He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD (Proverbs 18:22).

It seems to me that Proverbs 18:22 has widely different implications for different audiences.

For the married person, this proverb is a reminder of the beauties of marriage, even in the midst of the trials of marriage.  It's a reminder that I'm blessed to have a wife who can go through life with me and provide partnership, companionship, and affection.  It is not a curse -- being eternally "fettered" to a person who's not always completely aligned with my perspectives or objectives in life (the negative view of partnership), being constantly "pestered" by a person who's always there and never leaves me alone (the negative view of companionship), and being "forced" to a life of monogamy and shifting dynamics of romance (the negative view of affection).  Marriage does bring challenges.  But we can choose to look at these challenges as if they were the bane of our existence OR as if they are a part of the overall package:  the good gift of  a spouse, the reception of the LORD's favor.  Marriage is neither a sentence, nor is it a divine right; it's a good gift from the LORD Himself.  And those of us who are married need to be reminded of this sometimes.

To the single person, however, this Proverb could feel like a challenge -- maybe even an accusation.  So if I don't have a wife (or a husband), is that supposed to mean that I'm outside of the LORD's favor?  Does that mean that something is seriously wrong with me?  I don't think that this is what the proverb is supposed to indicate.  Perhaps one of the best commentaries on this subject comes from the Apostle Paul, himself, who addressed the matter in 1 Corinthians chapter 7.

"Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.  But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband... I say this as a concession, not as a command.  I wish that all men were as I am [i.e. single].  But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.  Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am.  But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion... I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs —- how he can please the Lord.  But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world —- how he can please his wife -- and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world -— how she can please her husband.  I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord."

It seems to me that the underlying issue with this proverb (and with the sort of "commentary" from 1 Corinthians 7) comes back to finding what is good.  There are things that are challenging about being single and things that are good about being single.  There are things that are challenging about being married and things that are good about being married.  It's not that one station in life has God's stamp of approval more than another station in life; it's just that the LORD distributes his favor to different people in different ways.  Our challenge, I think, is to find the good in our current life circumstances, thank God for it, and live with gratitude and humility.  When we find what is good, our lives are better off for it regardless of the circumstances.