Don't Say, I Will Recompense Evil - Proverbs 20:22

In the book of Proverbs Solomon said, “an inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed”, and in chapter twenty and verse twenty-two of Proverbs Solomon declared, “ say not you, I will recompense evil” where we read,

Say not you, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save you.

The verse begins, “Say not you, I will recompense evil;” Solomon began with the words, “say not you” or “do not you, readers and listeners to Solomon's words, utter, declare and proclaim”, “I will recompense evil” which means “I, the reader and listener to Solomon's words, shall be in a covenant of peace, make safe, restore and make compensation for bad, disagreeableness, displeasure, wrong and wickedness”. Solomon instructed his readers and listeners not to declare how they would make peace with displeasure, wrong and wickedness. 

The verse continues, “but wait on the LORD, and he shall save you.” Solomon added the words, “but wait on the LORD” or “however, notwithstanding and moreover eagerly look for, linger and be in expectation for Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God”, “and he shall save you” which means “and he, Jehovah God, will rescue, deliver and give victory to you, readers and listeners to Solomon's words”. Solomon instructed his readers and listeners to linger in expectation that Jehovah God would rescue and save them from “evil”.

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn through Solomon how to respond to wickedness. Rather than avenge ourselves, we are to wait in expectation for Jehovah God to intervene. We can rely upon God because He loves us, and He has provided forgiveness, salvation and eternal life to all who believe in His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. When we surrender to Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will guide us into all truth and assure us that “vengeance” is His, and He shall “repay” all who commit wickedness against us. (See Isaiah 63:4; Romans 12:19)

Next time Solomon repeats the idea that, “divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".