Proverbs 11:7

The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them. 

Proverbs 11:7 (NASV)

When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish,

And the hope of strong men perishes.

Proverbs 11:7 (ESV)

When the wicked dies, his hope will perish,

and the expectation of wealth perishes too.

Those who put their hope in something other than Christ will find that their hope perishes with them. That is what Solomon is saying in the above proverb.   He says the same thing in Proverbs 10:28.  The wicked, those who don't fear God and trust in God, will find in the end the things they trust in and hope in will give them little, or no comfort.   Note what the Psalmist says about this very thing:

Psalms 146:3-4

Do not trust in princes,

In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.

His spirit departs, he returns to the earth;

In that very day his thoughts perish.

The very thoughts of the wicked will perish with them. What they think will save them will only disappoint in the end.  What thy "tie" their hope to will sink them.  The word in our proverb above for "expectation" has ant its root, a cord tied to something.   We can think of a line we reach for in a struggle to stay above the turning and churning waters of life.  We reach for the line and think we are saved and only later find out the line is tied to an anchor, not a life raft.  Instead of salvation, we are pulled deep to our death.  Likewise the "strong man" (in the 2nd line) has hope in his strength.  He works out and pumps iron only to have the weight bring him down.  His strength will leave him in the end.  It will not save.  He perishes!   What are you trusting in to save you?  Bank accounts?  Real estate? University Degrees? Power? Prestige?  Jesus Christ?

See also Psalm 112:6