accord with his conduct (Pr20:22; 24:12), and rewards the righteous (Pr19:17; 25:22). In His justice God hates perversity (Pr3:32; 11:20), pride (Pr6:17; 16:5), lying (Pr6:17–19; 12:22), violence (“hands that shed innocent blood,” Pr6:17), wicked scheming and actions (v. 18), dissension (v. 19), dishonesty (Pr11:1; 20:10, 23), hypocrisy (“the sacrifice of the wicked,” Pr15:8; 21:27; the prayers of the lawless, Pr28:9), and injustice (Pr17:15). God’s personality is evident in that He loves and disciplines (Pr3:12), hates (Pr6:16–19), delights (in honest business dealings, Pr11:1; in the conduct of the blameless, v. 20 [cf. Pr16:7a]; in people who are truthful, Pr12:22; and in the prayers and righteous conduct of the godly, Pr15:8–9). His actions. The preceding paragraphs show that God’s attributes reveal a number of His actions. These include creating, seeing, examining, purposing, influencing, directing, punishing, defending, rewarding, hating, loving, and delighting. Other actions include giving wisdom (Pr1:7; 2:6), giving grace to the humble (Pr3:34), protecting the righteous (Pr2:7-8; 3:26; 10:29; 14:26; 15:25; 18:10; 19:23; 29:25; 30:5), providing for the righteous (Pr10:3), delivering the righteous (Pr20:22), blessing the righteous (Pr3:33; 10:22; 12:2), giving life (Pr10:27), giving men prudent wives (Pr18:22; 19:14), directing those who trust Him (Pr3:5–6), giving people words to say (Pr16:1), guiding man’s ways (“steps,” v. 9; Pr20:24) and decisions (Pr16:33), and hearing the prayers of the righteous (Pr15:29). Roy B. Zuck, A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991), 238–239. |
