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“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches” Part 2

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits”

(Pro 22:11-16)

[Study Aired December 11, 2025]

Pro 22:11  He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
Pro 22:12  The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
Pro 22:13  The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
Pro 22:14  The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
Pro 22:15  Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Pro 22:16  He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

Last week we looked at how God’s grace or favour is to correct us in this life, to judge us, so that we forsake ungodliness and worldly lust, and understand that no one can naturally do this unless we are dragged unto Christ by our Father in heaven (Joh 6:44).

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

We looked at how becoming a peculiar people zealous of good works (Tit 2:14) can only happen by the grace and faith of God that causes us to move with fear to the building up of the body of Christ (Heb 11:7, Eph 4:16), and is typified by Noah who “found grace^{H2580 = favour grace(-ious) pleasant precious [well-]favoured} in the eyes of the LORD”.

Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth [The Church, the body, the Ark (1Pe 3:20, 1Pe 3:8)], according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

God’s name is being formed within the body of Christ, by our dying daily experience (Act 27:18-19, Rom 13:11), by the death of our old man, a death that is precious unto Him (Psa 116:15, 1Co 15:31), and it is also the trial of our faith that is precious unto God, reminding us how the faith of Christ is connected to the precious dying daily process (1Pe 1:7).

Psa 116:15  Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: [This is how God is making a way for a good name to be chosen within the lives of His people, rather than the riches of this earth, gold that perishes]

The following verses of (Psa 103:1-14) reveal to us the benefits^H1576 that God extends to the body of Christ so that we can be partakers of the life of Christ, his body, the church, the bride that He has promised will be prepared (Rev 19:7). What greater benefit could there be in this life than to know that God is judging us, and in the manner that is also revealed in these verses below  (Heb 11:26-27, 1Co 3:21, Psa 103:1-14), which set the tone for the verses we will look at in this section of proverbs and once again remind us that “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold”.

H1576  benefits gemûl ghem-ool’
From H1580; treatment, that is, an act (of good or ill); by implication service or requital: – + as hast served, benefit, desert, deserving, that which he hath given, recompence, reward.
Total KJV occurrences: 19

Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
Heb 11:27  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, [of good or ill] or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

Isa 35:4  Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence;^H1576 [of good or ill]  he will come and save you.

Psa 94:2  Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward^H1576 [of good or ill] to the proud.

Psa 103:1  A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Psa 103:2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:^H1576 [of good or ill]
Psa 103:3  Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Psa 103:4  Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Psa 103:5  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psa 103:6  The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
Psa 103:7  He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
Psa 103:8  The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
Psa 103:9  He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
Psa 103:10  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
Psa 103:11  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Psa 103:13  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
Psa 103:14  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Pro 22:11  He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

Initially we don’t know what “pureness of heart” is by God’s standards, as we naturally clean the outside of the cup as the first man Adam thinking this is pureness of heart before God (Mat 23:25).

Mat 23:25  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, but within you are full of extortion and excess.

It is only by God’s grace in our lives that our “lips” can be purified, cleaning the cup on the inside via the chastening and scourging process that God’s elect are called unto (Heb 12:6). What an incredible blessing and honour to be judged in this age so that by “the grace of his lips the king [Christ] shall be his friend” (Isa 6:5-7, Joh 15:12-15)

Isa 6:5  Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips,(Rom 7:24-25) and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Isa 6:6  Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
Isa 6:7  And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.(Joh 8:36)

Joh 15:12  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Joh 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Joh 15:14  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.[“He that loveth pureness of heart”, 1Jn 5:2-3, Rom 5:5]
Joh 15:15  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

God is the one who is dragging us to Christ (Joh 6:44) and gives us the mindset of one who “loveth pureness of heart”, and by the grace of God and the faith of Christ we are being purified (1Jn 1:7) and realizing the gift of pureness of heart (“forget not all His benefits” of Psa 103:1-14) that makes it possible for us to be friends of our Lord (Joh 14:7).

