Proverbs 24:19
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Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
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Sinners appear to prosper and get away with wickedness. But there is a God in heaven, and He will have the last laugh at their rebellion against Him and His word. Their happiness is feigned; their success an illusion; their long-term prosperity a delusion! They experience trouble here; they often die young; and then they face an angry God!
Wise men walk by faith and knowledge. They believe all God has said against sin in the Bible, and they reject worldly advice or examples that pretend sin might be profitable. They know a day of reckoning is coming, in which all the wicked shall give an account of their lives and be rewarded eternally for their foolishness and evil (II Cor 5:9-11).
Fearing God and keeping His commandments are the greatest things you can do for yourself (1:7; 8:13; 9:10; 10:27; 19:23; Eccl 12:13-14). Here is true wisdom. You trust God's written revelation for your life. You know He exists and His words are absolute truth, and you know there is great reward for obeying Him (Ps 19:11; Heb 11:6).
The apparent pleasure and prosperity of fools cause you to question if there is profit in obeying God and His word. David and his song leader Asaph wrote about such foolish and short-term thoughts (Ps 49:1-20; 73:1-20). These ideas are fiery darts of doubt from the devil to overthrow your faith and commitment to wisdom (Gen 3:1; Eph 6:16).
The whoremonger seems to enjoy many women, but God will destroy him (Heb 13:4). He lets him think he is getting away with adultery (Ps 50:16-23). In the meantime, he has no committed, loyal, or loving companion, who gives him a family of children to enjoy (5:15-23). These wicked players are lonely now, and they will soon be cut down (24:20)!
David and Solomon condemned fretting (23:17-18; 24:1; Ps 49:1-20). David wrote, "Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb... Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass." (Ps 37:1-2,7).
Let the wicked have their fun in this world, and you can laugh at them in the next (Ps 17:13-15; 49:14-15)! You have a reward coming that will put their deceitful pleasures to shame, and remembering this reward fills the Christian with hope, no matter how miserable his existence here might be (Ps 73:1-20; Rom 8:16-19; I Cor 15:19). God will laugh at their calamities now and pronounce condemnation later (1:23-31; Matt 7:21-23).
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