What is the meaning of Proverbs 30:32?

If you have foolishly exalted yourself

• Pride is never harmless; it blinds us to our dependence on God. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

• Exalting self is “foolish” because it ignores what the Lord alone deserves (Isaiah 42:8).

• God’s pattern is clear: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

• When we catch ourselves boasting—whether aloud or only in our hearts—the verse calls us to recognize the folly immediately.

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or if you have plotted evil

• The word “plotted” reminds us that sin often starts in secret long before it becomes public action (Matthew 15:19).

• Scripture warns that “a heart that devises wicked schemes” is among the things the Lord hates (Proverbs 6:16-18).

• Even hidden plans are fully exposed to God: “Nothing in all creation is hidden from His sight” (Hebrews 4:13).

• Planning harm invites God’s discipline (Romans 12:19) and damages the plotter’s own soul (Psalm 7:15-16).

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put your hand over your mouth

• The physical gesture pictures an immediate, decisive stop—silencing prideful claims or evil intentions before they find voice.

• Job responded this way when confronted by God’s greatness: “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I put my hand over my mouth” (Job 40:4).

• Practical steps:

– Pause—refuse to speak further (James 1:19).

– Repent—turn from the attitude, not just the words (1 John 1:9).

– Replace—let truthful, humble speech fill the gap (Ephesians 4:29).

• Even a fool “is considered wise when he keeps silent” (Proverbs 17:28), so silence becomes the doorway to wisdom and repentance.

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summary

Proverbs 30:32 confronts two heart-level sins—self-exalting pride and scheming evil—and prescribes an urgent remedy: stop talking, humble yourself, and repent before God. By closing our mouths we open our hearts to His correction, trading folly for the grace He eagerly supplies to the humble.