Psalm 111:10 - Wisdom 101.
Psalm 111:10 - Wisdom 101.
Psalm 111:10 (NKJV) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His
praise endures forever.
CHAPTER OVERVEW
Start with worship (1). The lower you bow before the Lord,
the more He will instruct you. Go right to the Source!
See God in His works (2-6). Whether it is science or history,
you are examining God's works in this world. His works are great and
glorious, revealing His power and wisdom. To see the creation but ignore
the Creator is to move into idolatry and sin (Rom. 1:18ff.).
See God in His Word (7-9). The Word of God and the book of
nature do not contradict each other, for the same Author wrote them.
The theories of scholars come and go, but God's Word stands
forever.
Obey what God teaches you (10). The search into truth is not
simply an academic endeavor of the mind; it must involve your whole
person. If you are willing to do God's truth, He will teach you (John
7:17). [Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe]
COMMENTARY APPLICATION with Emphasis on Verse 10.
The classic OT statement concerning the religious basis of what
it means to be wise. [NIV SB]
The "fear of the LORD" is the major theme of the Bible's books
of Wisdom Literature (cf. Job 28:28; Prov. 1:7; 9:10; Eccles.
12:13). [New Bible Companion]
This kind of fear is best understood as reverence and awe that
pervade every area of life. [Wycliffe Bible Commentary]
The "fear of the Lord" is child-like reverential fear of Him
whose "name is holy and reverend" (: cf. ).
This "fear" calls forth love and "delight in His commandments" .(Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary)
Reverence for God; respect for his law, his will, his
government, himself; the fear of offending him, which will lead us to do
right. This fear is not that of a slave; it is not mere dread; it is
not terror. It is consistent with love, and springs from it. It is
consistent with calmness of mind, and promotes it. It does not produce
terror, but rather delivers from it, and preserves the mind from
alarms.... There is no true wisdom which does not recognize the being, the
perfections, and the claims of God. The highest wisdom-- the most lofty
endowment of man-- is that he "may" know and honor God. (Barnes' Notes)
The only way to become truly wise is to revere God. Too often
people want to skip this step, thinking they can become wise through
life experience and academic knowledge alone. However, if God is not
acknowledged as the source of wisdom, then the foundation for making wise
decisions cannot be laid, and we are doomed to making mistakes and foolish
choices. Always remember that the foundation for growing is to recognize
that God is the source of wisdom and that obeying his laws is the
path to righteousness. [Small Group SB]
Smart Versus Wise
Schools test children to measure intelligence, but they give
no tests for wisdom. Moral choices fall outside the line of what
schools can track, so you can be a brain (and a fool) and your
foolishness will never show up on your report card. More to the point, if
you want to be wise, you'll have to do an independent study. No one
will make you stay after school if you don't.
So are you wise or foolish? Psalm 111 will help you assess
your wisdom. If you don't measure up, this psalm will also get you
going in the right direction.
Other sources of wisdom in this reading focus on getting to
know the Messiah (Psalm 110), and reviewing the benefits of being
faithful to God (Psalm 112).
Read Psalms 110-112
The only way to become truly wise begins with having
reverence for God (Psalm 111: 10, see also Proverbs 1:7). Too often we
forget this and think that our own observations, a healthy dose of
common sense, and a good college education will do the trick. But true
wisdom doesn't come from any of these human sources. If we do not
acknowledge God as the only source of wisdom, our foundation for making wise
decisions will not be solid, and we will often make foolish choices that
will lead to big mistakes.
Get into the habit of reading and studying God's Word to
become familiar with God's principles and his timeless truths. Once
you're familiar with the principles, review them again and again. Open
your mind to what God says. He wants to fill you with wisdom. [The
One Year Through the Bible Devotional by Dave Veerman]
Fred Smith often urged others to look for divine principles,
whether in Bible stories or the experiences of life. While bedridden, he
wrote, ''A principle that has been very sustaining to me in my
disability is one that Oswald Chambers helped me to see. 'God will not give
you strength to overcome, but will give you strength as you
overcome.'"
Always mining for principles that he could apply to his life,
Smith declared, "What a treasury of wisdom we have in the saints who
have gone before us, and when we accept Scripture as God's word and
authority for life."
In response to a request from Fred Smith to identify some of
God's principles, his friend Jack Modesett shared two that he had
found in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins: "God honors
preparation" and "There is safety in surplus." Modesett also quoted Pastor
Ray Stedman, who preached "Truth must be acted upon," and Pastor
Chuck Swindoll, who concluded from the life of David that "It is
devotion, not perfection, that warms the heart of God."
Jack Modesett also said, "Francois Fenelon is a gold mine of
principles such as, 'Self-love is touchy, and when wounded it screams,
"Murderer!"'"
We have great treasuries of biblical wisdom available.
Discovering them and then figuring out how to apply them become delightful
personal enterprises. Simply Google "Ray Stedman" or "Charles Spurgeon"
or "Jill Briscoe" or "Francois Fenelon" or "Fred Smith."
The book of Proverbs, of course, is all about godly
principles. Here are four good examples:
"Better to have little, with fear for the LORD, than to have
great treasure and inner turmoil." (15:16, NLT)
"Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring
success." (15:22)
"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for
good health." (15:30)
"Fear of the LORD teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor."
(15:33)
Father in heaven, you have sent your Holy Spirit to lead us
into truth. Help me in my search for wisdom and truth to discover
your principles for my life, and enable me to apply them.
Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom. All who
obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Psalm 111:10, NLT [The One
Year Book of Encouragement by Harold Myra]
"How can men be wise?"..... When we have enough reverence for
God that we are willing to accept his instructions as the basis for
all of our decisions, we have a good starting point.
Jesus said, "All who listen to my instructions and follow
them are wise, like a man who builds his house on solid rock. Though
the rain comes in torrents, and the floods rise and the storm winds
beat against his house, it won't collapse for it is built on rock"
(Matthew 7:24-25). Listening to what the Bible says is the next step
toward walking in wisdom. Filling our mind with God's instructions will
lead us to follow them. This will also help us turn away from the
things forbidden by God....
Turning our life over to God is a wise move! Walking in
wisdom is a process that we grow into... The three elements of the
groundwork are: reverence for God, listening to his instructions, and
following them. [Life Recovery SB]
All men naturally desire to know, but what does knowledge avail
without the fear of God? Thomas A Kempis [Chapter by Chapter Bible
Commentary by Warren Wiersbe re Psa. 111]
CROSS REFERENCES FOR FURTHER STUDY
Job 28:28 (KJV) And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the
Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
Prov 1:7 (KJV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of
knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Prov 8:13 (KJV) The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and
arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Prov 8:13 (NCV) If you respect the LORD, you will also hate
evil. I hate pride and bragging, evil ways and lies.
Prov 9:10 (KJV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:
and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Prov 9:10 (NCV) "Wisdom begins with respect for the LORD, and
understanding begins with knowing the Holy One.
Prov 15:33 (KJV) The fear of the LORD is the instruction of
wisdom; and before honour is humility.
Prov 15:33 (NCV) Respect for the LORD will teach you wisdom. If
you want to be honored, you must be humble.
Psa 111:10 (KJV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of
wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his
praise endureth for ever.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NKJV) Let us hear the conclusion of the
whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's
all.
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Grace Notes: http://www.e-gracenotes.org/index.php
Excellent Spiritual Resource Site:
http://www.christianlifemediacenter.com/
More Spiritual Resources: http://www.aBible.com
