Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverbs 31:31 NIV

Chapter thirty-one in the Book of Proverbs consists of the sayings of King Lemuel. Verses two through nine read as instruction from Lemuel’s loving mother directly to her son, the future king. Verses ten through thirty-one describe the virtues of an honorable woman. It is not certain who King Lemuel actually is. The name means “belonging to God” or “devoted to God. 

Some scholars assert that Lemuel was in fact Solomon or Hezekiah. Others present the possibility of Lemuel and his mother as fictional characters created by Solomon to describe the ideal characteristics of a king and his queen mother. Of course, it is also possible that Lemuel was just an obscure king of whom very little is known. 

A Woman Who Fears the Lord

Verses ten through thirty-one comprise an epilogue or conclusion to the Book of Proverbs. These lines are an acrostic poem in which each verse begins with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each statement describes the value of a wife who fears the Lord. As we read in Proverbs 31:30, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. NIV”

It is for the genuine love of a good mother and wife that we honor her. For the work she does with her hands and the food she brings to our tables, we honor her. Because of her dignity, sacrifice, and the wisdom of her words, we honor her. For her sensible decisions, genuine care and concern for the less fortunate, and the strength of her tireless service, we honor the good women in our lives. As we read in Proverbs 31:28-29, “Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her: ‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’ WEB”

Yesterday’s Devotional: The Kingdom of God