Proverbs 11: 10 & 11 People Reflect on Their Municipalities

The type of people in a town, city or even a country, will give that “municipality” a specific reputation. Today’s verses touch on this topic.

Proverbs 11: 10 & 11 (NKJV)

10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
11 By the blessing of the upright, the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

First, let’s look at the definitions of the main words, that we haven’t studied before, in these verses:
1. city: A center of population, commerce, and culture
2. perish: To die or be destroyed, especially in a violent or untimely manner
3. jubilation: a feeling of great joy and celebration

4. exalted : Elevated in rank, character, or status.
5. overthrown : To bring about the downfall or destruction of…

Both of our verses today start with the effects that people that are righteous and upright, have on helping a city to prosper. These people follow God and/or His wise ways and their lives will be blessed because of it. When the righteous are blessed (“when it goes well with…” AND when they are receiving “blessings”) then the city or area that they live in will also be blessed because they will have more to spend, and more ways to help their neighbors. We have seen examples of this principle before in our United States history, when our country was blessed because we had a morally based society… one that was basically based on a Judeo-Christian heritage. We became one of the strongest, most blessed, AND most giving countries in the world.

Over the past 50 or so years, we have seen things turn around and start to go downhill. As the ratio of those that follow righteous, moral lives compared to those that are following wicked ways, tip the other way, our cities, towns and society in general are having more and more problems.

Verse 10 tells us that when the “wicked perish,” there is “jubilation.” Think about the celebrations that occurred when Saddam Hussein’s reign was overthrown to get a good picture of the truth of this verse.

The last part of verse 11 says that cities are “overthrown” by the mouth (or words) of the wicked. We have seen this on a small scale with the gangs pushing each other to do things that continually grow worse, and we have seen it on a large scale through the words of Adolf Hitler that ended in a World War.

We have even seen examples in the past year or so of whole cities and towns that are perishing and being foreclosed on because of the lies of wicked, greedy men that gave loans to so many when they really couldn’t afford it.

Our lives DO make a difference to those who live round us, and we need to be sure that they see the effects of God’s love and work in our lives, for that may be the only way they will ever think about learning about God.

Proverbs 11: 9 Hypocrisy

Today’s verse covers the problems that neighbors can have when one or more of them have a problem with hypocrisy.

Proverbs 11: 9 (NKJV)

9 The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor,

But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.

The Thesaurus on the Free Online Dictionary gives these definitions of a hypocrite – 1. A person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives 2. A person who is inwardly evil but outwardly professes to be virtuous 3. Someone who leads you to believe something that is not true.

These types of people live on lying and gossip, and the words that come from their mouths, can cause great harm and even destruction to those around them. In contrast, those that are lead by the Spirit of God through knowledge of His Word and His Ways can find ways to extricate themselves from the webs of lies the hypocrite has woven for them. Their character and the ways that they have lived will show others which one is telling the truth and which is lying.

Proverbs 11:1 Don’t Cheat Others!

Hi, fellow Wisdom Seekers! Today we will be starting a new chapter. Let’s see what the Lord has to teach us for today!

Proverbs 11:1 (NKJV)
1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD,

But a just weight is His delight.

The note in my NIV Bible says that, “In a culture with no bureau of weights and measures, cheating in business by falsification of standards was common…” God calls those that follow HIM to be very careful NOT to cheat others in any way! He says that cheating is an “abomination” to Him. The word, “abomination,” as defined in the Online Dictionary, means, 1. Abhorrence; disgust. 2. A cause of abhorrence or disgust. 3. an action that is vicious or vile; an action that arouses disgust or abhorrence.

This would be another form of lying, and John 8:44 (NKJV) says, that if you lie, 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. Proverbs 6: 17 lists lying as one of the “Seven Deadly Sins” that God hates!

As we can see, God feels quite STRONGLY about cheating and lying, which go hand in hand. Revelation 22:14-15 (NKJV) makes this VERY clear! It says, 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city [speaking of heaven]. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

Lying and cheating are the exact opposites of everything the Lord wants of His people. This verse concludes with “a just weight is His delight” because God’s ways are ways of love, caring, help, and truth toward our “neighbors.” These things build up trust and confidence between His children (those that choose to follow Him), and eventually, we will all be living together in His kingdom, so we need to start building the type of relationships here that we will live with, forever, there!

