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Wisdom

God’s instruction of mankind has its basis in His wisdom. He knows what is best for His creatures. When He speaks to human beings, as words emanate from His mouth, so does wisdom. This theme connects with that of the previous chapter, “Instruction,” because wisdom is tied closely to the Torah or Law. The theme of wisdom, however, does not dominate the book of Psalms by means of key words. The standard word חָכְמָה (khokmah), which occurs 149 times in the Old Testament, is found only six times in Psalms. Related words occur only seven more times. Near the end of the book the psalmist uses one of the synonyms (תְּבוּנָה, tevuwnah) for wisdom and declares that God’s “understanding is infinite” (147:5). This is the clearest statement in Psalms about this attribute of God. The expression translated “infinite” is literally “without number”: it is impossible for us to calculate how great His wisdom is; He is omniscient! Psalms develops the wisdom of God theme by tying it to God’s instruction and to His creation. Of course, the twelve wisdom psalms are also relevant for this topic.

The Wisdom of Instruction

God has not kept His wisdom to Himself, but has communicated part of it to mankind by giving us instructions. Proverbs begins with a wise father instructing his son (1:1–9) and then continues with a personification of Wisdom calling to the simple ones and offering them counsel (1:20–33). At that point we realize that Solomon is writing under inspiration with words of divine wisdom. In Psalms Asaph can say, “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old” (78:2) only because God’s Spirit has inspired him and those that wrote earlier Scripture (v. 3).⁹² As another psalmist reflects on what he writes under inspiration,⁹³ he describes it as speaking wisdom (49:3).⁹⁴ As David ponders God’s revelation to him, he refers to God’s teaching him wisdom: “in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom” (51:6b). All references in Psalms referring to God’s law, therefore, are indications that there is wisdom behind those instructions. That means the focus of Psalm 119 on the delights found in God’s word (for example, v. 47) are at the same time the pleasures of contemplating God’s wisdom. Psalm 19:7–11 also focuses on the law and makes a direct connection to wisdom: “making wise the simple” (v. 7d). Of course, references to God’s counsel presuppose that His advice is wise. Asaph is confident that his Lord guides him in this life by counseling him (73:24a). Actually, God’s laws act as counsellors (119:24), but often people spurn that counsel (107:11), refusing “to walk in his law” (78:10). As a result, the Psalmist concludes, “Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble” (v. 33).

The Wisdom of Creation

The psalmists explicitly connect God’s wisdom to His work of creation in two passages. “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches” (104:24).⁹⁵ The last word in the verse (קִנְיָן, qinyan) is usually translated as “creatures” (NIV, ESV, HCSB, NAB) and refers to possessions, either purchased or created. The variety and intricacy of what God has created required immeasurable wisdom on His part. The second passage focuses on the skill of creating the celestial objects: “To him that by wisdom made the heavens” (Psalm 136:5a). Here the word תְּבוּנָה (tevuwnah, “understanding”) can be translated as “skill” (NASB). The following verses describe His skillful acts: He “stretched out the earth above the waters”; “made … the sun to rule by day”; “the moon and stars to rule by night” (vv. 6–9). Some other psalms that describe creation also indicate the Creator’s wisdom. When David says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork” (19:1), a significant portion of that glory is the wisdom that is revealed in the things He has made.⁹⁶ We marvel at the skill that put the earth, moon, and planets in their orbits. That wonder is there in 8:3, where David says, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.” When the psalmist exclaims, “Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved” (93:1b, NASB), he uses the same expression that appears in 104:5 (בַּל־תִּמּוֹט, bal-timmowt; literally, “it cannot not be shaken”). Since Psalm 104 is clearly about creation, 93:1 can be understood in the same way.⁹⁷ If the earth’s orbit and speed were erratic, ocean tides and our counting of time would be chaotic. Psalm 104 proceeds to provide numerous examples of God’s wise control of the forces of nature to make provision for the needs of plants, animals, and mankind (vv. 10–23).

