Psalm 111

Scripture

Psalm‬ ‭111:10‬ ‭NLT

“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!”

Observation-What does it say?

Psalm 111 is a psalm of praise and thanksgiving. The psalmist gives all glory and honor to God for all He has done. God’s provision, protection, faithfulness, trustworthiness, and wisdom are worthy to be praised.

Understanding-What does it mean?

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.

There are other verses in the Bible that state this. The book of Proverbs, written by one of the wisest people ever, King Solomon, states this multiple times in scripture.

“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”-Proverbs‬ ‭1:7

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“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.”-‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭9:10

It’s a phrase used in scripture that can be confusing at times. What does it mean to fear the Lord? Should I be scared of God like He is some scary monster out to get me? I think to get a better understanding of what it means to “fear the Lord” we need to define the biblical word of fear.

In the Bible, the word translated “fear” can mean several things. It can refer to the terror one feels in a frightening situation (Deuteronomy 2:25). It can mean “respect” in the way a servant fears his master and serves him faithfully (Joshua 24:14). Fear can also denote the reverence or awe a person feels in the presence of greatness (Isaiah 6:5). The fear of the Lord is a combination of all of these.

Fearing God to me is understanding just how holy and mighty God is. Fearing God is knowing just how BIG He is, and how we are just a mere speck of dust in comparison. It’s about recognizing that God is the creator of the universe and is all knowing. It’s knowing that He is the King of Kings, and is on the throne. It puts us in our true place. A place where we can humbly bow down and worship Him. When the reality of God’s true nature has caused us to fall down in worship, we are then in the right position to gain wisdom. Wisdom is merely seeing life from God’s perspective and responding accordingly. Wisdom is a priority, and we are told to seek it above all else.

“Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding.” Proverbs‬ ‭3:13

Life Application

Desire heavenly wisdom over earthly wisdom.

Until our hearts are in a right relationship with God, we are unable to have the “wisdom that comes from heaven”.

“But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.”-‭‭James‬ ‭3:17-18‬

Without the fear of the Lord, we may gain knowledge of earthly things and make some practical choices for this life, but we are missing the one ingredient that defines a wise person. Will you choose to be a wise person today?

-Moses Gaddi