“For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.”
My Notes
What Does Proverbs 3:32 Mean?
Solomon contrasts two relationships with God: the froward (perverse, devious) person is an abomination to God, but God shares His "secret" (Hebrew: sod) with the righteous. The word sod means intimate counsel, confidential conversation, the kind of closeness shared between trusted friends. God has an inner circle, and the righteous are in it.
The contrast is stark. The froward don't just displease God—they are an abomination to Him, a word (to'evah) that expresses visceral moral revulsion. Meanwhile, the righteous don't just receive God's favor—they receive His secret, His intimate counsel, His private friendship. The distance between the two positions could not be greater: one provokes God's revulsion, the other receives His confidences.
The idea that God has a "secret" He shares with the righteous suggests that there are dimensions of understanding, guidance, and relationship available only to those who live uprightly. Not because God is exclusive, but because intimacy requires trust, and trust requires character. You can't share secrets with someone who isn't trustworthy.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What would it mean for God to share His 'secret' with you—to give you insight and guidance not available to everyone?
- 2.Is your life characterized by the kind of integrity that invites God's confidence? Where might there be gaps?
- 3.How does the contrast between 'abomination' and 'secret counsel' motivate you toward righteousness?
- 4.What does 'the froward' look like in modern life—what forms does perversity and deviousness take in your world?
Devotional
God has a secret. And He shares it with the righteous. Not with the brilliant or the successful or the influential—with the righteous. The people who live honestly, act justly, and keep their integrity get access to something no one else has: God's confidential counsel.
The Hebrew word sod describes the kind of closeness you have with your most trusted friend—the person you share things with that you wouldn't tell anyone else. God has that kind of relationship available, and it's available to people whose character earns His trust. Not perfection—the righteous in Proverbs aren't sinless. They're people whose direction is toward God, whose lives are marked by integrity, and whose hearts are fundamentally oriented toward what's right.
The contrast with the "froward" (perverse, devious) person is severe: abomination. The person who twists truth, manipulates others, and operates with hidden agendas doesn't just miss God's secret—they provoke His revulsion. Deviousness and divine intimacy are incompatible. You can't be two-faced with God and expect to receive His confidence.
If you want the kind of relationship with God where He shares His secret—where He gives you insight, guidance, and understanding that goes beyond what's available to everyone—the path isn't more Bible study or more spiritual disciplines (though those help). The path is integrity. Live straight. Be trustworthy. Be the kind of person God can confide in.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
For the froward is abomination to the Lord,.... The perverse man, that pleases not God, and is contrary to all men, as…
A marked change in style. The continuous exhortation is replaced by a series of maxims. From them to whom it is due -…
True wisdom consists in the due discharge of our duty towards man, as well as towards God, in honesty as well as piety,…
his secret i.e., as R.V. margin explains, his counsel(Gen 18:17), or his friendship(Exo 33:11). Comp. Psa 25:14 (and…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture