Proverbs 2:9
Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity--every good path.
Sermons
The Conditions of Religious KnowledgeE. Johnson Proverbs 2:1-9
The Course, the Goal, and the Prize of WisdomW. Clarkson Proverbs 2:1-9














The previous chapter having shown us in a variety of representations the necessity and the worth of wisdom, the question is now dealt with - How shall it be sought and attained?

I. CONDITIONS ON MAN'S SIDE. The enumeration is climactic, proceeding from the less strong to the stronger expressions.

1. Receptivity. The open mind and heart, ever ready to "adopt" true sentiments and appropriate them as one's own. The point is not to ask - Who says this? By what channel does it come to me? But - Is it sound? is it true? If so, it is for me, and shall be made my own. Truth is common property.

2. Attention, concentration, assimilation. "Keeping her commands with us." The thorough student finds it necessary to exercise his memory, and to help it by the use of notebooks, where he hides his knowledge. So must we hive and store, arrange and digest, our religious impressions, which otherwise "go in at one ear and out at the other." Short germ sayings may be thus kept in the memory; they will burst into fertility some day.

3. Active application. In figurative language "bending the ear" and "turning the heart" in the desired direction. The mind must not be passive in religion. It is no process of "cramming," but of personal, original, spiritual activity throughout.

4. Passionate craving and prayerfulness. "Calling Sense to one's side, and raising one's voice to Prudence" - to give another rendering to ver. 3. We must invoke the spirit of Wisdom for the needs of daily conduct; thus placing ourselves in living relation with what is our true nature. Fra Angelico prayed before his easel; Cromwell, in his tent on the eve of battle. So must the thinker in his study, the preacher in his pulpit, the merchant at his desk, if he would have the true clearness of vision and the only genuine success. True prayer is always for the universal, not the private, good.

5. Persevering and laborious exertion. illustrated by the miner's toil. The passage (Job 28.), of extraordinary picturesque power and interest, describing the miner's operations, may help us to appreciate the Illustration. The pursuit of what is ideal is still more arduous than that of the material, as silver and gold. It is often said that the perseverance of the unholy worker shames the sloth of the spiritual man. But let us not ignore the other side. The toil in the spiritual region is not obvious to the eye like the other, but is not the less really practised in silence by thousands of faithful souls. We should reflect on the immense travail of soul it has cost to produce the book which stirs us like a new force, though it may appear to flow with consummate ease from the pen. Such are the conditions of "understanding the fear of Jehovah," or, in modern language, of appropriating, making religion our own; "receiving the things of the Spirit of God," in the language of St. Paul (1 Corinthians 2:14). It is the highest human possession, because permanent, inalienable, and preservative amidst life's ills.

II. CONDITIONS ON THE SIDE OF GOD. If religion be the union or identification of the soul with God, he must be related to us in such a way as makes this possible.

1. He is wisdom's Source and Giver. He not only contains in himself that knowledge which, reflected in us, becomes prudence, sense, wisdom, piety; he is an active Will and a self-communicating Spirit. The ancients had a glimpse of this when they said that the gods were not of so grudging or envious a nature as not to reveal their good to men. God is self-revealing; "freely gives of his things" to us, that we may know, and in knowing, possess them.

2. His wisdom is saving. "Sound wisdom" (ver. 7) may be better rendered soundness, or salvation, or health, or saving health. It seems to come from a root signifying the essential or actual. Nothing is essential but health for sensuous enjoyment; nothing but health, in the larger sense, for spiritual enjoyment. Let us think of God as himself absolute Health, and thus the Giver of all health and happiness to his creatures.

3. He is Protector of the faithful. The Hebrew imagination, informed by constant scenes of war, delights to represent him as the Buckler or Shield of his servants (Psalm 18:2; Psalm 33:20; Psalm 89:19). Those who "walk in innocence" seem to bear a charmed life. They "fear no evil," for he is with them. The vast sky is their tent roof. They may be slain, but cannot be hurt. To be snatched from this world is to be caught to his arms.

