Ver. 1. A good name is rather to be chosen.] Heb., A name, as “a wife,” for a good wife. (Proverbs 18:22) Better no wife than an ill wife, so better no name than an ill name. This good name proceeding from a good conscience, this honour from virtue, (Isaiah 43:4) this perfume of faith and obedience, this splendour and sparkle of the “white stone,” which only shines upon heavenly hearts—is far more desirable than great riches. For, first, These oft take away the life of the owners thereof. (Proverbs 1:19) The greater wealth, the greater spoil awaits a man. As a tree with thick and large boughs, every man desires to lop him. Whereas a good name saves a man oft from that danger, as it did Jonathan, whom the people rescued. Secondly, Riches breed and bring their cares and cumbers with them. Qui habet terras habet guerras, saith the proverb; many lawsuits and other vexations, &c.; when a good name, as a precious ointment poured out, gets loving favour, with which it is therefore fitly coupled in this text. Thirdly, Riches are enjoyed but till death at utmost; but a good name outlives the man, and is left behind him for a blessing. (Isaiah 65:15 Proverbs 10:7) [See Trapp on “Pr 10:7”] Other people went beyond God’s Israel in wealth and riches, but none in fame and renown. (2 Samuel 7:23 Deuteronomy 4:6) Fourthly, Riches are oft gotten by fame. Let a man’s name be up, and there will be great recourse to him; but let him once crack his credit, and riches cannot repair him. Infamy will not be bought off with money. Lastly, Riches are common to good men with bad men; but a good name, truly so called, is proper to God’s peculiar, confined to the communion of saints. He was therefore a better husband than divine that first called riches bona, goods, And that heathen was nearer the truth than many profligate professors of it who said, Ego si bonam famam servasso sat dives ero: that is, If I may but keep a good name, I have wealth enough. And loving favour rather than silver and gold.] Which what is it else but white and red earth? and therefore no way fit to come in competition with good repute and report among the best, such as Christ had, (Luke 2:52) and Joseph, and Daniel, and David, and Demetrius; (3 John 12) and they had it as a special favour from God, who fashions men’s opinions, and hides his people from the strife of tongues. (Job 5:21 Psalms 31:20) Plautus.
Ver. 2. The rich and the poor meet together.] They have mutual need one of another, and meet many times, as it were, in the midway, by an alteration of their condition. “They that were full were hired forth for bread, and the hungry are no more hired.” (1 Samuel 2:5) “The mighty are put down from their seats, and those of low degree are exalted.” (Luke 1:53) The Lord is the maker of them all.] The maker of the men, the maker of their estates, and the maker of that change and alteration which often happeneth, that the one might become grateful, the other humble. See Job 31:15.
Ver. 3. A prudent man foreseeth an evil, &c.] Prevision is the best means of prevention. “A wise man’s eyes are in his head,” (Ecclesiastes 2:14) “his heart is also at his right hand.” (Ecclesiastes 10:2) The Chinese say of themselves that all other nations of the world see but with one eye, they only with two. The Italians give out that they only do sapere ante factum, look before they leap, forecast an evil before it befall them. But these are praises proper to them that have learned holy and heavenly wisdom, that by certain sights and signs discern a tempest in the clouds, and seek seasonable shelter under the hollow of God’s hand, “under the shadow of his wings.” Such prudent persons were Noah, Joseph, Jonadab, Josiah, the Christians at Pella, &c. But the fool passeth on.] Pusheth on without fear or wit, as being resolved to have his will, whatever it stand him in. And is punished.] As a just reward of his rashness. Sin ever ends tragically. Flagitium et flagellum, ut acus et filum. Who ever waxed fierce against God and prospered? (Job 9:4) “With the froward thou wilt wrestle,” saith David. (Psalms 18:26) “Upon the wicked God shall rain snares,” &c. (Psalms 11:6) And then, ut leo cassibus irretitus dixit, si praescivissem, as the lion, when he was caught in the hunter’s toil, said, If I had foreknown this mischief, I would have shunned it. So these after wits, these post masters, these Epimetheuses, shall come in (but all too late) with their fool’s ‘Had-I-wist,’ which they should have timeously foreseen and prevented.
Ver. 4. By humility and the fear of the Lord.] Heb., The heel of humility, &c. The humble heart that lies low, and “hearkens what God the Lord will say unto it,” that follows him trembling, as the people followed Saul, (1 Samuel 13:7) shall have hard at the heels of it riches—a sufficiency, if not a superfluity—and honour, which is to be chosen before riches, (Proverbs 22:1) [See Trapp on “Pr 22:1”] and life, above the danger of those thorns and snares mentioned in the next verse; not life present only, but “length of days for ever and ever.” (Psalms 21:4) Oh the μυριομακαριοτης, the heaped up happiness of a man that humbles and trembles before the Lord! He that doth the former, cannot but do the latter. Hence that close connection of these two graces in this text, “By humility, the fear of the Lord”; so the original runs without the grammatical copulative and, to show that they go always together—yea, the one is as it were predicated upon the other. Neither want they their reward—“riches,” “hohour,” “life.” What things be these? Who would not turn spiritual purchaser?