Daily Devotional Sunday 8th May 2022
by William Moody
Proverbs 8
The Blessings of Wisdom
8:1 Does not wisdom call?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the children of man.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right,
7 for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is better than jewels,
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
14 I have counsel and sound wisdom;
I have insight; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.1
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
22 “The LORD possessed2 me at the beginning of his work,3
the first of his acts of old.
23 Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made firm the skies above,
when he established4 the fountains of the deep,
29 when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 then I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his5 delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31 rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.
32 “And now, O sons, listen to me:
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the LORD,
36 but he who fails to find me injures himself;
all who hate me love death.”Footnotes
[1] 8:16
Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint govern the earth
[2] 8:22Or fathered; Septuagint created
[3] 8:22Hebrew way
[4] 8:28The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
[5] 8:30Or daily filled with (ESV)
Here we have the call of wisdom and it is presented in a very personal way. Some have enough thought that wisdom here is really Jesus.
The chapter begins with the acknowledgement that the call of wisdom is all around and it is to everyone (v1-5).
At the heart of wisdom are noble truths which is the very opposite to what you get from the voice of wickedness(v5-9). Due to this wisdom is to be valued and sought more than silver, gold or precious jewels (v10-11). I wonder do you see the wisdom from God so valuable? Pray about this.
Wisdom is associated with the fear of God and the very opposite of pride and perverted speech (v12-13). The good rule by kings can only come from wisdom (v14-16). Wisdom loves and honours those who seek him (17-21).
Wisdom is not new, but tried and tested, being involved even in the amazing work of the creation of the world (v22-31). Look at the beauty and the complexity of the world around us, that is what wisdom can produce.
Blessing comes as we allow God’s wisdom to really penetrate our lives (v32-36). Are you allowing this to happen?
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.