Bridges on Proverbs 22:4
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 22:4
 
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4.  By (the reward of, margin) humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life (lives, margin).
 
Who then will say — “It is vain to serve God”? (Malachi 3:14.) Riches, honor, and life to enjoy them — all this accumulation and completeness of happiness belong to his service. But observe the two marks of his ways, humility and the fear of the LORD. Humility is not the mere meekness of modestly. (1 Samuel 10:22.) This, though a lovely temper, is not a Christian grace. Nor is it the servility of the hypocrite for his own selfish ends;† or the temporary conviction of external humiliation.† We may easily distinguish the genuine principle by its accompaniment — the fear of the LORD — that blessed holy reverence, which none but his children feel, and which, while it represses presumption, establishes humility. A just apprehension of God will always lay us in the lowest dust before him. The contrasted sight of his majesty with our meanness, of his holiness with our defilement, constrained the cry from one — “Behold! I am vile; I abhor myself”† — from another — “Woe is me, for I am undone!”† Then humility is the truest glory. The most humble is the most triumphant Christian. Depressed indeed he may be; yet is he highly exalted. Riches are his, both of grace and of glory. None can deprive him of them.† Honor is his — the true fruit,† the gracious reward,† of humility — high and glorious; the title and present privilege of a child of God, “as heir of God, and joint-heir with Christ.”† Life is his† — lives, every kind of life, not natural only, but spiritual and eternal; life with the Father and the Son, now “hid with Christ in God; and when Christ, who is our life, shall appear,” then to be manifested in all its fullness of everlasting joy. (Colossians 3:3, 4.) Shall we look then beyond the narrow limit of time, and search what is the character of the heirs of glory? He “will beautify the meek with salvation.” “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of God.”† How glorious is the end of this lowly path of humility and godly fear!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Malachi 3:14
14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? {ordinance: Heb. observation} {mournfully: Heb. in black}
 
 
1 Samuel 10:22
22 Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
2 Samuel 15:5.
 
 
2 Samuel 15:5
5 And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
1 Kings 21:27.
 
 
1 Kings 21:27
27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Job 40:4; 43:5, 6.
 
 
Job 40:4
4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
 
Job 42:5, 6
5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Isaiah 6:5.
 
 
Isaiah 6:5
5 ¶ Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. {undone: Heb. cut off}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 8:18.
 
 
Proverbs 8:18
18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 15:33; 18:12.
 
 
Proverbs 15:33
33 ¶ The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
 
Proverbs 18:12
12 ¶ Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Luke 18:13, 14.
 
 
Luke 18:13, 14
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Romans 8:17.
 
 
Romans 8:17
17 ¶ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 19:23. Psalm 22:26. Compare Ecclesiasticus 1:11, 12, 18; 2:8, 9; 40:26, 27.
 
 
Proverbs 19:23
23 ¶ The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
 
Psalm 22:26
26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
 
Compare
Ecclesiasticus 1:11, 12, 18
11 The fear of the Lord is honour, and glory, and gladness, and a crown of rejoicing. 12 The fear of the Lord maketh a merry heart, and giveth joy, and gladness, and a long life. 18 The fear of the Lord is a crown of wisdom, making peace and perfect health to flourish; both which are the gifts of God: and it enlargeth their rejoicing that love him.
 
Ecclesiasticus 2:8, 9
8 Ye that fear the Lord, believe him; and your reward shall not fail. 9 Ye that fear the Lord, hope for good, and for everlasting joy and mercy.
 
Ecclesiasticus 40:26, 27
26 Riches and strength lift up the heart: but the fear of the Lord is above them both: there is no want in the fear of the Lord, and it needeth not to seek help. 27 The fear of the Lord is a fruitful garden, and covereth him above all glory.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Colossians 3:3, 4
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 149:4; Matthew 5:3.
 
 
Psalm 149:4
4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
 
Matthew 5:3
3 ¶ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.