Proverbs 20:22 teaches you not to take revenge when someone wrongs you. Instead, you are to wait on the LORD, trusting that He will act justly and rescue you in His own time. The verse was written by Solomon, traditionally regarded as the principal author of the book of Proverbs, and it speaks to anyone who feels tempted to settle a score personally.
Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for the LORD, and he will save you.
Proverbs 20:22 (WEB)
What Proverbs 20:22 Means
The verse begins with a direct command: “Don’t say, ‘I will pay back evil.'” The words here are less about what you feel and more about what you declare. The wise person does not announce a plan to retaliate, because a spoken intention tends to harden into action and into a mindset that keeps score. Notice that the proverb addresses the speech itself, not just the deed.
The second half offers the alternative: “Wait for the LORD, and he will save you.” The word “wait” describes patient trust, not passive resignation. You hand the outcome to God and refrain from becoming your own judge. The promise is that the LORD will deliver you, though the verse does not spell out how or when, and it does not guarantee that the wrongdoer will be punished in the way you would have chosen.
What the verse does not promise is that injustice will be ignored or that you must pretend nothing happened. Waiting on God is compatible with seeking honest help, setting boundaries and speaking the truth. What it rules out is vengeance as your own project.
The Context of Proverbs 20:22
The book of Proverbs is a collection of short, memorable sayings meant to form character and shape daily choices. Its primary audience is a young person learning how to live well before God, and Solomon’s name is attached to much of the material. Proverbs 20 is made up largely of contrasts between the wise and the foolish, the righteous and the wicked, which helps explain why this verse sits among warnings about gossip, dishonoring parents and dishonest dealings.
Read in its neighborhood, verse 22 is part of a sustained reflection on justice that belongs to God. Verse 23 says the LORD detests dishonest scales, and verse 24 reminds you that a person’s steps are ultimately directed by the LORD. The surrounding verses steady you: if God sees every false weight and guides every step, you do not need to become the enforcer of fairness yourself.
Key Phrases in Proverbs 20:22
Romans 12:19
Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.”
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Paul echoes this proverb almost directly, urging believers not to avenge themselves but to leave room for God’s wrath. Together the two passages show that refusing personal revenge is a settled principle of faith, not an isolated sentiment.
Psalm 37:7
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.
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This psalm uses the same language of waiting on the LORD and urges you to be still before Him when others prosper through wrongdoing. It adds the emotional dimension that Proverbs 20:22 leaves implied, namely the quiet patience that resists fretting.
A Short Prayer From Proverbs 20:22
Lord, I confess how quickly I want to repay the hurt I have received. Some days the words of revenge rise in my mind before I have prayed a single prayer. Teach me to stop before I speak, and to bring the anger to You instead of to the people who hurt me. Help me to wait on You with patience and honest trust, believing that You see every wrong and that You are faithful to save. Guard my heart from bitterness, and lead me in the next right step. Amen.
