angela hormberg

Tag: Justice

  • Proverbs 11:31

    Proverbs 11:31

    Recompense

    Commonplace –

    “Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner” (Proverbs 11:13).

    In his Commentary, Matthew Henry draws our attention to the interjection, “Behold”, placed at the beginning of the verse.

    “This, I think, is the only one of Solomon’s proverbs that has that note of attention prefixed to it, Behold!, which intimates that it contains not only an evident truth, which may be beheld, but an eminent truth, which may be considered” (701).

    In the final verse of Proverbs 11, the author tells us that the righteous and the sinner shall both be recompensed, paid back. Sometimes these judgments are executed on earth: the righteous are rewarded and the sinners are punished. However, that is not always the case. This verse is a promise that a future judgment is coming for the righteous and the wicked. Matthew Henry says it best,

    “Therefore, stand in awe and sin not. If those have two heavens that merit none, much more shall those have two hells that merit both” (701).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 11:31.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2026 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 11:9

    Proverbs 11:9

    The Words of the Hypocrite

    Commonplace –

    “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered” (Proverbs 11:9).

    Solomon returns to the subject of speech in Proverbs 11:9, where he points out that the words of the hypocrite destroys his neighbor. A hypocrite, who says one thing and does another, calls out his neighbor in public for a crime, yet does the same crime in his own home. However, the facts of the case will come out, and this knowledge will deliver the just. Matthew Henry provides the following encouragement against the hypocrite,

    “By the knowledge of God, and the scriptures, and their own hearts, shall the just be delivered from those that lie in wait to deceive, and so to destroy, Rom: 16:18, 19” (697).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 11:9.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2026 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 11:8

    Proverbs 11:8

    Deliverance

    Commonplace –

    “The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead” (Proverbs 11:8).

    Proverbs 11:8 states that the righteous are saved from a trouble, but the wicked fall when confronted with the same situation. This happens due to the choices made by each person. A righteous person will choose the good and be delivered. The wicked person will choose evil and fall. Of course, we all see situations in the material world we live in where it appears the good make a good choice and are punished by their choice, sometimes even unto death. However, that viewpoint leaves out the eternal, spiritual perspective, which is essential. As Matthew Henry notes in his Commentary,

    “When a godly man dies his expectations are out-done, and all his fears vanish; but when a wicked man dies his expectations are dashed, dashed to pieces; in that very day his thoughts perish with which he had pleased himself, his hopes vanish” (697).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 11:8.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2026 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 11:6

    Proverbs 11:6

    Deliverance

    Commonplace –

    “The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness” (Proverbs 11:6).

    Death comes for all of us. We never know the exact day and time. We do know that we all want the evil among us to be punished for the wicked deeds done and the good people to be rewarded for their devotion to righteousness. At the time of death, justice, which may have been delayed in the material world, is served in the spiritual one that follows. Contemplating death should be something we all do, because it puts us in mind of justice and causes us to consider what our judgment will be. In light of this, it is good to consider Matthew Henry’s words:

    “For the truths are here [in Proverbs 11:6] of such certainty and weight that they cannot be too often inculcated. Let us govern ourselves by these principles” (696).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 11:6.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2026 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 11:1

    Proverbs 11:1

    Fair Dealing

    Commonplace –

    “A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight” (Proverbs 11:1).

    It doesn’t take much to make me happy when it comes to being a homeschool teacher. I simply want my students to do what they are being asked to do. If I lay out a schedule, I expect them to follow it. If they have homework due, I expect them to turn it in. The online schools where they take classes also lay out expectations in the form of a student manual, and they are expected to read the manual and follow the rules. Their teachers provide them with syllabi that lays out all the course expectations, with which they must read and familiarize themselves. Yet, there are times during the year when the student falls short of those expectations: being tardy to class, missing a homework deadline, etc.

    In Proverbs 11, we hear about an expectation the Lord has for us. He wants us to deal fairly with others. The writer uses the example of a balance to give us a picture of this expectation. Before weighing anything, we must ensure that the balance is set properly, so the result is fair. Was the balance intentionally set incorrectly or was it due to lack of attention? It doesn’t say. It simply tells us that the Lord hates a false balance. We should treat others with careful attention and a genuine intention to act justly. This attitude delights the Lord. As Matthew Henry notes in his Commentary on Proverbs 11:1,

    “A false balance is here put for all manner of unjust and fraudulent practices in dealing with any person, which are all an abomination to the Lord, and render those abominable to him that allow themselves in the use of such accursed arts of thriving. It is an affront to justice, which God is the patron of, as well as wrong to our neighbor, whom God is the protector of” (695-696).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 11:1.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2026 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 10:31

    Proverbs 10:31

    Bringing Justice

    Commonplace –

    “The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out” (Proverbs 10:31).