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Pro 22:12  The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

These verses below in (Gen 32:30-31) explain how the LORD will “preserve knowledge”, and overthrow the words of the “transgressor” within us. The wresting match that the body of Christ is in right now is against powers and principalities (Eph 6:12) which are within us, however our hope of glory within, Jesus Christ (Col 1:27), is greater that he who is in this world (1Jn 4:4, 1Jn 2:16, Eph 1:21) and He will “preserve” His saints with the “knowledge” of God that will “overthroweth” the words of the first man Adam who is the transgressor that we can continue to overcome daily [within and without] through the faith of Jesus Christ (Luk 22:32, Eph 6:16). This battle will leave us “halted upon his thigh”, bruised but victorious because of God’s mercy toward us in this age that leads us unto repentance (Gen 3:15, Rom 2:4).

Gen 32:30  And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
Gen 32:31  And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted^H6760 upon his thigh.

H6760 “halted” tsâla‛
tsaw-lah’
A primitive root; probably to curve; used only as denominative from H6763 [rib, side], to limp (as if one sided): – halt.
Total KJV occurrences: 4

Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Gen 3:14  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Pro 22:13  The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

Pro 22:13  The lazy person says, “I can’t go {to work} now. There is a lion outside. It might kill me.”  (ERV)

The problem is not acknowledging that Satan is the god of this world, “a lion without”, the problem is denying the power of God  that tells us we are more than conquerors through Christ who can overcome what the spiritually “slothful man saith”(Rom 8:37-39).

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We will not be “slain in the streets” by Satan if we remain diligent in God’s service (Php 2:12-13) which will have us positively lying dead in the streets of that great city as God’s two witnesses in this age, dead to sin and alive in Christ (Rom 6:2, Rom 6:11, Rev 11:8-11).

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Rom 6:2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Rom 6:11  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. (Gal 2:20)

Pro 22:14  The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

It is miracle to come out of the false-doctrinated harlot system of this world that is likened unto “The mouth of strange women is a deep pit” and God does abhor our first man Adam, “he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein”, and consequently, we all have to go into Babylon to come out of her my people,(2Co 6:17-18), each man in his own order (1Co 15:22-23).

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you (forget not all His benefits of Psa 103:1-14),
2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty (forget not all His benefits of Psa 103:1-14).

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

Pro 22:15  Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

I’ve applied this verse to children most of my life thinking of how our physical fathers correction did drive foolishness that was bound in our hearts far from us. Now we understand that the spiritual application is toward the sons of God who are being received of our heavenly Father, and these verses in Hebrews explain why we should be so grateful for His correction toward us, which makes it possible for us to be called sons in this age and not spiritual bastards (Heb 12:3-14, Joh 17:3).

Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.(Tit 2:11-12)
Heb 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12  Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13  And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Heb 12:14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Pro 22:16  He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

If we only look at the outward appearance of a situation we won’t understand what is being said in this proverb (Joh 7:24, 1Sa 16:7). King David knew that those who oppress the poor to get increase and give to the rich will prosper in this evil world, and was even growing envious of their condition (Psa 73:3, Psa 73:17, Heb 10:25, Psa 84:10, Ecc 7:2, 1Co 15:31), until the Lord brought him to see the slippery path they were on, a path that would “surely come to want”, as opposed to the solid ground that God brings His children on when we are in the household of faith, being judged and learning to forsake ungodliness and worldly lusts (Tit 2:12-13). We come to learn, over time, that He is faithful and that nothing is more valuable than the body of Christ and the discipleship that God has given us, which will preserve us in this ungodly world where we can shine as lights unto the first resurrection (Php 2:14-16, Rev 20:6).

Psa 73:3  For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Psa 73:17  Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. (Heb 10:25)

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Psa 84:10  For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Ecc 7:2  It is better to go to the house of mourning,(1Co 15:31) than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

Php 2:14  Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Php 2:15  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Php 2:16  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

We will end our study here, being reminded of where it is that “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold” is obtained in the house of God!