Homilist Proverbs 13:9 The light of the righteous rejoices: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. I. THE JOYOUS LIGHT OF SOUL. "The light of the righteous rejoiceth." In what does the light of the soul consist? There are at least three elements — faith, hope, love. The first fills the soul with the light of ideas; the second, with the light of a bright future; the third, with the light of happy affections. Extinguish these in any soul, and there is the blackness of darkness for ever. The righteous have these as Divine impartations, as beams from "the Father of lights," and in their radiance they live, walk, and rejoice. They rejoice in their faith. Their faith connects them with the Everlasting Sun. They rejoice in their hope. Their hope bears them into the regions of the blest. They rejoice in their love. Their love fixes their enrapturing gaze on Him in whose presence there is fulness of joy. II. THE TRANSIENT LIGHT OF SOUL. "The lamp of the wicked shall be put out." It is implied that the light of the righteous is permanent. It is inextinguishable. Not so the light of the wicked. Their light, too, is in their faith, their hope, their love. But their faith is in the false, and it must give way. The temple of their hope is built on sand, and the storm of destiny will destroy it. Their love is on corrupt things, and all that is corrupt must be burnt by the all-consuming fire of eternal justice. Thus the lamp of the wicked must be put out. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.WEB: The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out. |
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