Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
Otherwise, if I have too much, I might reject you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or if I become poor, I might steal and dishonor the name of my God.
The writer is asking God to protect him from both wealth and poverty because either extreme could lead him away from faithfulness to God.
📚 Historical Context
This verse comes from the words of Agur, a wise man whose teachings are recorded in Proverbs 30. In ancient Israel, both extreme wealth and desperate poverty were seen as spiritual dangers - the wealthy often became proud and forgot God, while the desperately poor might be tempted to compromise their integrity. This reflects the Hebrew understanding that material circumstances can significantly impact one's spiritual life.
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