Proverbs 30:32
Lay thy Hand upon thy Mouth
1. The words of Agur are coming to a close.
2. He ends with a few words of advice – good advice that (sooner or later) we all will need to put into practice at the appropriate time, place, and situation.
3. We will be looking at two examples of bad behavior and what to do about them.
Bad behavior # 1:
1. The main point of this expression is “lifting up thyself.”
a. This is a common expression in the Bible that speaks of PRIDE.
b. The concept of “lifting up” speaks of pride. Humility is described as “bowing down.”
c. Luke 18:10-14 – The publican refused to “lift up” even his eyes to heaven. He bowed down in the Temple. God was pleased with his actions.
d. We should not equate God’s pleasure with posture. It was the attitude of mind and heart that was exhibited through the posture that either caused God to be pleased or angry.
e. Jas. 4:10 – “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” If we humble self (bow down in humility) God will lift us up. When we lift ourselves up—God will humble us—knock us back down to size.
2. There are lots of examples of men and women who lifted up their hearts in pride—and the awful consequences.
a. Prov. 30:13 – It speaks of our generation that “lifts up” their eyelids in pride. Pride is seen in their facial expression.
b. Deut. 8:14 – A heart that is lifted up (in pride and self-sufficiency) forgets God.
c. II Chron. 26:15 – Uzziah’s heart was lifted up in pride and rebellion. He went into the Temple and burnt incense to God – a ministry reserved for the priests. His heart was lifted up to his own destruction. God smote him with leprosy.
d. Ezekiel 28:1-2 – King Tyrus lifted up his heart in pride and arrogance and said, “I am a God!” He was a picture of Satan!
e. Ezekiel 28:17 – The same thing was then said of Satan. His heart was lifted up in pride because of his beauty.
f. Dan. 5:20 – Nebuchadnezzar’s heart was lifted up and his mind was hardened in pride.
3. Agur states that lifting up self is FOOLISH.
a. It is foolish because God hates it.
b. It is foolish because God judges pride.
c. It is foolish because “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (Prov. 16:18)
d. It is foolish because in the Scriptures we have so many examples of pride and its ugly consequences.
Bad behavior # 2:
1. Thought: “To plan; to intend; to think with the purpose of planning a course of action.”
a. The term is used in Psalm 37:12 – “The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.”
b. Prov. 31:16 – “She considereth a field, and buyeth it…”
c. The idea of this term seems to go beyond just a passing thought that is quickly and firmly dismissed.
• It is a thought that has been contemplated seriously.
• Serious consideration has been given to evil in this case.
2. Evil: There is no Hebrew word that underlies this English word.
a. When this term is used without an object, it usually has the sense of “plotting, scheming, etc.”
b. Hence, the word “evil” was added because that is the obvious meaning in this passage.
3. The second example of bad behavior is planning, plotting, or scheming to do evil.
a. Serious consideration is given to this plot to do evil or harm.
b. Ps. 36:4 – “He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.”
c. Prov. 6:18 – This is one of the “seven deadly sins”: “An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations.”
d. Prov. 6:14-15 – “Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. 15Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.” And it has consequences. He shall be broken.
What to DO:
1. There are two different forms of bad behavior; there is but one solution to both: put your hand over your mouth.
a. When you put your hand over your mouth, you are preventing yourself from speaking out… speaking up… adding your own two cents. Your mouth is SHUT.
b. Shutting one’s mouth with the physical motion of using your hand implies that the person is dealing with the underlying issue.
c. Of course, what comes out of the mouth originated in the heart.
d. Hence, if we are really going to get to the heart of the problem, it involves dealing with the mouth AND the heart.
2. If we discover that we are guilty of either one of these two forms of bad behavior, it is God’s Word that condemns us.
a. Rom. 3:19 – “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
b. The moral absolutes of God STOP every mouth.
c. When the heart is convicted by the Word, the mouth is stopped.
d. Putting one’s hand over one’s mouth is like saying, “I’m guilty! I have nothing to say. My mouth is stopped.”
3. Putting one’s hand over one’s mouth is an acknowledgement of God’s presence.
a. Habakkuk 2:20 – “But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.”
b. It is to acknowledge that God knows what I’ve been up to.
c. I’ve been discovered – Be sure your sin will find you out.
d. Thus, I have no defense; there are no excuses.
e. There is nothing more to say; this is the end of debate.
f. It is an acknowledgement of the fact that God is LORD. There is no answering back; nothing to add to His Word. The only proper response is to be silent; to be in awe; and to receive whatever He says.
4. Job 40:1-5 – Job laid his hand over his mouth.
a. It was his way of recognizing that he spoke out of turn.
b. He said something he should never have said.
c. His words were contentious—and he was addressing God!
d. He realized that he was vile. He had nothing more to say.
e. He spoke once insolently; but he will not do that again.
f. By putting his hand over his mouth, Job is showing restraint.
g. He learned his lesson—and put his hand over his mouth.
h. Job was finished debating with God.
5. Agur’s point is that whether the sin is foolish pride or rebellious plotting to do evil—the correct response is to just put your hand over your mouth, show a little restraint, and be silent before God.
a. It is like putting the lid on all of your former thoughts and words.
b. It is like acknowledging your sin and that it has been done in the very presence of God who knows the very thoughts and intents of our hearts and minds. There is no point in arguing with God.
c. Prov. 24:9 – “The thought of foolishness is sin.” That being the case, put your hand over your mouth before your thoughts begin to pour out… and may even turn into action. Put a lid on that!
d. Restrain any expression of that evil thought or plan.
e. When our thoughts are evil and our heart is full of pride—speech becomes DANGEROUS… poisonous. Put the lid on it!
f. It is a physical motion designed to denote something along these lines: “That’s the end of that thought… of that pride. It’s wrong; I’m not going to tolerate it any longer; it’s over.”
g. Thank you Agur for the good advice!