“The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding He hath established the heavens.” Astronomers tell us that the location of the different heavenly bodies lend themselves to an exact mathematical analysis, which forces them to conclude that it was planned that way.
Next we are told that “By His knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.”
“Keep sound wisdom and discretion: so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.... For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”
As wisdom is personified as that true counsel that comes from above, so “the wicked” is personified as that which comes from beneath, from the great enemy of man who ever seeks to cause man to turn aside and to be wise in his own eyes.
Then we have warnings against what comes from having a deceitful heart within, and it is one of our hardest lessons to learn that such is the case. “For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but His secret is with the righteous. The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but He blesseth the habitation of the just.” We are told in Jeremiah 17:99The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9), “The heart is deceitful above all things, and incurable; who can know it?” (J. N. D. Trans.) The answer is: “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins (inward thoughts and feelings) even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” These warnings bring out the importance of confiding in the Lord and reading His Word. In Psalm 25 we are told that “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.” The lack of these things causes one to lean on his own understanding and to adopt the ways of the world. Such are called scorners here. The Lord “scorneth the scorners: but He giveth grace unto the lowly.”
“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.” This is wholesome instruction. How many have cherished sound principles and desired to do good, but have kept putting off doing it until the time is gone. Procrastination only brings sad reflections later on. To avoid such we ought, as another has said, to keep as few good intentions hovering about as possible. When writing to the believers at Corinth about sending help to their poor brethren in Jerusalem the Apostle could say, “Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance out of that which ye have.” 2 Cor. 8:1111Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. (2 Corinthians 8:11).
“Envy thou not the oppressor (the man of violence), and choose none of his ways.” In the world we see men who do not get their own way resorting to violence, but the Spirit of Christ in a Christian would lead him to act entirely opposite to this. We are reminded of the words of the Lord Jesus: “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matt. 11:2929Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:29).
The chapter ends with “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.”
ML 08/20/1961