4. He is eternal Justice. Being this in himself, the "way of his saints," which is synonymous with human rectitude, cannot be indifferent to him. Right is the highest idea we can associate with God. It is exempt from the possible suspicion of weakness or misdirection which may cleave to the mere idea of goodness or kindness. It essentially includes might. Thus the soul finds shelter beneath this vast and majestic conception and faith of its God. These, then, are the conditions, Divine and human, of religion. That we may realize it in ourselves, "understand right, justice, and equity" - in a word, "every good way" of life and thought, uniting piety with morality - the conditions must be faithfully fulfilled. Perfect bodily health may not be attainable; some of its conditions lie without the sphere of freedom, and within that of necessary law. Spiritual health is attainable, for it lies within the sphere of freedom. Then God is realized; it is the ether of the soul, and the region of love and light and blessedness. - J.

He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous.
I. THE CHARACTER OF GOOD MEN.

1. They are spoken of as the "righteous." The moral code of the universe may be reduced to two words: "Be just." Be just to yourselves, to others, and to God. Virtue, morality, and religion constitute a righteous man.

2. They are spoken of as "walking uprightly." Goodness in all moral creatures is not stationary, but progressive.

3. They are spoken of as "saints." They are consecrated to God's service, set apart to His use; they are the living and imperishable temples of the Holy Ghost.

II. THE GOD OF GOOD MEN.

1. His relation to creation generally. He is the great original, central, exhaustless fountain of intelligence. The "Father of lights" — the light of instinct, reason, genius, conscience. Wherever there is a ray of truth, a beam of intelligence, a gleam of virtue, there is God, and in them He should be recognised and worshipped.

2. His relation to the good in particular. He makes special provision for them. He provides for their instruction. He is their buckler, their shield, and their enemies must strike through Him to injure them. He superintends their career. He vouchsafes their ultimate perfection.

(David Thomas, D. D.)

Not more necessary are constant supplies of water to the growth of vegetation in the sultry regions of the East than the influence of Divine truth to the existence of human happiness. If a tree, planted by the margin of a refreshing river, is proof against the heat of the sun or the unfavourableness of the seasons, he also who, into a well-prepared heart, receives continual infusions of religious wisdom, is flourishing and happy amidst all the inconveniences of life.

(Bp. Jebb.)

A buckler to them that walk uprightly
We are ill keepers of our own goodness and wisdom. God therefore is pleased to lay it up for us, and that it may be safe, Himself is the buckler and safeguard of it. But it must be sound and real wisdom and goodness, or else He careth not for it. The word translated "sound wisdom" signifieth essence or being; but it is used also to signify virtue, wisdom, and the law of God, because other things pass away, but they have a durable being — they make the well-being of man, they support the being of all things that are. As a buckler taketh the blows on itself which are directed to another, so God taketh the wrongs done to the righteous as done to Himself, and so doth receive them, as that He taketh away the hurt from His servants. The buckler also shows that they who will live uprightly must strive and fight. Let every one resist the enemy valiantly, for he that resisteth shall have an unwearied helper, and triumphing shall not want a bountiful rewarder. God will defend and preserve those that walk uprightly from falling into errors in seeking for wisdom. It is from God, by fearing Him, that wisdom is obtained, and that wisdom so obtained is alone sound wisdom. The paths of judgment God will keep for Himself, the ways of holiness He will preserve for His saints; and He preserving the ways of holiness, the ways will preserve them that walk in them. The words may, however, mean, He will so keep judgment that He will preserve mercy; He will so preserve mercy that He will keep judgment. The ways cross not so much in themselves but that they can meet in Him. Note that they are but paths, narrow paths of judgment, which the Lord keepeth, but it is a broad way of mercy which He preserveth. The force of ver. 8 is that God, who is Himself exact righteousness, guideth His servants in the ways of righteousness. The word "understanding" may seem to be derived from standing, according as the Greek word also hath its derivation. Clemens Alexandrinus giveth the reason of the derivation, because understanding doth stay and settle the mind, which, before being unresolved, was carried hither and thither. But though this be true of a natural understanding, yet a spiritual understanding doth rather consist in walking the paths that lead from earthly things to heavenly. To understand righteousness is from a civil righteousness to walk to a religious righteousness.

(M. Jermin.)

