Proverbs 3:27-35


An admonition to do good.

Verse 27-30,


  1. Verse 27, Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

    1. Verse 27-35 is the result of verse 21-26 as verse 19-20 is the result of the wisdom of God as described in Proverbs 8:22-31.

      1. Just as it was “natural” for God in his wisdom to create all the universe, it is “natural” for us to do as verse 27-35 states, when we use the spiritual wisdom God gives to us when we ask for it.

      2. We never do as verse 27-35 states in our own strength, for we are unable to do any good without the power of God working in us.

    2. Can be applied to borrowing or giving praise where praise is due.

    3. Withholding is not good.

      1. Implies somebody asked.

      2. Whether asked or not.

    4. Reasons for withholding.

      1. lack of love for them.

      2. Too much love for our money, or material possessions.

      3. Trying to show our authority over the one that desires what we have.

    5. Withholding is not good.

      1. Material things - Prov. 21:3 - Doing justice and judgment is more acceptable than sacrifices.

      2. Spiritual things - especially to pastors.

        1. Luke 12:42 - giving portion of meat in due season.

        2. Matt. 24:45 - Same as above.

      3. We don't know if we'll be alive tomorrow or not.

        1. James 4:14 - Our life is like a vapor, here and then it's gone.

        2. Luke 12:18 - The rich fool (lost), who died, didn't think he'd die or that he owed anything to anybody.

        3. I Sam. 25 - Nabal didn't want to share with those that had helped him, and he gave his life because of it.

    6. This obligates us to:

      1. Pay our just debts - light bills, water bills, etc,. Implies that in order to set a Christian example, we ought not to buy more than we are able to pay for. If we get in a tight, tell our creditors our problem. Always do all we can to pay what we owe.

      2. To pay wages to those who work for us - James 5:1-5. This wage was kept back by fraud. God hears the prayers of those defrauded.

      3. I Tim. 5:8 - To provide for our relations. One very important way we can care for our relatives today is by visiting them. If you have relatives in a nursing home be sure to visit them regularly. Whether it's your mom or dad, grandparents, or uncle or aunt. They'll really appreciate the visit.

      4. Rom. 13:7 - make payment to the proper official, whether God or man.

      5. Luke 10:25-37 - The good Samaritan - be ready to administer all acts of kindness and fellowship regardless of who they fall upon.

      6. II Cor. 8:1-4 - The churches of Macedonia giving beyond their means to help those of their brethren less fortunate than themselves. Note: II Thess. 3:10 - They (and us) are not to help those that won't work - they shall not eat!!

      7. HE GIVES TWICE WHO GIVES SPEEDILY!!!!

    7. When it is in the power of thine hand to give it.

      1. Sometimes it is not that we are able to give; sometimes we don't know about it.

      2. Perhaps if we did know, we couldn't do anything.

      3. Maybe God intends somebody else to be a blessing this time.

      4. Just make sure you're following the Lord in all those things.


  1. Verse 28, Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

    1. Why would we not give to our neighbor when he is already with us?

      1. If we compel our neighbor to return we are exercising power over him.

      2. We don't like it when people exercise power over us, but often we don't notice when we exercise power over others.

      3. Not giving immediately implies that we really don't want to entrust our material possessions to them.

      4. We are not accommodating (helping) our neighbor by not giving immediately.

    2. We should consider our neighbor who has already traveled to our home, now must go back home, and return another day.

      1. This takes a lot of time from their day.

      2. We wouldn't like it if somebody made us return another day when they could help us right then.

      3. They can't get near as much work done because they must spend the bigger part of their day traveling.


  1. Verse 29, Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

    1. Do good to thy neighbor - do not contrive how to do him an ill turn undiscovered, to prejudice him in his body, goods, or good name, and the rather because he dwells securely by thee, and, having given thee no provocation, entertains no jealously or suspicion of thee, and therefore is off his guard.

