Commentary - Proverbs 10:28

Bird's-eye view

This proverb, like so many in this chapter, sets before us the great antithesis of Scripture: the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. These are not two slightly different paths that eventually merge. They are two trajectories, originating from two different heart conditions, that lead to two diametrically opposed destinations. The proverb deals with the future, with what each man is looking forward to. For the righteous man, his future is a harvest of gladness. His expectation is not a flimsy wish, but a solid, grounded anticipation of joy. For the wicked man, his future is a null set. His hope, whatever it may be, is a bubble about to burst. It is destined to perish, to come to nothing. This verse, then, is a distillation of eschatology. It tells us where everything is headed. The universe is not morally neutral; it is a story with a plot, and the plot ends in either joy or ruin.

The key is to understand the nature of these two outlooks. The righteous man's expectation is rooted outside himself, in the promises of a faithful God. The wicked man's hope is rooted in himself, in his own schemes, desires, and delusions. One is built on the rock; the other is built on sand that is already sliding into the sea. Therefore, the emotional state of each man is tied to his ultimate destiny. The righteous have a right to joy, a settled gladness, because their future is secure in Christ. The wicked, however much they may posture and boast, are building on a foundation of nothing, and their hopes will evaporate, leaving them with less than nothing.

Outline

Context In Proverbs

Proverbs chapter 10 marks a shift in the book's structure. The first nine chapters consist of longer, thematic discourses, primarily a father's extended exhortations to his son. Beginning in chapter 10, we have the "Proverbs of Solomon," which are characterized by short, pithy, two-clause sayings, usually presenting a contrast. Verse 28 fits perfectly within this pattern. It follows a series of couplets that contrast the righteous and the wicked in terms of their speech (v. 20-21), their labor (v. 16), their security (v. 25), and their lifespan (v. 27). This particular proverb moves the contrast to the realm of eschatology, or ultimate outcomes. It answers the question, "Where is all this heading?" The righteous are heading toward joy, and the wicked are heading toward oblivion. It is a foundational statement that undergirds the practical wisdom of the entire book. Why be righteous? Because it ends in gladness. Why avoid wickedness? Because it ends in utter ruin.

Key Issues

Two Futures, No Third Way

The book of Proverbs is intensely practical, but it is not pragmatism for its own sake. It is theological wisdom. The reason a man should walk in the way of righteousness is not simply because it makes for a tidier life, though it generally does. The reason is that reality itself is structured to reward righteousness and to punish wickedness. God is the governor among the nations, and He is not mocked. This proverb is a clear statement of this ultimate reality.

There are two paths, and only two. You are either righteous or you are wicked. Now, our modern sensibilities want to find a middle ground, a vast expanse of gray where most people supposedly live. But Scripture does not allow for this. You are either in Adam or you are in Christ. You are either building on the rock or on the sand. You are either walking the broad way to destruction or the narrow way to life. This proverb reinforces that great divide by showing us the end of each road. One ends in a party, a feast of gladness. The other ends in a puff of smoke. The hope of the wicked simply vanishes. It perishes. It was never substantial to begin with.

Verse by Verse Commentary

28a The expectation of the righteous is gladness,

Let's break this down. Who are the righteous? In the ultimate sense, the only truly righteous one is Jesus Christ. In the covenantal sense, the righteous are those who are in Christ, declared righteous by faith in His finished work. They are not righteous because of their own performance, but because they have been clothed in the righteousness of another. This is crucial. If righteousness were our own achievement, our expectation would be anxiety, not gladness, because we would never know if we had done enough.

But because our standing is secure in Christ, our expectation can be gladness. This is not a tentative "I hope so." The word for expectation here implies a confident waiting, an eager anticipation. It is the posture of a child on Christmas morning. And what are they expecting? Gladness. Not just relief, not just a cessation of trouble, but positive, robust, overflowing joy. This is because the righteous are leaning forward into the promises of God. They delight themselves in the Lord, and He gives them the desires of their hearts (Ps. 37:4). Their desires have been shaped by God's Word, and so their expectation is aligned with God's revealed will. The end of the story for the people of God is joy unspeakable and full of glory.

28b But the hope of the wicked will perish.

Now for the contrast. The wicked also have a hope. They are also looking forward to something. A wicked man might hope for a successful business deal built on deceit. He might hope for a life of sensual pleasure, free from consequences. He might hope that his rebellion against God will go unnoticed and unpunished. He might hope that death is the end, a final annihilation that erases the moral ledger. This is his hope, the thing he banks on.

And the verdict of this proverb is that his hope is a bad investment. It will perish. It will die. It will cease to exist. It is not that the wicked man will be disappointed; it is that the very foundation of his future will disintegrate. All his schemes, all his self-justifications, all his defiant dreams will come to nothing. He is like a man who has spent his life hoarding Confederate currency, only to find at the end that it is worthless. The fear of the wicked, what they secretly dread in the dead of night, that is what will come upon them (Prov. 10:24). But their hope, the flimsy shield they hold up against that fear, will be utterly destroyed. There is nothing there. The bubble pops.

Application

This proverb forces a fundamental question upon every one of us: What are you expecting? What is the hope that gets you out of bed in the morning? On what foundation is that hope built? If your hope is built on your own goodness, your financial portfolio, your political tribe, or your personal philosophy, then you are, in the biblical sense, wicked. You are standing on your own, apart from God. And this proverb tells you plainly that your hope will perish. It is a dead end. The only rational response is to repent of that false hope and flee to the only hope that does not disappoint.

For the believer, this proverb is a profound encouragement. The Christian life is often a struggle. We face trials, temptations, and sorrows. But our ultimate expectation is not determined by our present circumstances. Our ultimate expectation is gladness. Light is sown for the righteous (Ps. 97:11). The seeds of our future joy have already been planted by God. This should give us a resilient, long-term optimism. We can face present troubles with patience and even joy, knowing that they are producing in us an eternal weight of glory. Our future is not a question mark; it is an exclamation point. It is a wedding feast. It is the gladness of seeing our King face to face. Therefore, we should live now as people who are destined for joy, not as people who are trying to escape sorrow. Our expectation is gladness, so let us begin to taste that gladness now, by faith.