◄ Proverbs 15:29 ►
The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
Study Bible
The LORD
The term "LORD" in this verse is translated from the Hebrew word "Yahweh," which is the personal name of God revealed to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). This name signifies God's eternal, self-existent nature and His covenant relationship with His people. In the context of Proverbs, invoking the name of the LORD emphasizes His sovereignty and authority over all creation. It reminds us that God is not a distant deity but a personal, relational God who is actively involved in the lives of His people.

is far from
The phrase "is far from" suggests a separation or distance. In Hebrew, the word used here is "rachaq," which can imply both physical distance and relational estrangement. This distance is not due to God's inability to be present everywhere, as He is omnipresent, but rather it reflects a moral and spiritual separation. The idea is that God, in His holiness, cannot be in close fellowship with those who persist in sin and rebellion against Him.

the wicked
The term "wicked" is translated from the Hebrew word "rasha," which refers to those who are morally wrong, guilty, or hostile toward God. In the wisdom literature of the Bible, the wicked are often contrasted with the righteous. The wicked are those who reject God's commandments and live in opposition to His will. This separation from God is a result of their own choices and actions, highlighting the moral responsibility of individuals to seek righteousness.

but He hears
The word "hears" comes from the Hebrew "shama," which means to listen, to give attention, or to understand. This implies not just the act of hearing sounds but an attentive and responsive listening. In the biblical context, when God hears, it often indicates His readiness to act or intervene. This assurance of God's attentiveness is a source of comfort and hope for the faithful, knowing that their prayers do not fall on deaf ears.

the prayer of the righteous
The "prayer of the righteous" refers to the petitions and supplications of those who are in right standing with God. The Hebrew word for "righteous" is "tsaddiq," which describes individuals who live in accordance with God's laws and seek to do His will. The righteous are those who, through faith and obedience, align themselves with God's character and purposes. This phrase underscores the biblical principle that God is attentive to the cries of those who earnestly seek Him and live according to His ways.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal existence and faithfulness to His people.

2. The Wicked
Those who live in opposition to God's commands and principles, often characterized by sinful behavior and rebellion against God.

3. The Righteous
Individuals who seek to live according to God's will, striving to follow His commandments and maintain a relationship with Him.
Teaching Points
God's Proximity to the Righteous
God is attentive and responsive to those who live in accordance with His will. This encourages believers to pursue righteousness in their daily lives.

The Barrier of Wickedness
Sin creates a distance between individuals and God. Recognizing this should lead to repentance and a desire to align one's life with God's standards.

The Power of Prayer
The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective. Believers are encouraged to cultivate a life of prayer, knowing that God hears and responds to them.

Pursuing Righteousness
Righteousness is not about perfection but about a sincere effort to follow God's ways. This involves regular self-examination and a commitment to spiritual growth.

God's Faithfulness
God's promise to hear the prayers of the righteous is a testament to His faithfulness. Believers can trust in God's consistent character and His willingness to engage with them.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the Hebrew concept of "righteousness" (tzaddik) deepen our comprehension of this verse?

2. In what ways can we ensure that our prayers align with the characteristics of the "righteous" as described in Proverbs 15:29?

3. Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. How did this experience relate to the themes of wickedness and righteousness in this verse?

4. How can we encourage others in our community to pursue righteousness and experience the closeness of God in their lives?

5. What practical steps can we take to remove barriers of sin that may hinder our relationship with God, as suggested by the connections to Isaiah 59:1-2?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 34:15-16
This passage highlights the contrast between God's attentiveness to the righteous and His opposition to those who do evil, reinforcing the theme of divine responsiveness to the prayers of the righteous.

James 5:16
This verse emphasizes the power and effectiveness of a righteous person's prayer, aligning with the promise that God hears the prayers of the righteous.

Isaiah 59:1-2
These verses explain how sin creates a separation between God and individuals, illustrating why the LORD is far from the wicked.
Sermons
God's Distance from Us and Nearness to UsW. Clarkson Proverbs 15:29
Religion and Common SenseE. Johnson Proverbs 15:24-33
People
Abaddon, Solomon
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Ear, Heareth, Hears, Open, Prayer, Righteous, Sinners, Upright, Wicked
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Proverbs 15:29

     6040   sinners
     8617   prayer, effective

Proverbs 15:28-29

     7150   righteous, the

Library
God, the All-Seeing One
A sermon (No. 177) delivered on Sabbath morning, February 14, 1858 At The Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens by C. H. Spurgeon. "Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?" -- Proverbs 15:11. You have often smiled at the ignorance of heathens who bow themselves before gods of wood and stone. You have quoted the words of Scripture and you have said, "Eyes have they, but they see not; ears have they, but they hear not." You have therefore argued that …
C.H. Spurgeon—Sermons on Proverbs

The Hedge of Thorns and the Plain Way
A sermon (No. 1948) delivered at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, by C. H. Spurgeon. "The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain."--Proverbs 15:19. You must have noticed how frequently godly people almost wear out their Bibles in certain places. The Psalms, the Gospel of John, and parts of the Epistles are favourite portions, and are thumbed in many an old believer's Bible till the fact is very noticeable. There are certain sheep-tracks …
C.H. Spurgeon—Sermons on Proverbs

