Commentary - Proverbs 20:29

Bird's-eye view

Proverbs 20:29 presents a beautiful, complementary picture of God's design for the different stages of a man's life. It is not a verse that pits one generation against another, but rather one that assigns a particular glory, a particular honor, to each. Young men have the glory of strength, and old men have the majesty of gray hair. This is not a comparison of advantage to disadvantage, but of one glory to another. The Apostle John likely had this proverb in mind when he wrote to the young men and the fathers in his first epistle (1 John 2:12-14). This proverb teaches us to recognize and honor the distinct roles and God-given attributes that mark the seasons of our lives, seeing them not as points of conflict but as a harmonious whole within the covenant community.

The strength of the young is for action, for overcoming, for building. The wisdom of the old, symbolized by their gray hair, is for guidance, for counsel, and for stability. When these two glories are brought together in covenant faithfulness, with young men honoring the wisdom of their elders and old men cheering on the strength of the youth, the result is a formidable force for the kingdom of God. When they are divorced from one another, devastation follows. This proverb is a call to generational harmony and mutual respect, grounded in God's created order.

Outline

Context In Proverbs

The book of Proverbs is a collection of wisdom literature, offering practical, pithy observations about how the world, under God's governance, generally works. These are not axiomatic promises like "all triangles have three sides," but rather principles for skillful living. For example, Proverbs tells us both to answer a fool according to his folly and not to answer a fool according to his folly (Prov 26:4-5). Wisdom is knowing which proverb applies in which situation. So when we come to Proverbs 20:29, we are not being given a universal guarantee that every young man will be strong or every old man wise. Rather, we are being taught what the ideal is, what the God-ordained honor for each stage of life looks like. This verse fits within the broader context of Proverbs' concern for order, for honoring authority (especially parents), and for living skillfully in God's world from youth to old age.

Key Issues

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

v. 29a The honor of young men is their strength...

The word for "honor" or "glory" here points to what is praiseworthy, what is the chief adornment of a young man. And what is it? It is his strength. Our effeminate culture is deeply embarrassed by this, but the Word of God is not. God made young men to be strong, and that strength is a glory. The Apostle John says the same thing: "I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one" (1 John 2:14). Notice the connection. Strength is not an end in itself. It is not for boasting (Jer. 9:23). It is for overcoming the wicked one. It is for productive, dominion-oriented work. It is for building and defending. A young man's strength is a glory when it is tethered to the Word of God and expended in the cause of righteousness. Untethered, it becomes the strength of a terrorist or a fool. But when young men are what they ought to be, strong, aggressive, and not risk-averse, the Bible calls it a glory.

v. 29b And the majesty of old men is their gray hair.

The proverb then pivots from the glory of youth to the "majesty" or "splendor" of old age. The symbol of this is the gray head. Again, this runs contrary to our culture's frantic attempts to hide all signs of aging. But Scripture sees gray hair as a crown. "Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life" (Prov. 16:31). The majesty is not in the gray hair itself, of course, but in what it represents: a long life of experience, of trials weathered, of lessons learned, of faithfulness endured. It represents wisdom. The law commanded Israel to "stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man" (Lev. 19:32). The old man has seen more of God's providences. He has, as John puts it, "known him who is from the beginning" (1 John 2:13). This knowledge, this wisdom, is his beauty. It is his splendor. Young men are strong, but often don't know what they are doing. Older men know what they would do if they still had the energy. The gray head is the flag that flies over the castle of wisdom.

Application

This proverb is a direct charge to both young men and old men. Young men, do not waste your strength. Do not squander it on video games and foolishness. Your strength is your glory. Use it. Build things. Defend the weak. Work hard. Overcome the evil one. Submit your strength to the wisdom of your elders, and learn from them. Your raw power needs the guidance system that their experience provides.

Old men, do not despise your gray hair, and do not despise the rambunctious strength of the young. Your gray hair is your majesty. It is your crown. Wear it with dignity. Teach the young men. Guide them. Your task is to provide the wise counsel that aims their strength in the right direction. Do not resent their energy; channel it. In the church, we desperately need the covenantal cooperation of these two glories. We need the fathers and the young men to be bound together. When the strength of youth is guided by the wisdom of age, the gates of hell tremble.