The Greatest Praise

Your praise should come from others, not yourself.

April 27, 2022

"Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth;  a stranger, and not thine own lips."

Proverbs 27:2

“Never praise yourself. Let others do it” [1] (Proverbs 27:2, HSB).

 

“Let another man praise thee and not thine own mouth.”
It is a distinctive feature of our lost Genesis three natures.  We see ourselves as the most important person around.  Our desire to put ourselves first runs deep in us, getting ahead of anyone and everyone else.  It was a key feature of our “father,” the devil (John 8:44), before we were born again.  This trait of pride and arrogance had no place in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Yet sadly, it is something that we believers need to contend with almost daily, it seems.  This pride comes to the surface effortlessly when we talk about ourselves.  It is alarming how easily we fall into that old habit of praising ourselves.

“We should stay away from self-promotion in its many forms.  Modern technology gives us many more methods and opportunities to praise ourselves, but we should avoid such self-praise” [2] (EWC).

Promoting ourselves is an excellent way to be taken down a notch by others.

Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that, thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen” (Proverbs 25:6-7).

“This proverb warns against self-promotion:  It is better to remain humble and be promoted than to be presumptuous and be rebuked.  Jesus teaches a similar lesson in Luke 14:7–11, applying it to all of life” [3] (FSB).

We are wise to forego seeking applause.

“It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory” (Proverbs 25:27).

“Praising oneself is evidence of pride and therefore is wrong.  Not only should a person refrain from boasting about what he will do (v. 1); he should also refrain from boasting about what he has done” [4] (BKC).

“Self-praise is no commendation” [5] (Clarke).

 

“A stranger, and not thine own lips.”
If we are to be praised, it should never come from us!  Let praise come from someone else.

“Praise to be worth anything must be altogether independent” [6] (Barnes).

Note that our praise should come from a “stranger,” one that is unknown to us (see Bullinger).  That is independent praise.

“Self-praise is unfitting because it destroys one’s relationships with God and with people.  The Lord detests the proud, and society dislikes and discounts the boaster” [7] (Bruce Waltke).

And, of course, the best praise comes only from our Lord.

“For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth” (2 Corinthians 10:18).

 

Quote:  “A German proverb says: ‘Eigen-Lob stinkt, Freundes Lob hinkt, Fremdes Lob klingt’— ’self-praise stinks, friend’s praise limps, stranger’s praise rings’” [8] (Waltke – EWC).

 

 

 

[1] HSB is the Harvest Study Bible from Harvest Ministries in Guam.
[2] EWC – David Guzik.  Enduring Word Commentary, the electronic version in eSword.
[3] FSB, John D. Barry, Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Pr 25:6–7.
[4] BKC, John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 963.
[5] ACC – Adam Clarke.  Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.
[6] BNB – Albert Barnes.  Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.
[7] CSB, David K. Stabnow, “Proverbs,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 995.
[8] Waltke’s quote borrowed from EWC, ibid.