Proverbs 10:19 & 20 Watch Your Mouth! Continued…

Today’s verses, like our last study, also speak of the importance of the words that come out of our mouths.


Proverbs 10:19 & 20 (NKJV)

19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,
But he who restrains his lips is wise.
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
The heart of the wicked is worth little.


I love the way that the New Living Translation, which is a paraphrase Bible, renders this verse! “ Don’t talk to much, for it fosters sin. Be sensible and turn off the flow!” I think that says it pretty well. It is when we get carried away while speaking, that we (or maybe I should say, “I”) have a tendency to add things that “exaggerate” a bit. If you look at it, “exaggeration” is, in essence, lying. Often, if I keep it simple and “just the facts…” then things will come out the way they need to for me to stay on track with what the Lord would want.


As we have seen in past verses that we have studied, God wants the words that we speak to be a source of “riches” to others. This verse says, like “choice silver.”


As we saw in our last study, the words we speak spring from our “hearts,” and Biblically speaking, that means from our inner-most beings… our true selves. Those words from Jesus are just so important that I am going to repeat them here again, for they are something that needs to take root in our “hearts” so that we will be deterred from getting carried away in our speaking.


Matthew 12:34b-37 (NKJV)

34b For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Proverbs 10:18 Watch Your Mouth!

Today’s verses are about the words we allow out of our mouths…

Proverbs 10:18 (NKJV)
18 Whoever hides hatred has lying lips,

And whoever spreads slander is a fool.

The first part of this verse speaks of those that have hatred in their hearts. Many of these people try to hide this hatred when they are speaking to others, and to do this, they end up speaking lies. We need to let God clean up our hearts so that we can have a truly forgiving heart, and then we will not have “lying lips” when we speak of others.

The second part of this verse is not in contrast to the first part as many of the verses that we have studied have been. In this verse, the second part compliments, or comes at the subject of our words from a different angle. Those that have hatred or malice in their hearts, will often spread “slander” about others. The Online Dictionary gives this definition of slander: 1. Oral communication of false statements injurious to a person's reputation. 2. A false and malicious statement or report about someone.

This verse says that those that go around spreading “slander” are fools. Often, gossip is another form of “slander,” as well. We need to keep a close watch on our words! Here is what Jesus has to say about this subject.


Matthew 12:33-37 (NKJV)

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Proverbs 10 : 10 & 11 Speak Righteously

Today, we will look at two verses that have to do with the proper use of our mouth, or the words we speak.




Proverbs 10: 10 & 11 (NKJV)

10 He who winks with the eye causes trouble,
But a prating fool will fall.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

The first part of verse 10 speaks to us about those that “wink with the eye.” This is often a technique that people use to show that what they are speaking of at the time, is NOT what is really in their hearts. It tends to denote that there is a “lie” in their words, and this will always cause trouble sooner or later.

The second part of this verse again uses the words “a prating fool will fall,” and as we saw when this phrase was used in verse 8 of this chapter, a couple of studies ago, this part of the verse tells us that foolish people speak of only empty, foolish or trivial things that help no one. These people will ultimately fail or “fall.”

The first part of verse 11 points out that those that speak “righteous” words… words that are morally upright, and without sin, are people that bring “life” to others. Anytime we speak Godly wisdom, or the “Word,” we are passing around the “living water” spoken of by Jesus, who is known as “The Word.” John 7:38 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

The second part of Proverbs 10:6 is the same as the second part of verse 11. As we saw then, the violence spoken of through a person’s lips will eventually overwhelm them. These people will follow the lead of their lips, because out of the hearts of men, come their words, and death is the eventual result of a violent, sinful life.

Proverbs 9: 13 – 18

These last six verses of Chapter 9 contrast with the verses from our last study. Those verses were about wisdom, and these are about “Folly,” as again portrayed as a harlot or adulterous woman.

Proverbs 9: 13 - 18 (NKJV)
The Way of Folly

13 A foolish woman is clamorous;

She is simple, and knows nothing.

