2026.08.24 Hopewell @Home ▫ Proverbs 26:23–28

Read Proverbs 26:23–28

Questions from the Scripture text: What are the two components of the condition in Proverbs 26:23a? To what does verse 23b compare it? What does the one in Proverbs 26:24a do? With what does he disguise it? What might he do anyway (Proverbs 26:25a)? But what mustn’t the hearer do? Why (verse 25b)? With what does he cover his hatred (Proverbs 26:26a)? But what will happen, in what context (verse 26b)? What does the man in Proverbs 26:27a do? With what result? What does the man in verse 27b do? With what result? To what sort of tongue does Proverbs 26:28a refer? What does it do to whom? To what sort of mouth does verse 28b refer? What does it work?

What is the key to godly speech? Proverbs 26:23–28 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that a grace-changed heart is the key to godly speech.

The wicked heart, Proverbs 26:23. Our words should be good food (cf. Job 6:6–7, Job 12:11), but out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks (cf. Luke 6:45). When someone with a wicked heart tries to serve up good food, it is polluted by the dross on which it is served, like putting a nutritious meal on a filthy plate. If we wish to do others good with our mouths, we must seek God’s grace to cleanse our hearts, first.

The hateful heart, Proverbs 26:24-26. The fool doesn’t think about how God sees his heart, so he is not concerned about the hatefulness he finds within himself. He cares more about what others think, and disguises that hateful heart with gracious-sounding words (Proverbs 26:24-25). There is coming a day, in the great assembly of the judgment, when the heart will be laid bare (Proverbs 26:26). When we go to worship, if we realize that our hearts are already laid bare before God, we may be helped to think about what it would be like if the entire congregation knew our heart. They will! How we need God’s grace to change and cleanse our heart!

The scheming heart, Proverbs 26:27-28. This final section is both a warning and a comfort. If we find in our hearts that we are trying to lay traps for others, Proverbs 26:27 warns us that we are the ones whom we will end up harming, and Proverbs 26:28 alerts us to how such thinking is truly hateful to oneself. But if others are trying to set traps for us, these verses give us comfort from God, Who assures us of these outcomes. God give us grace to be honest about the schemes of our hearts.

To whom have you been trying to sound better than you are? In which area do you most need heart-help: wickedness, hatefulness, or scheming? How will you seek that help?

Sample prayer: Lord, please give us new hearts from Christ, by Your Spirit. And make the words of our mouths to overflow from the good with which You fill our hearts by Christ’s grace, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP15 “Within Your Tent, Who Will Reside” or TPH400 “Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me”