Bird's-eye view
The book of Proverbs is intensely practical, and this verse is a prime example of its function. It sets up a contrast, a spiritual accounting, that forces us to evaluate what true wealth is. The world looks at a man's portfolio, his assets, his bottom line. God looks at a man's heart, his integrity, his walk. This proverb is a direct challenge to the prosperity gospel hucksters and the worldly-minded alike. It establishes a hierarchy of values that is entirely upside down from the world's perspective. God's economy values a poor man with integrity far above a rich fool with a deceitful tongue. This is not a condemnation of wealth, but rather a declaration of what constitutes true and lasting value in God's kingdom.
The verse neatly divides into two parts, presenting two kinds of men. First, we have the righteous poor man. His poverty is a circumstance, but his integrity is his character. He walks in it. It is the path he has chosen. Second, we have the fool. His defining characteristics are his crooked lips and his foolishness. Notice the connection: what is in the heart (folly) inevitably comes out of the mouth (crooked lips). The proverb forces a choice. Which man is "better"? The answer is plain, but it cuts against the grain of our natural, fallen inclinations to admire the rich and successful, regardless of how they got there.
Outline
- 1. The Divine Appraisal (Prov 19:1)
- a. The Better Man: Poor in Pocket, Rich in Character (v. 1a)
- b. The Lesser Man: Rich in Deceit, Bankrupt in Wisdom (v. 1b)
Context In Proverbs
Proverbs 19 is part of the larger collection of "the proverbs of Solomon" that begins in chapter 10. These are short, pithy sayings that often rely on contrast to make their point. This verse fits squarely within that pattern. It follows on the heels of numerous proverbs that deal with wealth, poverty, justice, and speech. For example, Proverbs 16:8 says, "Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice." Proverbs 19:1 is another brushstroke on the same canvas, painting a picture of a world where God's standards of value are what truly matter.
The theme of integrity versus deceitful speech is central to the wisdom of Proverbs. The tongue is a fire, and the fool is the one who cannot control it. This proverb connects that lack of verbal control directly to a man's essential foolishness, setting him in stark opposition to the man who, though he may have nothing, walks uprightly before God and men.
Key Issues
- Integrity as True Wealth
- The Link Between Speech and Folly
- God's Inverted Economy
- The Nature of a Proverb
Commentary
Proverbs 19:1
Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity Than he who is crooked in lips and is a fool.
The book of Proverbs is not a book of abstract platitudes. It is a field manual for godly living, and it operates by establishing sharp, clear contrasts. This verse is a classic example of that method. It doesn't just give you a principle; it puts two men in front of you and says, "Choose. Which one is better?"
Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity...
First, let's consider the man who gets the divine commendation. He is described by two things: his financial condition and his moral character. His financial condition is "poor." In the world's eyes, this is a mark of failure. He hasn't climbed the ladder. He doesn't have a safety net. He is, by all external metrics, unsuccessful. But the proverb immediately pivots to what truly matters. He "walks in his integrity."
The word "walks" is crucial. Integrity is not a static quality he happens to possess, like the color of his eyes. It is the road he travels, the path he is on, day in and day out. It is his way of life. This is covenantal language. To walk in integrity is to walk faithfully before the face of God. It means his life is whole, sound, undivided. What he is in private is what he is in public. His word is his bond. His dealings are honest. He is not perfect, mind you, but the direction of his life, his walk, is one of unwavering commitment to the truth.
And God says this man, the poor man with nothing but his good name, is "better." Better than what? Better than whom? This sets up the contrast that drives the point home.
...Than he who is crooked in lips and is a fool.
Now we meet the second man. His financial condition is not explicitly stated, but it is strongly implied by the contrast. The world would not consider a poor fool to be better than a poor man of integrity. The contrast only has teeth if this fool has some measure of worldly success. He is the man who has "made it," but he did so by cutting corners, by twisting words, by being "crooked in lips."
His speech is perverse, twisted, not straight. He uses his words not to communicate truth, but to manipulate, to deceive, to get ahead. His promises are worthless. His flattery is a trap. His testimony is unreliable. And why are his lips crooked? Because his heart is crooked. The proverb tells us he "is a fool." The crooked lips are simply the fruit of the foolish root. Folly in Proverbs is not a matter of low IQ. It is a moral and spiritual category. The fool is the man who has said in his heart, "There is no God," or, what amounts to the same thing, "There is no God who will hold me to account." He lives his life as though reality can be bent to his will through clever words.
So the comparison is stark. On the one hand, a man with an empty wallet but a straight walk. On the other, a man with (most likely) a full wallet but a crooked mouth and a foolish heart. God's verdict is clear: the poor man is better. This is a radical re-evaluation of all our worldly metrics for success. Integrity is the currency of heaven, and by that standard, the poor man is a prince and the successful fool is a pauper.
Application
The application of this proverb should hit us right where we live. We are constantly tempted to measure ourselves and others by worldly standards. We admire the slick, the successful, the one who can talk his way into or out of anything. We are tempted to believe that the ends justify the means, that a little "crookedness" in our speech is acceptable if it helps us get ahead.
This proverb calls us to repent of that entire way of thinking. It calls us to value integrity above income. It tells a young man starting his career that it is better to be fired for honesty than to be promoted for deceit. It tells the businessman that a reputation for godliness is an asset more valuable than his entire inventory. It reminds us that our words matter because they reveal our hearts. Crooked speech comes from a foolish heart, and a foolish heart is an abomination to the Lord.
Ultimately, the only man who ever walked in perfect integrity was the Lord Jesus Christ. He was poor, having nowhere to lay His head, yet He was infinitely rich in righteousness. He was the ultimate wise man, whose lips spoke only truth. And through His death and resurrection, He offers us His integrity. He clothes us in His righteousness. The gospel does not just call us to walk in integrity; it empowers us to do so. By faith in Christ, we are freed from the foolishness that leads to crooked speech and are made children of the God of truth. Our walk, therefore, should reflect the character of the One who saved us.