14 For she sits at the door of her house,

On a seat by the highest places of the city,

15 To call to those who pass by,

Who go straight on their way:

16 “ Whoever is simple, let him turn in here”;

And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,

17 “ Stolen water is sweet,

And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

” 18 But he does not know that the dead are there,

That her guests are in the depths of hell. (Sheol)

Verse 13 speaks of a “foolish woman” that “is simple, and knows nothing.” This “foolish” woman is loud and obnoxious (clamorous) and sits near her house, but on the way, or path to the high places where the other verses have told us that the young person should go to so that they can study wisdom. She calls out and tries to distract those that are trying to “go straight on their way…”

I see a picture here of the way that the world and “evil” sits in wait and tries to distract us from following the paths that God wants us to follow. Those that try to follow the “straight” path, often find their way surrounded by temptations that would call us from that path.

Verse 16 continues the message that most of the chapters that we have studied have put forth, in that this “woman of evil” targets those that are “simple” or “lack understanding.” She tempts these foolish young people the same way that they are being tempted today… by telling them that the sinful thing that she is presenting is “good.” This is the same lie that those that get into drugs, alcohol, etc. get started… even those of us that crave too many carbs, sweets or other things that are bad for us.

Water and bread, are things that we NEED, but we must be careful to use it wisely, in the ways that God created it to be used. It is the same with all the things that God put on this earth to bless us, but that have gotten twisted and misused.

The last verse warns that those that would follow the ways of “Folly” or foolishness, don’t realize that they are on a path AWAY from God and the LIFE He gives, and that following this other path will, eventually, lead to their death. These verses conclude with, “her guests are in the depths of hell.”

Proverbs 6: 20 – 29

Today’s verses are another warning to young men about committing adultery. From the repetition that the Bible uses in this area, God must really think it is one of the most important things a young person can learn about, as we have discussed in prior studies. Here are today’s verses:

Proverbs 6: 20 - 29 (NIV)
Warning Against Adultery

20 My son, keep your father's commands
and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
21 Bind them upon your heart forever;

fasten them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you;

when you sleep, they will watch over you;

when you awake, they will speak to you.

23 For these commands are a lamp,

this teaching is a light,

and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,

24 keeping you from the immoral woman,

from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.
25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty

or let her captivate you with her eyes,
26 for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread,

and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap

without his clothes being burned?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals

without his feet being scorched?
29 So is he who sleeps with another man's wife;

no one who touches her will go unpunished.

The first four of today’s verses remind us that our “father’s commands” and “mother’s teaching”… the lessons a good parent would continually impart to a young person throughout their youth (spiritual or physical) IF REMEMBERED and ACTED upon, will shine for others to see, guide them throughout their lives, give them comfort so they can sleep peacefully, etc. They also remind us, in verse 23, that “the corrections of discipline are the way to life…” As we have seen in other studies in this area, proper “discipline,” done in a wise way, is to be expected to keep us on the right path. If we listen the first time, we don’t have to have a harsher discipline later on.

Verses 24 thru 29 cover this chapter’s warnings on adultery. The first verses we looked at tie together with these, as we see in verse 24. Both types of adultery are mentioned in this verse… a man turning to a prostitute or immoral woman, and a man having an affair with a “wayward wife.”

NOTE: During Bible times, “prostitutes” and prostitution was often a form of Temple worship employed by many of the religions of that time, so this sin also often had spiritual implications involved that would, of course, be another problem as far as God was concerned.

Verse 25 talks about a “lust of the flesh” that is activated by the eyes in this case. Remember, our senses are wonderful gifts of God, but as with all of His gifts to us, we need to keep them under HIS control, and not ours.

Verse 26 tells us that to a prostitute, a person is simply a way to make money for food, etc. There is no love involved to feed that person’s soul. It goes on to say that getting involved in adultery can get you killed, as the penalty in this time period was death by stoning. Adultery also sucks the life out of people for it causes them to live a life of lies, and we have seen who the father of lies is in past verses.

The last three verses go on to give word pictures of what adultery is like, ending with another warning. It equates it with “scooping fire into his [a person’s] lap,” and “walking on hot coals.” Playing with fire WILL end up getting a person burned, and God says it will NOT go unpunished! ALL parties will be burned sooner or later...