Seeking a Competency in the Wisdom of Providence
Proverbs 30:8
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:


Few things are of more moment than to have our desires of temporal blessings limited and directed in a proper manner.

I. WHAT WE MAY LEARN IN GENERAL FROM THIS PRAYER.

1. That it is lawful to pray for temporal blessings.

2. That God is the real and proper giver of every temporal, as well as of every spiritual, blessing.

II. THE PARTICULAR OBJECT OF THE PROPHET'S DESIRE. He does not refuse submission to the will of God by thus making choice of a particular state of life. Poverty and riches are mentioned as the two extremes. Where is the middle between the two?

1. God is the best judge of what is most fit and convenient for us.

2. Resignation to God is a most acceptable expression, both of our worship and obedience. Resignation is the very habit of obedience.

3. Such a temper of mind will greatly contribute to our own inward peace. It will preserve us from perplexing anxiety and many uneasy fears for futurity.

(John Witherspoon, D.D.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

WEB: Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me;




Poverty and Riches
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