God, the All-Seeing One
We have in our text, first of all, a great fact declared,--"Hell and destruction are before the Lord ;" we have, secondly, a great fact inferred,--"How much more then the hearts of the children of men?" I. We will begin with THE GREAT FACT WHICH IS DECLARED--a fact which furnishes us with premises from which we deduce the practical conclusion of the second sentence--"How much more then the hearts of the children of men?" The best interpretation that you can give of those two words, "hell" and "destruction," …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

How the Humble and the Haughty are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 18.) Differently to be admonished are the humble and the haughty. To the former it is to be insinuated how true is that excellence which they hold in hoping for it; to the latter it is to be intimated how that temporal glory is as nothing which even when embracing it they hold not. Let the humble hear how eternal are the things that they long for, how transitory the things which they despise; let the haughty hear how transitory are the things they court, how eternal the things they …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

And He had Also this Favour Granted Him. ...
66. And he had also this favour granted him. For as he was sitting alone on the mountain, if ever he was in perplexity in his meditations, this was revealed to him by Providence in prayer. And the happy man, as it is written, was taught of God [1112] . After this, when he once had a discussion with certain men who had come to him concerning the state of the soul and of what nature its place will be after this life, the following night one from above called him, saying, Antony, rise, go out and look.' …
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

Epistle cxxii. To Rechared, King of the visigoths .
To Rechared, King of the Visigoths [82] . Gregory to Rechared, &c. I cannot express in words, most excellent son, how much I am delighted with thy work and thy life. For on hearing of the power of a new miracle in our days, to wit that the whole nation of the Goths has through thy Excellency been brought over from the error of Arian heresy to the firmness of a right faith, one is disposed to exclaim with the prophet, This is the change wrought by the right hand of the Most High (Ps. lxxvi. 11 [83] …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Contention Over the Man Born Blind.
(Jerusalem.) ^D John IX. 1-41. [Some look upon the events in this and the next section as occurring at the Feast of Tabernacles in October, others think they occurred at the Feast of Dedication in December, deriving their point of time from John x. 22.] ^d 1 And as he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. [The man probably sought to waken compassion by repeatedly stating this fact to passers-by.] 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

"And the Life. " How Christ is the Life.
This, as the former, being spoken indefinitely, may be universally taken, as relating both to such as are yet in the state of nature, and to such as are in the state of grace, and so may be considered in reference to both, and ground three points of truth, both in reference to the one, and in reference to the other; to wit, 1. That our case is such as we stand in need of his help, as being the Life. 2. That no other way but by him, can we get that supply of life, which we stand in need of, for he …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

"Now the End of the Commandment," &C.
1 Tim. i. 5.--"Now the end of the commandment," &c. We come now, as was proposed, to observe, Thirdly,(474) That faith unfeigned is the only thing which gives the answer of a good conscience towards God. Conscience, in general, is nothing else but a practical knowledge of the rule a man should walk by, and of himself in reference to that rule. It is the laying down a man's state, and condition, and actions beside the rule of God's word, or the principles of nature's light. It is the chief piece …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

"Thou Shall Keep Him in Perfect Peace, Whose Mind is Stayed on Thee, Because He Trusteth in Thee. "
Isaiah xxvi. 3.--"Thou shall keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee." All men love to have privileges above others. Every one is upon the design and search after some well-being, since Adam lost that which was true happiness. We all agree upon the general notion of it, but presently men divide in the following of particulars. Here all men are united in seeking after some good; something to satisfy their souls, and satiate their desires. Nay, but they …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Authority and Utility of the Scriptures
2 Tim. iii. 16.--"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." We told you that there was nothing more necessary to know than what our end is, and what the way is that leads to that end. We see the most part of men walking at random,--running an uncertain race,--because they do not propose unto themselves a certain scope to aim at, and whither to direct their whole course. According to men's particular …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of the Eleventh
An unfinished commentary on the Bible, found among the author's papers after his death, in his own handwriting; and published in 1691, by Charles Doe, in a folio volume of the works of John Bunyan. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR Being in company with an enlightened society of Protestant dissenters of the Baptist denomination, I observed to a doctor of divinity, who was advancing towards his seventieth year, that my time had been delightfully engaged with John Bunyan's commentary on Genesis. "What," …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

I Will Pray with the Spirit and with the Understanding Also-
OR, A DISCOURSE TOUCHING PRAYER; WHEREIN IS BRIEFLY DISCOVERED, 1. WHAT PRAYER IS. 2. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT. 3. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING ALSO. WRITTEN IN PRISON, 1662. PUBLISHED, 1663. "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought:--the Spirit--helpeth our infirmities" (Rom 8:26). ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. There is no subject of more solemn importance to human happiness than prayer. It is the only medium of intercourse with heaven. "It is …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

How Christ is the Way in General, "I am the Way. "
We come now to speak more particularly to the words; and, first, Of his being a way. Our design being to point at the way of use-making of Christ in all our necessities, straits, and difficulties which are in our way to heaven; and particularly to point out the way how believers should make use of Christ in all their particular exigencies; and so live by faith in him, walk in him, grow up in him, advance and march forward toward glory in him. It will not be amiss to speak of this fulness of Christ …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Proverbs
Many specimens of the so-called Wisdom Literature are preserved for us in the book of Proverbs, for its contents are by no means confined to what we call proverbs. The first nine chapters constitute a continuous discourse, almost in the manner of a sermon; and of the last two chapters, ch. xxx. is largely made up of enigmas, and xxxi. is in part a description of the good housewife. All, however, are rightly subsumed under the idea of wisdom, which to the Hebrew had always moral relations. The Hebrew …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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