Pro 28:13 | KingComments | STEP | The contrast in – indicated by the word “but” – is between “he who conceals his transgressions” and “he who confesses and forsakes them”. The former “will not prosper”, the latter “will find compassion”. This verse is unique in the book of Proverbs. It deals with the truth of forgiveness. Every part of this verse is essential to this truth. God’s forgiveness here is clearly linked to a true return to God to find with Him compassion instead of judgment ( ; ). A “ transgression” is the crossing of a boundary while the boundary is clearly marked. When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, transgressed, he crossed the boundary God has drawn around marriage. At first he “concealed” or covered that sin and remained silent. Then he did “not prosper”. His bones wasted away and he felt God’s hand pressing heavily on him. Then he made his sin known, confessed it and said: “My iniquity I did not hide” ( ). Then he could say that God surrounded him “with joyful songs of deliverance” ( ). The consequence of received compassion after confessing a sin is always fearing ( ) for the sin. Deep awe of sin is the point of this verse, not so much deep awe of the LORD. The latter is always true, but that is not the emphasis here. ‘Fearing always’ is deep fear. It is fear of sin, as Joseph feared sin ( ), fear of the consequences that come from sin. It is the fear of falling (back) into sin, it is deep awe or deep fear of the power of sin. The point is that it is always, constantly there. This fear will certainly be there for the sin that we have had to confess ( ). If we have this fear, we are “blessed”, happy, because then we will shun sin. That we can think here of fear of sin is also evident from the contrast in the second line of verse. The verse contrasts the man who “fears always” with “he who hardens his heart”. It is inevitable that he who does the latter will “fall into calamity”. A deep awareness of sin is a special grace. He who has no fear of sin and hardens his heart against the warnings against it, falls into sin and plunges himself and also others into misery.

‏ Proverbs 28:13

Confessing and Fearing

The contrast in Pro 28:13 – indicated by the word “but” – is between “he who conceals his transgressions” and “he who confesses and forsakes them”. The former “will not prosper”, the latter “will find compassion”. This verse is unique in the book of Proverbs. It deals with the truth of forgiveness. Every part of this verse is essential to this truth. God’s forgiveness here is clearly linked to a true return to God to find with Him compassion instead of judgment (Psa 32:1-5; 1Jn 1:6-9).

A “ transgression” is the crossing of a boundary while the boundary is clearly marked. When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, transgressed, he crossed the boundary God has drawn around marriage. At first he “concealed” or covered that sin and remained silent. Then he did “not prosper”. His bones wasted away and he felt God’s hand pressing heavily on him. Then he made his sin known, confessed it and said: “My iniquity I did not hide” (Psa 32:3-5). Then he could say that God surrounded him “with joyful songs of deliverance” (Psa 32:7b).

The consequence of received compassion after confessing a sin is always fearing (Pro 28:14) for the sin. Deep awe of sin is the point of this verse, not so much deep awe of the LORD. The latter is always true, but that is not the emphasis here.

‘Fearing always’ is deep fear. It is fear of sin, as Joseph feared sin (Gen 39:8-9), fear of the consequences that come from sin. It is the fear of falling (back) into sin, it is deep awe or deep fear of the power of sin. The point is that it is always, constantly there. This fear will certainly be there for the sin that we have had to confess (Pro 28:13). If we have this fear, we are “blessed”, happy, because then we will shun sin.

That we can think here of fear of sin is also evident from the contrast in the second line of verse. The verse contrasts the man who “fears always” with “he who hardens his heart”. It is inevitable that he who does the latter will “fall into calamity”. A deep awareness of sin is a special grace. He who has no fear of sin and hardens his heart against the warnings against it, falls into sin and plunges himself and also others into misery.