Proverbs (Part 035) - Pro 3:23-26

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23. Pro 3:23 - "Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble." A. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, i. Keeping wisdom, understanding (Pro 3:13), and discretion (Pro 3:21) continually before our eyes will keep us safe in our Christian walk. a. Walk v. - II. intr. To journey, move about, esp. on foot. 2. To go from place to place; to journey, wander. 6. fig. a. Chiefly in religious use, after Bible examples: To conduct oneself, behave (ill or well, wisely or unwisely). Sometimes with reference to a metaphorical ‘path’ or ‘way’. to walk with God (Gen. v. 22), interpreted to mean ‘to lead a godly life’ (so rendered by Coverdale, after Luther; later versions retain the Heb. phrase), or to have intimate communion with God. b. Safely adv. - In a safe manner. 1. Without harm or injury occasioned or received. Often with verbs of coming, going, keeping, and the like, where the adj. might be used (see safe a. 1). ii. Wisdom will guide us in our lives and teach us to steer clear of dangerous situations and people (Pro 2:10-20). iii. After we are converted, we should have the wisdom to not walk in the old paths we used to (Eph 4:17-24; 1Pe 4:3-4). B. and thy foot shall not stumble. i. Stumble v. - 1. intr. To miss one's footing, or trip over an obstacle, in walking or running, so as to fall or be in danger of falling. ii. In other words, wisdom keeps us from falling. iii. When we are walking in wisdom, we are walking in the light of the Lord (1Jo 1:7). iv. As long as we continue to use the word of God as the light for our path (Pro 6:23) we will not stumble in the darkness (Pro 4:19) and fall into sin. 24. Pro 3:24 - "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet." A. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: i. There are a few reasons that possessing wisdom causes us to not be afraid when we lie down. a. Wisdom teaches us to have faith in God which is the antidote to fear (Psa 56:3-4). b. Wisdom teaches us to be honest in our dealings (1Th 4:11-12) so that we don't have a guilty conscience keeping us awake a night. c. Wisdom teaches us to keep our lives simple so that we are not stressed when we lie down to sleep (Ecc 5:12). d. Wisdom teaches us to stay away from dangerous places and people (Pro 1:10-19). e. Wisdom teaches us to live within our means so that we don't have money fears keeping us up at night (Pro 21:20). ii. When your life is lived according to God's wisdom, you will look forward to going to bed and not rather lamenting "would God it were morning!" (Deut 28:67). B. yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. i. Wisdom teaches us to work hard (Rom 12:11) which makes for sweet sleep (Ecc 5:12). ii. God gives his beloved sleep (Psa 127:2). 25. Pro 3:25 - "Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh." A. Be not afraid of sudden fear, i. Sudden adj. - 1. a. Of actions, events, conditions: Happening or coming without warning or premonition; taking place or appearing all at once. ii. Fear n. - 1. In OE.: A sudden and terrible event; peril. 2. a. The emotion of pain or uneasiness caused by the sense of impending danger, or by the prospect of some possible evil. iii. We must not fear fear. iv. Franklin D. Roosevelt was wrong when he said "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" in his first inaugural address. v. The Lord is on our side, so we should not fear (Psa 118:6). B. neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. i. Desolation n. - 1. The action of laying waste a land, etc., destroying its people, crops, and buildings, and making it unfit for habitation; utter devastation; an act or occasion of this kind. ii. The desolation of the wicked often happens suddenly (Pro 6:12-15). a. God destroyed the earth with a flood suddenly after waiting for 120 years. b. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah suddenly. c. Babylon was desolated suddenly (Isa 47:11). d. The wicked have sudden destruction at the second coming of Christ (1Th 5:3). e. God is longsuffering, but once the space of repentance runs out, the wicked will be destroyed suddenly (Pro 29:1). iii. If we are living wise and godly lives, we need not worry about the sudden desolation of the wicked because the Lord will protect us from it as the next verse states. 26. Pro 3:26 - "For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken." A. For the LORD shall be thy confidence, i. Confidence n. - 1. The mental attitude of trusting in or relying on a person or thing; firm trust, reliance, faith. ii. The reason we don't need to be afraid of the sudden desolation of the wicked is because our faith and reliance is in God for our safety. iii. We will only behold the destruction of the wicked because God is our refuge (Psa 91:8-9). iv. Always put your confidence in the Lord and not men or governments (Psa 118:8-9). v. Strong confidence is found in fearing God (Pro 14:26). B. and shall keep thy foot from being taken. i. When our trust is in God, He will deliver us from the snare of the fowler and the noisome pestilence (Psa 91:2-3). ii. God will cover us and protect us (Psa 91:4). iii. Therefore, we should not be afraid of war or destruction around us (Psa 91:5-7). iv. He will keep our foot from being taken or harmed and protect us by His angels (Psa 91:10-12).