Introduction
Before getting into the meaning of Proverbs 14:2, here’s different Bible translations:
King James Version
He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
American Standard Version
He that walketh in his uprightness feareth Jehovah; But he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
World English Bible version
He who walks in his uprightness fears Yahweh, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.
Proverbs 14:2 Meaning & Commentary
Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is devious in his ways despises him. – Proverbs 14:2 (ESV)
The Bible teaches us that walking in uprightness, holiness, and righteousness is synonymous with the fear of The Lord. When we fear The Lord, we will desire to walk in a way that pleases Him: Proverbs 8:13 – The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
When we fear The Lord, we do not need to try hard to depart from sin or to walk uprightly before God; it will be a natural overflow in our lives. What does it mean to fear The Lord? One scholar has explained it as follows: The fear of the Lord isn’t to be afraid of God—it’s to be afraid to be away from Him. It serves as protection for those who want to guard their intimacy with Him. So, when we have the fear of The Lord in our lives, we draw close to God and desire to protect that intimacy with God at all costs.
The second part of Proverbs 14:2 goes on to say that if someone is devious in their ways, they despise The Lord. The word devious is the Hebrew word “luz” and means “to turn aside, depart.” So, if someone despises The Lord, they will not value nor treasure what they have with The Lord and will be in danger or at risk of turning away from God or departing from Him. In his letter to Timothy, Paul, the apostle, made mention of people who have departed from the faith:
1 Timothy 6:20 – O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Yet, the fear of The Lord helps us cling tightly to God and walk in a way that is pleasing to Him!
Application
How can we practically apply Proverbs 14:2 to our lives?
There are a few clues from scripture that The Bible gives us that can help us stay close to God and increase the fear of The Lord in our lives. In doing so, we will find ourselves turning away from evil and running to God – not from Him.
Firstly, as with anything, we can ask God to increase the fear of The Lord in our lives – that we would grow in our reverence for Him, and our desire to be close to Him. As we draw closer to The Holy Spirit, we will also grow in the fear of The Lord. The fear of The Lord is one of the “expressions” of The Spirit of the Lord:
Isaiah 11:1-3 – There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
So, although the fear is The Lord is something we can ask for, it is also a “by-product” of our relationship with The Lord. As we prioritize our relationship with God and make a concerted effort to spend quality time with Him, we will grow in the fear of The Lord. Also, we need to pay attention to the doctrines and teaching that we follow, as this can pull us away from God as well:
1 Timothy 4:1 – Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.
Something else we also need to cling tightly to is a good conscience, as this can pull us away from God and even out of the faith altogether: 1 Timothy 1:19 – holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith.
Prayer
Mighty God, I thank You for the blood of your son, Jesus – which cleanses me of all unrighteousness. I ask today that you forgive me of every sin, iniquity, and transgression. Help to prioritize my walk with You every single day.
I ask that you increase the fear of The Lord in my life. Help me to stay pure and accurate in the doctrine I follow and give my discernment to recognize that which is not of you. Help me to keep my heart pure and my conscious clean. I pray this all in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
