Proverbs 17:4 A wicked doer gives heed to false lips; and a liar gives ear to a naughty tongue.

Four great sins (continues): [3] Mockery – Whoso mocks the poor reproaches his Maker (17:5). Mockery reveals a heart filled with pride and void of compassion. It scorns those whom God loves, the weak, the suffering, and the lowly. Proverbs 3:34 declares, “Surely He scorns the scorners: but He gives grace unto the lowly.” To mock others is to exalt oneself above them in arrogance, forgetting that all men stand equal before a holy God. The wicked do not correct with love; they tear down with ridicule. [4] Gloating – Rejoice not when thine enemy falls (24:17). Gloating is the joy of the wicked when others stumble. It is a cruel delight in another’s downfall. But Scripture warns that the Lord sees it and it displeases Him (24:18). The godly mourn over sin and destruction, even of their enemies, while the wicked celebrate it. Gloating reveals a heart hardened to mercy and blind to its own need for grace.

A wicked person not only sins but celebrates it in others. He listens to lies, lives by deceit, laughs at the broken, and delights in ruin. But the Lord sees the heart and tries the reins. “He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy” (28:13). Let the wise fear the Lord, turn from evil and walk in truth, humility, and compassion, for these are the marks of the righteous.

Proverbs 17:4 A wicked doer gives heed to false lips; and a liar gives ear to a naughty tongue. 

The path of the wicked is not only shaped by evil deeds but also by the company and counsel he keeps. He lends his ear to lies, welcomes corruption into his heart, and walks in agreement with the crooked. Wickedness is rarely solitary; it grows in the soil of falsehood and is fed by voices that oppose truth.

Four great sins: [1] Lying – a lying tongue is but for a moment (12:19). Lying is the foundation of many evils. A wicked man not only lies but loves it. He prefers the comfort of a flattering falsehood over the sting of saving truth. The Scripture warns that lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but they that deal truly are His delight (12:22). To lie is to speak in the native tongue of satan, the “father of lies” (John 8:44). Every false word spoken is a wound against trust, truth and the image of God in man. [2] Deceit – the heart is deceitful above all things” (Jer. 17:9). Deceit is more subtle than lying; it is the art of leading others astray with half-truths, silence, or misdirection. It wears the mask of innocence while plotting harm. The wicked do not only fall into deceit, they use it as a tool. Psalm 5:6 says, “The Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.” Deceit destroys relationships, erodes justice, and cloaks evil under the pretence of good. To be continued…