"The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness."
Proverbs 11:5
“The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way.”
The good news is that the “righteous” will prevail. Right is right, and the one who lives by God’s righteousness is a good man. Although he is righteous, as the verse says, he is not “perfect” in the way our modern word means. This word means that he is “perfect,” that is, “without blemish or blame,” he cannot be rightly accused of crime or sin. This Hebrew word is the word “used of sacrifices,” being healthy and spotless that meet God’s criterion before they are offered up [1] (BDB).
The righteous man’s ways are “directed.” That is, they are “made plain” [2] (JFB).
“To clear a path is literally to make it straight, to improve it, so it is easy to walk on. A blameless person will not grow weary or fall on such a path and so will reach his destination” [3] (CSB).
“Righteous living results in a straight way (cf. 3:5–6), a life with fewer obstacles and troubles (cf. 11:8), but wickedness leads to a person’s downfall” [4] (BKC).
The righteous man is secure where the wicked man will face his ruin with the “destruction of the wicked” [5] (FSB).
God loves His righteous children and cares for them throughout their lives.
“For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield” (Psalm 5:12).
“The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry” (Psalm 34:15).
“The righteous cry and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17).
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).
God’s help for the righteous includes [6] –
They are “delivered out of trouble” (v. 8).
Their “integrity…shall guide them” (v. 3).
Their way is “directed” (v. 5).
Their “righteousness…shall deliver them” (v. 6).
Their “knowledge” delivers them (v. 9).
“But the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.”
Take note, “the wicked shall fall!” It may not be today or the next day, but his failure is coming and by his own doing. His own wickedness will take him down!
“The ways of wickedness are dangerous. And sin will be its own punishment” [7] (Henry).
We believers may stumble and fall in this life, but the Lord is there for us.
“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief” (Proverbs 24:16).
This old, tired, troubled world is full of the wicked and seemingly endless ways of displaying their iniquity. But never fear; the Lord has the last and final word!
“When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall” (Proverbs 29:16).
The wicked person’s own actions bring on their destruction [8]:
Their “perverseness of transgressors will destroy them” (v. 3).
Their own “wickedness” will drag them down (v. 5).
They are “taken captive by their lust” [9] (v. 6, ESV).
The “wicked come along and are trapped by it” [10] (v. 8, HSB).
Their “riches” can never save them (v. 4).
“When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too” (v. 7, ESV).
The wicked man’s way is not as simple as the righteous man’s. His “wicked ways are not plain…”. Theirs are problematic [11] (JFB). His evil ways lead to his final destruction.
Dear Lord, how thankful we are that you are in control. Only You sit upon your throne. You alone are Sovereign. And You are our God. Thank you for your love, grace, and mercy to us each day! Amen.
Quote: “Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate” (Psalm 34:21).
[1] BDB – Brown, Driver, Briggs. Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] JFB, Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 1 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 394.
[3] CSB, David K. Stabnow, “Proverbs,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 968.
[4] BKC, Sid S. Buzzell, “Proverbs,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 928.
[5] FSB, John D. Barry, Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Pr 11:3–9.
[6] FSB, ibid.
[7] Matthew Henry and Thomas Scott, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), Pr 11:5–7.
[8] FSB, ibid.
[9] ESV is the English Standard Version of the Bible.
[10] HSB is the Harvest Study Bible from Harvest Ministries in Guam.
[11] JFB, ibid.