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8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
(Proverbs 30:8-9, ESV)
Agur's Wish
by Charles Simeon
"Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient to me; lest I be full and deny You, and say, 'Who is Yahweh?' or lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of my God in vain." - Proverbs 30:8-9
We cannot with certainty determine who Agur was, but he was evidently an inspired man. His prayer is an excellent pattern for our imitation. He entreated the Lord with very great earnestness, yet he considered his condition in this world as altogether subordinate to his eternal welfare; and, therefore he consulted only the good of his soul in what he asked for his body.
He did not, through a dread of wealth, desire to be reduced to poverty, but he wished rather to stand at an equal distance from each extreme and enjoy that only which God should judge "convenient for him." It is not easy for us to say precisely what a suitable amount would be, because it must vary according to a man's education and habits. That which is poverty to one may be riches to another. Yet the line drawn by Agur seems to mark the limits most agreeably with the prayer our blessed Lord himself has taught us, "Give us this day our daily bread."
Agur was not actuated by any earthly motives, though he was praying about earthly things. He considered only the aspect of riches and poverty upon his spiritual progress, and disapproved of both equally on account of the temptations incident to both. Riches foster the pride of the human heart and engender a haughty and independent spirit. This was the effect of opulence on God's people of old, and the same baneful influence is observable in our day. The wealthy consider it almost an act of condescension to acknowledge God, and scarcely one in a thousand can stand to hear God mentioned in private or his will propounded as the proper rule of conduct. The Lord has spoken of riches as rendering our salvation difficult, yea impossible, without some signal interposition of divine grace.
Poverty has its snares no less than wealth. Where its pressure is felt, the temptations to dishonesty are exceedingly great. Even those who are in ease and affluence are too easily induced to stray from the paths of strict integrity, especially when there is but little probability of detection. How much more strongly, then, may a dishonest principle urge on a man when suffering under necessity and distress.
It is God alone who fixes our condition in the world. And if we are Christians indeed, then we may be sure that our lot is that which is most suited for the good of our souls. If any changes take place, they have been sent to teach us that same contentment which St. Paul so richly experienced, and which it is no less our privilege than our duty to learn. If we have that which is best for our souls, then we have that which is really best.
Every situation of life has its peculiar temptations. Youth or old age, health or sickness, riches or poverty--all have their respective snares. It is our wisdom to seek for grace that we may approve ourselves to God in the station to which he has called us, rather than desire a change of circumstances that will only change but not remove our trials.
It was sin, and sin only, that Agur feared; and doubtless sin is the greatest of all evils. Let the same mind be in us that was in him. Whether we have poverty or riches, or whether we be equally removed from both, let us endeavor to improve in spirituality and holiness. Then will the wisdom of God be made manifest in appointing such a variety of stations in life; and the collective virtues of the different classes will display the glory of Him from whom they sprang.
economics of provision
Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
a prayer observing the delicate balance between supply & demand through the extremes of surplus & shortage; both conditions provoke arrogant dispositions: withholding thanksgiving and doubting provision from the Giver
Agur's Wish
by Charles Simeon
"Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient to me; lest I be full and deny You, and say, 'Who is Yahweh?' or lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of my God in vain." - Proverbs 30:8-9
We cannot with certainty determine who Agur was, but he was evidently an inspired man. His prayer is an excellent pattern for our imitation. He entreated the Lord with very great earnestness, yet he considered his condition in this world as altogether subordinate to his eternal welfare; and, therefore he consulted only the good of his soul in what he asked for his body.
He did not, through a dread of wealth, desire to be reduced to poverty, but he wished rather to stand at an equal distance from each extreme and enjoy that only which God should judge "convenient for him." It is not easy for us to say precisely what a suitable amount would be, because it must vary according to a man's education and habits. That which is poverty to one may be riches to another. Yet the line drawn by Agur seems to mark the limits most agreeably with the prayer our blessed Lord himself has taught us, "Give us this day our daily bread."
Agur was not actuated by any earthly motives, though he was praying about earthly things. He considered only the aspect of riches and poverty upon his spiritual progress, and disapproved of both equally on account of the temptations incident to both. Riches foster the pride of the human heart and engender a haughty and independent spirit. This was the effect of opulence on God's people of old, and the same baneful influence is observable in our day. The wealthy consider it almost an act of condescension to acknowledge God, and scarcely one in a thousand can stand to hear God mentioned in private or his will propounded as the proper rule of conduct. The Lord has spoken of riches as rendering our salvation difficult, yea impossible, without some signal interposition of divine grace.
Poverty has its snares no less than wealth. Where its pressure is felt, the temptations to dishonesty are exceedingly great. Even those who are in ease and affluence are too easily induced to stray from the paths of strict integrity, especially when there is but little probability of detection. How much more strongly, then, may a dishonest principle urge on a man when suffering under necessity and distress.
It is God alone who fixes our condition in the world. And if we are Christians indeed, then we may be sure that our lot is that which is most suited for the good of our souls. If any changes take place, they have been sent to teach us that same contentment which St. Paul so richly experienced, and which it is no less our privilege than our duty to learn. If we have that which is best for our souls, then we have that which is really best.
Every situation of life has its peculiar temptations. Youth or old age, health or sickness, riches or poverty--all have their respective snares. It is our wisdom to seek for grace that we may approve ourselves to God in the station to which he has called us, rather than desire a change of circumstances that will only change but not remove our trials.
It was sin, and sin only, that Agur feared; and doubtless sin is the greatest of all evils. Let the same mind be in us that was in him. Whether we have poverty or riches, or whether we be equally removed from both, let us endeavor to improve in spirituality and holiness. Then will the wisdom of God be made manifest in appointing such a variety of stations in life; and the collective virtues of the different classes will display the glory of Him from whom they sprang.
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
Proverbs 30:8-9
The order of the two requests is significant. The wise man's prayer is first and chiefly, "truth in the inward parts," the removal of all forms of falsehood, hollowness, hypocrisy.
Neither poverty ... - The evil of the opposite extremes of social life is that in different ways they lead men to a false standard of duty, and so to that forgetfulness of God which passes into an absolute denial.
Food convenient for me - literally, "give me for food the bread of my appointed portion." The prayer foreshadows that which we have been taught by the Divine Wisdom: "Give us, day by day, our daily bread."
The special dangers of the two extremes. Wealth tempts to pride, unbelief, and a scorn like that of Pharaoh Exodus 5:2; poverty to, dishonesty, and then to perjury, or to the hypocritical profession of religion which is practically identical with it.
Albert Barnes
