Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Proverbs 28:26

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Proverbs 28:26. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool — For his heart, which is deceitful and desperately wicked, will infallibly deceive him.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Selfish ambition (28:1-28)

A bad conscience makes a person a coward, but a clear conscience gives a person courage (28:1). Some characteristics of a corrupt society are instability in the government, exploitation of fellow citizens (even among the poorer classes), lawlessness, reversal of moral standards, injustice and greed. In spite of this, some will always remain true to God (2-7).
Even those who are religious may be guilty of exploiting the poor and misleading the upright, but their religious exercises will not help them escape God’s judgment. Those who are poor yet godly see this truth and believe that one day they will prosper, whereas their oppressors will suffer (8-12). Hidden sins and a hardened conscience alike bring God’s judgment (13-14).
Although an individual may suffer a lifetime for causing the death of another, a whole nation may suffer because of the fury and ignorance of a despotic ruler (15-17). Those who live and work honestly need not fear the future (18-19), but those who are greedy will in the end be driven into poverty. Some are so greedy they can be bribed even by a piece of bread (20-22)!
No one should neglect these warnings, for a sincere rebuke is better than flattery (23). In their greed for riches, people at times cheat their parents, stir up trouble, become self-centred, neglect the poor and ignore injustice. But those who live only for themselves will one day suffer as they have made others suffer (24-28).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool; But whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered."

He shall be delivered (2nd line). This means that, "He shall be saved."The Douay Version of the Bible (New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1948). Therefore, walking wisely means following the sacred instructions in the Bible. For Christians, especially those in the New Testament.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The contrast between the wisdom of him who trusts in the Lord, and the folly of self-trust.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 28

Twenty-eight:

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are as bold as a lion ( Proverbs 28:1 ).

The contrast of the wicked and the righteous. We had an awful lot of that early in the proverbs.

For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged ( Proverbs 28:2 ).

When the land is bad, there's many changes of dynasties, governments. When evil existing. But a man of understanding and knowledge, the state, his position will be prolonged.

A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaves no food. They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them. Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things ( Proverbs 28:3-5 ).

This calls to mind the second chapter of Corinthians, First Corinthians, where Paul declares that, "The natural man understandeth not the things of the Spirit, neither can he know them. They are spiritually discerned. But he which is spiritual understands all things, though he is not understood of men" ( 1 Corinthians 2:14-15 ). So evil men understand not the judgment, but they that seek the Lord, God gives to us an understanding, an oeidus, an intuitive knowledge of things.

Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich ( Proverbs 28:6 ).

An honest poor man much better than a perverse rich man.

Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men will bring shame to his father. He that by usury and unjust gain increases his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor ( Proverbs 28:7-8 ).

God will take it away from you and distribute it among the poor.

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination ( Proverbs 28:9 ).

Prayer at some times in some places is an abomination. Now, we look at prayer as really the highest function of a Christian duty or experience. You know, a man in prayer, you see that as the highest form of the communion of a man with God. But it is possible that even our prayers can be an abomination. And if I if I'm not regarding the law of God, if I turn away my ear from obedience to the law of God, my prayers are useless. The Bible says that, "God's hand is not short, that He cannot save; neither is His ear heavy, that He cannot hear. But your sins have separated you from God" ( Isaiah 59:1-2 ).

The psalmist said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord hears me not when I pray" ( Psalms 66:18 ). So my prayer becomes almost deceitful. It's an abomination. I say, "Well, I know I'm not so good. I know I'm not doing what I should but, I still pray." Well, hey, if your hands are filled with blood and you raise those bloody hands to God in prayer, God's not going to hear you. Your sin has separated between you and God. It isn't that God can't hear you; He won't hear you. So prayer becomes an abomination. It becomes a deceitful thing. I think, "Well, I'm not too bad because I still pray." But yet my prayers are worthless. They're an abomination.

Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession. The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out. When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy ( Proverbs 28:10-13 ).

A lot of people seeking to cover their sins. Try to cover your sin, you're not going to prosper. "Be sure your sins will find you out" ( Numbers 32:23 ), God said. But whosoever will confess them and forsake them. In John we read, "If a man says he has no sin, he's only deceiving himself, the truth is not in him. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" ( 1 John 1:8-9 ). Just confess and forsake your sins. God will be merciful to you. And it shows you the folly of going on and trying to cover your sin. You're not going to prosper. You're not going to get away with it. The best thing as far as sin is the confession and the forsaking, because then you can have and find mercy. Until you confess and forsake, you're going to have to answer for them.

Happy is the man that reverences always: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people. The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor ( Proverbs 28:14-16 ):

That is, the prince who lacks in understanding will be a great oppressor of the people.

but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days. A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; and let no man stop him. Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once. He that tills his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that follows after vain persons shall have poverty enough. A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. To have the respect of persons is not good: for, for a piece of bread that man will transgress ( Proverbs 28:16-21 ).

