Courage is tested in the day of trouble which gives the occasion to show its worth. But it shines better in delivering those who are in it; and this with integrity before Him who sees, to whom each owes his preservation and who takes account of man according to his work. He would have one to enjoy the good He gives, but consider wisdom and the issue. A wicked man is warned against lying in wait against the righteous man, who if he fall will surely rise, whilst his enemy stumbles into ruin. Nor does it become one to rejoice at the fall even of an adversary; lest Jehovah see it, and not for nothing.
“[If] thou losest courage in the day of trouble, thy strength [is] small.
Deliver those taken forth to death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to slaughter.
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, will not he that weigheth the hearts consider it?
And he that preserveth thy soul, he knoweth [it]; and he rendereth to man according to his work.
Eat honey, my son, for [:it is] good; and a honeycomb [is] sweet to thy taste,
So consider wisdom for thy soul; if thou hast found [it], there shall be a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
Lay not wait, wicked [man], against the dwelling of the righteous; lay not waste his resting-place.
For a righteous one falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster.
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
Lest Jehovah see [it], and it be evil in his sight, and he turn away his anger from him” (vers. 10-18).
A day of trouble naturally alarms and bewilders one who has not faith and hope in God. Even the believer, distressed after the word of Christ emboldened him to join his Master on the sea, “when he saw the wind boisterous” was afraid and began to sink. Had he looked off to Jesus, his strength had been great; for there only it lay. Little faith is little strength. Jesus is the same to us whatever the sea or the wind; and Peter apart from looking to Jesus would have sunk equally on the smoothest sea without a puff of wind.
To use strength for ourselves has no worth; but to deliver those that are in peril of death unjustly, from whatever source public or private, becomes a righteous soul. It is a duty independent of either friendship or neighborly claim. The Samaritan was the Lord's answer to the lawyer's question, Who is my neighbor? Without the least thought of justifying himself, he becomes neighbor to the sufferer who needed his help.
In vain did the priest and the Levite say of the man lying half-dead on the opposite side of the road, We knew it not: Jehovah considered it.
The conviction that He preserves one's soul brings His knowledge of all before the heart, as we may believe it moved the Samaritan to mercy, besides the certainty that He renders to man according to his work.
Honey is a good thing naturally where God made all things good, nor did He begrudge the honeycomb sweet to the taste in a land flowing with milk and honey. He had pleasure in providing good things freely for man, though He knew man would abuse them all.
But what is wisdom to thy soul? The communications of Jehovah are sweeter still, says Ps. 19, If thou hast so found it, “there shall be a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.” He that does the will of God abides forever.
The next is a warning to a wicked man to beware of craft or violence against the house of the righteous. Does not Jehovah see?
It is true that the righteous may fall ever so often— “seven times,” yet he riseth again; as the wicked do not but stumble into disaster. Look on the one hand at David; and at Shimei, Ahithophel, Absalom and Joab on the other.
How selfish and base to rejoice in the fall of an enemy! It may please the subtle enemy and the flesh too; but let not your heart be glad that he stumbles. Else Jehovah will surely see, and be displeased, and turn away His anger from him. And to whom? Let your conscience answer.