Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Proverbs 10:9

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Proverbs 10:9. He that walketh uprightly — The upright man is always safe; he has not two characters to support; he goes straight forward, and is never afraid of detection, because he has never been influenced by hypocrisy or deceit.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

10:1-22:16

PROVERBS OF SOLOMON

The proverbs in this section are usually written in a simple two-line form, each proverb usually being equal to one verse in our Bible. Although the editor of the book has in parts brought together proverbs dealing with a similar subject or principle, each proverb must be considered by itself.
Clearly there is not enough space in a commentary of this size to explain each separate proverb. Readers will gain most benefit from Proverbs by reading it over a period (for example, a chapter at a time, with an interval between chapters), pausing to consider each proverb and how it applies to daily life. These proverbs are practical examples of how the wisdom and folly dealt with in Chapters 1-9 may be applied to everyday human experience.

Wisdom in practice (10:1-32)

The selection begins with proverbs that comment on some themes of the previous section - wisdom and folly, righteousness and wickedness, laziness and diligence. The proverbs point out the good and bad effects these things have on those who practise them and those associated with them (10:1-5). Behaviour indicates character, and a person’s reputation lives on after death (6-7). Wisdom comes by learning, not by boasting; security comes by uprightness, not by dishonest dealings (8-9).
Some people, by cunning actions and words, create trouble. Others, by speaking openly in love, make peace (10-12). The wise keep their knowledge for use on the right occasions; fools speak when they should not and so bring themselves trouble (13-14).
Money may, for a while, increase personal security, but people must earn it honestly and use it wisely if it is to improve the quality of their lives (15-17). If people have hatred in their hearts, their words will be either hypocritical or slanderous. If they are honest and sincere, their words will be well chosen and helpful to the hearers (18-21).
Because the foolish and the wicked build their lives on things that are material and temporary, they fear sudden disaster. But disaster will indeed befall them. The righteous build their lives on things of more lasting value. They therefore maintain their security and contentment, in spite of the troubles they meet (22-25). Lazy people are an annoyance to their employers (26).
God promises long life, gladness and divine protection to the righteous. He assures the wicked that when he acts against them their lives will finish in disappointment and despair (27-30). The speech of the righteous is wise and gracious, but that of the wicked is deceitful and hurtful (31-32).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"He that walketh uprightly walketh surely; But he that perverteth his ways shall be known."

"He that walketh in innocence walketh securely; but he that goeth in secret ways is known."C. F. Keil, Keil-Delitzsch's Old Testament Commentaries (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), Vol. 6, p. 215.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Shall be known - literally, “shall be made to know” (see Jeremiah 31:19; Judges 8:16 margin) in the sense of exposed.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 10

Now in chapter 10 we have individual proverbs. Most of these individual proverbs are in contrast, where they are contrasting the wise with the foolish, or the wicked with the righteous. Or the diligent with the slothful. I mean, you'll see in each of them a contrast, and there is really not any kind of a tie between the proverb. Each one is a separate little, neat little truth all packaged by itself. Each one is self-explanatory. Thus, there isn't really much that you can say without being redundant.

The Proverbs of Solomon ( Proverbs 10:1 ).

So now we're getting into the little individual, pithy statements.

A wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother ( Proverbs 10:1 ).

You see, that's my boy. Or that's her boy. The wise son is my boy. The foolish son is hers.

Treasures of wickedness profit nothing ( Proverbs 10:2 ):

Or gain that is made through wickedness.

but righteousness delivers from death. The LORD will not allow the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked ( Proverbs 10:2-3 ).

An interesting proverb. God will take care of His own. He'll not allow the soul of the righteous to famish. But ultimately, the wicked are going to have the substance taken away.

He becomes poor that deals with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent makes rich ( Proverbs 10:4 ).

Now, one thing that is noted in the proverbs and in the Bible is that God does respect and desire that in your business dealings you always be absolutely honest and upright. Don't be trying to always shyster the other guy or take advantage of another guy. Or we read a little further where the buyer says, "It's not worth a thing, it's not worth a thing." But when he walks away, he brags about what kind of a deal he got. "It's worth nothing. It's worth nothing." And you go away, "Man, did I ever have a deal! Look what I bought for $5. Really took that sucker." And he speaks against that kind of stuff. "He who deals with a slack hand." Deal honestly. Don't deal with a slack hand. But be diligent. He'll become poor that deals with a slack hand. It'll come back to you. You won't stay in business. You won't last in business. But if you are honest and diligent in business, then you're going to get the reputation for that. You cannot keep your reputation from getting around. It'll either be good or bad.

