Proverbs 30:14 Commentary and Bible Study

In this highly figurative picture of cruelty and rapaciousness, the wicked, who do not know God, are shown with grotesque disfigurements. Their teeth which in Song of Solomon are objects of beauty (Song 4:2; 6:6) have become instruments of murder, enlarged out of all proportion to serve one purpose only. This represents the similar transformation that has taken place in their hearts as a result of greed and misuse of power. Their murderous intent now dominates everything else and all their thought is how they can increase their goods on earth regardless of the cost to others. Everything that stands in their way is merely an obstacle to be removed, whether it is the property of other people or even their lives. But the rich and powerful are too hard to do away with, so they target the weak and needy who have no one to defend them. They cause untold misery but that is nothing to them if they are successful, for the they set a far higher price on lands and goods than on human lives. God hates cruelty and the callous disregard that the mighty on earth show for their fellow man. Christ’s life was characterised by compassion, mercy, kindness, love for the poor and needy. The repentant sinner must search his own his heart for every instance of cruelty and indifference to the sufferings of others, for every time when he has taken advantage of others who were in his power without concern for their suffering, and he must deliberately reject such values and condemn his own behaviour, just as God condemns it. This is not a mere technicality as if he has broken a rule in a game. Let the cruel ask God to bring their compassion to life and realise that for a long time they have been growing more incapable of feeling the pains of others. And let each one look first to his own behaviour and not immediately look to blame another for his own sin. What his cruelty to others deserves is cruelty from his Creator in turn, but what he needs more than anything else is the mercy of the Lord. He has no right to this, but is must be given freely by God grace. But if God is gracious, then he must die to his old life, for how can he continue to show cruelty to others when he expects something so different from the Lord?