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“The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the folly of fools yields only more folly.
All hard work brings profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
A truthful witness saves lives,
but a false witness is deceitful.
In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence;
His children will have a place of refuge.”
(Proverbs 14:24–26; 14:23; 14:25, NKJV/ESV combined)
Let us look at what the Word of God says. These verses in Proverbs form a very clear pattern:
1. Wisdom and its fruit – “The crown of the wise is their wealth.”
2. Work and its result – “All hard work brings profit.”
3. Truth and its power – “A truthful witness saves lives.”
4. The fear of the Lord and security – “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence.”
The song you have quoted stitches these themes together, and it is very scriptural. It speaks of wisdom that produces visible results, work that brings increase, truth that delivers from death, and the fear of the Lord that provides security. These are not separate compartments. In the book of Proverbs, they are joined in one integrated life of righteousness under God.
The Holy Spirit is confronting three common deceptions in our time:
The Word of God exposes these deceptions. It shows that true wisdom produces wealth, true faith produces work, true righteousness produces truthful witness, and true knowledge of God produces the fear of the Lord.
The book of Proverbs is part of the wisdom literature of the Old Testament. Much of it is attributed to King Solomon, to whom God gave wisdom “exceedingly much, and largeness of heart” (1 Kings 4:29). Solomon reigned over Israel at a time of great prosperity and peace. He was uniquely qualified by experience to speak about wisdom, wealth, work, and the fear of the Lord.
In 1 Kings 3, Solomon asked God for “an understanding heart” to judge God’s people and to discern between good and evil. God responded:
> “Behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart… And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor…”
> (1 Kings 3:12–13)
So the link between wisdom and wealth, in the context of Proverbs, was not mere theory for Solomon. It was his experience under the covenant with the Lord.
The structure of Proverbs is also important. These verses come from the section of the book (chapters 10–15) composed largely of short, balanced sayings that contrast the righteous and the wicked, the wise and the foolish, diligence and laziness, truth and deceit, the fear of the Lord and self-confidence.
These sayings are not random. They reveal the character of a righteous person who walks in covenant with God:
In other words, God is not offering isolated moral tips. He is describing the lifestyle and inner posture of the man or woman who walks in His ways.
To go deeper, we will look at two key Hebrew words.
### 1. “Profit” – *motar* (מוֹתָר) – Proverbs 14:23
“All hard work brings profit (*motar*), but mere talk leads only to poverty.”
The Hebrew word *motar* literally means “surplus, excess, gain, what is left over.” It is used of:
So the verse is not just saying, “Work brings a wage.” It is saying: diligent labor creates surplus, increase, overflow. It carries the idea of productivity, not merely survival.
This destroys a very religious but unscriptural mindset: that spirituality and fruitfulness are somehow opposed. In God’s order, diligent work under His blessing produces increase. This can be financial, but not only financial. It can be in skill, in influence, in character, in spiritual fruit. The principle is broad: labor produces surplus.
By contrast, “mere talk” – words without corresponding action – leads to lack. The Hebrew word for “poverty” here is *machsor* (מַחְסוֹר) – shortage, lack, deficiency. When we only talk, plan, dream, and never act, we open the door to deficiency.
### 2. “Fear (of the LORD)” – *yir’ah* (יִרְאָה) – Proverbs 14:26
“In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence; His children will have a place of refuge.”
The word *yir’ah* is often misunderstood. It does not mean slavish terror. It means reverent awe, deep respect, trembling awareness of God’s holiness and authority. It is fear with worship, not fear with despair.
Notice the paradox: in the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence. Human fear produces insecurity, anxiety, and withdrawal. The fear of the Lord produces stability, boldness, and rest. Why?
Because when God is in His right place in our hearts, everything else finds its place. We stop fearing man, circumstances, and the future, because we fear God. We no longer try to be our own god. We trust Him as our refuge.
So, wisdom and work are not bare ethics. They are rooted in a heart that fears the Lord. Diligence without the fear of God can produce pride and idolatry. But in the fear of the Lord, work becomes service to God, and its fruit becomes a “crown,” not an idol.
Let us now track the flow of the lyrics alongside Scripture.
### A. “The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the folly of fools yields only more folly.”
This echoes Proverbs 14:24:
> “The crown of the wise is their riches, but the foolishness of fools is folly.”
