Proverbs 11:20

Pro 11:20 They that are of a froward heart [are] abomination to the LORD: but [such as are] upright in [their] way [are] his delight.

Ver. 20. They that are of a froward heart, &c.] Not only those that pursue and practise wickedness, but they also that harbour it in their hearts, are hated of God. {Luk 16:15} A man may die of inward bleeding; a man may be damned for contemplative wickedness. {Jer 4:14} The schools do well observe, that outward sins are maioris infamiae, greater notorieties, but inward heart sins are maioris reatus, greater guilt, as we see in devils.

But such as are upright in their way.] The antithesis requires that he should say, such as are "upright in heart." But he chooseth rather to say, "in their way," not only because a good heart ever makes a good life, but to meet with such as brag of the goodness of their hearts when their lives are altogether loose and licentious. Whereas holiness in the heart, as the candle in the lantern, well appears in the body. These boasters are ignorant, {Rev 3:17} proud, {Joh 9:40} carnal, {Rom 8:6} therefore stark naught. {Pro 19:2}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pro_11:20

Such as are upright in their way are His delight.

The upright, Gods delight

I. Who are the upright? Those whom God makes upright, the workmanship of His own Spirit, His new creation. This does not deny that there is in a sense an uprightness in the natural man. As long as man is a responsible being he is answerable to God for the use of the means given him, and it is a certain truth that there is not a natural man in the world who acts up to the light that he has. Great numbers claim the character of being upright and sincere. So the apostle Paul thought of himself when in his unconverted state. Natural sincerity never comes to the testing of Gods holy light. It can deal with man, but there is never that in natural sincerity which comes before God. For the upright see the publican smiting on his breast; the prodigal returning home; the woman a sinner dropping tears of penitence on Jesuss feet; Matthew, Zaccheus, Nicodemus. The weakest, the feeblest believer, is upright. He often, indeed, thinks himself otherwise. He will even regard himself as a self-deceiver. The upright man mourns over inbred corruptions. Sometimes he has seasons of doubt. He is brought into circumstances of trial. Amidst all, in the grace of the Holy Spirit, he holds fast his integrity.

II. The upright are Gods delight. It is not their way, but themselves, that are His delight. He loved them before all worlds; He loved them before they loved Him in eternity. But the characters of the upright are His delight. He delights in the fruits of His own Sons mediation, in the workmanship of His own Spirit, and in the reflection of His own image. But especially He delights in their being upright. He looks to the humiliation of the upright, their broken hearts, their falling tears. So precious is this uprightness before God, that it seems as if He overlooked all faults where it is. What a word of encouragement this ought to be to those who are honestly seeking Him! If you are indeed upright God knows it, and your inheritance shall be for ever. (J. Harrington Evans.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pro 11:20-21. They that are of a froward heart &c. — They are odious to God, who study to compass their end by wicked means; but they whose exact observance of the rules of righteousness, in the whole course of their lives, testifies the integrity of their hearts, are highly in his favour and love. Though hand join in hand — Though the wicked be fortified against God’s judgments by a numerous issue, and kindred, and friends, and by mutual strong combinations; they shall not be unpunished — They shall not be able, either totally to prevent God’s judgments, or to hinder them from coming in their days. They shall be punished in their own persons as well as in their posterity. But the seed of the righteous — Who follow the steps of their ancestors’ righteousness, though they may fall into trouble, yet in due time shall be delivered — Namely, without any such auxiliaries, by God’s special providence. Though justice may come slowly to punish the wicked, and mercy to save the righteous, yet both will come surely.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It concerns us to know what God hates and what he loves, that we may govern ourselves accordingly, may avoid his displeasure and recommend ourselves to his favour. Now here we are told, 1. That nothing is more offensive to God than hypocrisy and double-dealing, for these are signified by the word which we translate frowardness, pretending justice, but intending wrong, walking in crooked ways, to avoid discovery. Those are of a froward heart who act in contradiction to that which is good, under a profession of that which is good, and such are, more than any sinners, an abomination to the Lord, Isa 65:5. 2. That nothing is more pleasing to God than sincerity and plain-dealing: Such as are upright in their way, such as aim and act with integrity, such as have their conversation in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, these God delights in, these he even boasts of (Hast thou considered my servant Job?) and will have us to admire. Behold an Israelite indeed!

