1 Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? 2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. 3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: 4 “To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. 5 O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. 6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; 7 For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. 9 They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. 12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion. 13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate. 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. 16 By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth. 17 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. 18 Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver. 20 I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, 21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries. 22 “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. 23 I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; 26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primal dust of the world. 27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, 29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, 31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men. 32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. 34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord; 36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.”
Commentary
Vs. 1-9 1 Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? 2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. 3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: 4 “To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. 5 O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. 6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; 7 For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. 9 They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.
Wherever the voice of sin, i.e., the harlot is heard seeking to seduce and induce men to follow her into sin and death, there is always a higher and true voice, the voice of wisdom, calling out to mankind, boldly lifting up her voice, and boldly making herself known to everyone everywhere. For God does keep wisdom hidden away from us, so that we cannot see her or hear her, rather He tells wisdom go and make yourself known everywhere, let your voice be heard and be found by mankind. Just as the Scripture says, “She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. 3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: 4 “To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.” Vs. 2-4 Therefore her voice and appeals are heard everywhere, wherever men are, or gather or meet there she is crying out to us all! The only question is are you listening? Or are you to be listed amongst the simple ones, and the fools, whom wisdom tells to understand prudence, which is basically how to wisely conduct oneself and ones affairs in this life; which the Dictionary of Bible Themes says is: “Careful, wise discernment; the avoidance of rash behavior or speech; the good management of talents and resources and the showing of tact and wisdom in relationships with other people.[1] Having then exhorted the simple to first get understanding for themselves, before they try to get anything else, because they will only squander or ruin whatever they get without prudence, wisdom also calls to the fools saying to them to stop thinking themselves wise and to get some understanding for themselves, to get themselves some Godly insights and spiritual understanding through His Word as to what is truly good and evil. For Wisdom is not found in following the degenerate course of this world, she is not found in following the sinful lives and lies of unbelieving and evil men. Therefore she says to them all, “Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; 7 For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. 9 They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.” Vs. 6-10
Consider then that from wisdoms mouth comes excellent things, Words that not only guide us into safety, prosperity, and peace, but also enrich, satisfy, and enlighten our persons, lives, and souls. Again, God’s wisdom speaks right things, not deceiving or misleading things, but right and true things (vs. 7), “Wickedness is an abomination to my lips”, therefore you will not find anything crooked or perverse in them, or coming from them. For God’s wisdom only speaks words that are right, words that are true, words that are born out of righteousness! Words then that bring everlasting life and light to all hearts, minds, and souls to whoever will receive and believe them! For nothing crooked or perverse is found in them. Therefore, they are plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge (vs. 9).
Vs. 9-10 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.
Wisdom then calls us all to receive its instruction, and not silver, and to cherish its knowledge more than choice gold. Because neither silver or gold will guide you or keep you. Indeed, these temporary riches may just hasten your own ruin and fall if you do know how to handle them with discretion. Therefore, wisdom is far better than rubies, which again if you are given to covetousness may only arose within you all manner of evil thoughts and desires. For riches are the most misleading and untrustworthy thing on earth, and many a person has been ruined by their own lust for them. Therefore, all things that one may desire cannot be compared with her, with wisdom, because where wisdom is there God is also.
Vs. 12-13 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion. 13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.”
Wisdom then is found with prudence, with everyone who watch’s their lives and guides their affairs by her, wisdom then gives insights as well as knowledge and discretion so that you are walking in the fear of the Lord. And what is the fear of the Lord, it is to hate evil, to hate (and thus not endorse, nor partake in) anything that opposes God’s holy commandments and counsels, it is to stay clear of pride and arrogance through which people exalt themselves above others, and even God Himself, which itself is the great sin of the devil. It is to hate the evil way; thus, it is to not barter with or compromise one’s Godly morals and principals with those who do. It is to hate the perverse mouth, i.e., the deceitful or lying tongue, and thus to remove it far away from you.
Vs. 14-16 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. 16 By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth.
With wisdom then there is sound counsel, sound understanding, therefore there is strength of conviction to do and say what is right (vs, 14). For it is by wisdom that kings reign, and rulers decree justice; that is wisdom gives leadership abilities, prudence, insights and guidance to kings and rulers and all who listen to her (vs. 15). For it is by wisdom that princes and nobles rule justly, and all the judges of the earth render fair and just verdicts. For when they themselves follow wisdom, then they themselves become wise, just, and insightful (vs. 16).
Vs. 17 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.
Wisdom then is not exclusionary, but wisdom is available to all, for all who love wisdom and diligently seek for wisdom will find wisdom.
Vs. 18 “Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness.”
Therefore, if you want riches and honor with God and man, enduring riches and righteousness, which makes your life (and will make your eternity) also much more rich, pleasant, and full, then get wisdom. Get into God’s Word where Wisdom is found!
Vs. 19 “My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver.”
Therefore, all the fruits of wisdom, all the benefits of having Godly wisdom far excel that of mere gold, even the most refined gold and the choicest silver cannot bring the quality of life and eternity to you that wisdom can! For you can be a billionaire down here but still be spiritually and or morally bankrupt (Luke 9:25).
Vs. 20-21 20 I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, 21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.
Where then is wisdom found, not in secret guilds, or through the philosophies and religions of men, no wisdom is found walking in righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice (vs. 20), “That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.” Vs. 20 Thus, wisdom rewards all those who love and keep wisdom.
Vs. 22-31 22 “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. 23 I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; 26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primal dust of the world. 27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, 29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, 31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men.
Wisdom’s origins now are revealed to us, and so wisdom did not begin with sinful mankind. No wisdom has its origins with God, for the Lord possessed wisdom at the beginning, before He created anything wisdom was with Him, established from everlasting, before there was an earth, or the depths were established, or fountains made to bring forth water, or the mountains were settled on their foundations, or the hills were raised up, before the earth and the fields or even the primal dust of the world was made there was wisdom with God (vs, 22-25). For these things didn’t just happen on their own, they were all purposely created and built by God through wisdom. Therefore, before God created anything, God first brought forth wisdom. For when He created the heavens wisdom was there, and when He drew a circle on the face of deep wisdom was there, and when He established the clouds above wisdom was there, and when He strengthened the fountains of the deep wisdom was there, and when He assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters would not transgress His command, and when He marked out the foundations of the earth, wisdom was always there beside Him as a master craftsman, daily as His delight and always rejoicing before Him, rejoicing in His inhabited world, for wisdoms delight is also with the sons of men (vs. 26-31). And so even though wisdom has its origins with God, wisdom is not aloof of us, rather wisdoms delight is to be with us, the only questions is will we have wisdom be with us? For that is the question each of us will answer individually for ourselves.
Vs. 32-36 32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. 34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord; 36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.”
In one finial and strong appeal we are all asked to listen too and keep wisdom. For blessing comes from God to everyone who does (vs. 32). For wisdom has its origins in God, and Wisdom is God in the Person of His Son Jesus Christ. Therefore, hear God’s instruction through His Word, His Son the Lord Jesus Christ and be wise yourselves, and do not disdain it (vs. 33). Do not be like the wicked, the proud, and the foolish who walk according to their own Godless ways and lusts to their own eternal ruin. Rather be wise and believe and obey Christ. For blessed is everyone who listens to wisdom, who watches and waits daily for His Word, for they will find life, (eternal life by faith In Christ) and obtain favor from the Lord. “But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.”
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
[1]
Manser, M. H. (2009). Dictionary of Bible
Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies.
London: Martin Manser.
No comments:
Post a Comment