Proverbs 12:13

The wicked is snared by the transgression of [his] lips,.... A wicked man often brings himself into trouble by giving his tongue too great a liberty, and by making free with the characters of others;

The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble. The wicked is snared by the transgression of (his) lips.

The wicked is snared, i.e. brought into trouble, by the transgression of his lips, by his wicked speeches against God and men. The just shall come out of trouble, to wit, by his wise, and holy, and inoffensive speeches, whereby he pacifieth men, and gaineth God’ s favour and protection.

Proverbs 12:13 The wicked is snared by the transgression of [his] lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.Ver. 13. The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips.] His heart is oft so full of venom that it cannot be hid, but blisters his tongue, and breaks out at his lips to his own ruin, as it befell Story, Campian, Garnet, and other Popish poisonous spiders, who were swept down by the hand of justice, and drew their last thread in the triangle of Tyburn. Detexit facinus fatuus, et non implevit, as Tacitus saith of one that was sent by the senate to despatch Nero, but exposed and betrayed himself. But the just shall come out of trouble.] They suffer sometimes for their bold and free invectives against the evils of the times, or otherwise for discharging their consciences, but they shall surely be delivered. "There is yet one man," saith Ahab, "Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." It is very probable that Micaiah was that disguised prophet who brought to Ahab the fearful message of displeasure and death for dismissing Benhadad, for which he was ever since fast in prison, deep in disgrace. But God, "with the temptation, made a way for him to escape." So he did for Peter; Paul; all the apostles. John Baptist, indeed, was, without any law, right, or reason, beheaded in prison, as though God had known nothing at all of him, said George Marsh the martyr. And the same may be said of sundry other faithful withesses to the truth, but then by death they entered into life eternal. Mors fuit aerumnarum requies, which was Chaucer’ s motto. Besides that, heaven upon earth they had during their troubles. Philip, Landgrave of Hesse, being a long time prisoner under Charles V, was demanded what upheld him all that while. Respondit, divinas consolationes martyrum se sensisse, he answered - that he had felt the divine comforts of the martyrs. The best comforts are usually reserved for the worst times. Acts and Mon., fol. 1423.

(13) The wicked is cursed by the transgression of his lips.—For his words, the product of his evil heart, while designed to injure others, often bring the offender himself into trouble (Psalms 7:16), and moreover, as being the true index of the inner life of the soul, are being stored up as a witness against him at the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:37). The “just man,” on the contrary, avoids all this “trouble.”

Verse 13. The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips] A man who deals in lies and false oaths will sooner or later be found out to his own ruin. There is another proverb as true as this: A liar had need of a good memory; for as the truth is not in him, he says and unsays, and often contradicts himself.

13. The wicked is snared] Rather: In the transgression of the lips is a snare to the evil man, R.V. text; comp. A.V. marg., and for the sentiment, Proverbs 18:7. This is preferable to the rendering of R.V. marg., an evil snare, because it preserves the balance of the verse: the evil man, by the wicked and deceitful words which he uses to prosecute his purposes, entangles himself in a snare: the righteous man, by his righteous dealing, though he fall into trouble, is delivered out of it and walks at liberty. The LXX. add: “He that hath regard to gentleness shall obtain mercy; But he that opposeth men in the gates will trouble souls.”

13. Wicked… snared — Well rendered by Conant: “In the transgression of the lips is an evil snare.” A man is often ensnared by his malicious or envious talk, or by his prevarications and falsehoods. Compare Ecclesiastes 10:12.