He that gathers in summer is a wise son: but he who sleeps in the harvest is one that causes shame. Blessings are on the head of the just: but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the just is [sweet or] blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot ( Proverbs 10:5-7 ).

Think that one over. How do you want people to think of you when you're gone? The memory of the just will be blessed. But if you've been rotten then your name will rot.

The wise in heart will receive commandments: but the prating fool shall fall. He that walks uprightly walks surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. He that winketh with the eye causes sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall. The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. Hatred stirs up strifes: but love covers all sins ( Proverbs 10:8-12 ).

This is quoted in the New Testament where we are told, "But love covereth a multitude of sins" ( 1 Peter 4:8 ). Hatred, if you're filled with hatred, it's just going to stir up strife. Everybody's going to hate you. But if you're a loving person, they're willing to overlook your faults. It just covers so many faults if you're a loving person. If you're a hateful person, man, then people are looking, they're scrutinizing you for faults. They can't wait to find it. It satisfies them when they can find something wrong and to see the flaws. But if you're a loving kind of a person, then they're just going to overlook all kinds of mistakes. So if you're not a perfect person, then you better be a loving person and you'll be able to get along all right. For "love covers a multitude of sins, all sins."

In the lips of him that has understanding wisdom is found: but the rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding. Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. A rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. The labor of the righteous tends to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. He that is in the way of life that keeps instruction [or he that is in the way of life keeps instruction]: but he that refuses reproof errs. He that hides hatred with lying lips, and he that utters a slander, is a fool ( Proverbs 10:13-18 ).

Now there is no contrast here. There are just two things that are declared. The man who hides hatred with his lying lips, that is the deceitful, hypocrite, and the man who utters a slander. You utter something slanderous about someone else, you're a fool.

In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin ( Proverbs 10:19 ):

In other words, the more you talk, the more you're going to... the greater possibility you're going to sin.

but he that refraineth his lips is wise ( Proverbs 10:19 ).

Better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you're a fool, rather than to open it and remove all doubt. That's Pro 1:4 by Chuck. I took it from the nineteenth here. There's nothing new under the sun.

The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for lack of wisdom ( Proverbs 10:20-21 ).

I love this one.

The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and he adds no sorrow with it ( Proverbs 10:22 ).

Oh, the blessings of the Lord. How rich they are. How rich is the time that we can spend together in a Christian fellowship and all. And there's no sorrow with it. You know there are a lot of people out doing things and all, oh, have a great time, but oh, man, the sorrow that follows. The remorse as, you know, the chickens come home to roost, and as it begins to come back on you. But the blessings of the Lord, they just make you so rich and there's no sorrow attached to it. It's just good all the way.

It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding has wisdom. The fear of the wicked shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted. As the whirlwind passes, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation ( Proverbs 10:23-25 ).

The wicked are to be destroyed, but the righteous will endure forever.

As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to him that sends him ( Proverbs 10:26 ).

I don't know what vinegar is to the teeth, but I do know what smoke is to the eyes. It smarts. And if you send a sluggard to do a job, man, it smarts. So is the sluggard to him who sends him.

The fear of the LORD prolongs ones days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth. The mouth of the just brings forth wisdom: but the perverse tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaks perversity ( Proverbs 10:27-32 ).

So all of these little nuggets, as I say, they are contrasts. And this is classic Hebrew poetry. For they found beauty in the ideas and the thoughts that were expressed rather than in the rhyme or the rhythm. Whereas, to us poetry has to be in rhyme and has to be in a rhythm to be attractive to us, but with the Hebrew poetry, it's all in the thoughts that are expressed. And usually in either the contrasting thoughts which in this chapter we have an excellent example as we were contrasting the righteous with the wicked and all, all of these contrasts to the Hebrew, that's just beautiful. They revel in the thought, the contrasting thoughts. Where for us, you got to have the rhyme. You got to have the rhythm, you know. And then we dig on the rhyme or the rhythm of a thing.

There are strange things done neath the midnight sun

By the men who toil for gold.

The arctic trails, oh, their secret tales

That would make your blood run cold.

The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,

But the clearest they ever did see.

Was a night on the marge of the Lake Lebarge

When I cremated...

You know, the rhyme and the... We love it. You love to throw the rhyming words together. And the rhythm of it carries us. But with the Hebrew poetry, there is, there isn't the rhythm, there isn't the rhyme, there's just the thoughts. And you get the beauty in the contrasting thoughts, or in the compounding of a thought, which some of these were in the compounding. A couple of them were compounding of thoughts, but most of them were contrasting thoughts.

