Bridges on Proverbs 4:19
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 4:19
 
 1-2 
 3-9 
 10-13 
 14-17 
 18 
 19 
 20-22 
 23-27 
 
19. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
 
The contrast is more clearly repeated.† Each has his own way. The path of the just is glowing light and joy. The way of the wicked is darkness; without direction, comfort, safety, or peace, till “his feet at last stumble on the dark mountains;” till he falls into “the blackness of darkness for ever.” (Jeremiah 13:16. Jude 13. Compare Job 18:5, 6, 18.) His way is not only dark, but as darkness, a compound of ignorance, error, sin and misery. The love of sin “rebels against the light.” (Job 24:13. John 3:19. Compare Isaiah 5:20.) The darkness is willful, and therefore accountable. There is no stumbling in the path of the just. So far as he is upright, the Lord keeps him. (Verse 12; 3:23. Psalm 91:11, 12.) The wicked go on, “groping on as if they had no eyes” (Isaiah 59:10); hurrying on blindly into misery, that they can neither foresee nor avoid. (Job 5:14; 12:25. Jeremiah 23:12. Zephaniah 1:17.) They know not at what they stumble. Oh! if they did, would they not startle, and shrink back? For they stumble on the very foundation of the Gospel! making the rock of salvation a rock of offense. (Romans 9:32, 33. 1 Peter 2:8.) Would they but listen to the merciful warning of their Lord — “Yet a little time the light is with you: walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you; for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.” (John 12:35, 36.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
See the same contrast drawn by our Lord, Matthew 6:22, 23. — Schultens considers the original to express increasing darkness, answering to the increasing light of the opposite path. Comment. in Prov. 4to. 1748. Compare Job 15:23.
 
 
Matthew 6:22, 23
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
 
Compare
Job 15:23
23 He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jeremiah 13:16
16 Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.
 
Jude 13
13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
 
Compare
Job 18:5, 6, 18
5 ¶ Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. 6 The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him. {candle: or, lamp} 18 He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world. {He...: Heb. They shall drive him}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Job 24:13
13 ¶ They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
 
John 3:19
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
 
Compare
Isaiah 5:20
20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! {call...: Heb. say concerning evil, It is good, etc}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 4:12
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
 
Proverbs 3:23
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
 
Psalm 91:11, 12
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Isaiah 59:10
10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Job 5:14
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night. {meet...: or, run into}
 
Job 12:25
25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man. {stagger: Heb. wander}
 
Jeremiah 23:12
12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.
 
Zephaniah 1:17
17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Romans 9:32, 33
32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. {ashamed: or confounded}
 
1 Peter 2:8
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
John 12:35, 36
35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.