ZEALOUS FOR THE FEAR OF THE LORD

Passage: Proverbs 23:1-18

Key verse: 17

NIV

Saying 7

23 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
    note well what[a] is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
    if you are given to gluttony.
3 Do not crave his delicacies,(A)
    for that food is deceptive.

Saying 8

4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
    do not trust your own cleverness.
5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,(B)
    for they will surely sprout wings
    and fly off to the sky like an eagle.(C)

Saying 9

6 Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
    do not crave his delicacies;(D)
7 for he is the kind of person
    who is always thinking about the cost.[b]
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
    but his heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten
    and will have wasted your compliments.

Saying 10

9 Do not speak to fools,
    for they will scorn your prudent words.(E)

Saying 11

10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(F)
    or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their Defender(G) is strong;(H)
    he will take up their case against you.(I)

Saying 12

12 Apply your heart to instruction(J)
    and your ears to words of knowledge.

Saying 13

13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
    if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
14 Punish them with the rod
    and save them from death.(K)

Saying 14

15 My son, if your heart is wise,
    then my heart will be glad indeed;
16 my inmost being will rejoice
    when your lips speak what is right.(L)

Saying 15

17 Do not let your heart envy(M) sinners,
    but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
18 There is surely a future hope for you,
    and your hope will not be cut off.(N)

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Footnotes
  1. Proverbs 23:1 Or who
  2. Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he thinks within himself, / so he is; or for as he puts on a feast, / so he is
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
    observe carefully what[a] is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
    if you are given to appetite.
3 (A)Do not desire his delicacies,
    for they are deceptive food.
4 (B)Do not toil to acquire wealth;
    (C)be discerning enough to desist.
5 When your eyes light on it, it is gone,
    (D)for suddenly it sprouts wings,
    flying like an eagle toward heaven.
6 (E)Do not eat the bread of a man who is (F)stingy;[b]
    (G)do not desire his delicacies,
7 for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.[c]
    “Eat and drink!” he says to you,
    but his (H)heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten,
    and waste your pleasant words.
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
    for he will despise the good sense of your words.
10 (I)Do not move an ancient landmark
    or enter the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their (J)Redeemer is strong;
    he will (K)plead their cause against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction
    and your ear to words of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold (L)discipline from a child;
    (M)if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14 If you strike him with the rod,
    you will (N)save his soul from Sheol.
15 (O)My son, if your heart is wise,
    my heart too will be glad.
16 My (P)inmost being[d] will exult
    when your lips speak (Q)what is right.
17 Let not your heart (R)envy sinners,
    but continue in (S)the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 Surely (T)there is a future,
    and your (U)hope will not be cut off.

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Footnotes
  1. Proverbs 23:1 Or who
  2. Proverbs 23:6 Hebrew whose eye is evil
  3. Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he calculates in his soul, so is he
  4. Proverbs 23:16 Hebrew My kidneys
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Sayings 7 and 9 warn about eating with the rich and being alert to their hidden stinginess. Saying 8 warns us not to chase after riches. Money seems to be the end all, but it leads to many kinds of troubles, and our wealth flies away.

Sayings 10-14 offer serious practical advice about having wisdom (12). Wisdom protects us from wasting time talking to a fool (10), encroaching on others’ property lines (11), and spoiling our children (13). Those who live and speak wisely bring great joy to their family (14).

Saying 15 cautions us not to envy sinners. How often we envy the wrong people! Rather than envying others for their gifts, abilities, pleasures, and possessions, verse 17 says we should always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. This means that more than anything we want to honor God and do what is right before God. Then, there is hope for us. In Numbers 25:10, God said that Phineas was as zealous as God was for his honor. Because of Phineas’ zeal, God held back his wrath against his people. There was hope for the people because of Phineas’ zeal for the fear of the Lord.

Prayer: Father, thank you for teaching me not to chase after riches, but to always be zealous for the fear of the Lord and be a source of hope.

One Word: Always be zealous for the fear of the Lord and be a source of hope