Shorter Catechism Q. 79. Which is the tenth commandment? A. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s. Q. 80. What is required in the tenth commandment? A. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbor, and all that is his.
Commentary: The tenth commandment pertains to our desires. Although the word “covet” carries a negative meaning, the Hebrew word simply means desire. Desires are not inherently bad. After all, God has made us so that we have desires and are motivated and stirred to action by them.
We need to have right desires and rightly ordered ones. Hence, this commandment requires “full contentment with our own condition.” Contentment, however, is not an enemy to ambition or the pursuit of more and greater things. It is right and good to want something and then do your best to go and get it. That is not coveting. That is being human.
This commandment also requires that we have “a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbor, and all that is his.” We ought to rejoice when our neighbor rejoices and be glad when God blesses him.