The father says wisdom will deliver us from the evil man (Proverbs 2:12). He informs us about the evil man.
He begins by saying the evil man speaks perverted things (Proverbs 2:12). He not only speaks lies. He speaks perversion. Proverbs 10:32 sheds light on his corrupt talk. It says, “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.” So perverse speech is the opposite of acceptable speech. The evil man speaks unacceptable things. His speech is not simply unacceptable to the Christian’s ears. It’s not like the point here is some godly old saint saying, “I’m not going tolerate this kind of talk.” That’s good and right, but not the main message here. It is rather that the evil man’s speech is unacceptable to God. The evil man is storing up wrath with every perverted word. And all of the evil man’s words are perverted. He cannot get anything right. As Romans 3 says, “the venom of vipers is under his tongue.”
Evil men have told women that the most important beauty is external. Evil men have said that growing old is nothing but a bad thing. Evil men have said that working quietly with their hands in the home is unfulfilling and unimportant. Evil men have corruptly affirmed women when they were in a dangerous way, rather than speak honest words of loving correction. That’s what weak-willed, abdicating, perverted men do. But if you get the fear of the LORD, you will be delivered from the sick speech of evil men.
The father also warns of the evil man’s crooked walk. “He forsakes the path of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness” (Proverbs 2:13). “Men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways” (Proverbs 2:15). The evil man not only speaks perversion, he walks in it. He has a certain strut that is marked by darkness. The evil man has developed patterns, customs, and traditions. He doesn’t even realize how backwards his ways are.
Like Isaiah, we dwell in the midst of unclean people. Too often, they set the pace with their crooked steps and we follow. The main problem with his walk is his general direction, which is toward godlessness. He’s got all sorts of evils that spring from his general direction. He spends his money in God-disregarding ways. He spends his time in God-disregarding ways. He relates to his family in God-disregarding ways. He does his work in God-disregarding ways. He recreates in God-disregarding ways. Some of his customs we’ve adopted unthinkingly because we cannot imagine doing things a different way. But, if we get the fear of the LORD, we will be delivered from his crooked walk.
The father tells us one more thing about the evil man, that is he delights in perversity. “He rejoices in doing evil and delights in the perverseness of evil” (Proverbs 2:14). In his heart is where all the ugliness resides. He likes what is twisted and deformed. God has given him up to a debased mind, to foolish passions, he’s like a dog returning to its vomit. Scripture says the heart is deceitfully wicked above all things. It is so bad off that no one can understand it. The evil man cannot help but dangle wicked pleasures before others. He satisfies his lusts and welcomes others to do the same. Each of us must prepare. The evil man will woo us to perversion. But, if we get the fear of the LORD, if we cultivate the knowledge of God, we will be delivered from his corruption.
