“Do not envy the oppressor, and choose none of his ways” (v. 31). Solomon speaks into a perennial temptation: the quiet admiration of ruthless success. The oppressor often appears effective, decisive, even admirable by the world’s standards. He gains ground quickly, speaks without hesitation, and bends others to his will. Yet Wisdom looks past appearances. Strength divorced from righteousness corrodes from within. To envy such a life is to mistake speed for direction and dominance for blessing. The wise resist the lure of visible power, knowing that the road it travels ends in ruin, regardless of how confidently it’s paved.
“For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD, but His secret counsel is with the upright” (v. 32). God isn’t a detached observer of injustice. He is neither impressed by audacity nor persuaded by force. What is twisted repels Him. What is humble draws Him near. To the upright, He grants something the world cannot counterfeit: His counsel—His nearness, His Word, and His quiet guidance by the Spirit. While the wicked strategize loudly and posture publicly, the faithful are drawn into the intimacy of divine instruction. Wisdom often works unseen, but it works closely.
“The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the just” (v. 33). Here, Solomon recalibrates our sense of success. Houses rise and fall, fortunes swell and vanish, reputations glitter and fade. God’s judgement cuts deeper than façades. The world applauds what is impressive; the Lord treasures what is faithful. A grand dwelling can shelter decay, while a modest home may be rich with peace. Blessing isn’t measured by abundance but by God’s favor, felt in the rest of conscience, the steadiness of heart, and the quiet confidence of grace.
“Surely, He scorns the scornful but gives grace to the humble. The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the legacy of fools” (vv. 34-35). The closing contrast sharpens the choice before us. Scorn hardens the heart and sharpens the tongue; humility opens the hands to receive grace. Those who mock God and neighbor may enjoy a season of influence, but their inheritance is emptiness. The humble—those who know their sin and cling to their Savior—receive grace upon grace (John 1:16). And from that grace flows Wisdom, and from Wisdom, a glory that does not fade.
So resist envy. Refuse imitation. Walk the quieter road of humility and trust. The Lord draws near to the lowly, shares His counsel with the faithful, and crowns the wise with a glory the world can neither grant nor take away.
The Lutheran Column 