A crown in Scripture represents authority, honor, and visible distinction. It is something seen by others. It is not hidden. The “crown of the wise” is their “wealth” or “riches.”
We must understand this correctly. The Bible does not teach that every form of wealth is a sign of wisdom; there are ill-gotten riches. But in Proverbs, when wisdom operates under the fear of the Lord, it tends toward fruitfulness and visible blessing. That blessing is a testimony to God’s wisdom.
In Deuteronomy 8:18, God says:
> “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth,
> that He may establish His covenant…”
Wealth here is not merely cash. It is capacity, resources, and fruitfulness that enable God’s purposes. For the wise, that becomes a “crown,” a visible testimony that God’s wisdom works.
By contrast, “the folly of fools yields only more folly.” Fools do not merely do foolish things; they multiply folly. Sin and foolishness are never static. Proverbs 13:21 says:
> “Evil pursues sinners, but to the righteous, good shall be repaid.”
The fool’s “return” on investment is simply more destruction, more confusion, more bondage. The wise produce fruit; fools reproduce disaster.
Spiritual reality: wisdom is not private. It will ultimately manifest in your life – in your relationships, finances, work, and influence. Likewise, folly will manifest in visible breakdown.
### B. “All hard work brings profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.” (Repeated)
This is Proverbs 14:23, reinforced by repetition in the song. Whenever the Holy Spirit repeats something, we must pay attention.
The Bible is very clear: laziness is sin. It is not a personality quirk. It is rebellion against God’s design for man.
From the beginning, God put man in the garden “to work it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). Work was not a result of the fall. The curse affected the difficulty of work (“thorns and thistles… in the sweat of your face”), but not the fact of work.
The New Testament is equally direct. Paul writes:
> “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.”
> (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
Notice: “will not,” not “cannot.” He is addressing unwillingness, not inability.
James 2:17 applies the same principle spiritually:
> “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
Talk is cheap. Even “religious talk” is cheap. You can speak about faith, declare promises, sing songs, but if there is no obedience, no action, no labor, the Bible calls it dead.
The song’s repetition of “All hard work brings profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” is very appropriate. Many believers today live in spiritual, emotional, and even financial poverty, not because God has withheld blessing, but because they live in the realm of talk without work:
Every area of the Christian life operates on this law: what you sow, you will reap (Galatians 6:7–9). Obedient labor – physical, mental, spiritual – brings increase. Idle talk brings lack.
This is a spiritual warfare issue. The enemy loves passivity. He does not fear our talk. He fears our obedience. Jesus said:
> “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
> (John 13:17)
Not if you talk about them. If you do them.
### C. “A truthful witness saves lives,
but a false witness is deceitful.”
This is close to Proverbs 14:25:
> “A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies.”
The Hebrew literally says “delivers souls” (*nepheshim*). The word “saves lives” is correct, but it also speaks of the inner life. Truthful testimony has delivering power.
This operates at two levels:
1. Legal / social – In the Old Testament, many cases were decided on the testimony of witnesses. A truthful witness could spare an innocent man’s life. A false witness could cause his death. That is why bearing false witness is forbidden in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:16).
2. Spiritual – In the New Testament, the greatest witness is testimony to Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself is called “the faithful and true witness” (Revelation 3:14). Believers are called to be witnesses (Acts 1:8). A truthful witness to the gospel “delivers souls” from eternal death.
This touches spiritual warfare at the deepest level. The devil is called “a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44). His primary weapons are deception and accusation. When we are careless with truth, we align ourselves with his realm.
A “truthful witness” is not just someone who avoids lying in court. It is a person whose entire life, words, and actions bear accurate testimony to reality:
Proverbs says that such a witness “delivers” or “saves” lives. Many people will be eternally affected by whether we tell the truth about Christ, about sin, about salvation. “A false witness is deceitful” – literally, “breathes out lies.” Lies bring people under bondage. Truth sets them free (John 8:32).
So we see a progression:
This is the lifestyle of someone walking in the fear of the Lord.
### D. “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence;
His children will have a place of refuge.”
This is Proverbs 14:26, almost verbatim.
We have already seen that *yir’ah* – the fear of the Lord – means reverent awe and submission. Notice the result: “strong confidence” and “a place of refuge.”
