Proverbs 14:2

2 Those who walk uprightly fear the Lord, but one who is devious in conduct despises him.

Proverbs 14:2 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 14:2

He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord
It is plain that the fear of the Lord is upon the heart and before the eyes of such that walk according to the word of God, with a sincere desire to glorify him; for it is by the fear of the Lord that men depart from evil, and because of that they cannot do what others do; and therefore when a man walks uprightly, and his conversation is in all holiness and godliness, it shows that the fear of God has a place in his heart, which influences his outward behaviour; but [he that is] perverse in his ways despiseth him;
either God himself, whom the upright walker fears; for he that acts perversely, contrary to the law of God, or transgresses that, and goes out of the way, despises God the lawgiver, tramples upon his authority, stretches out his hand, and commits acts of hostility against him; and he that perverts the Gospel of Christ despises his ministers, and despises Christ himself, and him that sent him. Or else the meaning is, that such a perverse walker despises him that fears the Lord; so Aben Ezra interprets it; and such are generally the contempt of wicked men: to this sense is the Vulgate Latin version,

``he that walks in a right way, and fears God, is despised by him that walks in an infamous way;''
but the Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, "is despised": meaning the perverse man.

Proverbs 14:2 In-Context

1 The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
2 Those who walk uprightly fear the Lord, but one who is devious in conduct despises him.
3 The talk of fools is a rod for their backs, but the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, there is no grain; abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.