9 at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.
9 In the twilight, in the evening,
9 in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.
9 It was dusk, the evening coming on, the darkness thickening into night.
9 In the twilight, in the evening, In the black and dark night.
9 It was at twilight, in the evening, as deep darkness fell.
11 He says to himself, "God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees."
11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
11 He says in his heart, "God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it."
11 He thinks God has dumped him, he's sure that God is indifferent to his plight.
11 He has said in his heart, "God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see."
11 The wicked think, "God isn't watching us! He has closed his eyes and won't even see what we do!"
(Read Psalm 10:1-11)
God's withdrawings are very grievous to his people, especially in times of trouble. We stand afar off from God by our unbelief, and then complain that God stands afar off from us. Passionate words against bad men do more hurt than good; if we speak of their badness, let it be to the Lord in prayer; he can make them better. The sinner proudly glories in his power and success. Wicked people will not seek after God, that is, will not call upon him. They live without prayer, and that is living without God. They have many thoughts, many objects and devices, but think not of the Lord in any of them; they have no submission to his will, nor aim for his glory. The cause of this is pride. Men think it below them to be religious. They could not break all the laws of justice and goodness toward man, if they had not first shaken off all sense of religion.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Proverbs 7:9
Commentary on Proverbs 7:6-27
(Read Proverbs 7:6-27)
Here is an affecting example of the danger of youthful lusts. It is a history or a parable of the most instructive kind. Will any one dare to venture on temptations that lead to impurity, after Solomon has set before his eyes in so lively and plain a manner, the danger of even going near them? Then is he as the man who would dance on the edge of a lofty rock, when he has just seen another fall headlong from the same place. The misery of self-ruined sinners began in disregard to God's blessed commands. We ought daily to pray that we may be kept from running into temptation, else we invite the enemies of our souls to spread snares for us. Ever avoid the neighbourhood of vice. Beware of sins which are said to be pleasant sins. They are the more dangerous, because they most easily gain the heart, and close it against repentance. Do nothing till thou hast well considered the end of it. Were a man to live as long as Methuselah, and to spend all his days in the highest delights sin can offer, one hour of the anguish and tribulation that must follow, would far outweigh them.