So you get the idea of what a proverb is now as we move into these little three liners or whatever. You begin to catch the idea of the contrast of a proverb, and also of what constitutes poetry in the Hebrew idea and all.

So next week we will continue on eleven through fifteen. A lot of wisdom, a lot of understanding, a lot of knowledge packed away in these proverbs. And I pray that as we study them, that you will gain, you'll begin to receive the words of wisdom and instruction, justice, judgment and equity; give you knowledge and discretion.

Father, we thank You for the study of Your Word and we ask You, Father, make us wise. Men of understanding hearts. Oh God, help us to come into the fear of the Lord where we might have a proper respect for You. Learning to love the things that You love. Hating those things that You hate. That we might walk in righteousness and in the uprightness of our heart before Thee, Lord, knowing that Thou, Lord, seest us day by day. Nothing is hid from Thy sight. So may we live, Lord, as in Thy presence and conscious of Thy presence. So let us walk in all purity, holiness, righteousness. Oh God, make us pure even as Jesus Christ is pure. In His name we pray. Amen. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

1. Things that produce profit 10:1-14

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

He that walketh uprightly walketh surely,.... Or, "that walketh in perfection" c as the Targum. Not that walks without sin, no man does that; but that walks in the sincerity, integrity, and uprightness of his heart, both before God and men; who worships God in spirit and in truth, and speaks the truth in his heart to his neighbour; who is an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile; who walks uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel; who makes the word of God the rule of his life and actions; who walks by faith on Christ, using him as the way to the Father; believing in him for salvation; walking on in him as he has received him, and especially dealing with his uprightness or righteousness for his justification before God; who walks, as Christ did, in imitation of him; who walks in love, as he did, and in all humility, meekness, patience, and self-denial; who walks in and after the Spirit of Christ; and in the truths of the Gospel, and in all the ordinances thereof; and in all holy conversation and godliness, studying to exercise a conscience void of offence towards God and men. Such a man "walks surely", or securely, safely, confidently, as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions, interpret the word. Such an one has nothing to fear in his walk; he walks on "terra firma", on good ground, in a good way, which leads to life eternal: he has a good guide, the Spirit of God, which goes before him, and will be his guide even unto death, and lead him in the way everlasting, unto the land of uprightness; he has a good guard about him, not only the angels of God that encamp around him, but God himself is a wall of fire to him, and his power surrounds and protects him; he has many precious promises to support him; not only that the Lord will be a buckler to him, but will withhold no good thing from him, Proverbs 2:7; he has the gracious and supporting presence of God, when he passes through the fire and water of afflictions, and even through the valley of the shadow of death, so that he has nothing to fear; and has moreover the testimony of a good conscience; and having a good hope through grace, he "walks in hope", as the Targum is; yea, rejoices in hope of the glory of God, and holds fast that rejoicing to the end;

but he that perverteth his ways shall be known; who does not walk in a plain, direct, and even path, according to the rule of the word, as the upright man; but winds about here and there, goes into crooked paths, walks in craftiness as deceitful workers, whose folly shall be made manifest; though they think to hide it, and deceive men, they and their wickedness shall be exposed, their tricks and artful methods shall be laid open, and they be known to be what they are; if not in this life, yet at the last judgment, 1 Timothy 5:24. Jarchi and Aben Ezra observe another sense of the word, "he shall be broken", and compare with it Judges 8:16.

c הולך בתום "qui ambulat perfecte", Pagninus, Mercerus, Gejerus.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

      We are here told, and we may depend upon it, 1. That men's integrity will be their security: He that walks uprightly towards God and man, that is faithful to both, that designs as he ought and means as he says, walks surely; he is safe under a divine protection and easy in a holy security. He goes on his way with a humble boldness, being well armed against the temptations of Satan, the troubles of the world, and the reproaches of men. He knows what ground he stands on, what guide he follows, what guard he is surrounded with, and what glory he is going to, and therefore proceeds with assurance and great peace,Isaiah 32:17; Isaiah 33:15; Isaiah 33:16. Some understand it as part of the character of an upright man, that he walks surely, in opposition to walking at all adventures. He will not dare to do that which he is not fully satisfied in his own conscience concerning the lawfulness of, but will see his way clear in every thing. 2. That men's dishonesty will be their shame: He that perverts his way, that turns aside into crooked paths, that dissembles with God and man, looks one way and rows another, though he may for a time disguise himself, and pass current, shall be known to be what he is. It is a thousand to one but some time or other he betrays himself; at least, God will discover him in the great day. He that perverts his ways documento erit--shall be made an example of, for warning to others; so some.