James rebukes us for having respect of persons in our assemblies. And he points out how that if a person comes in in rags, you have a tendency to push him off in the corner. But if a guy comes in flashing diamonds and everything else, "Oh, come on down here, take this place of honor." He says, "Hey, you have respect of persons. That's not good. God is no respecter of persons. And for us to have respect of persons is not good. A person who has the respect of persons, for a piece of bread he'll transgress."

He that hasteth to be rich ( Proverbs 28:22 )

The get-rich-quick schemes.

has an evil eye, and considers not that poverty shall come upon him ( Proverbs 28:22 ).

There are a lot of get-rich schemes, or I should say get-rich scams that are all over the place today. If you haste to be rich, you're looking for a get-rich scam, you're going to lose your shirt. So many people trying to go to Vegas to get rich quick. Because every once in a while, some person hits the jackpot down there. And when they hit the jackpot, they make news. The papers publish the fact that this guy hit the jackpot on the dollar machine; he's won $287,000. And everybody around the country hears it. They don't tell you about the 280,000 that went away from Las Vegas selling their watch to the service station attendant in Barstow to get enough gas to get home. For every one winner, there's a thousand losers. He that hastes to get rich, he who's looking for a get-rich scheme is going to end up in poverty.

He that rebukes a man, afterwards shall find more favor than he who flatters with a tongue ( Proverbs 28:23 ).

That is, he who rebukes a man, afterwards he'll find more favor than the man who was flattered with his tongue.

Whoso robs his father or his mother, and says, It's no transgression; the same is a companion of the destroyer. He that is of a proud heart stirs up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat ( Proverbs 28:24-25 ).

Oh, I love that. I've determined that we have an ungodly obsession with skinniness. I don't find any scriptures that talks about the blessing of skinniness.

He that trusts in his own heart is a fool ( Proverbs 28:26 ):

Now that's interesting, isn't it? Why? Because the scripture tells us in Jeremiah that, "The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked" ( Jeremiah 17:9 ). You don't really know it. So if you trust your own heart, you're a fool.

but whoso walketh wisely shall be delivered. He that gives unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hides his eyes [that is, from the poor] shall have many a curse. When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase ( Proverbs 28:26-28 ). "

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool,.... Since the thoughts and imaginations of the thoughts of the heart are only evil, and that continually; they are vain and vague, sinful and corrupt; the affections are inordinate, the conscience defiled, the understanding darkened, and the will perverse; there is no good thing in it, nor any that comes out of it, but all the reverse; it is deceitful and desperately wicked: he must be a fool, and not know the plague of his heart, that trusts in it; and even for a good man to be self-confident, and trust to the sincerity of his heart, as Peter did, or to the good frame of the heart, as many do, is acting a foolish part; and especially such are fools as the Scribes and Pharisees, who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others, when a man's best righteousness is impure and imperfect, and cannot justify him in the sight of God; it is moreover a weak and foolish part in men to trust to the wisdom and counsel of their heart, to lean to their own understanding, even it, things natural and civil, and not to ask wisdom of God, or take the advice of men, and especially it, things religious and sacred; see Proverbs 3:5;

but whoso walketh wisely; as he does who walks according to the rule of the divine word; who makes the testimonies of the Lord his counsellors; who consults with his sacred writings, and follows the directions of them; who walks as he has Christ for his pattern and example, and makes the Spirit of God his guide, and walks after him, and not after the flesh; who walks with wise men, and takes their advice in all matters of moment, not trusting to his own wisdom and knowledge; who walks as becomes the Gospel of Christ, and in all the ordinances of it; who walks inoffensively to all men, and so in wisdom towards them that are without, and in love to them who are within; who walks circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time;

he shall be delivered; he shall be delivered from the snares of his own deceitful heart, which he will not trust; and from the temptations of Satan; and from all afflictions and troubles he meets with in the way; and from a final and total falling away; and from eternal death and destruction: "he shall be saved", as some versions render it, even with an everlasting salvation. The Targum is,

"he shall be protected from evil.''

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

      Here is, 1. The character of a fool: He trusts to his own heart, to his own wisdom and counsels, his own strength and sufficiency, his own merit and righteousness, and the good opinion he has of himself; he that does so is a fool, for he trusts to that, not only which is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9), but which has often deceived him. This implies that it is the character of a wise man (as before, Proverbs 28:25; Proverbs 28:25) to put his trust in the Lord, and in his power and promise, and to follow his guidance, Proverbs 3:5; Proverbs 3:6. 2. The comfort of a wise man: He that walks wisely, that trusts not to his own heart, but is humble and self-diffident, and goes on in the strength of the Lord God, he shall be delivered; when the fool, that trusts in his own heart, shall be destroyed.