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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMatthew Poole Commentary - Proverbs 30:8 - 30:8
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Remove far from me; from my heart, and from the course of my life. This is the first of Agur’s petitions.
Vanity; either,
1. All vain and false opinions concerning God, or the things of God; all unbelief, idolatry, or misbelief. Or,
2. All vanity of heart and life; a vain conversation, an affectation of the vain things of this world, as riches, pleasures, or honours, the bewitching power and sad effects whereof he had observed in others, and feared in himself, as the following request implies.
Lies; all falsehood and deceit in my words and carriage towards God or men.
Give me neither poverty nor riches: this is his second request, which may seem to have some reference to the former, poverty being commonly the occasion and temptation to the sin of lying, and riches being the great occasions and enticements to vanity. Thus, as his first petition was against the sins themselves, so this latter is against the occasions of them.
Food convenient for me; moderate, and suitable both to my natural necessities, and to that estate and condition of life in which thou hast put me, and to that work and service which thou hast for me to do. And this mediocrity of estate is so amiable, that it hath been oft desired by wise heathens, as more eligible than a state of the greatest plenty and glory.