Proverbs 21:21–23 (ESV)
21 Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty
and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue
keeps himself out of trouble.
Solomon begins by reminding us what is worthy of our pursuit. We chase many things in life, but wisdom tells us to pursue righteousness and kindness. The Hebrew word translated “pursue” pictures someone running after a goal with determination. Just as God’s steadfast love pursues his people (Psalm 23:6), the wise woman actively pursues a life that pleases him. Those who pursue what God values discover that the Lord faithfully grants life, righteousness, and honor.
The next proverb reminds us that wisdom is stronger than human strength. Solomon pictures a wise person scaling a heavily fortified city occupied by mighty warriors. From every human perspective, the city appeared impossible to conquer. The people inside trusted their walls, convinced they were secure from every enemy.
Yet wisdom succeeds where brute strength fails. The wise person tears down the very stronghold in which the mighty placed their confidence. Their defenses proved unable to save them because they had trusted in the wrong thing. The woman who fears the Lord does not place her confidence in human strength but in the wisdom God provides. Paul later uses this same military imagery, reminding us that God works through weapons “not of the flesh but [that] have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4). God’s wisdom accomplishes what human strength never can.
Solomon now turns from what we pursue to what we say. One of the clearest demonstrations of wisdom is a guarded tongue. The woman who thinks before she speaks protects herself from countless troubles. How much heartache could have been avoided if angry, careless, or impulsive words had remained unspoken? As Jay Adams wisely observed, “By not speaking a word you know to be untrue, uncertain, unfair, unkind or unnecessary,” you avoid much unnecessary trouble.
One of the ways the righteous woman keeps herself out of trouble is by guarding her tongue. She weighs her words before speaking and refuses to be ruled by anger or impulse. Although our culture encourages us to say whatever we think, the wise woman understands that every thought does not need to be spoken. She speaks when her words are true and helpful, and she remains silent when they are not. Careless words, once spoken, cannot be taken back, and they often leave lasting regret.