Proverbs 30

Proverbs 30:5 "Every word of God [is] pure: he [is] a shield unto them that put their trust in him."

Proverbs 30:6 "Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."

Proverbs 30:7 "Two [things] have I required of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:"

 Proverbs 30:8 "Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:"

Our shield is our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.    This seems to be a prayer to God asking only 2 things for the rest of his life. Vanity and lies are one. He asked to not lie and be vain, and that he not be overcome by wealth and poverty.   Most sin comes because of vanity and lies and because of greed. God help us to walk in your ways and not our own.

These verses picture 4 creatures which survive due to natural instinct. The wisdom seen in each of these reveals the beauty of the wise Creator and His creation.  These four are little in stature, but not in accomplishments. The natural instincts of all four make them very wise. We could take a lesson from each of them.  Ants live in communities and work together as a unit and survive through planning and labor. They are the opposite of the sluggard or slothful man.  The locusts act as one body and work together. These survive through careful organization.  These animals called conies live in the rocks for security.  The spider (actually this is a lizard) works with its hands and winds up in palaces. These creatures are resourceful and can make their home in inaccessible places, even in a palace.

Proverbs 30:29 "There be three [things] which go well, yea, four are comely in going:"

Proverbs 30:30 "A lion [which is] strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;"

Proverbs 30:31 "A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom [there is] no rising up."

Proverbs 30:32 "If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] thine hand upon thy mouth."

The "lion" is the king of the beasts and fears nothing in the jungle. He is king of the forest.  A "greyhound" is very graceful in running and has great speed so that no other animal can catch him.   The "he goat" proudly leads the other goats.  The "king against whom there is no rising up" is because he has the confidence of his people and they follow him willingly.   The proud, arrogant person will only make matters worse, if he begins to talk and is warned to guard the words of his mouth.   The thoughts of the heart, if they are evil, must never be allowed to pass the lips, as well. The best advice in both cases is keep the mouth shut until you reconsider. Words can destroy you, if they are the wrong words.