2d • Wisdom
Retaliation
‘Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.’ Proverbs 24:29
This verse confronts the instinct of retaliation. When wronged, the natural response is to justify repayment—“as he hath done to me.” It feels fair, even righteous. Yet Scripture draws a clear line between justice and personal vengeance. This verse forbids taking matters into our own hands. It echoes a deeper truth found in Deuteronomy 32:35, “To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence.” God alone has the authority to repay rightly, because He sees perfectly and judges without corruption.
The danger of retaliation is that it places us in the position of judge, driven not by perfect justice, but by wounded emotion. Proverbs 20:22 says, “Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.” Waiting on God requires trust—that He sees, that He will act, and that His judgment will be better than anything we could carry out. Retaliation may feel satisfying in the moment, but it often multiplies conflict rather than resolving it.
Jesus takes this principle even further in Matthew 5:39, “resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” This is not weakness, but strength under control. It is a refusal to let another person’s wrongdoing dictate our response. Instead of mirroring evil, we break the cycle. Romans 12:17-19 reinforces this: “Recompense to no man evil for evil… avenge not yourselves… for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
At its core, this verse calls for surrender of personal justice. The desire to “render to the man according to his work” reveals a heart that wants control over outcomes. But God calls us to release that control and walk in righteousness instead. This includes forgiving, not because the wrong was acceptable, but because we trust God to deal with it rightly. Ephesians 4:32 says, “be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
There is also protection in this command. Retaliation entangles us in the very evil we oppose. It hardens the heart, fuels bitterness, and often leads to further sin. By refusing to repay evil, we remain free from that cycle. Proverbs 16:32 reminds us, “he that ruleth his spirit [is better] than he that taketh a city.” Self-control in the face of wrong is a mark of true strength.
Practically, this means choosing restraint when wronged—whether in words, actions, or decisions. It may involve stepping back, seeking God in prayer, and allowing time for emotions to settle before responding. It also means actively choosing good in place of evil, as Romans 12:21 says, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Ultimately, Proverbs 24:29 teaches that righteousness is not proven by how we respond when treated well, but by how we respond when wronged. The call is not to repay, but to trust. God sees every injustice, and His judgment is sure. When we release the need to retaliate, we align ourselves with Him and walk in a higher way—one marked by trust, restraint, and true strength.
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Retaliation
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