angela hormberg

Tag: Wickedness

  • Proverbs 11:18

    Proverbs 11:18

    Reaping What Is Sown

    Commonplace –

    “The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward” (Proverbs 11:18).

    When we think of influencers, we immediately think of modern day social media and individuals who hold sway over an audience. Proverbs 11:18 is a witness to the fact that influencers are an ancient idea. In today’s verse, we are presented with the wicked influencers and the righteous influencers.

    The wicked influencer deals in deceit. They use lies of omission and commission to manipulate others. The wicked are self-focused, choosing to sway others to their own wants. His eye is always on the material.

    The righteous influencer is different; they sow truth. How does this look? By embodying the Fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The righteous are altruistic. They see the other person and look at what their needs are. His eye is always on the spiritual.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 11:18.” 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 11:7

    Proverbs 11:7

    The wicked perish

    Commonplace –

    “When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth” (Proverbs 11:7).

    When my granny was alive, she always sent me a birthday card and said she was praying for me. At the time, I was more interested in the money and candy tucked inside the card than her prayers.

    Now that I am older, I think more deeply about her prayers. Some of those prayers were not answered in her lifetime, but their beauty lies in their spiritual nature. The prayers outlived her, and I know some of them were answered after she passed away. I am grateful for her thoughtfulness and kindness towards me, even though I did not appreciate the depth of her gift – a spiritual blessing that did not perish with her.

    In contrast, the wicked pursue only material gain. When they die, their hopes die with them. As Matthew Henry notes in his Commentary “his hopes vanish with him” (697).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 11:7.” 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.

    © 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 11:5

    Proverbs 11:5

    The Way of Righteousness

    Commonplace –

    “The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness” (Proverbs 11:5).

    Yesterday, while I was scanning the room for supplies I might need for my co-op class, my eyes landed on a pair of scissors. I thought about the lesson I was going to teach and realized I didn’t need scissors, so I moved on. Then, a little voice inside me urged me to bring the scissors with me. After years of experience disregarding the voice to my own detriment, I just tossed the scissors into my bag. What difference would it make if I brought them and had no use for them? Off we went to co-op.

    During the first class of the day, I was serving as a class helper. Part way through the class, the teacher paused, glanced around searchingly, and asked, “Did anyone bring any scissors? I don’t have mine.” I immediately produced the pair of scissors I had tossed into my bag, and she thanked me gratefully. Later, in my own class during the second hour, I never needed the scissors. The scissors were not for me but were a help to another in need.

    Do you ever hear that little voice in your head? I know my children do, because we have talked about it. It’s the voice that nudges us toward the good, convicts us of bad ideas, and reminds us of things we didn’t even realize we needed. I’ve learned a few important lessons from listening to it:

    1. Disregard it, and you will regret it.
    2. Continue to disregard it, and it will grow weaker.
    3. Listen to it, and you will not regret it.
    4. Continue to listen to it, and it grows stronger.

    Whenever I have ignored the voice, I have always regretted it. Sometimes it’s about something simple, like the scissors in my story; sometimes it’s about big things, important things, character-shaping decisions.

    Proverbs 11:5 reminds me of this little voice. It is the good that is directing us on the right path, when we are open to receiving the message. If we ignore it, we become like the wicked and fall from our own foolishness.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 11:5.” 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

  • Psalm 12

    Psalm 12

    Commonplace –

    “Help, Lord” (Psalm 12:1a).

    Petition

    The situation is dire. David cries out, “Help, Lord” (v.1.). He lays before the Lord his charge against the wicked.

    1. They speak vanity with flattering lips.
    2. They speak with a double heart.
    3. They speak with pride and boasting.

    Grounds for Petition

    David details the situation resulting from the evil actions of the wicked.

    1. godly men cease
    2. the faithful fail

    Justification

    David asks God to keep and preserve the godly from the wicked. He quotes God’s own words back to him:

    “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him” (Psalm 12:5).

    Further, David compares God’s words to the vain words of the wicked. God’s words are “pure words; as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (v.6). Therefore, God’s words are more than enough evidence to support the petition for God’s intercession on behalf of the godly.

    Remembering and Reminding

    David reassures himself and the reader that God will resolve this situation and the godly will prevail: “Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever” (Psalm 12:7). Remembering this brings peace in the midst of troubling circumstances. Reminding the reader of this is a help in times of trouble.

    Warning

    The psalm closes with a warning, “The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted” (Psalm 12:8). Again, this is written for David and the reader. If vile men are elevated in a society, the wicked proliferate. It is our responsibility to be on guard against this, refrain from participating in anything that encourages the increase in wickedness, and to pray faithfully against it happening.

    Here is an excerpt of Matthew Henry’s summary of Psalm 12.

    “It is supposed that David penned this psalm in Saul’s reign, when there was a general decay of honesty and piety both in court and country, which he here complains of to God, and very feelingly, for he himself suffered by the treachery of false friends and the insolence of sworn enemies” (227).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 12.” 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

  • Psalm 119: Resh

    Psalm 119: Resh

    Part 20:Resh verses 153-160

    The twentieth part is Resh, which is the twentieth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

    The following information is from the website BJE:Your Jewish Journey:

    “The letter RESH holds the value of two hundred in the numerological calculations of the Hebrew alphabet. It is symbolic of wickedness as well as higher consciousness.

    The letter RESH alludes to the word ‘rosh‘ (head). The head is the most significant of all the parts of the body. It is the source of intellect, reason and wisdom.

    The letter RESH symbolises a bowed head. This is said to depict the poor man (raash), in acknowledgment of his state of servitude.

    According to the Talmud (Oral Law), the letter RESH denotes the word rashah, meaning ‘a wicked person’” (“Resh”).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 119.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

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

    “Resh”. BJE: Your Jewish Journey. NSW Board of Jewish Education, https://bje.org.au/knowledge-centre/jewish-languages/hebrew-alphabet/bet/ , Accessed 1 Aug 2025.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg