Proverbs 3:25 (KJV)

Passage

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 3:23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

Proverbs 3:24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Proverbs 3:25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

Proverbs 3:26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

Proverbs 3:27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "afraid", "sudden", "fear", "neither", "desolation", "wicked", and "cometh". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "afraid" and "sudden", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 24's "When thou liest down thou shalt not..." into verse 26's "For the LORD shall be thy confidence...", so "afraid" and "sudden" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "afraid" and "sudden" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.