Proverbs 30:7 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Proverbs 30:7

Comments

At the same time, the repentant sinner must be acutely aware of his weakness. The possibility of future sin creates a horror in his mind, and he knows that, if he is to escape from its clutches, he can only do so with the help of God, for the struggle with temptation, especially temptation from within coming from his own fallen nature, is intense and beyond his native strength. If he is a returning backslider, then he remembers how he has been at this point before and yet sin has mastered him a second time. How can he avoid being sucked back into it again without the help of God? Like a man climbing out of a slippery pit he inches his way forward feeling that matters are in the balance but looking to God for help.This prayer is all of one piece, and although he speaks of vanity and lies, this refers to sins he would commit if not protected from the same two circumstances he refers to several times in verses 7-9. It is with this prayer that he has approached God and he repeats it to show how extremely important it is to him. The prayer acknowledges from the start that God is responsible for all of the providences that come into our lives. He has the power to set the future for us, and he is open to the prayers of his people in determining what that future will be. God’s secret plan is known to him from eternity and cannot change, but its unfolding happens in conjunction with our prayers. The prayer involves urgent pleading with God, and the phrase ‘before I die’ indicates that the answer is a matter of life and death to him. He knows God has the power to answer, but he knows that prayer for important things must be urgent for the Lord wishes us to come to him with strong arguments. In particular he prays for two things. Both of them connected to his level of material goods in this world.

Application

Are we aware of areas of weaknesses in our character that are unable to handle certain temptations? It is legitimate to pray that God would not lead us into temptation in those areas. Our strength will hopefully increase as we grow spiritually, but for now these things are a source of danger which we need to avoid. The prayer does not specify where God should set the boundaries but it trusts his wisdom to answer our genuine request, and knowing us better than we know ourselves to protect us. Solomon as a returning backslider knows what has been the means of his downfall. He knows there is falsehood in the wrong response to riches or poverty. There is falsehood in either relying on riches instead of the Lord, or in blaming God for not giving us what we think we need. What he asks for is sufficiency for his needs, for ‘godliness with contentment is great gain’ (1 Timothy 6:6). Let God allot my portion to me and act to take away excessive riches and painful poverty.

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Proverbs 30:7 Commentary and Bible Study