    2. Deut. 27:24 - cursed be he that smites his neighbor secretly.

    3. Our proper duties to our neighbors:

      1. Mark 12:31 - love thy neighbor as thyself (the second commandment).

      2. Rom. 13:10 - Love worketh no ill to his neighbor.

      3. Rom. 15:1,2 - Let us please our neighbor to please him to edification.

      4. Gal. 5:14 - The law is fulfilled by loving our neighbor.

      5. James 2:8 - Fulfilling the royal law is loving your neighbor.


  1. Verse 30, Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.

    1. Rom. 12:17-21 - (verse 18) - Live peaceable with all men.

    2. Taking someone to court is the very last resort.

      1. I Cor. 6:1-8 - People in the same church should not take each other to court in order to settle a dispute between them.

      2. In today's world, it may be okay for two members in the church to take each other to court if it is required by their insurance companies.

        1. I know a case like this over an automobile accident. They refused to be enemies and joked about it, each hoping the other would win.

        2. Another case a man's daughter was killed in an automobile accident. The man involved, begged the girls dad to sue him. That was the only way the insurance company would pay damages. The father refused, quoting this verse. For him that was better.

    3. Little is accomplished by striving. In the end result (at the judgment) most of our striving in this life will be shown to be vain anyway.

      1. Many times we imagine somebody has done us harm when in reality, they haven't even thought of harming us.

      2. Sometimes we make a "mountain out of a mole hill", imagining all kinds of things that aren't so.

    4. This verse does imply that there is a time for striving.

      1. When a person has done you harm, it is necessary to strive with them because of the harm they have done to you.

      2. Striving with a person doesn't mean that you will hurt the person, rather that you will show them how they have hurt you.

      3. This is not saying it's okay to fist fight.


An admonition not to do bad.

Verse 31-35

Verse 31 tells us what to do, verse 32-35 tells us why.


  1. Verse 31, Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

    1. See all of Ps. 37.

      1. Did Solomon restate what his father David wrote?

      2. It sure looks like it.

      3. What a blessing for a father to look at his son and see him doing like God wanted him.

      4. III John 4, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

    2. Chose none of his ways.

      1. Do not act like him.

      2. Do not think like him.

      3. Matt. 16:26 - "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

    3. Men are judged finally, not by what men think of them, but by what God thinks of them.


  1. Verse 32, For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.

    1. Froward - perverse, tortuous, wrestler - an abomination to God.

      1. Prov. 4:24 - We should not have a froward mouth.

      2. Prov. 8:13 - God hates a froward mouth.

      3. Prov. 10:31 - The froward tongue shall be cut out.

      4. Prov. 11:20 - Those with a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord.

      5. Prov. 22:5 - Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward.

    2. Secret is with the righteous - The secret of happiness in God's service and of the wicked being destroyed.

      1. Gen. 18:17 - Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I do?

      2. Ps. 37:38-40 - Destruction of the wicked and blessings for Godly.

      3. Ps. 73:17-20 - Secret of wicked being destroyed is revealed in House of God.

      4. Ps. 25:14 - Secret with those that fear God - and he will show them his covenant.


  1. Verse 33, The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.

    1. House of the wicked.

      1. Under the curse of God.

      2. Leanness of soul, even if body full of good food and pleasure of this world.

      3. The curse may work slowly, but it's a growing "cancer".

    2. The habitation of the just.

      1. Habitation is the dwelling place of the just.

      2. Where ever the just dwell, God will bless that place.

      3. May not be fancy, but God blesses it.

      4. May be poor and lacking of this world's goods, but God is there and they are happy in spite of their poverty.


  1. Verse 34, Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.

    1. Scorns the scorners.

      1. Shows lost people make fun of saved people.

      2. Ps. 2:4 - God sits in the heaven and laughs at the wicked.

    2. Grace to the lowly.

      1. In the midst of scorners (probably won't stop the scorners).

      2. I Peter 2:19-25 - Suffering for our faults or good, is acceptable with God.

      3. I Peter 4:12-16 - Rejoice when people make fun of you for so they did to Christ. We are called for this very purpose.


  1. Verse 35, The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

    1. Wise inherit glory.

      1. Wise - because they're saved, not intelligent - I Cor. 1:26-29.

      2. Inherit - not because they work, but given freely (This is grace.)

      3. II Cor. 3:18 - They see God's glory and are changed to be more like him.

    2. Fools are preparing themselves for damnation.

      1. This they deny.

      2. Rev. 18:7 - False claims to being the bride of Christ.