"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate."
Proverbs 8:13
Part 3
Yesterday:
“Pride, and arrogancy,”
Today:
“And the evil way,”
A life patterned after sin. The “way” this person goes is only evil. It is picturing evil as a pathway that the sinner has chosen to walk down.
David said,
“I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word” (Psalm 119:101).
Keeping away from the “evil path” is a warning Solomon gives his sons.
“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men” (Proverbs 4:14).
“And the froward mouth,”
It is so common that you really do not need to listen very hard to hear the evil words come out of someone’s “froward mouth.” What was once thought of as the language of the “dregs of society” is now permeating our culture. This filthy talk is coming out of perverse mouths.1 When we hear a dirty conversation, we can be sure that it is coming from someone who doesn’t “fear” or “love God.”
“But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth” (Colossians 3:8).
There are many other forms of “froward” speech, such as gossip, slander, and filthy jokes, etc. As believers, we ought to take great care what we allow to pass through our lips when we speak. As the blood-bought children of the King, we need to talk in such a way that honors Him.
“Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things” (Proverbs 2:11-12).
“Do I hate.”
Yes, our loving God does hate some things. Because He loves righteousness, He must hate sin. Loving Him teaches us to hate what He hates.
1. E.W. Bullinger, The Companion Bible, the electronic version in eSword.