Thy Strong Word — Proverbs 18:1-12: The Wisdom of Community

Solomon warns against isolation and selfishness, highlighting that those who separate themselves and seek their own desires rage against all sound judgment. These proverbs emphasize the power of words, noting that a fool’s lips bring strife and invite destruction, while wise and measured speech brings life and healing. These verses also reflect on the folly of hasty decisions and the value of seeking knowledge and understanding.

The Rev. Thomas Eckstein, pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Jamestown, ND, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Proverbs 18:1-12.

Step into the spiritually rich landscape of the Book of Proverbs, a text divinely inspired and attributed to Solomon, the sage king endowed by God with unsurpassed wisdom. This ancient scripture begins with heartfelt lessons from a father to a son, laying a foundation of moral and ethical guidance before unfolding into a collection of timeless proverbs. It uniquely personifies wisdom and folly as two paths that stand before humanity, offering a choice between a life filled with virtue, fear of the Lord, and understanding, and one marred by shortsighted pleasures and foolishness. Proverbs serves as a compass for those seeking to walk in righteousness, offering insights that resonate deeply with the human experience, guiding us toward a life of purpose and discernment according to God’s will.

Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

Thy Strong Word is graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Through the mission gifts of people like you, LHF translates, publishes, distributes and introduces books that are Bible-based, Christ-centered and Reformation-driven. Learn more at lhfmissions.org.

Proverbs 18:1-12

18 Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;
    he breaks out against all sound judgment.
²A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only in expressing his opinion.
³When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
    and with dishonor comes disgrace.
⁴The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
    the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
⁵It is not good to be partial to^[a] the wicked
    or to deprive the righteous of justice.
⁶A fool’s lips walk into a fight,
    and his mouth invites a beating.
⁷A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.
⁸The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
    they go down into the inner parts of the body.
⁹Whoever is slack in his work
    is a brother to him who destroys.
¹⁰The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
    the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
¹¹A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
    and like a high wall in his imagination.
¹²Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty,
    but humility comes before honor.

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Footnotes

Proverbs 18:5 Hebrew to lift the face of

Rev. Dr. Phil Booe

Native North Carolinian Rev. Dr. Phil Booe serves pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, and host of Thy Strong Word on KFUO Radio. His parishioners probably think he can’t teach Bible study without a mug of coffee in his hand, and he’ll always be happy to eat a plate of sushi. When he’s not shepherding his flock or teaching on the radio, you might find him watching bad movies from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and especially binging RiffTrax and MST3K episodes. Some day he’d love to travel to the Lutheran homeland in Germany, but for now he spends time in Minnesota with his wife, son, daughter, and cat, and looks forward to Holy Week every year.