I thought this set of proverbs was a really nice change of pace from the rest of the proverbs. Apparently they’re the sayings of Agur. I have no idea who he is, but for the description in the text that Agur is and oracle and the son of Jakeh.
Verse 3:
I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
I can’t decide if this is simply a self-deprecating remark, i.e., who am I to claim that I really, truly “know” God, or if this is a remark that indicates he was not a follower of Jehovah. I’m inclined to believe the former.
Verses 5-6:
Every word of God is flawless;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Do not add to his words,
or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
A great reminder when claiming the promises of God. His words are flawless, if for whatever reason it looks like God is fail to live up to His promises, it can’t be Him. As Pastor Paul at Abundant Life is fond of saying, when we claim God’s promises, we need to claim the whole thing, and that often means backing up to the verse prior and claiming that as well.
Verses 7-9:
Two things I ask of you, O LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the LORD ?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.
These are great verses. Such wisdom! Requesting neither poverty nor riches, but the fine balance between the two. And it’s totally true, if we have too much, we forget God, and forget that He is our Provider. On the other hand, if we’re poor we might be prone to stealing and sinning against him.