Pro 17:4 | KingComments | STEP | “An evil-doer” and “a liar” love to listen to lies and destructive talk ( ; cf. ). What is at issue here is that those who listen to such talk are of the same stock as those who allow such talk to be heard. The “lips” and “tongue” mean speaking; the qualifications “wicked” and “destructive” say that such speaking causes devastation. The people who listen to gossip are as guilty of it as those who tell it. If there were no listeners, there would be no gossip. Listeners to gossip help keep the gossip going. So it is with gossip magazines. If there were no buyers, there would be no gossip magazines. The buyers of gossip magazines are just as bad gossipers as the compilers and publishers of them. And what about us? Do we also enjoy programs in which lies and destruction are presented as entertainment and glorified that way? If we keep watching and do not turn away, that is, turn off the program, we are the same as the people who are called evildoers and liars here. The mocking of the poor is done because an accident has befallen him, making him poor ( ). This is evident from the second line of verse. Anyone who mocks a poor person despises the latter and his own Maker and will therefore be punished. After all, man was made in His image ( ; ). The second line of verse declares that such a person “will not go unpunished”, but will be punished. The mockery of the poor man manifests itself in gloating over the calamity that has befallen him. A person may rejoice over the misery that afflicts another. Mockery of the Maker can be seen as a derogatory remark addressed to God, with the content that He was unable to save that poor person from that calamity. In addition to God being mocked, the poor person also gets the full brunt. The mocker enjoys the fact that the poor person has fallen into misery. He rubs salt in his many wounds by telling him that he owes his poverty to himself, it is his own failure. The Edomites gloated over the calamity that had befallen Israel. The prophet Obadiah shows that they will not be held to be innocent. God promises that He will punish the Edomites ( ). The same is also true of Ammon ( ). Job said he was free from such behavior ( ). How is our reaction to calamity striking someone, especially someone we dislike?

‏ Proverbs 17:4

Listening to Lies Leads to Mockery

“An evil-doer” and “a liar” love to listen to lies and destructive talk (Pro 17:4; cf. Jer 5:30-31). What is at issue here is that those who listen to such talk are of the same stock as those who allow such talk to be heard. The “lips” and “tongue” mean speaking; the qualifications “wicked” and “destructive” say that such speaking causes devastation.

The people who listen to gossip are as guilty of it as those who tell it. If there were no listeners, there would be no gossip. Listeners to gossip help keep the gossip going. So it is with gossip magazines. If there were no buyers, there would be no gossip magazines. The buyers of gossip magazines are just as bad gossipers as the compilers and publishers of them.

And what about us? Do we also enjoy programs in which lies and destruction are presented as entertainment and glorified that way? If we keep watching and do not turn away, that is, turn off the program, we are the same as the people who are called evildoers and liars here.

The mocking of the poor is done because an accident has befallen him, making him poor (Pro 17:5). This is evident from the second line of verse. Anyone who mocks a poor person despises the latter and his own Maker and will therefore be punished. After all, man was made in His image (Gen 1:26-27; Jam 3:9). The second line of verse declares that such a person “will not go unpunished”, but will be punished.

The mockery of the poor man manifests itself in gloating over the calamity that has befallen him. A person may rejoice over the misery that afflicts another. Mockery of the Maker can be seen as a derogatory remark addressed to God, with the content that He was unable to save that poor person from that calamity. In addition to God being mocked, the poor person also gets the full brunt. The mocker enjoys the fact that the poor person has fallen into misery. He rubs salt in his many wounds by telling him that he owes his poverty to himself, it is his own failure.

The Edomites gloated over the calamity that had befallen Israel. The prophet Obadiah shows that they will not be held to be innocent. God promises that He will punish the Edomites (Oba 1:12-16). The same is also true of Ammon (Eze 25:6-7). Job said he was free from such behavior (Job 31:29). How is our reaction to calamity striking someone, especially someone we dislike?