25 When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy one to those who send him.
27 The fear of the Lord prolongs [l]life,
But the years of the wicked will be shortened.
28 The hope of the righteous is gladness,
But the expectation of the wicked perishes.
29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright,
But ruin to the workers of iniquity.
30 The righteous will never be shaken,
But the wicked will not dwell in the land.
31 The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom,
But the perverted tongue will be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked what is perverted.
This proverb shifts just a bit to a theme expressed in v. 25, that of an everlasting foundation. In v. 28 we see the “hope of the righteous” and in v. 29 that God’s way is a “stronghold”. Then finally in v. 30, “The righteous will never be shaken…”
By contrast, we see a wind that destroys the wicked, that their hope and expectation perishes, it is ruin to them. There are a lot of things folks put their hope in today, some obviously shaky ground, but some think their ideas are pretty solid. And they might be, if it weren’t for their lips betraying them. In the last few verses we see the truth of, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.”
The wicked aren’t interested in nice ideas and morality, rather they are rejecting God, and eventually that comes out loud and clear. But There is only one foundation that is everlasting, only one Lord who has the power to give eternal life, and only one way that is a shelter and stronghold to those who trust in Him. Our world offers a lot of assurances, and plenty of things in which to believe. But if our hope and trust isn’t in Him first, we’re going to fall.
Not just a temporary setback, for even believers stumble, and fall, but they get back up, because their hope is secure. When what you believe in falls apart, there’s no going back, you can’t be like Linus in the pumpkin patch and say, “maybe if I was just more sincere…” Even large companies seem to be finding this truth, even though they’d never admit it. As they get more outspoken about their rejection of God, not only do people stop buying, but even what they are selling gets watered down. Quality suffers because it isn’t built on anything worthwhile.
If you build on shaky ground, you’re going to get shaken, and there’s no way around it. Don’t be wooed by false promises or lulled to sleep by soothing words. Make the way of the Lord your stronghold, and don’t look back. Don’t wonder “what if?” like Lot’s wife, but keep your eyes straight ahead, fixed on the Hope of eternity.