The Marriage of an Excellent Wife (Prov 31:11-12)

“The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.” (Prov 31:11-12)

The “heart” is the inner part of a person; it is the central part of someone’s being. Thus, an excellent wife (vs. 10) will likely have a husband who views her as worthy of his trust – with his whole person. There will not an ounce of him that doubts her. He will have no reason to look elsewhere for happiness or fulfilment, because his wife provides it all.

Martin Luther remarks, “The greatest gift of God is a pious amiable spouse, who fears God, loves his house, and with whom one can live in perfect confidence.” That is the Proverbs 31 woman.

Such a husband can leave home and never worry about his wife’s commitment to him. Such a husband can delegate various responsibilities to her and never wonder if they will get accomplished. Such a husband can look to some of his own responsibilities and focus on them, because his wife can manage many things on her own. He looks nowhere else for a wife, because “he will have no lack of gain.”

Solomon says, “She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.” Her commitment to him and their marriage is consistent. Her support is unwavering.

Think of the many women in the Scripture who didn’t do their husband’s good: Eve becoming a tempter (Gen 2-3), Solomon’s wives tempting him to idolatry (I Kings 11:1-5), Jezebel promoting wickedness in her husband (I Sam 21:25), Job’s wife telling him to curse God and die (Job 2:9). This woman lives for her husband’s good.

Let us pray for such women in our homes.