Proverbs 31:28

She is Blessed and Praised

1. We have been considering the many talents, skills, and labors of the virtuous, noble, strong woman in Proverbs 31.

2. In tonight’s verse the author mentions her family’s appreciation for who she is and all that she does.

28a Her children arise up, and call her blessed;

1. The virtuous woman is being praised first of all by her children.

2. She is praised by her children for all that she DOES for them.

a. It is not surprising that her children praise her, considering all the things we have learned about her in this section.

b. Vs. 13 – She is out in the fields getting flax and wool to make clothing for them.

c. Vs. 14 – She travels all over town and perhaps the region looking for the best products—that her children enjoy.

d. Vs. 15 – She is up early in the morning, before the sun rises, to prepare food for her children for the day.

e. Vs. 16 – She planted and tended to a vineyard, the fruits of which her children enjoyed.

f. Vs. 19 – She makes yarn and cloth—which her children wear.

g. Vs. 21 – She sees to it that her household is dressed in warm and fashionable scarlet clothing.

h. Vs. 22 – She makes and decorates her home with beautiful tapestries, which her children enjoy.

3. She is praised by her children for the kind of PERSON that she is to them.

a. Vs. 11-12 – The children saw how well she treated their father.

b. Vs. 15 – They saw how well she treated the servants.

c. They saw her getting up early in the morning and staying up late at night to help provide for the family’s needs.

d. Vs. 20 – They saw her stretching out her hand to the poor.

e. Vs. 22 – They saw her artistic side too in making the home beautiful with her tapestries for wall hangings and bed covers.

f. Vs. 23 – The children knew that to a large extent, their father’s reputation, accomplishments, and status in the city was due to his noble wife standing behind him.

g. Vs. 26 – The children saw her wisdom and experienced her kindness daily.

h. Vs. 27 – The children observed how their mother looked well to the ways of the household, day in and day out.

i. The children of this noble woman learned about self-discipline, orderliness, diligence, endurance, sacrifice, giving to others, generosity, priorities, wisdom, kindness, honor, keeping the household in order, and many other valuable lessons of life by observing their mother over the years.

4. They arise up and call her BLESSED.

a. It’s no surprise that they arise up and call her blessed.

b. It would be remarkable if they didn’t!

c. They are simply acknowledging the facts: this woman IS blessed – blessed by God.

d. She is blessed with wisdom, kindness, diligence, grace, generosity, selflessness, etc.

e. These wonderful traits are not natural. That is not the way the old nature works.

f. These qualities are blessings from above that she manifests on earth.

g. James 1:17 – “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

5. Arising up:

a. This Hebrew word means to “stand” but has lots of different connotations.

b. Here the connotation implied is standing out of respect and honor.

c. Kiel and Delitzch attribute to this term the “idea of reverential honour.”

d. We see this meaning often in the Scriptures.
• Ex. 33:10 – “And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.”
• Lev. 19:32 – “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.”
• I Kings 2:19 – “Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her…”
• Rising up was a means of showing respect and honor.

e. The children of this noble woman “rose up” to honor their mother for all she does and for who she is.

6. There is a second possibility for the meaning of the word translated “arise up,” (by Matthew Henry, Harry Irsonside, and others) namely, to arise up one day in the future and take her place—when the children have households of their own.

a. Later in life they will call her blessed.

b. Later in life, when they have their own children, they will realize with much more DEPTH, all that their virtuous mother did for them… all she sacrificed for them… all that she exemplified for them…

c. They may not have appreciated it that much while growing up; but when they “arise up” to adulthood and have their own families, they will realize the debt they owe her.

d. And they will HONOR their mother for years to come.

e. That’s the way it is supposed to work. That’s the norm.

f. This is all certainly true—but I’m not sure this meaning is what the author intended.
• The reason I believe the praise is from her children while they are still children is because of the next phrase in which the husband does the same.
• There is nothing in the context that would lead a reader to believe that her husband waits until the children “arise up” as adults to bless his wife.

28b Her husband also, and he praiseth her

1. “Her husband also” – means that her husband also calls her blessed.

2. Her husband praises her for who she is and for all she does.

a. “Praise” means to praise, commend, to boast about; to shine.
• Her husband speaks highly of her; he praises her publically.
• He does not talk about her in a demeaning way, but builds her up with the way he talks about her.
• He boasts of her character and her achievements.

b. Vs. 10 – He realizes that his wife is more valuable than rubies.

c. Vs. 11 – He appreciates that he can trust her with anything. She is on his side and by his side. She is his helpmeet.

d. Vs. 12 – She does him good all the days of her life. How could he not appreciate her? How could he not praise her?

e. And all those other things she did, the fruits of which her children enjoyed, he enjoyed too: fruits from her vineyard, clothing, tapestries for the home, special products she gathered from afar, the extra income she supplied for the family’s needs, the diligence and hard work, her kindness and wisdom.

3. This woman devoted her life to her family; and they appreciate her for all she does and all she is.

a. It is amazing how far a little “appreciation” can go… how encouraging it can be… how reassuring it can be.

b. Some wives sacrifice themselves daily in the home, and never even receive something as simple as a “thank you,” or “nice job.”

c. Appreciation should not be reserved only for her birthday and Mother’s Day.

d. In fact, NOT being consistently thankful for one’s wife is sin: it is a sin of omission. Here’s why:
• Prov. 19:14 – “A prudent wife is from the Lord.” She is a gift from God to her husband.
• James 1:17 – “Every perfect gift cometh down from above and cometh down from the Father…”
• Not being thankful for one’s wife is not being thankful to the Giver… the Lord Himself.
• The Bible has a lot to say about being thankful and EXPRESSING it.
• NOT being thankful and not expressing our thanksgiving is a violation of scores of Bible verses.
• Disobeying Bible verses is called SIN.

e. Thanksgiving and praise for one’s wife is good if it is done out of obedience to God’s Word. It is possible to “say” words of praise because God demands it and you have to.

f. It is better when it also comes naturally from the heart – a heart that has experienced her blessings in many ways… a husband’s heart that is full of genuine love for his wife…

4. This noble woman devoted her life to serving her family, and they recognized it; they appreciated it; they praised her for it.

a. Nothing is more satisfying to a wife and mother to hear such words of appreciation.

b. Appreciation doesn’t necessarily mean a $5000.00 trip to Hawaii.

c. Appreciation can be expressed in simple things… like words from the heart… and countless other expressions that don’t cost a penny.

d. Prov. 12:25 – “Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.”

e. Prov. 15:23b – “a word spoken in due season, how good is it!”

f. Prov. 16:24 – “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”

g. Prov. 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

h. Showing appreciation requires thought, heart, love, and encouraging words; but not money or things.