    Proverbs 10:31 is the ninth verse in Proverbs 10 dealing with the mouth and speech; it specifically addresses the speech of the contrary person. It’s difficult to deal with a contrary person, as they are always of the opposite opinion. Where does this contrary speech come from? The state of the heart.

    “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45).

    The trouble is we all experience moments of being contrary. The key is correcting the attitude and working to figure out what is causing this desire to be opposite. Is it rooted in right? Or is it simply we are hungry or tired? Or are we really experiencing a heart issue that needs to be corrected? The goal is to bring forth wisdom, and, in order to do that, we need to be filling our hearts with wisdom.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 10:31.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    We'd love to hear from you!

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs 10:6

    Proverbs 10:6

    Just Desserts

    Commonplace –

    “Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked” (Proverbs 10:6).

    In Proverbs 10:6, Solomon lays out the rewards for the just and the wicked. The just receive blessings, while the wicked receive violence. In his Commentary, Matthew Henry made the following comments related to Proverbs 10:6, and the rewards of the just and the wicked.

    “Here is, 1. The head of the just crowned with blessings, with the blessings both of God and man. Variety of blessings, abundance of blessings, shall descend from above, and visibly abide on the head of good men, real blessings; they shall not only be spoken well of, but done well to. Blessings shall be on there head as a coronet to adorn and dignify them and as a helmet to protect and secure them.

    2. The mouth of the wicked covered with violence. Their mouths will be stopped with shame for the violence which they have done; they shall not have a word to say in excuse for themselves (Job 5:16); their breath shall be stopped with the violence that shall be done to them, when their violent dealings shall return on their heads, shall be returned to their teeth” (691).

    I agree with the heart of Matthew Henry’s commentary. Yet, his words seem to suggest justice is served and man will reap his reward for his behavior on earth. This seems to echo the understanding of his time, which, in my understanding (definitely limited), is that if you are a ‘good’ person, God will bless you’, which, as he mentioned, involves others speaking well of you and good things being done to/for you.

    However, there are some people who seem to get away with their wickedness. After pondering this, it seems the only true test of this can come when you die. If you are a wolf in sheep’s clothing or people have a reason to like/need you, they will pay you tribute in life, which would make it seem as if you are receiving God’s blessings through man. A couple of fictional characters that fit this bill jump to mind: Scrooge and Lady Catherine De Bourgh. (At least with Scrooge, we see he changed by the end of the tale.) I am suggesting that it is really only when you die that people reveal their true feelings about you. Do you agree?

    Cross References from Biblehub.com:

    Psalm 1:1-3
    Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. / But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. / He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.

    Matthew 5:3-12
    “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. / Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. / Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. …

    Psalm 112:1-3
    Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments. / His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. / Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.

    James 3:13-18
    Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. / But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. / Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. …

    Psalm 37:22-26
    Surely those He blesses will inherit the land, but the cursed will be destroyed. / The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey. / Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand. …

    Matthew 25:34-40
    Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. / For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, / I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ …

    Psalm 5:12
    For surely You, O LORD, bless the righteous; You surround them with the shield of Your favor.

    Luke 6:20-23
    Looking up at His disciples, Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. / Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. / Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man. …

    Psalm 24:4-5
    He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear deceitfully. / He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from the God of his salvation.

    1 Peter 3:9-12
    Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. / For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. / He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. …

    Psalm 128:1-2
    A song of ascents. Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways! / For when you eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours.

    Romans 12:14
    Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.

    Psalm 84:11
    For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.

    1 Corinthians 4:12-13
    We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; / when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

    Psalm 115:13-15
    He will bless those who fear the LORD—small and great alike. / May the LORD give you increase, both you and your children. / May you be blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

    Works Cited

    “Proverbs 10:6”. Biblehub.com. https://biblehub.com/proverbs/10-6.htm#google_vignette. Accessed 16 Dec 2025.

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 10:6.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    We'd love to hear from you!

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 10

    Psalm 10

    Commonplace –

    “Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

    To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of earth may no more oppress” (Psalm 10:18).

    Psalms 9 and 10

    In the previous post on Psalm 9, the following was noted regarding Psalms 9 and 10:

    “John Parsons of Hebrew4Christians.com wrote the following in reference to Psalms 9 and 10:

    “David probably wrote Psalm 9 and 10 as a single psalm (“Psalm 9 in Hebrew”).

    Matthew Henry echoes this sentiment in his summary of Psalm 10:

    “The Septuagint translation joins this psalm with the ninth, and makes them but one; but the Hebrew makes it a distinct psalm, and the scope and style are certainly different” (222).

    If this understanding is correct, it explains why Psalm 10 does not begin as the psalms usually do, with praising God, but with a question to God. And Matthew Henry’s comment is on point. The two psalms are quite different.

    Psalm 10: The Case Against the Wicked

    In Psalm 10, David begins by asking,

    “Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1).

    Psalm 10 is all about David presenting his case to God against the wicked.

