Commentary - Proverbs 10:7

Bird's-eye view

This proverb, like many in this section of the book, presents a sharp, antithetical parallelism. It sets two destinies side by side, forcing us to consider the outcome of two very different kinds of lives. The subject is memory, legacy, and reputation. What happens to a person after they are gone? Solomon, by the Spirit, tells us that the trajectory of a life continues on, even after death, in the way that person is remembered. For the righteous, that remembrance is a source of ongoing blessing, like a pleasant fragrance that lingers in a room. For the wicked, their name, their very identity, is subject to a process of decay and putrefaction. It becomes a stench, something that people want to forget and bury. This is not simply a matter of popular opinion; it is a statement of divine judgment. God Himself ensures that the memory of the just is preserved and the name of the wicked is ultimately blotted out. This proverb is a call to live a life worthy of a good remembrance, which is only possible through faith in the one truly Righteous Man, Jesus Christ, whose name is above every name.

The core issue is the nature of the life lived. Righteousness is not just a set of actions, but a state of being right with God, which then produces good fruit. Wickedness is a state of rebellion against God, which produces rotten fruit. The proverb teaches that our lives have an aroma, and that aroma outlasts our time on earth. The righteous man leaves behind a legacy that continues to bless the living, encouraging them to faithfulness. The wicked man leaves behind a name that serves only as a cautionary tale, a name that ultimately decomposes into nothingness. This is a profound encouragement to the believer and a stark warning to the unrepentant.

Outline

Context In Proverbs

Proverbs 10:1 marks a significant shift in the book. The first nine chapters consist of longer, thematic discourses, primarily from a father to his son, extolling the virtues of wisdom. Beginning with chapter 10, we enter into a large collection of individual, two-line proverbs, often presenting a contrast between wisdom and folly, righteousness and wickedness. This verse, 10:7, fits squarely within this pattern. It follows a series of couplets that contrast the outcomes of the righteous and the wicked in various areas of life: speech (v. 6), labor (v. 4), and integrity (v. 9). This particular proverb moves the timeline beyond a person's death, showing that the consequences of one's life choices extend into the memory of future generations. It is part of a larger tapestry that Solomon weaves to show that righteousness, which is rooted in the fear of the Lord, is profitable for all things, both in this life and in the legacy that follows.

Key Issues

Two Lasting Reputations

Every person who lives on this earth leaves something behind. We call it a legacy, a reputation, a name. This proverb is intensely practical because it forces us to confront the fact that the life we are building day by day is the legacy we will one day leave behind. There is no third option presented here. Solomon does not give us the choice of being remembered as "sort of a blessing" or having a name that "kind of smells a little off." The contrast is stark, as it is throughout Proverbs. You are either righteous or wicked. Your memory will either be a blessing or it will rot. This is the great divide of humanity.

This is not about public relations or managing your brand. This is about the objective reality of your life before God. The world may for a time celebrate the wicked and slander the righteous. We see this all the time. But God is the great historian, the ultimate arbiter of reputation. In His economy, the memory of the righteous is a cherished treasure, and the name of the wicked is refuse to be discarded. The proverb is a promise from God about how things will ultimately shake out. He is the one who blesses the memory and He is the one who presides over the decay.

Verse by Verse Commentary

7a The remembrance of the righteous is blessed,

Let's break this down. The "remembrance" or "memory" of the righteous is the sum total of who they were, what they did, and what they stood for. It is the story of their life as it is recalled by others. This remembrance, Solomon says, is "blessed." The Hebrew word for blessed (berakah) means more than just "fondly remembered." It carries the idea of being a source of blessing. The memory of a godly man or woman is an active good in the world. When people think of them, they are encouraged. They are stirred to faithfulness. They are reminded of God's goodness. Think of the saints who have gone before us. When we read of the courage of Athanasius, the faithfulness of Polycarp, or the quiet godliness of a grandparent, we are blessed. Their memory is a well from which we can draw water. Their example continues to preach sermons long after they are in the grave. This is a great encouragement for the righteous, who often feel that their small acts of faithfulness go unnoticed. God sees, and He ensures that the fragrance of a godly life lingers for the good of His people.

7b But the name of the wicked will rot.

The contrast could not be sharper. While the memory of the righteous is a sweet-smelling savor, the "name of the wicked will rot." The name here represents the wicked person's entire reputation and identity. And the word for rot (yirqab) is a visceral one. It is the word for decay, for putrefaction, for the decomposition of a corpse. The legacy of the wicked stinks. Even if they were powerful, famous, and celebrated in their day, time reveals the corruption at the heart of their lives. Their monuments crumble, their boasts are shown to be hollow, and their memory becomes a cautionary tale at best, and an object of disgust at worst. God ensures this. He will not allow the names of those who hate Him to be honored forever. Psalm 9:5-6 says that God has "blotted out their name forever and ever" and that "the very memory of them has perished." While the world may build statues to tyrants and celebrities, God is in the business of tearing them down. In the end, all that is not built on the rock of Christ will be washed away, and the name of the wicked will decompose into the dust from which it came.

Application

So what do we do with this? First, we must recognize that true righteousness is not something we can manufacture on our own. The Bible is clear that "none is righteous, no, not one" (Rom 3:10). The only way to become righteous is to be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. He is the truly Righteous One, and His memory is the ultimate blessing to the world. His name is the only name that will never rot, the name at which every knee will one day bow. Our application must begin with the gospel. We must abandon all attempts to build a righteous name for ourselves and instead receive by faith the gift of righteousness that is in Christ.

Once we are in Christ, this proverb becomes a glorious promise and a practical exhortation. We are called to live lives that are worthy of the gospel, lives that will leave behind a sweet aroma. This means we should be concerned with our legacy, not out of pride, but out of a desire to bless future generations. How will your children remember you? How will your church remember you? Will your name be associated with faithfulness, mercy, justice, and joy? Or will it be a name that people have to make excuses for? This proverb calls us to live with the end in mind. We are to build our lives out of materials that will last, materials that will bless others long after we are gone. Every act of kindness, every word of truth, every moment of faithful obedience is a contribution to a remembrance that is blessed. And every act of wickedness, every lie, every compromise is a contribution to a name that will rot. By God's grace, let us build for a blessed remembrance, all for the glory of the one whose name is an everlasting blessing.