Proverbs 31:11

December 18, 2023

“The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain.”

This passage of Scripture out of the Old Testament was written by a king named Lemuel. There is not too much disclosed about this particular king but one thing that we know is that he had a loving mother that gave him words of wisdom pertaining to finding a woman of noble character. Proverbs 31 is her insight of what to look for when searching for a Godly wife.

Kings in those days were known to fall because of women that they allowed into their lives. This loving mother did not want her son to fall into the trap of women that do not put God first. A Godly woman seeks the Lord with all of her heart and establishes a relationship with Him before she even decides to get into a relationship with a man. This will help her become an excellent wife so faithful that the heart of her husband trusts her with secure confidence.

One of the most important things that a man and woman need to do before marriage is have a firm biblical foundation. This will ensure that their partnership is built on solid ground unmovable and unwavering. Often times the mistake that couples make is that they don’t seek the Lord for counsel. He is our mighty Counselor advising us, leading us, and guiding us.

That is why God lets us know that we are to seek the things of His Kingdom first and everything else will be added unto us, Matthew 6:33. This principle also pertains to your future spouse. The Holy Spirit is our ultimate guide making sure that we are making the right choices, but if you don’t have a relationship with the Lord how can you hear His voice, John 10:27.

Lemuel’s mother understood the importance of a woman that has the fear of God, knows how to balance the ways of her household, has no worldly interests, knows the definition of hard work, and just an overall good woman. So what she did is give her son the description of the virtuous wife that she felt like he deserved. This depiction is found in Proverbs 31.

Now that we have a little more background when it comes to Proverbs 31, let’s take a look at the passage of Scripture that I am highlighting, Proverbs 31:11. The words “the heart” being used here is the Hebrew word “lēḇ” which means: inner man, mind, will, heart, and understanding. The words “safely trusts” are the Hebrew word “bāṭaḥ” which means: to trust, to have confidence, to be secure.

So what we can conclude the King Lemuel was disclosing to us in this first part of the Scripture is that the kind of exceptional wife that his mother was describing to him is one that is loyal and faithful. Her husband’s heart is completely protected and he has full trust and full confidence in her. To have a spouse that you feel entirely secure with is indescribable.

One of the worst feelings in the world is to have a wife or husband that you can’t trust. They do shady things behind your back and they are consistently being led astray because of foolish distractions of the world like social media. It is such a tremendous blessing to have a wife that is a Christian woman that creates a Christian home for her husband and children. The house that she establishes is safe and Spirit filled making it a warm home for her family.

Now we can take a look at the second part of this verse of Scripture out of the book of Proverbs that states, “so he will have no lack of gain.” The words “of gain” being used here is the Hebrew word “šālāl” which means: prey, plunder, spoil, and booty.

What we can determine that Lemuel is saying to us through the words of his mother is that an exceptional wife is one that has the best interests for her husband and children at heart all the days of her life. She is not taking blessings out of her household to spend on material things. She is in union with her husband in all decision making and he has full trust that she will make sound choices.

When a married couple is not in sync financially, it can really hinder the relationship. That is why this part of the passage of Scripture is so significant because Lemuel’s mother is warning him against searching for a woman that is only interested in material things. That is most definitely a recipe for disaster. We are told that if we seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, all things will be added unto us in full measure, Matthew 6:33.

When a husband joins his wife in marriage the two of them become one. A holy man of God will want a God fearing woman that stands on the Holy Bible as her solid foundation. She is not a lazy woman not wanting to pull her weight in the relationship. She is beautiful on the outside but her true beauty is found within.

She will provide a warm place for her family because she knows the importance of prayer, worship, intercession, and spiritual warfare.

Some more examples of Scriptures out of Proverbs 31 that give us an idea of a virtuous wife are:

Proverbs 31:14 “She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar.”

Proverbs 31:22 “She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.”

Proverbs 31:26 “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.”

Proverbs 31:27 “She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

Proverbs 31:31 “Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.”

The words of wisdom given to Lemuel by his mother are vital to the single woman or married woman wanting to know the qualities of being a virtuous wife. We can never underestimate the love that a mother has for her child. That is why Proverbs 31 is so important and key to men and women of God alike. It is definitely a chapter that needs to be looked at, studied, and applied to your daily life.

Also, don’t forget to check out my other blogs:

Who is the Prophet Isaiah

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds-Fight Back

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds-Feed Your Spirit

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds-Renouncing

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds-Confess and Repent

Recognizing Spiritual Strongholds

What are Spiritual Strongholds?