At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore (Ps. 16: 11)
“The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: But the years of the wicked shall be shortened” (Prov. 10:27).
This proverb is a good example of the truth value of generalizations. And one of the things that good proverbs excel in would be generalizations.
“Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise” is true. “Two parallel lines will never cross each other” is also true, but it is true in a different sort of way. The second statement is an each-and-every-time truth. There will never be a time when parallel lines cross. There have been when early risers and so on . . . have gotten sick.
This proverb says that righteous living in the fear of the Lord extends your life span, and states the opposite with regard to the wicked. This is not true in every instance, but it is nevertheless generally true. Clean living is good for you, and cocaine-fueled motorcycle crashes are not.
This is not the only place where the Lord promises this as a reward. Honor your father and mother, Paul says, and this is the first commandment with a promise. That promise is that those who obeyed the command would “live long” on the earth.
Contextually, the original command in Ex. 20 and Dt. 5 were referring to long life in the land—the land of Canaan that they were going in to possess. But Paul applied this command, originally given to Israelites, to Gentile children well outside the borders of the “land.” The command now goes everywhere, along with the promise. That your life may be long in the earth.
But in both instances, long life is promised, just as it is in this proverb. The righteous walk a steady path, while the wicked like bungee jumping with frayed cords. We are allowed to make note of what usually happens.
