Psalms 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse links the "good understanding" directly to doing God's commandments, not just knowing them. True wisdom isn't just intellectual; it's actively lived out in obedience, proving that practical faith is the very essence of insight.
This psalm has been celebrating God's mighty acts and faithfulness, recounting His powerful deeds and righteous judgments. It calls us to praise Him for His covenant and His commands, which are sure and true. The concluding verse offers the profound insight that true wisdom, understanding, and enduring praise all begin with a deep reverence for the Lord and a commitment to obey Him.
We often hear that 'the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.' But what does that 'fear' actually mean? It's not about trembling in terror!
This isn't a cowering, slave-like dread. The 'fear of the LORD' here is a deep reverence and awe for God's holiness and power. It's a profound respect that leads to valuing God above all else. It means recognizing His authority and His goodness, which then shapes our entire worldview.
If fearing God is the beginning, what's the next step? The verse links wisdom directly to 'doing His commandments.' What does this practical obedience reveal?
True wisdom isn't just intellectual; it's demonstrated through action. Those who truly grasp and revere God don't just hold onto the knowledge; they live it out by obeying His commands. This obedience isn't a burden but a pathway to a 'good understanding.' It clarifies our decisions, helps us discern right from wrong, and leads to a life that honors God.
The psalm concludes with a declaration of God's enduring praise. How does this connect to wisdom and obedience?
The ultimate outcome and focus of wisdom and obedience is God's eternal praise. When we rightly fear Him and follow His ways, our lives become a testament to His character. This leads to a praise that isn't fleeting but has a solid foundation in who God is – unchanging and glorious. It reminds us that our pursuit of wisdom is not for our own glory, but for His.
Understand the original words
yir'ah · Hebrew Noun
A profound, reverential trust and worshipful obedience toward God. It is the foundational recognition of God’s sovereignty and the beginning point of true spiritual knowledge.
chokmah · Hebrew Noun
The ability to perceive, discern, and apply truth according to God's standard. It is practical, lived-out knowledge that leads to righteous behavior.
This passage directly echoes Psalm 111:10, stating that the fear of the LORD is the fundamental starting point for all true knowledge and wisdom, reinforcing the Psalmist's assertion.
Proverbs 9:10This verse further elaborates on the 'fear of the LORD' as the essential beginning of wisdom, highlighting that genuine understanding flows from this reverence for God.
Job 28:28This passage presents a similar idea, suggesting that true wisdom is found in fearing the Lord and turning away from evil, aligning perfectly with the Psalmist's message.
Deuteronomy 4:6This verse connects obedience to God's laws, stemming from a reverent fear of Him, with wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the nations, showing the practical outworking of this principle.
Ecclesiastes 12:13This concluding verse of Ecclesiastes powerfully summarizes the whole duty of humanity, stating that fearing God and keeping His commandments is the ultimate and final wisdom, reinforcing the foundational nature of this fear as presented in the Psalm.
wesleyPsalms 111:10: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever."
111:10 The fear - True religion. Beginning - Is the only foundation of, and introduction to, true wisdom.
poolePsalms 111:10: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever."
The fear of the Lord; piety or true religion, which consists in the fear or worship and service of God. Is the beginning of wisdom; is the only foundation of and introduction to all true wisdom. Or, is the chief part of wisdom ; those things which are most excellent in their kinds being off said to be first , to wit; in dignity, as Numbers…
The verse links the "good understanding" directly to doing God's commandments, not just knowing them. True wisdom isn't just intellectual; it's actively lived out in obedience, proving that practical faith is the very essence of insight.
This psalm has been celebrating God's mighty acts and faithfulness, recounting His powerful deeds and righteous judgments. It calls us to praise Him for His covenant and His commands, which are sure and true. The concluding verse offers the profound insight that true wisdom, understanding, and enduring praise all begin with a deep reverence for the Lord and a commitment to obey Him.
This psalm has been celebrating God's mighty acts and faithfulness, recounting His powerful deeds and righteous judgments. It calls us to praise Him for His covenant and His commands, which are sure and true. The concluding verse offers the profound insight that true wisdom, understanding, and enduring praise all begin with a deep reverence for the Lord and a commitment to obey Him.
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"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!" — The verse links the "good understanding" directly to doing God's commandments, not just knowing them. True wisdom isn't just intellectual; it's actively lived out in obedience, proving that practic…