The Wisdom Psalms

Scholarly studies in Psalms often refer to a group called “wisdom psalms,” those that have some of the characteristics of the wisdom literature in Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes. There is, however, much disagreement over what requirement a particular psalm must meet to fall into this category. There is some consensus on a short list (37, 49, 112, and 128), but wide differences in lists of nine or more. In fact, some scholars even dispute whether it is proper to speak of wisdom psalms.⁹⁸ One way to identify them is by wisdom motifs, indicated by special wisdom vocabulary.⁹⁹ This terminology includes references to wisdom, understanding, the law, parables, fearing God, a contrast of the righteous and wicked, and the blessing that comes from being wise. Table 3.1 provides a list of twelve possible psalms that fall into this category and indicates some of the characteristic wisdom vocabulary in each psalm. Psalm 37 is loaded with wisdom terms. The last three psalms in the list are rather short. As indicated by the double lines, wisdom psalms appear in four of the books of Psalms, with special concentration in Book V. It is quite evident that these sub-themes primarily concern wisdom as it applies to mankind. The attribute of God’s wisdom is not usually transparent in these wisdom psalms, but it is there if we meditate on God’s communication to man.

Table 3.1 Listing of Wisdom Psalms

Psalm	Key Words in the KJV (v. #)
1:	blessed (v. 1), law (v. 2)
19:	law (v. 7), wise (v. 7), fear of the Lord (v. 9)
37:	righteous/wicked (4x), consider (v. 10), wisdom (v. 30), law (v. 31)
49:	wisdom (v. 3), understanding (vv. 3, 20), parable (v. 4), wise (v. 10)
73:	understood (v. 17), counsel (v. 24)
78:	law (vv. 1, 5, 10), parable (v. 2), skilfulness (v. 72)
111:	fear of the Lord (v. 10), wisdom (v. 10), understanding (v. 10)
112:	blessed (v. 1), feareth the Lord (v. 1)
119:	blessed (vv. 1–2), law (25x), counsellors (v. 24), wiser (v. 98)
127:	blessed (v. 5)
128:	blessed (vv. 1–2), feareth the Lord (vv. 1, 4), days of thy life (v. 5)
133:	blessing (v. 3), life for evermore (v. 3)

New Testament Echoes

The Greek word for wisdom (σοφία, sophia) occurs over 50 times in the New Testament, 15 times in 1 Corinthians 1–2. Paul marvels at the magnitude of God’s wisdom (Rom. 11:33), and the church exists to manifest this wisdom to the angelic beings (Eph. 3:10). From His childhood Christ was “filled with wisdom” (Luke 2:40). His wisdom amazed the people of His hometown (Matt. 13:54). As the great Prophet, Christ in His communications to mankind has greater wisdom than Solomon (Matt. 12:42). Jesus referred to Himself as “the wisdom of God” (Luke 11:49). Furthermore, Paul specifically identified Jesus Christ with wisdom: “Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God”; “Jesus Christ, who of God is made unto us wisdom …” (1 Cor. 1:24, 30). Additionally, some of the wisdom psalms are quoted in the New Testament: 19:4 (Rom. 10:18), 78:2 (Matt. 13:35), and 112:9 (2 Cor. 9:9).

The concluding book in the New Testament gives us a glimpse into heaven as John records for us the scene: a scroll sealed with seven seals in the hand of God. No one in heaven is found worthy to open the book until the Lamb of God takes it. The inhabitants of heaven sing a new song, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Rev. 5:12). As the seals are opened, the righteous judgments of God begin to be loosed on the earth. But God’s wisdom will not allow His faithful servants to suffer the penalty which the Lamb has already paid. God stops the progress of the judgment to seal His 144,000 faithful servants among Israel. An innumerable multitude from all nations as well as heavenly beings fall on their faces before the throne, “saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen” (Rev. 7:12). The book of Revelation gives us a detailed description of God’s judgment, but we also see the wisdom of God in a new creation: a Holy City coming down from heaven where God will finally be able to dwell with His people (21:2). The laws that by God’s wisdom sustained the first earth will be changed. This new creation will not need the sun or the moon, for there will be no night, and the Lamb will be its light (21:23). Familiar elements such as fruit trees will be there, but they will bear twelve different fruits according to the month (22:2). The river will flow from the throne of God, not from the top of a mountain (22:1). Just the function of a three-dimensional city in a cubical form (21:16) is unimaginable to us, but the wisdom of God will construct it.

In conclusion, we call attention to the fact that the Holy Spirit, who has communicated wisdom to mankind, exhorts us to be wise. “Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things, and consider the lovingkindnesses of the Lord” (107:43, NASB). We all need to reflect on God’s wise instruction and focus on the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness. The instructive wisdom of Psalm 111 challenges us to contemplate God’s creative wisdom: “Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them” (v. 2, ESV); “He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered” (v. 4a). The psalmist speaks of redemption (v. 9), and in the last verse comes back to wisdom’s great slogan: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (v. 10a).