What is the meaning of Proverbs 10:28? The hope Hope in Scripture is never mere wishful thinking; it is a confident, forward-looking trust in God’s promises. “Surely there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18). This secure anticipation rests on the character of the God “who cannot lie” (Titus 1:2). of the righteous The righteous are those who have been made right with God and who walk in His ways (Psalm 34:15). By faith they receive “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ” (Romans 3:22), and their lives give evidence of that standing. Because their relationship with God is settled, their hope is well-founded. is joy Hope bears the fruit of joy. Jesus promised, “I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). The righteous can rejoice now and look ahead to “fullness of joy” in God’s presence (Psalm 16:11). but This tiny word signals a sharp contrast. Proverbs often sets two paths side by side (Proverbs 11:23), pressing the reader to choose between them. the expectations The wicked also look forward to something, but their “expectations” lack a solid anchor. Like the spider’s web “their hope shall be cut off” (Job 8:13-14). of the wicked The wicked are those who reject God’s rule and persist in unbelief (Psalm 1:4-6; Romans 1:18). Their outlook may appear confident, yet it is rooted in self, not in the Lord. will perish Whatever the wicked count on—wealth, power, pleasures—vanishes. “When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes” (Proverbs 11:7). Their destiny is ruin: “the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish—vanish like smoke” (Psalm 37:20). Jesus echoes the proverb’s warning: the broad road “leads to destruction” (Matthew 7:13). summary Proverbs 10:28 draws a clear line. The righteous, resting in God’s promises, enjoy a present and future joy that nothing can overturn. The wicked, trusting in themselves, face an end where every expectation collapses. The verse invites each reader to anchor hope in Christ, where joy is guaranteed and eternal. |
    |