Proverbs 15:16 Commentary and Bible Study

Here is another verse that places emphasis on the heart, on the inner man. Better in the evaluation of Scripture; better in the eyes of God, and better in the experience of men and women is little of this world’s good together with the fear of God. This is better than great treasure in this life: treasures of property, of possessions, of education, of status and power, of fame and importance, and all things which the worldling counts as valuable. The little of the first person is worth far more than all accumulated worldly treasure because of what accompanies each of them. If that little which the poor man possesses is accompanied by the fear of the Lord – and it is by no means always the case for many poor people never seek the Lord and become embittered in their poverty; but if it is accompanied by the fear of the Lord, then that poor man’s state is far better than the great treasure of those who bend all their talents and energy into accumulating wealth, for with treasure comes trouble. Many may wish to argue that it is not so, but Solomon says otherwise. The structure of the proverb and the comparison it requires makes it clear that the second person does not have the fear of the Lord. (There is an economy in the proverbs that does not state everything in prosaic exactitude, but frames one part of the comparison in terms which are to be applied to the other part.) Since the fear of the Lord is lacking then trouble will definitely accompany great treasure. Solomon is not simply putting a hypothetical case, the case of someone who is wealthy but who also happens to have trouble which spoils the enjoyment of his wealth. No, he is teaching that trouble will always be there without God. What form will that trouble take? It may come in many forms and at different times. For one, the trouble is the worry of keeping his wealth safe from thieves; another is consumed with getting more and more; another finds that his treasure has created enemies who envy him; another discovers his treasure has turned his children against each other in their vying for the inheritance; another has a bad conscience about all those whom he has cut down along the way to obtain his treasure. Ultimately there is the trouble of knowing that he has loved and served mammon rather than God, and that his treasure is not able to save him in the day of death or to redeem his soul. All these troubles the God-fearer is delivered from, so that in the estimation of Solomon his state is better than that of the rich man. Certainly it will appear so in eternity when earth’s vain riches will be exposed as nothing, and the choice of the poor man who feared the Lord is proven by its outcome.It is implied by the proverb that the fear of the Lord may well be an impediment to obtaining great treasures. This is because many times wealth is only acquired by breaking the commandments of God and following a path of deceit, cunning, unscrupulous behaviour, ingratitude, and selfishness. The man who fears God cannot take any of these paths. Sometimes God makes the righteous rich, but when that happens it is in spite of their obedience to his commandments. These may hold riches safely because they always put God first in their hearts. The Lord must be our greatest blessing, and we must never elevate our earthly objectives above our love for the Lord.