Proverbs 3:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens;

NIV: By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place;

NASB: The Lord founded the earth by wisdom, He established the heavens by understanding.

CSB: The Lord founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding.

NLT: By wisdom the Lord founded the earth; by understanding he created the heavens.

KJV: The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

NKJV: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens;

To emphasize the extraordinary magnitude of God's wisdom, Solomon appeals to creation. We can only stand in awe of God's creative wisdom. We see signs of it everywhere, from the hummingbird to the Himalayas, from the human body to the heavenly bodies, from the earth below us to the sky above us, from the bluebird to a sunburst, from a minnow to a manatee, and from a rainforest to a rainbow. Only the all-wise God could create such a diverse universe. Psalm 19:1 presents the potent testimony of God's creation: that which God created "declares" His glory.

In the book of Job, God answers Job's struggling questions by reminding him of this same idea. Out of the whirlwind, God asked: "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?…Who determined its measurements…" (Job 38:4–5). No one can fathom the depths of God's wisdom (Isaiah 55:8–9), yet He condescends to share some of His wisdom with those who trust and obey Him. James 1:5 states: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

Proverbs 3:13–26 extols the virtue of wisdom. Solomon began this discussion in chapter 1, and explained in chapter 2 that the Lord gives wisdom to the upright. Now he describes as blessed the person who finds wisdom, and explains its benefits and applications. Wisdom, as used in this book, refers to the ability to apply godly knowledge. While not a guarantee someone will act accordingly, having a grasp of God's intent for our lives is immensely valuable.

This chapter of Proverbs is addressed to Solomon's son. The term, ''my son'' occurs 15 times in chapters 1—7. The words may apply to one of Solomon's students in his court or to one of his biological sons. The application of wisdom in Proverbs 3 shows the benefits of trusting in the Lord with one's whole heart. Solomon credits obedience to and trust in God for longevity, success, guidance, health, reward that exceeds monetary wealth, enjoyment, peace, security, confidence, excellent human relationships, the Lord's blessing and favor, and honor. As with all ''proverbs,'' biblical or otherwise, their purpose is to impart general wisdom, not absolute prophecy. Like the original audience, modern readers are not expected to see these guidelines as absolute guarantees for any one person.

This passage lies in the second section of the book, found in chapters 1—9. The author, King Solomon, reigned over Israel from 971 to 931 BC. The first section of Proverbs, the preface, is found in Proverbs 1:1–7. The third section, chapters 10—22, were also written by Solomon. These proverbs were likely written by Solomon in his middle years, whereas he probably wrote Song of Songs in his early adulthood, and Ecclesiastes near the end of his life. As in the first two chapters, wisdom is stressed in Proverbs 3.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.

Accessed 12/22/2024 1:06:21 AM