“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him and He turn away His wrath from him” (Proverbs 24:17-18).
All who desire to live a godly life will have enemies (Luke 6:26). Though you—as much as it depends upon you—strive to live peaceably with all men (Rom. 12:18), you will still have people who lie in wait to trip you up and fervently desire to see you fall (Prov. 24:15-16).
To be righteous, your heart cannot mirror the wickedness resident in your enemies’ hearts. Returning evil for evil is no way to defeat evil. Therefore, the divine counsel is: “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for so you will heap coals of fire on his head and the Lord will reward you” (Prov. 25:21-22).
This difference between the righteous and unrighteous ought to be clear and distinct. Therefore, a righteous man does not rejoice when his enemy falls; an unrighteous man does. Displeasing God in this matter is to leave His favor and join the ranks of His enemies.