People
Solomon
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Acting, Behaviour, Course, Discern, Equity, Fair, Judgment, Justice, Path, Righteousness, Understand, Understandest, Upright, Uprightness, Yea
Outline
1. wisdom promises godliness to her children
10. and safety from evil company
20. and direction in good ways

Dictionary of Bible Themes
Proverbs 2:9

     8355   understanding

Proverbs 2:6-11

     8367   wisdom, importance of

Library
The Beginning and End of Wisdom
PROVERBS ii. 2, 3, 5. If thou incline thine ear to wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after wisdom, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. We shall see something curious in the last of these verses, when we compare it with one in the chapter before. The chapter before says, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That if we wish to be wise at all, we must BEGIN by
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God

The Red Lamp.
Travelling by express train the other day, we found that we were stopped a long distance from the station where we were timed to stop, and looking out of the window, saw a red light ahead. That accounted for it, we knew there was something in the way. The driver knew what he was about, and though anxious to go on, did not move until the red light was changed to white. Some of those who read this paper are living in sin. To such, the Bible speaks out in plain terms, and, like the Red Light, would
Thomas Champness—Broken Bread

Notes on the Fourth Century
Page 238. Med. 1. In the wording of this meditation, and of several other passages in the Fourth Century, it seems as though Traherne is speaking not of himself, but of, a friend and teacher of his. He did this, no doubt, in order that he might not lay himself open to the charge of over-egotism. Yet that he is throughout relating his own experiences is proved by the fact that this Meditation, as first written, contains passages which the author afterwards marked for omission. In its original form
Thomas Traherne—Centuries of Meditations

Letter xxiv (Circa A. D. 1126) to Oger, Regular Canon
To Oger, Regular Canon [34] Bernard blames him for his resignation of his pastoral charge, although made from the love of a calm and pious life. None the less, he instructs him how, after becoming a private person, he ought to live in community. To Brother Oger, the Canon, Brother Bernard, monk but sinner, wishes that he may walk worthily of God even to the end, and embraces him with the fullest affection. 1. If I seem to have been too slow in replying to your letter, ascribe it to my not having
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Truth Hidden when not Sought After.
"They shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."--2 Tim. iv. 4. From these words of the blessed Apostle, written shortly before he suffered martyrdom, we learn, that there is such a thing as religious truth, and therefore there is such a thing as religious error. We learn that religious truth is one--and therefore that all views of religion but one are wrong. And we learn, moreover, that so it was to be (for his words are a prophecy) that professed Christians,
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

Sundry Sharp Reproofs
This doctrine draws up a charge against several sorts: 1 Those that think themselves good Christians, yet have not learned this art of holy mourning. Luther calls mourning a rare herb'. Men have tears to shed for other things, but have none to spare for their sins. There are many murmurers, but few mourners. Most are like the stony ground which lacked moisture' (Luke 8:6). We have many cry out of hard times, but they are not sensible of hard hearts. Hot and dry is the worst temper of the body. Sure
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Sunday Before Lent
Text: First Corinthians 13. 1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

The Knowledge of God
'The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.' I Sam 2:2. Glorious things are spoken of God; he transcends our thoughts, and the praises of angels. God's glory lies chiefly in his attributes, which are the several beams by which the divine nature shines forth. Among other of his orient excellencies, this is not the least, The Lord is a God of knowledge; or as the Hebrew word is, A God of knowledges.' Through the bright mirror of his own essence, he has a full idea and cognisance
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

"But Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness," &C.
Matt. vi. 33.--"But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness," &c. This is a part of Christ's long sermon. He is dissuading his disciples and the people from carnal carefulness and worldly mindedness. The sermon holds out the Christian's diverse aspects towards spiritual and external things. What is the Christian's disposition in regard to the world, how should he look upon food, raiment, and all things necessary in this life? "Be careful for nothing." "Take no thought for your life,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Proverbs
Many specimens of the so-called Wisdom Literature are preserved for us in the book of Proverbs, for its contents are by no means confined to what we call proverbs. The first nine chapters constitute a continuous discourse, almost in the manner of a sermon; and of the last two chapters, ch. xxx. is largely made up of enigmas, and xxxi. is in part a description of the good housewife. All, however, are rightly subsumed under the idea of wisdom, which to the Hebrew had always moral relations. The Hebrew
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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