Proverbs 21:10-13 The soul of the wicked desires evil: his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.… I. THE MERCILESSNESS OF EVIL DESIRE. (Ver. 10.) There is nothing more cruel than unbridled appetite of any kind. All bad desires are perversions of self-love, and men thus became "hateful and hating one another." It is the grace of God which converts the selfish imagination, ever fixed on one narrow object, to the all-embracing imagination which is necessary to the fulfilment of the "golden rule" (Matthew 7:12) II. THE LESSONS OF PUNISHMENT AND OF REWARD. (Vers. 11, 12.) Daily life is full of this contrast, will we but heed its warnings. When the evil meet their just doom, let us say with the psalmist, "Thou puttest away the wicked of the earth like dross; therefore I love thy testimonies" (Psalm 119:119). And not less when the wise and good are made happy (this is the sense of the next clause) let us own the hand of him who pronounces concerning every good deed, "It shall in no wise lose its reward." III. RETRIBUTION ON THE HARD HEART. (Ver. 13.) The pitiless man closes the door of pity against himself in the time of need. If the cries of the poor are not heard by us, they will be heard against us (Exodus 22:23; Matthew 18:30-34). The parable of the unmerciful servant is the best commentary on this text. - J. Parallel Verses KJV: The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.WEB: The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes. |
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