The Foundation of Wisdom
Proverbs 9:10 Going back to the roots of wisdom and good judgement
(Today’s verse in the original Hebrew)
“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.”
Proverbs 9:10 NLT
I’ve often thought of the Book of Proverbs as an instruction book for life. Today’s verse is succinct, laying out the necessities for being wise and having good judgement in two short sentences.
The first sentence explains that Fear of the Lord is the first step in gaining wisdom. The Hebrew word for fear — yir'â (יִרְאַת) — has “awesome or terrifying thing” as an apt description for the Creator of all things!
Once we have that deep sense of awe of God in our minds, we can begin to approach all other thought with the realization that His Word, passed down through the ages in Hebrew, Greek and other tongues, is where all wisdom begins.
And what is wisdom (ḥāḵmâ (חָכְמָה) in Hebrew)? A modern dictionary defines it as “knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.” Put these definitions together, and you find that through our awe of God, we gain our knowledge of what is right and wrong and how to put that knowledge into action.
How about the second sentence in the verse, “Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgement”? The Hebrew for this sentence revolves around the words daʿaṯ - דַּעַת - (knowledge or understanding) and qāḏôš - קְדֹשִׁים - (of the holy). Now, I have only a very rudimentary understanding of Hebrew, but we can see that Solomon (acknowledged as the author of Proverbs) is telling the reader that gaining knowledge of God is a path to good judgement.
So, what’s judgement? The original Hebrew used the word bînâ - בִּינָה - (understanding or discernment), while today’s dictionary uses “the ability to judge, make a decision, or form an opinion objectively, authoritatively, and wisely, especially in matters affecting action; good sense; discretion”. The point? That knowing God, we gain good sense, discretion, and make decisions and opinions that are in line with God’s will.
Proverbs 9:10 is a small verse, but one with a very big message!
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
God, teach me to yield to You. Help me have the wisdom and knowledge to fear your incredible power. Guide me as I study Your word and learn Your ways. Instill in me the humility of knowing I serve an omnipotent creator. AMEN.