An Exhortation to Acquire Wisdom

Topic: Wisdom
Passage: Proverbs 4:1–9

August 5, 2019

Commentary

In this passage the key thought is to get wisdom and to get understanding (vv. 5,7). It starts out by saying listen to your father’s instruction (v. 1), that he is giving you good teaching (v. 2), just as his father and mother had given him (vv. 3-4). If you prize wisdom, it will embrace you and honor you (vv. 8-9). Here are four biblical suggestions on how to get wisdom:

  1. Desire wisdom with all your heart. Proverbs 4:8 says, “Prize her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you for your embrace.”
  2. Apply ourselves in study and meditation to know the Word of God and do it. “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” (Psalm 19:7). (Consider the illustration above).
  3. Pray. “To thee, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for thou hast given me wisdom and strength, and hast made known to me what we asked of thee” (Daniel 2:23).
  4. Think of the shortness of this life and the infinite length of the next. “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psa. 90:12).

Application

Today I wrote on my prayer sheet to pray for wisdom for myself and for each one in my family. Also to be more specific as I pray for wisdom in the lives of myself and my children. Wisdom for: 1. Who to live life for? 2. Who to live life with? 3. What to live life doing?

Proverbs 4:1– 9 (NET)

1 Listen, children, to a father’s instruction, and pay attention so that you may gain discernment.

2 Because I hereby give you good instruction, do not forsake my teaching.

3 When I was a son to my father, a tender, only child before my mother,

4 he taught me, and he said to me: “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands so that you will live.

5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding; do not forget and do not turn aside from the words I speak.

6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will guard you.

7 Wisdom is supreme —so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding!

8 Esteem her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.

9 She will place a fair garland on your head; she will bestow a beautiful crown on you.”