Trust God
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones” (3:5-8).
Solomon’s primary point in this passage is that we must put our trust in God, rather than thinking we can find the path of wisdom apart from Him. But it is important that we put our trust in Him completely – with all our hearts (3:5) and in all our ways (3:6). If we do this, “He will make [our] paths straight.” This does not mean that whatever we do will be right. We can still choose to do what is wrong. Instead, Solomon’s point is that God will direct our steps to whatever degree we acknowledge Him and trust in His ways. We must trust in God in fear (3:7), knowing that God has the power to destroy us, but will not do so as long as we obey Him and “turn away from evil.” Doing this will lead to our being blessed by God.
“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (16:33).
This verse does not mean that everything that happens or is decided has been foreordained by God. Solomon later wrote, “Time and chance overtake them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11). The casting of lots was a practice done under the Old Law for matters which required a divine decision (cf. Leviticus 16:7-10). The apostles cast lots to determine who would replace Judas in their number (Acts 1:23-26). It did not produce a random outcome, but a divinely-decreed outcome (it would “show which one…You have chosen” – Acts 1:24). It eliminated the influence of man in the decision, thus requiring man to put his trust in God for the decision.
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe” (18:10).
There is safety and protection to be found in the Lord. However, this safety is only enjoyed by those who run to Him so that they might be protected. We cannot stubbornly refuse to follow God and expect Him to be with us.
“The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted” (29:25).
Trusting in the Lord is contrasted with fearing man. The implication is that when we place our complete trust in the Lord, we then have no reason to fear man. To fear man means one does not have the faith in God that he ought to have. Therefore, when trouble comes, he does not take refuge in the strong tower of the Lord (18:10). Trouble is going to come, regardless of our faith in God. The only way to be “exalted” is to keep our trust in Him.
“Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the Lord, and He will save you” (20:22).
When trouble comes against us from our fellow man, we are to leave vengeance to God (cf. Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19). Though we may have to wait for Him, in the end, the salvation that He offers is far greater than whatever vengeance we might be able to obtain for ourselves.
Pleasing God
“To do righteousness and justice is desired by the Lord more than sacrifice” (21:3).
The type of sacrifice mentioned in this verse is the sacrifice that would be offered for sin. God has always given His people an avenue whereby they could obtain forgiveness for their sins. Yet this avenue of forgiveness – whether the sacrifices under the Old Law or the prayers we offer to God today (1 John 1:9; Acts 8:22) – is not to be abused. Though an avenue of forgiveness exists, the first priority of God’s people ought to be to avoid sin in the first place (cf. 1 John 2:1). This is why Solomon says that practicing “righteousness and justice” is preferable to one needing to seek forgiveness. It is as Samuel told Saul: “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22).
“He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayer is an abomination” (28:9).
If one does not obey the Lord, thereby demonstrating a lack of respect for Him, he has no right to expect the Lord to heed him when he prays. Furthermore, the wise man says that the prayer of one who refuses to obey God “is an abomination.” It is not just that God ignores the prayers of the disobedient. These prayers are offensive to Him. David also spoke of God’s active opposition to the wicked as opposed to some divine indifference: “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against evildoers, to cut off the memory of them from the earth” (Psalm 34:15-16; cf. 1 Peter 3:12).
“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but He loves one who pursues righteousness” (15:8-9).
Just as the prayer of the disobedient is offensive to God [see comments on 28:9], “the sacrifice of the wicked” is offensive as well [see comments on 21:3]. On the other hand, God delights in “the prayer of the upright.” He wants man to come to Him in prayer, but man must make a sincere effort to please Him. “He loves one who pursues righteousness.” The fact that this is a pursuit does not mean that righteousness is unattainable, but rather that righteousness is something which must be continually sought. It requires action on man’s part, as the apostle John wrote, “The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous” (1 John 3:4). But “the way of the wicked” – his sinful actions and the ungodly direction of his life – is offensive to the Lord.
“Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord, but pleasant words are pure” (15:26).
In the verses above, Solomon has shown God’s contempt for the prayers, sacrifices, and actions of the wicked (28:9; 15:8-9). This verse goes further in saying that “evil plans are an abomination to the Lord.” God is aware of more than what is visible (our ways, 15:9) and what is directed specifically toward Him (prayers, 28:9; sacrifices, 15:8). Being omniscient, He is aware of our thoughts. If our thoughts are wicked, they are “an abomination” to Him. The second phrase of this verse is different in the King James Version. While the New American Standard translation seems to be simply describing a characteristic of “pleasant words” (that they are pure), the King James Version makes a clearer contrast with the plans/thoughts of the wicked in the first part of the verse: “But the words of the pure are pleasant words” (KJV). God delights in those who are pure and upright. These characteristics will be seen even in one’s speech.
“The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord, but the blameless in their walk are His delight” (11:20).
This verse contains the same thought as some of the verses previously considered. Those who are corrupt in their heart are offensive to God. Those who obey Him and follow the path of wisdom are pleasing to Him.
“He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord” (17:15).
Offending God is not just about what we might do that would be directed specifically toward Him (i.e. prayers and sacrifices – 21:3; 28:9; 15:8). Justifying the wicked and condemning the righteous are also offensive to Him. Doing these things shows a contempt for the law of God (by justifying the wicked) and a contempt for the people of God (by condemning the righteous). We cannot please God if we do not respect His law enough to recognize and acknowledge sin. We also cannot please God if we do not love His people.
