Proverbs 28

Verse 14: See Psalm 95:6–11; Proverbs 1:7; Romans 2:5 and comments.

Verse 16: See Proverbs 1:19; 3:1–2.

Verse 19: See Proverbs 12:11.

Verse 20: See Proverbs 23:4–5.

Verse 21: Many verses in Scripture command us not to show partiality; but even so, some people will do wrong—show partiality—and they’ll do it for a very low price: they can be bribed with a piece of bread!

Verse 22: A stingy man—a greedy man—is eager to get rich, but he’ll end in poverty instead (Proverbs 23:4–5). It is the generous person who prospers, not the stingy one (Proverbs 11:24–25; 22:9).

Verse 23: A rebuke is at first painful but later pleasing; flattery is at first pleasing but later painful. The one who rebukes a man truthfully face to face is that man’s friend (see Proverbs 27:5). But the flatterer is an enemy to the one flattered. The flatterer only seeks his own advantage; his smooth and deceptive words are designed to extract some benefit from the unsuspecting listener (see Proverbs 29:5). Some people flatter others in the hope of being flattered in return, but such hope is vain; in the end, a flatterer will not gain favor.

Verse 26: To trust in oneself is to walk in foolishness; to trust in God is to walk in wisdom (see Proverbs 3:5–6 and comment).

Verse 27: God has a special concern for the poor, and He rewards those who share in this concern and punishes those who do not (see Proverbs 11:24–25; 19:17; 21:13; 22:9).