1. Their Secret: The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow (pain) with it. These riches are “without alloy, free from the drawbacks and anxieties which attach to earthly riches” (Perowne). Some have charged this verse with deterministic fatalism. In other words, if God makes one wealthy, nothing one does can change that. Certainly this is not the message of Proverbs. We believe this verse teaches that the Lord doesn’t add sorrow, but that His gifts include happiness as well as well wealth. It is not that effort on our part is useless, but that labour without God’s blessing is (Ps. 127:2; Hab. 1:6-7). “This man receives riches from God because God has ruled that wealth belongs to wise and good men” (Alden). It is speaking, not of earthly riches only, but heavenly, true riches where moth and rust do not corrupt. Earthly riches, like earthly friends, may prove untrue, bringing cares, fears and distrust. “The soul of a thorough worldling is either choked by wealth possessed, or torn by wealth taken away” (Arnot). Examples abound which illustrate that many who have temporal riches are often unhappy (1 Tm. 6:9- 10). The god of this world frequently gives riches, but then adds great pain and sorrow with them. Remember, the blessing of the Lord turns every possession into wealth. We sometimes attach sorrows to that which God intends ultimately to prove a blessing to us. Today’s verse has been paraphrased thus: “All that God gives to do us good really secures our good without any admixture of evil.”