The world offers “confidence” without the fear of God. It calls it self-confidence, positive thinking, self-belief. Scripture does not. The Bible never tells us to trust in ourselves; it warns us against it.
Proverbs 28:26 says:
> “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.”
True confidence comes from knowing God, not knowing ourselves. Jeremiah 17:7–8:
> “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD.
> For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters…”
Where does such confidence come from? From the fear of the Lord. When you fear God rightly:
This is “strong confidence” – not human bravado, but quiet, settled assurance grounded in who God is.
“His children will have a place of refuge.” This is covenant language. God’s children – those who belong to Him through faith and obedience – have a secure hiding place in Him.
Psalm 91 describes this refuge:
> “He is my refuge and my fortress;
> My God, in Him I will trust.” (Psalm 91:2)
Notice again the progression:
And all of this ties back to wisdom, work, and truth:
Such a man is safe under God’s covering.
Now we turn to application. How can we align our lives with these truths? I will give you four distinct steps, and for each, a practical proclamation.
### 1. Embrace the Fear of the Lord as the Beginning of Wisdom
Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” If we try to be wise, diligent, and fruitful without the fear of God, we will go astray.
How to respond:
Proclamation:
“I choose the fear of the Lord. I renounce pride, self-confidence, and casual familiarity with God. I acknowledge the Lord as holy, righteous, and supreme. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom in my life.”
---
### 2. Commit Yourself to Diligent Work, Not Mere Talk
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you have been living in talk without corresponding action – spiritually, relationally, financially, in ministry, in your career.
How to respond:
Proclamation:
“I affirm God’s Word: In all labor there is profit. I renounce idle talk and empty intentions. By God’s grace, I will be diligent in the work He has given me – in my spiritual life, in my calling, and in my responsibilities. I will not be a hearer only, but a doer of the Word.”
---
### 3. Become a Truthful Witness Who Delivers Souls
Truth is not optional. It is central to spiritual warfare. Ask yourself: Do my words align with God’s truth? Do I speak truth in love? Do I clearly testify to Christ?
How to respond:
Proclamation:
“I choose to be a truthful witness. I renounce lying, exaggeration, and every form of deceit. I submit my tongue to the Holy Spirit. My words will align with God’s truth. My testimony will be an instrument to deliver souls from darkness to light.”
---
### 4. Receive God’s Design for Fruitful Increase
Some believers unconsciously resist increase because of guilt, religious tradition, or fear. Yet Scripture says: “The crown of the wise is their wealth,” and “In all labor there is profit.”
How to respond:
Proclamation:
“I receive God’s purpose for fruitfulness in my life. I do not serve mammon; I serve the Lord. Any wealth, influence, or surplus He entrusts to me will be a crown to honor Him and a tool to extend His kingdom. I reject poverty thinking and embrace the blessing of diligent, God-directed work.”
### Proclamation (Confession of Faith)
Speak this aloud, thoughtfully and deliberately:
“I affirm the Word of God.
The crown of the wise is their wealth;
I choose the wisdom that comes from the fear of the Lord.
In all hard work there is profit;
I renounce idle talk, passivity, and laziness.
By the grace of God, I will work diligently
in every assignment He has given me.
A truthful witness saves lives;
I choose truth in my heart and on my lips.
My testimony to Jesus Christ will deliver souls from darkness.
In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence;
I put my trust not in myself but in the Lord.
As a child of God, I have a place of refuge in Him.
My life, my work, my words, and my fruitfulness
will testify to the wisdom, truth, and faithfulness of God.
Amen.”
### Prayer
“Lord God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
I come to You in the name of Jesus, under His blood and His authority.
I ask You to work in me what Your Word has revealed.
Restore to me the fear of the Lord.
Deliver me from pride, self-reliance, and empty talk.
Expose every area of laziness, compromise, and deceit in my life.
Holy Spirit, write these Proverbs on my heart:
that in all labor there is profit,
that a truthful witness delivers souls,
that in the fear of the Lord is strong confidence.
Make me a wise person whose life bears visible fruit to Your glory.
Make me diligent in my work and faithful in my calling.
Make me a truthful witness who speaks words that set captives free.
I choose to take refuge in You.
Let my confidence be in who You are, not in who I am.
Use my work, my wealth, my words, and my whole life
as instruments to establish Your kingdom and glorify Your name.
I ask this in the name of Jesus.
Amen.”
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