Midweek Devotional for September 16, 2026: Proverbs 10:7

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

“The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.” (Prov. 10:7)

This chapter marks an important transition. Chapters 1–9 consisted largely of extended discourses on wisdom. Beginning with chapter 10 we find the shorter, compact sayings for which Proverbs is best known.

This verse is a classic example of antithetical parallelism in which the first idea stands in sharp contrast to the second: the memory of the righteous is blessed but the name of the wicked rots. Two opposite notions are presented. This literary device is used frequently.

According to Solomon, when those who walked rightly with the Lord in this life pass away, their memory is “a blessing;” it is pleasant and brings comfort. But that is not so with the wicked. When the wicked die, Solomon declares their name (reputation, character, and legacy) has no endurance.

In fact, Solomon says that whatever legacy the wicked man establishes in this life simply rots when he dies. He uses a word that refers to the decomposition of a corpse. There is no satisfaction in the recollection of a person who lived contrary to the will of God. That kind of reputation is something you would want to avoid, not admire. The only reason to remember such a person would be as a warning.

To put it plainly, this verse is about what remains after us. It encourages us to think beyond the immediate circumstances of life and consider how our behavior, choices, and words will be remembered after us. Scripture repeatedly warns us that present status and lasting honor are very different things: “A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, favor is better than silver and gold.” (Prov. 22:1)

You are spending your entire life creating a legacy that will remain after you are gone. When that day comes and those still on this earth think of you, will that be an experience of blessing or a moment when they will shake their head and sigh?