Proverbs 8:34 promises a great blessing, but it is also very specific regarding the conditions for that blessing: “Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts.”
God promises blessing for the person who seeks Him every day by listening to Him (we do that in His word) and by watching and waiting before Him.
But think for a moment about these words in the verse: Continue reading
In Psalm 26:2 David prays, “Examine me, O LORD, and try me; test my mind and my heart.” In this prayer He asks God to search his inward life. The word “mind” here is actually “kidneys” in Hebrew, a cultural reference to “the most sensitive and vital part” of the inner man (BDB). And he asks Him to “examine” him — a word used elsewhere in scripture to describe how one tests gold. David’s concern with his inner man is appropriate. That’s where God’s focus is, and where ours should be as well. Continue reading
Proverbs 8:6-8 describes the words which Wisdom utters: “Listen, for I will speak noble things; and the opening of my lips will reveal right things. For my mouth will utter truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing crooked or perverse in them.”
It is GOD who is the author of this wisdom. Verse :23 says “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old”; some even believe it is the Lord Jesus speaking.
At minimum wisdom comes from God and reflects His character. So these verses describe the words of God: everything in His word is noble; whatever it says is right and true, and “there is nothing crooked or perverse in them.” God’s words are “refined seven times as in a furnace” as the scripture says elsewhere. They are totally true and trustworthy.
And our words should be too! In fact, these verses can be read from another perspective: Continue reading
A famous saying in Proverbs 6:10-11 warns us that what we think of as a “little” thing, multiplied many times over, can actually add up to more than we think. The verses read: “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.” Here, the Proverb warns, “a little … a little … a little …” sleep and laziness, compounded, brings in great poverty. But the principle has all kinds of other applications as well: Continue reading
A little creature can give us a big lesson! Proverbs 6:6 admonishes: “Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise.” Here we are reminded that God has much to teach us from observing His creation. What is it that we are specifically to learn from the ant? The next verses give us two lessons: Continue reading
Proverbs 4 contains several admonitions for us to listen to God’s wisdom:
— :1 “Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father …”
— :10 “Hear, my son, and accept my sayings …”
— :20 “My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.”
These repeated admonitions to listen to our Father speak to us about our attitude. Continue reading
Proverbs 4:1 pleads: “Hear, O sons, the instructions of a father, and give attention that you may gain understanding.” God reminds us here that a father cares enough to give his child instruction; he loves them, and wants the best for them, hence the admonition. If He didn’t care, he wouldn’t instruct — as many delinquents can testify! Continue reading
The last little phrase of Psalm 25:21 reveals one of the most important elements of the Christian life. David prays in the verse: “Let integrity and uprightenss preserve me, for I wait on You.” “I WAIT on You” is only one word in Hebrew, but it is a picturesque one, which teaches us something important about some of our trials: Continue reading
How does God want you to treat people? Two verses in Proverbs 3 challenge us regarding our relationships with those around us:
:27 “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.”
:29 “Do not devise harm against your neighbor, while he lives securely beside you.”
People may tend to focus on one of these more than the other: Continue reading
David’s prayer in Psalm 25:16 is a little gospel in miniature: “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.” At least two elements in this verse are significant: what he realizes about himself, and what he asks God to do for him: Continue reading
I'm a retired Southern Baptist pastor of almost 40 years. My wife Cheryl & I moved to Norman, OK in March of 2025. I share a weekly overview for Sunday School teachers of the weekly Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, as well as texts of my sermons and other articles.
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