Proverbs 28:18 commentary; upright or perverse?

18 ¶ Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

The phrase “at once” is used for “at one time”.

Numbers 13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

Deuteronomy 7:22 And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.

Luke 23:18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:

1Corinthians 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

Under the Law, in God’s Hebrew kingdom on earth, the man who obeyed the commandments and followed God’s standard of righteousness would be protected and guided by God.

Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Proverbs 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly

Previous Proverbs have shown us that a man who walketh uprightly has understanding, is sure and confident, and works righteousness.

Psalms 15:2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

Proverbs 10:9a He that walketh uprightly walketh surely………..

Proverbs 15:21b ……..but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.

Perverse is a synonym of crooked and of froward.

Deuteronomy 32:5 They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.

Proverbs 4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

Proverbs 8:8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

It is the antonym of perfect (which means “complete” in the Bible; see 2 Chronicles 8:16; James 1:4; and Colossians 4:12.)

Job 9:20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

We have seen how a perverse person’s life can become unraveled quickly when his perverse, immoral behavior is exposed to public scrutiny. In the same way, a private person’s perverseness can expose him for the wicked person he really is and bring him down at one time. People don’t usually fall in regards to shame and derision, contempt and disgust, by degrees. That’s how a person’s reputation is built up, step by step. But, when you come crashing down because of your perverse ways it often happens rather quickly and at one time.

So, if you’ve been hiding something or things in your life and you have not walked uprightly, especially if you pretend to be what you aren’t, expect the crash to come rather suddenly, quickly, and at one time regardless of the spin you try to put on your porn obsession, adultery, fornication, drunkenness, gossiping, thefts, lies, and wrathful spirit.

So, take this as a warning for the Christian. Walk uprightly, walk with Christ, stay in His word, and fellowship with other believers in accountability and counsel. God will keep you and guard you. Walk perversely and expect your fall to come quickly, immediately, and at once, when you are found out.