"A righteous man [who] totters/shakes before the wicked is as a fountain which has been fouled, and a corrupt spring." [Prov 25:26]

The man who totters before the wicked is like a fountain which has been dirtied with the feet of passersby; he is as a fountain which has been corrupted and is turned bitter, unfit to be drunk from. That man has so found himself in this position because he has failed to guard his heart. Proverbs tells us in another place, “guard thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the fountains of life.” [Prov 4:23] From the heart flows actions and thoughts and desires; it is the spring in each of us from which flows life, even as Solomon spoke of the Bride’s garden, seeing within its borders a fountain of life.

“A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed…a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.” [Songs 4:12, 15]

Jesus, speaking of The Holy Spirit, said, “he that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.” [Jn 7:38] We see thus that the man who has failed to guard his heart, who has failed to tend to that garden, allowing all “the little foxes” to spoil the fruit therein, [Songs 2:15] has made it weak: so that when the wicked raises his voice or stands to face off in battle, that righteous man is no longer “bold as a lion,” but totters and shakes and flees, even as the Israelites, who upon hearing Goliath, “were dismayed, and greatly afraid.” [Prov 28:1, 1 Sam 17:11]

We must not be as such. If we desire for the garden of our life to produce good fruit, for the fountain of our heart to produce strong and pure waters, then we must guard our hearts from sin, fear, and cowardice; we must, as Elisha, “cast the salt in [Jericho’s fountain of waters],” cast in Jesus’ gracious words into our hearts, believing them and obeying them, that we might find ourselves strengthened when the wicked man’s voice roars. [2 Ki 2:19, 21] We must cling tightly to Christ and trust in Him; for it is written,

“They that trust in The LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.” [Psa 125:1]

And,

“I have set The LORD always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” [Psa 16:8]

Those who do these things shall not totter or shake at the wicked’s voice or actions; they shall not be as a dirtied fountain, but their heart shall be pure and unmixed from this world’s sin or fears, and they will have strength and courage in that day.