"The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him."
Proverbs 20:7
“The just man.”
Who is he?
He is “one walking in his innocence, a righteous one” [1] (KDC).
“the just, lawful, righteous” man [2] (BDB).
This man knows the LORD and has a personal relationship with Him. He is not living for himself but God and others. How he lives is vital. This kind of man cares about the LORD’s testimony.
“The conduct of good men proclaims their sound principles” [3] (JFB).
Be careful, dear believer, if you tend to claim the title of “just man” without some serious thought about your heart or your relationship with God. Especially if you think this describes you and have given no thought to your ways. Your actions speak louder than your words.
“Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” (Proverbs 20:9).
“Can any of you say that? I’ve made my… I’m pure. Who can say it?” [4] (TBC).
“Who can say this? No man. But every man ought to say, cleanse thou me, O Lord, from secret faults (Psalm 19:12)” [5] (Hawker – PMC).
It is only the Lord Jesus Christ who can make us clean. He forgives sin and cleanses hearts. The “just man” will only be so if Jesus has washed “him.” With a clean heart, we can begin to live differently. Our thoughts, deeds, and words come from our hearts. The person with a “pure heart” is a “just man” living in his integrity.
“Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Psalm 24:3-4).
Hasn’t Jesus taught us –
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).
And Paul, as young Timothy’s mentor, encouraged him to –
“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).
Here in Proverbs, “Righteousness may be defined as a life of personal integrity” [6] (NBC).
“Walketh in his integrity.”
This man cares about his soul, and his talk matches his walk. He is no hypocrite. With him, what you see is what you get. He lives by his integrity.
“For a righteous man or woman, their upright living and integrity will be actually lived out. They will walk in their integrity” [7] (EWC).
“The Hebrew word for integrity implies genuineness and reliability; it is also translated “honorable” (10:29) and “honest” (29:10)” (CSB). [8]
This word means “integrity, completeness… fulness… innocence, simplicity” [9] (BDB).
The people who walk in integrity do what is right again and again. They know that they are not perfect and that their thoughts and actions are products of their hearts, so they consistently ponder what is in their hearts rather than focusing on their externals (actions). They know the value of character in life. Surely, if the heart is right, their walk will be suitable before God.
“One’s behavior reflects his character” [10] (BKC)
“His children are blessed after him.”
As a father and grandfather, I am concerned about leaving something worthwhile to my family when the Lord takes me home. What we are learning about the importance of personal integrity makes me want to leave this kind of example for my children. How about you? Think about what Spurgeon said –
“If we walk before the Lord in integrity, we shall do more to bless our descendants than if we bequeathed them large estates. A father’s holy life is a rich legacy for his sons” [11] (Spurgeon, TBI).
“Our integrity may be God’s means of saving our sons and daughters. If they see the truth of our religion proved by our lives, it may be that they will believe in Jesus for themselves. Lord, fulfill this word to my household! (Spurgeon.)” [12] (TBI).
What a tremendous gift for our children, the memory of parents who lived to please the LORD by their integrity! The children of those parents are blessed!
“Usually a righteous man, a person who consistently behaves aright and is blameless …, has children who are blessed. His children, seeing his example of integrity, are encouraged to be the same kind of people” [13] (BKC). [14]
Dear Lord, help me be a person of character and integrity for my family! Amen.
Quote: “The upright man leaves his heirs his example, and this in itself will be a mine of true wealth” [15] (Spurgeon, TBI).
[1] KDC – Keil & Delitzsch. Keil & Delitzsch’s Commentary on the Old Testament, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] BDB – Brown, Driver, Briggs. Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.
[3] JFB, Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 1 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 398.
[4] TBC – Chuck Smith’s C2000, Through the Bible Commentary, the electronic version in eSword.
[5] PMC – Robert Hawker. The Poor Man’s Commentary, the electronic version in eSword.
[6] NBC, John E. Goldingay, “Proverbs,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson, et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 600–601.
[7] EWC – David Guzik. Enduring Word Commentary, the electronic version in eSword.
[8] CSB, David K. Stabnow, “Proverbs,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 956.
[9] BDB, ibid.
[10] BKC, Sid S. Buzzell, “Proverbs,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 948–949.
[11] TBI – The Biblical Illustrator, the electronic version in eSword.
[12] TBI, ibid.
[13] BKC, ibid.
[14] For great thoughts on the words “after him” as in “are blessed after him” in Proverbs 20:7, see Alexander MacLaren’s take in his Expositions of Holy Scriptures, the electronic version in eSword.
[15] TBI, ibid.