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(Compare Pro 11:5).

froward--as in Pro 2:15, opposed to the simplicity and purity of the upright.

in their way--or, "conduct."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord,.... Such as are men of perverse dispositions and principles; that are contrary to the light of nature, the law of God, and Gospel of Christ; who, like the Jews of old, please not God, and are contrary to all men, to all good men; as antichrist and his followers, these work abomination, and make a lie, and speak lies in hypocrisy; are double hearted men, hypocrites, that say one thing and mean another; and, under the pretence of religion, do the vilest things: such of all men are abominable in the sight of God, and will have their portion in the lake of fire, in the hottest place in hell, as hypocrites will, Rev 21:8;

but such as are upright in their way are his delight; or, "in the way"; there being no need of a supplement: such as are in the way, Christ, and walk by faith in him, and in the paths of truth and holiness, in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless, who are the "undefiled in the way", as in Psa 119:1, where the same words are used as here: or, are "perfect" in Christ; though not in faith, nor in their walk and conversation; yet are sincere, Israelites indeed, and walk uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel. These the Lord takes delight and pleasure in; he is well pleased with their persons in Christ; and in their walk and works, as they flow from right principles, and are directed to right ends, and being upright in all; see Psa 84:11.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

They that are of a froward heart; hypocrites, as appears from the opposition of these to the upright in the next clause; whose hearts are false to God, and contrary to their own professions.

Are abomination to the Lord; though by their cunning artifices they may deceive men, and gain their good opinion and favour, yet God sees their naughty hearts, and hateth them.

In their way; in the course of their lives and actions. By which changing of the phrase from heart in the first clause, to way here, he intimates that the sincerity and hypocrisy of men’s hearts are discovered and to be judged by their conversations.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

20. Froward — Perverse, tortuous.

Upright in their way — The perfect of way — men of integrity.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They that are of a froward heart; (Pro_17:20) Septuagint, "perverse ways." The word means "distorted from the right," "obstinate in error." Upright in their way. (Pro_2:21 Pro_29:27 Psa_119:1)

The Divine view of the oppositions in conduct.

I GOD VIEWS PERVERSITY WITH DISPLEASURE. Moral perversity is analogous to physical deformity; the line is crooked when it should be straight.

II HE VIEWS RECTITUDE WITH DELIGHT. The morally right is the aesthetically beautiful. The true, the beautiful, and the good are one in God, and he can only delight in that which reflects himself. Hence his delight in the well beloved Son, and in all who are conformed to his image. J.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The following proverbs are especially directed, as connected with this כן, against the contradiction of the external appearance and of the masked internal nature.

20 An abomination to Jahve are the crookedly dishonest of heart,

And they who are of honest walk are his delight.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

The froward and the upright are often contrasted, as God looks at them. (Pro 11:3 . Pro 3:32 . Psa 11:5-7 .) Frowardness is abomination to the LORD. (Pro 8:13 .) All the contests between God and man are — whose will shall stand? (Exo 5:2 ; Exo 9:17 . Jer 44:16, Jer 44:28 .) Most thankful should we be for the school of discipline, that makes us feel the privilege of "subjection to the obedience of Christ." (Psa 119:67, Psa 119:71 .) Frowardness in the heart is specially hateful (Pro 16:5 ); most of all under the garb of external religion. (Isa 65:2-5 . Luk 16:15 .) Sinners encourage one another in sin (Pro 1:11-14 . Isa 41:7 ) — hand joining in hand. But all such "confederacies shall be broken in pieces." (Isa 8:9 . Gen 11:8 . Num 16:1-33 . Jos 9:1-2 .) For as "it is the same with him to save by many or by few" (1Sa 14:6 ); so when he lifts his arm of vengeance, it is the same, "whether it be against a nation or a man only." (Job 34:29 .) The flood; the judgment on Egypt; the chastenings of rebellious Israel in the wilderness; the destruction of Sennacherib’s army — plainly prove, that hand joining in hand is a vain resistance to the hand of God. (Pro 16:5 .)

The upright are those, whom God makes upright. They are his own workmanship. The upright in the way are contrasted with the froward in heart: because as the heart is, so is the way. Yet he is not said to delight in their way (though this is an undoubted truth.) They themselves are his delight. (Pro 12:22 . Psa 84:11 .) He singles them out from the ungodly world. (Gen 7:1 . Num 14:24 .) Nay, he even points to one of them as a challenge to Satan to do his worst. (Job 1:8 .) Such is the condescension of his sovereign love — accepting his own word; stamping with open honour the graces of his people, sullied though they be with such base defilement! "He knoweth their days" — the first day of going to their Bibles, the first day of prayer; all their after "cloudy and dark days." Nor does he put them off with a "portion in this life." Their inheritance shall be for ever. (Psa 37:18 .) It is but a moment, and they that love him shall be with him for ever.

Nor is their blessing confined to themselves. The seed of the righteous shall be delivered. (Pro 20:7 . Psa 37:26 . 1Ki 15:4 .) ’The best way for any man to do his children good, is to be godly himself.’†1 They have then a place in their father’s covenant. (Gen 17:7 . Act 2:39 .) And is not this an encouragement — not indeed to indolence and presumption — but to parental faith, in leaving our children in this naughty world unprotected and alone? (Psa 103:17 .) "The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee." (Psa 102:28 .)

Footnotes:

†1 Exposition of Proverbs, by John Dodd and Robert Cleaver, 4to. 1614.

Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

v. 20. They that are of a froward heart, full of crookedness and malice, are abomination to the Lord; but such as are upright in their way, pure and straightforward in their conduct, are His delight, with them He is well pleased.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.