In Pursuit of Wisdom (Ps.140 to Prov.15)

Ps.140

140:12 "...I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted And justice for the poor..."

How does God do this?

Ps.141

141:3,4 "...Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, To practice deeds of wickedness With men who do iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies..."

Ps.142

142:3 "...When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path. In the way where I walk They have hidden a trap for me..."

Is there anyone who doesn't fall into traps, who doesn't get overwhelmed at times?

142:7 "...Bring my soul out of prison, So that I may give thanks to Your name; The righteous will surround me, For You will deal bountifully with me..."

Why should God deliver you?

Ps.143

143:8-10 "...Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul. Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; I take refuge in You. Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground..."

Are we teachable?

Ps.144

144:1 "...Blessed be the Lord, my rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle..." Do we need to be trained for battle?

Have we become so passive that we don't even acknowledge the need to resist the forces of evil?

Do we even know about the weapons God expects us to use to tear down strongholds? 2 Cor.10:3-5 "...For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ..."

Ps.145

145:3 "...Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, And His greatness is unsearchable..."

145:17 "...The Lord is righteous in all His ways And kind in all His deeds..."

Ps.146

146:8-10 "...The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises up those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous; The Lord protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, But He thwarts the way of the wicked. The Lord will reign forever, Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord!..."

Do we believe that God does all these things?

Do we live like they are true?

Ps.147

147:11 "...The Lord favors those who fear Him, Those who wait for His lovingkindness..."

Does God have favorites? Do we fear and wait?

Ps.148

Let all creation praise the Lord.

148:13 "...Let them praise the name of the Lord, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above earth and heaven..."

Ps.149

149:4 "...For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation..."

What does God's salvation do to us?

Ps.150

We need to praise Him in every way possible.

Praise Him, Praise Him, Praise Him in everything!

PROVERBS:

Knowledge - facts.

Wisdom - proper application of facts.

Collection of wise sayings.

From Hebrew word meaning "to rule or to govern".

These snippets are advice for governing our lives.

Prov.1

1:2-4 "...To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion,..."

Starts with? 1:7 "...The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction..."

1:10 "...My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent..." They do! Our choice!

1:19 "...So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence; It takes away the life of its possessors..." Are we drained of life by the very things we think will enrich us?

1:27,28 "...When your dread comes like a storm And your calamity comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me,..." Harsh? What is it saying?

1:32 "...For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them..." Do you see any waywardness or complacency in our culture?

Prov.2

In contrast to the dumbing down of America, Solomon promotes

2:1 receive and treasure.

2:2 paying attention.

2:4 seeking and searching.

2:9 discerning righteousness and justice.

As the way to

2:12 deliverance from evil.

2:18 avoiding the path to death.

Prov.3

3:3 "...Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart..." What would cause them to leave?

3:5,6 "...Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight..." Our part, His part?

3:7,8 "...Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones..." Practical, physical benefits?

3:17 "...Her ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace..." How is this possible in chaotic world of foolishness?

3:21 Wisdom and discretion are needed.

3:27 "...Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it..." How much good can we do?

3:32 "...For the devious are an abomination to the Lord; But He is intimate with the upright..." Contrasting relationships of the devious with the upright.

Prov.4

4:5 "...Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth..." How can we balance acquire with 3:5 do not lean?

4:8 "...Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her..."

4:13,14 "...Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked And do not proceed in the way of evil men..."

4:23-26 "...Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth And put devious speech far from you. Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil..."

Do you get the sense that effort is required to avoid getting pulled onto the wrong road? Aquire, prize, take hold, guard, watch with diligence, look directly ahead (not right or left).

Prov.5

Solomon gives a dissertation on seduction.

Would he know about this?

Conclusion?

God sees all! 5:21 "...For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He watches all his paths..."

Sin is restricting! 5:22 "...His own iniquities will capture the wicked, And he will be held with the cords of his sin..."

Prov.6

Advice to humble ourselves, but be diligent.

6:10,11 "...A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest - Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man..."

6:12-14 "...A worthless person, a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth, Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, Who points with his fingers; Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil, Who spreads strife..." Danger!

List of things God considers abominable: 6:17-19 "...Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers..."

How do we avoid these abominations? 6:20-23 "...My son, observe the commandment of your father And do not forsake the teaching of your mother; Bind them continually on your heart; Tie them around your neck. When you walk about, they will guide you; When you sleep, they will watch over you; And when you awake, they will talk to you. For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life..."

What does Solomon think of those who commit adultery? 6:32,33 "...The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense; He who would destroy himself does it. Wounds and disgrace he will find, And his reproach will not be blotted out..."

Prov.7

More wiles of the harlot:

7:11 "...She is boisterous and rebellious, Her feet do not remain at home;..."

7:23 Costs men their lives

Prov.8

8:11 "...For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her..."

8:13 "...The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate..."

Prov.9

9:6 "...Forsake your folly and live, And proceed in the way of understanding..." Do we know our personal folly?

Prov.10

10:9 "...He who walks in integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out..."

10:12 "...Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions..."

10:19 "...When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise..."

Prov.11

11:4 "...Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death..."

11:24,25 "...There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered..." Principle of sowing!

Prov.12

12:11 "...He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense..."

12:13 "...An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will escape from trouble..."

12:15 "...The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel..."

12:18 "...There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing..."

12:25 "...Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad..."

12:26 "...The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray..."

Prov.13

13:3 "...The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin..."

13:20 "...He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm..."

Prov.14

14:12 "...There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death..." We can be deceived!

14:16 "...A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless..."

14:23 "...In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty..."

14:34 "...Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people..." Is our nation exalted or disgraced?

Prov.15

15:1 "...A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger..." Practical?

15:18 "...A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, But the slow to anger calms a dispute..."