Proverbs 2:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.

NIV: for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

NASB: Guarding the paths of justice, And He watches over the way of His godly ones.

CSB: so that he may guard the paths of justice and protect the way of his faithful followers.

NLT: He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.

KJV: He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

NKJV: He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints.

Verses 6 and 7 provided reasons to be confident when we seek wisdom and understanding from God. Those who do will find He has plenty of both to offer, and will act as a "shield" of protection for us. This is related to the concept of living virtuously, which in ancient philosophy meant pursuing several key traits. Verse 7, in particular, grounds our sense of courage in trust. As with other biblical passages (Hebrews 6:13–20), this kind of reassurance is meant to be "encouraging"—literally, "that which gives others courage."

Here, verse 8 concludes by giving additional examples of why we can be courageous in pursuing the wisdom of the Lord. The two words used in this verse which are translated as "guard, watch over, or preserve" are from the Hebrew root words natsar and shamar. These literally mean to keep a watchful guard over, or to keep protectively. If God calls us to be a light (Matthew 5:14), He will be the keeper of the lighthouse. If God calls us to be salt (Matthew 5:13), He will ensure the salt does not lose its flavor. No one can stand against God. If He is our keeper, we too can live courageously (Romans 8:31).

This verse also uses the term justice, another key virtue featured in ancient philosophy. Wisdom—the proper application of knowledge—results in justice when we act as God wills; this requires both faith and courage, which ultimately only confidence in God can supply. Upcoming verses will give more details on the meaning of justice in the book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 2:6–8 provides reasons for those who follow God, those who pursue His wisdom, to be confident in the face of adversity. These verses speak of God providing knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. They refer to God as a shield, and a guard, and One who watches over those who exhibit integrity. The Bible often connects reassurance with a call to persevere in the face of trials: this is what we often refer to as courage. While not explicitly mentioned here, courage is a common trait listed by ancient philosophers as a core virtue. These verses provide a flavor of that idea.

In Proverbs chapter 2, Solomon highlights various virtues, as well as provides encouragement to live a virtuous life. As in chapter 1, specific concepts wil reoccur, and are used in certain ways. Here, these are ideas such as courage, integrity, wisdom, and justice. The gist of this passage is the positive effect that virtue—including these various aspects—will have on one's life. In contrast, those who pursue non-virtuous living will suffer dire consequences.

The overarching theme of Proverbs chapter 2 is the relationship between virtue and discernment. As described here, virtuous living is moral living. As a person strives to live a moral life, he or she develops a greater ability to discern right from wrong. Further, beyond simple matters of right and wrong, as virtue grows within a person, he or she becomes more proficient at discerning trickier situations. Real life predicaments often present two or more seemingly valid options. Discernment, then, also includes determining which of many different options is actually best. Likewise, many life situations appear to offer only a variety of bad options. There, discernment is once again required, to determine which option presents the correct choice, or to recognize where a ''good'' option has been hidden.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.