The righteous can look forward to joy, but the hopes of the wicked will fail.
In Proverbs 10:28, Solomon says, The hope of the righteous is gladness, but the expectation of the wicked perishes (v. 28). Hope is never neutral; its outcome depends on what it rests upon. The righteous hope in God and in what accords with His wisdom, so their hope moves toward joy.
That is why Solomon says the hope of the righteous is gladness. Their expectation is grounded in something living and true. Even when circumstances are difficult, their future is not empty because it is held by the Lord. Biblical hope always carries stability because it is tied to God’s character.
The wicked also have expectations, but the expectation of the wicked perishes. Their hopes are attached to what cannot endure—self-rule, sinful gain, or false security. Because the foundation is wrong, the expectation collapses. What is rooted in rebellion cannot finally become joy.
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Proverbs 10:28 meaning
In Proverbs 10:28, Solomon says, The hope of the righteous is gladness, but the expectation of the wicked perishes (v. 28). Hope is never neutral; its outcome depends on what it rests upon. The righteous hope in God and in what accords with His wisdom, so their hope moves toward joy.
That is why Solomon says the hope of the righteous is gladness. Their expectation is grounded in something living and true. Even when circumstances are difficult, their future is not empty because it is held by the Lord. Biblical hope always carries stability because it is tied to God’s character.
The wicked also have expectations, but the expectation of the wicked perishes. Their hopes are attached to what cannot endure—self-rule, sinful gain, or false security. Because the foundation is wrong, the expectation collapses. What is rooted in rebellion cannot finally become joy.