Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Proverbs closes with an ask, not a warning: give this woman what her work earned, and let her labour speak for her in public. Who gives the praise, and when does it come?
The Last Line of a Poem Built on the Alphabet
This verse is the final step of a carefully built structure. Each verse from 10 to 31 starts with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Where the poem sits in the book matters too:
Proverbs 31:10-31 is truly of exceptional excellence. Its order is perfect. Each letter of the alphabet, in turn, begins each following verse. Notice this carefully. The acrostic describes the woman of worth, the virtuous and hardworking wife. It comes right after "the words" of the king consecrated or devoted to God.
"In the Gates" — Where the Verdict Is Given
One writer reads this closing phrase as a picture of a coming judgment. He names first what will not count there:
Worldly favour is deceitful, and beauty of the body is empty. "The flesh is no help at all." Birth, culture, riches or fame are earthly advantages, and they count for nothing with the Lord, the righteous Judge, when He weighs them in the scales of the sanctuary. But the fear of Jehovah produces subjection to Him and affection for Him. This alone deserves and gets praise and honourable mention before the coming judgment seat — "the gates" of the imagery used here.
The same writer notes where that word falls:
Yes, "the gates"; it is the last word of our acrostic — indeed, the last of the whole book of Proverbs. Let us not forget them; and may we, by God's grace, live and work in the light of that coming day. Amen.
Praise from God Himself
Human recognition is only part of it. The verse before says a woman who fears the Lord "is to be praised." This line asks her works to say so in public. One writer ties both to the moment when God gives His own verdict:
Is there not here also the clearest significance of the judgment seat of Christ? "She is to be praised." Others will recognise her value in the end, but far above all else, God will express His own approval. "Do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes" — and then each one will receive his commendation from God (1 Cor. 4:5). How thankful each saint will be then, who has honestly sought the Lord's pleasure with a single heart. We know that nothing will escape His eyes, nothing will be forgotten that has been the fruit of faith working by love.
Given the Fruit of Her Own Hands
The verse asks two things. The first is a gift, not just praise:
But she is not only praised: she is also given the fruit of her own hands. The Master let the servants who traded with His money keep what they had gained. In the same way, the goodness of God richly rewards those who have worked truly for Him (Luke 19:24-26). We shall find that what we have gained for Him has really been for ourselves also.
The Bride Clothed in What She Wove
Some writers read the whole poem as a picture of the church, and this last verse as the day her work is shown:
The professing church has dishonoured the name of Christ. Yet the true church, the bride of Christ, will be found clothed "with fine linen, bright and pure — for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints" (Rev. 19:8). What the grace of Christ has worked in and through the saints will appear in this beautiful bridal garment in that day. All the material to be woven lies ready at the weaver's hand. But the weaver does the weaving, and she shall have full credit for what she has done.
That credit comes with a guard against self-admiration. Another writer holds the two together:
Here, in Proverbs 31, the woman's husband trusts her and praises her. Her part is to trust Him and praise Him, surely not herself… The last verse says, "Let her own works praise her in the gates." So it will be too when the marriage of the Lamb is celebrated in public… Still, she will know that it is all the result of His own grace.
Praise That Outlives the Worker
One writer sees this praise arriving late — after the work is finished:
Toil and care for the good of others was the main thing in her useful and unselfish life. Now she has gone to her rest, and her works follow her… But even here in time, are not the servants of Christ from past generations praised today by those who profit from their labours?
Summary
- Fear — Charm and looks carry no weight at the gates; the fear of the Lord is what earns honourable mention there.
- Fruit — She is not only praised. She is handed back what her hands made, and what was gained for Him proves to be hers too.
- Gates — The public place of judgment is the last word of Proverbs, given so that we work now in the light of that day.
- God — Others will see her worth in the end. But the praise that counts comes from God, who forgets nothing done in faith.
- Grace — She wears the garment she wove and gets full credit for it, while knowing the whole thing came from His grace.