No harm overtakes the righteous,
but the wicked have their fill of trouble.
Summary: Today, we ponder three possible meanings for this passage. Does Solomon refer to our physical well-being, spiritual, or the eternal?
It is tempting to say that the reason no harm overtakes the righteous because as Paul says, no one is righteous (Romans 3: 10), but that would miss Solomon’s point. The question now is, “What is Solomon’s point?”
Looking at other translations and then poking around Strong’s Concordance a bit, it sounds like the “harm” Solomon had in mind might have been spiritual.
My first impression on reading this passage was worldly. I looked and thought that the “harm” and “trouble” mentioned were things like illness, being robbed, or a tax audit. Of course, that view doesn’t make much sense. The news is full of people I consider righteous in their dedication to the Lord and yet they are besieged by worldly trouble. On the other hand, the wicked seem to make another great stock pick, collect another million from a book deal or pick up a quick hundred thou’ for giving a speech somewhere. These are not the troubles Solomon is referring to.
The “harm” that the righteous avoid is spiritual in nature. It is the distress, misery, unhappiness, and worry that comes from having a guilty conscience. The wicked might have money and power, but they are constantly on the run from being alone with their thoughts. They take pills to sleep and pills to wake up. They indulge their senses in ways that make the word “perverse” almost meaningless. They are running from the kind of “trouble” that haunts the soul of those who reject God.
Another perspective we have talked about many times is the eternal perspective. From an eternal perspective, the righteous are at peace with God. Their time in the world is an infinitely small percentage of their eternal existence. Every stubbed toe, every hurt, every tear disappears in the distance of time as the righteous enjoy eternity in the presence of God.*
For the wicked, life on the other side is very different. They exist eternally, but they are apart from God. They are described as being thrown into the “lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). Trying to dog paddle through a lake of burning sulfur doesn’t sound like much fun. Doing that for an eternity without end is, well… hell.
Application: Once again Solomon reminds us how important it is to strive to please God in everything we think, say, and do.
Food for Thought: How do the righteous deal with worldly trouble as compared to the wicked?
*As discussed in prior posts, the term “righteous” in this context means that we desire to serve God. Righteous in the sense of Romans 10:3 means being perfect before God. These are two very different concepts.
How do the righteous deal with worldly trouble as compared to the wicked?
Recognize God’s Hand in your life: not all trouble is meant to do you harm. Ultimately God is preparing us for eternity with Him. Seek out wisdom from the Holy Spirit, scriptures and through earnest prayer. Be mindful of where your thoughts take you.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Proverbs 15:14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Chris,
You have given us good words for this morning! Thank you!
We are, indeed, being prepared for an eternity with Jesus. Amen!
Scripture tells us to have joy in trials and tribulations, rejoice always, do everything without grumbling, ask God for things WITH thanksgiving, give generously, carry out cross daily, love God and your neighbors… So many of these are things we ought to do constantly, but we add conditions. However, we are to do these things in good circumstances and bad.
The wicked will do the opposite and feel completely justified. If something isn’t perfect they have a right to complain, why give without getting in return, hard times – time to make everyone as miserable as me, can’t be thankful if that one thing isn’t there, love me.
We may not perfectly execute what we’ve been commanded to do, but making that our goal and valuing what God does is a big first step.
A,
Another good word for those of us in a world plagued by trouble. Thank you!
07-20-2022, Proverbs 20:21, How do the righteous deal with worldly trouble as compared to the wicked?
Proverbs 11:5-8, Also seems to cover the three possible meanings you mention in your summary.
PHYSICAL, 5 The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.
SPIRITUAL, 6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.
ETERNAL, 7 When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing. 8 The righteous man is rescued from trouble, and it comes on the wicked instead.
Spiritual growth brings the faithful closer to our Lord and further from concerns of this world. We become the spiritually alive individuals God intends for us, living in this world, but not of this world system of values. There comes a point when God’s Sovereignty, and Wisdom over all things becomes far greater than the our limited understanding, and living in faith becomes a higher priority.
This is when we begin to understand and live knowing truth. For us, there are no troubles in this world. There are only opportunities to grow in faith. What the world would describe as trouble, is seen by the righteous as an opportunity to grow in faith by trusting the Wisdom of our Sovereign God. He will never give us more than we can handle.
1 Corinthians 10:13.
Hmmm…. I feel like I’ve been hearing this conclusion repeatedly this weekend…
Ron,
I really like how you tied this back to Proverbs 11: 5-8. So much depends on our perspective, how we look at things. If we step back and do our best to look through God’s eternal perspective, everything changes, and it changes for the better.