(20) So you may walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness. (21) For the upright will dwell in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; (22) but the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.
At the beginning of the chapter, the father tells the son how to gain wisdom. Desire, diligence, and effort exerted over time are some of the keys to gaining wisdom. It is not gained quickly or easily. Now, the father describes wisdom’s fifth reward. Wisdom will keep you in the way of goodness and to the paths of righteousness. This is no doubt the best path to be on throughout life as this path will allow you to dwell and remain in the land.
However, this speaks about more than just your life, it speaks toward the inheritance which the righteous will pass on. Wisdom’s enduring nature is seen as being passed on from generation to generation. This is what is happening in the book of Proverbs. The father who has wisdom is teaching his son wisdom so that it will be passed on to the next generation. The effort put forth to gain wisdom produces a more than a lifetime of fruit. It reaches into the next generation so they can receive its blessings.
However, the other path – the path of the fool, the one who rejects God and His ways – leads to death (see v. 18-19). These wicked men will be cut off and uprooted from the earth. There will be no enduring blessings, no lasting happiness, and no bright future.
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Related Scriptures: Psalm 37:9-34; Matthew 5:5
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He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. – Psalms 25:13-14
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