    David begins by introducing evidence.

    The wicked person:

    1. persecutes the poor
    2. boast’s of his own heart’s desire and blesses those that covet
    3. never thinks of God
    4. is always proud
    5. curses, lies and commits fraud
    6. murders the innocent

    David makes his argument.

    Like a prosecutor in a courtroom, he brings the case before the judge and no sin of the wicked is omitted. Then, David asks the question on behalf of the victims,

    “Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it” (Psalm 10:13)

    and he continues,

    “Thou has seen it: for thou beholdest mischief and spit, to requite it with thy hand” (Psalm 10:14a),

    and also,

    “…the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou are the helper of the fatherless” (Psalm 10:14b).

    So, David

    1. asks, ‘what is the reason that the wicked regard God with contempt?’
    2. and he answers his own question, ‘because the wicked believes God will not punish him.’
    3. then, David notes that God, who is omniscient, knows and sees all this. Therefore, God should give the wicked his due, because the poor have committed themselves to God and God is the helper of the fatherless.
    4. Finally, David asks God to “Break thou the arm of the wicked and evil man” (v. 15a). Seek out evil and destroy it until it is all gone.

    David rests his case

    Relying on God’s justice and goodness, David closes by noting he, a humble man, has come before God and made a case for the poor and orphans and faithfully believes God will 1) prepare the heart of the victims and 2) hear their plea, which is for God to:

    “To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of earth may no more oppress” (Psalm 10:18).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 10.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    Parsons, John. “Psalm 9 in Hebrew”. Hebrew4Christians. https://hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Ketuvim/Psalms/Psalm_9/psalm_9.html. Accessed 2 October 2025.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 9

    Psalm 9

    Commonplace –

    “I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works” (Psalm 9:1).

    He opens with praise

    It’s good to sit with this opening verse. David begins by focusing on God and his duty to God. He names these duties in verse 2:

    1. I will be glad.
    2. I will rejoice.
    3. I will sing praise.

    He remembers

    Then, David begins to speak of justice. God has delivered him from his enemies, and they have received punishment for destroying cities. Those destructions “are come to a perpetual end; their memorial is perished with them” (v.6.). In contrast, “the Lord shall endure for ever” (v.7.). This is a thought which brings comfort. Wicked people are punished for their wicked deeds. God endures forever. Matthew Henry notes the following, “The title of this psalm gives a very uncertain sound concerning the occasion of penning it. It is upon Muth-labben, which some make to refer to the death of Goliath, others of Nabal, others of Absalom; but I incline to think…that the enemies David is here triumphing in the defeat of are the Philistines, and the other neighboring nations” (218-219). Just reading all the possible times David was delivered from the hands of his enemies is a testimony and encouragement to us in times of trouble.

    He reminds

    Because God endures forever, we know good triumphs over evil. David lists the benefits of God’s eternal reign:

    1. He shall judge the world in righteousness.
    2. He will be a refuge for the oppressed.
    3. He will not forsake those who seek Him.
    4. He makes inquisition for blood.
    5. He hears and does not forget the cry of the humble.
    6. He will not forget the needy.
    7. He will not forget the poor.

    He petitions

    David beseeches God to “let the heathen be judged in thy sight” (v.19), and “Put them in fear, O Lord; that the nations may know themselves to be but men” (v.20).

    David also petitions God,

    “Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death” (v.13).

    Psalms 9 and 10

    John Parsons of Hebrew4Christians.com wrote the following in reference to Psalms 9 and 10:

    “David probably wrote Psalm 9 and 10 as a single psalm. Jewish tradition says he wrote it after he killed Goliath” (“Psalm 9 in Hebrew”).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 9.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    Parsons, John. “Psalm 9 in Hebrew”. Hebrew4Christians. https://hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Ketuvim/Psalms/Psalm_9/psalm_9.html. Accessed 2 October 2025.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 7

    Psalm 7

    Commonplace –

    “I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high” (Psalm 7:17).

    David begins this psalm with a reminder to himself: “O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust” (v.1.). The circumstances surrounding David were harrowing and terrifying. His enemy was close at hand and threatening violence toward him. To combat his fear, David declares his trust in God and asks for God’s help. He entreats God to search him for sin and turn him over to the enemy, if sin is found within him. David is relying on God’s justice and righteousness.

    “The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me” (Psalm 7:8).

    and

    “My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart” (Psalm 7:10).

    God’s righteousness is a gift. He is not a God of caprice. We do not have to wonder at what He will do; He will always do what is right and good. What we learn herein from David is trust and faith, even when the circumstances make it seem as if the wicked are winning. In this type of suffering, when we do good but evil appears to be winning, we join in suffering for the good. In his summary, Matthew Henry notes,

    “In this David was a type of Christ, who was himself, and still is in his members, thus injured, but will certainly be righted at last” (212).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 7.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg