Commentary - Proverbs 17:7

Bird's-eye view

This proverb is a masterfully constructed couplet that deals with the principle of fittingness, or what we might call the aesthetics of character. It teaches that speech is not a detached skill but an overflow of what a person is. The proverb presents two scenarios of incongruity, a jarring mismatch between a person's station and their speech. The first is a fool attempting to speak profound truths, which is unseemly. But the second, presented as a far worse offense, is a man of noble character resorting to lies. The verse employs an "a fortiori" argument, a "how much more" or in this case, "how much less" structure, to drive home the point that while a fool spouting wisdom is ridiculous, a prince telling a lie is a catastrophic moral failure. It establishes a hierarchy of speech-sins, and the greatest of them is when a man who should be the very pillar of truth becomes a fountain of deceit.

The central lesson is that character is the necessary foundation for communication. Words have weight and meaning only when they are backed by the integrity of the speaker. A fool's wise words are hollow, and a nobleman's lies are a betrayal of his very identity. This proverb calls us to recognize that our words must be appropriate to our station, and for the Christian, our station is that of royalty, children of the King. Therefore, falsehood is utterly unbecoming of us.

Outline

Context In Proverbs

Proverbs 17:7 fits squarely within the book's overarching theme of the contrast between the wise man and the fool. The book of Proverbs is intensely practical, and a significant portion of its instruction centers on the use of the tongue. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Prov. 18:21). This verse is one of many that connect the heart, character, and speech. It echoes themes found in verses like Proverbs 10:31, "The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off," and Proverbs 26:7, "Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools." This particular proverb adds a unique layer by introducing the concept of social station and the heightened responsibility that comes with it. It is not just about wise or foolish speech in the abstract, but about what kind of speech is fitting for what kind of person.

Key Issues

The Livery of the Lips

In a rightly ordered world, there is a certain fittingness to things. A soldier wears a uniform, a judge wears a robe, and a king wears a crown. These external markers are supposed to correspond to an internal reality. This proverb applies this principle to our speech. Our words are the uniform, the livery, that we show to the world, and they ought to match the man on the inside. What this verse shows us are two instances of a grotesque mismatch, like a clown wearing a king's crown. The first is comical and pathetic; the second is tragic and treacherous.

The structure here is what is called an argument from the lesser to the greater. The logic runs like this: if you grant that situation A is bad, then you must grant that situation B is far worse. If it is unseemly for a fool to speak well, how much more abominable is it for a prince to lie? The proverb forces us to evaluate the gravity of falsehood, particularly when it comes from those who ought to be the standard-bearers of truth.

Verse by Verse Commentary

7a Excellent lips are not fitting for a wicked fool,

First, we must define our terms. "Excellent lips" does not simply mean articulate or eloquent speech. The Hebrew refers to speech that has substance, weight, and moral authority. It is the kind of speech that belongs in the mouth of a wise counselor or a righteous king. The "wicked fool" is the nabal, a term that denotes not intellectual deficiency but a deep-seated moral and spiritual corruption. This is the man of Psalm 14 who says in his heart, "There is no God." He is base, churlish, and spiritually dead.

Now, why are excellent lips "not fitting" for such a man? Because it is a contradiction in terms. It is a lie. When a man whose heart is a cesspool of rebellion against God tries to speak profound truths, it is a performance. The words are hollow because the character is not there to give them weight. It is like a pig with a gold ring in its snout (Prov. 11:22). The decoration is fine, but the location is all wrong. The speech does not match the man. At best, it is hypocrisy; at worst, it is a manipulative tool to deceive others. The universe is constructed with a certain moral grain, and a fool speaking wisdom goes against that grain. It is an aesthetic offense against the created order.

7b Even less are lying lips for a noble man.

Here is the pivot. As unseemly as the first scenario is, this one is far worse. The "noble man" is a prince, a ruler, a man of high standing whose position depends on integrity. The Hebrew nadib refers to someone who is generous, noble-minded, and a leader of the people. His word is supposed to be his bond; his pronouncements are meant to establish justice and stability. For such a man, "lying lips" are not just unfitting; they are a fundamental betrayal of his identity and calling.

If a fool speaking truth is a jarring contradiction, a prince speaking lies is a social catastrophe. A fool's hypocrisy affects mainly himself, but a leader's lie poisons the entire community. Trust is the currency of leadership, and a lie debases that currency. It undermines the foundations of justice and order. This is why the proverb says it is "even less" fitting. The incongruity is more profound, the damage more severe, and the moral offense far greater. A lying prince is an abomination because he is destroying the very thing he is appointed to protect: a social order grounded in truth.

Application

This proverb has a sharp, two-edged application for the Christian. First, it warns us against the folly of trying to fake righteousness. If your heart is not right with God, all your attempts to sound spiritual will be nothing more than "excellent lips on a wicked fool." Your eloquent prayers, your knowledgeable theological discourse, your pious pronouncements will all be a clanging cymbal because they do not flow from a heart transformed by grace. The solution is not to get better at talking the talk, but to confess your foolishness and plead with God for a new heart. The gospel does not give us a script to read; it gives us a new nature from which true and excellent speech can flow.

Second, and more pointedly, the gospel makes us all noble. Through our union with Christ the King, we have been made a "royal priesthood" (1 Pet. 2:9). We are princes and princesses in the household of God. Therefore, the second half of this verse applies to every believer with full force. How much less are lying lips fitting for you, a child of the King? Deception, falsehood, exaggeration, and bearing false witness are utterly unbecoming of your high station. When we lie, we are not just breaking a rule; we are betraying our royal identity. We are acting like sons of the father of lies, not sons of the God of truth. This is especially true for those in positions of leadership in the home, church, or society. A father's lie to his children, a pastor's lie to his congregation, a Christian politician's lie to the public, these are not small sins. They are a catastrophic failure, a grotesque mismatch between our calling and our conduct. Let us therefore ask God for the grace to speak in a manner that is fitting for the nobles of the coming kingdom.