Thy Strong Word — Proverbs 3:13-35: Wisdom is More Precious than Silver and Gold

Solomon presents godly wisdom and understanding as treasures that surpass all material wealth, emphasizing their unparalleled value in securing a fulfilling and prosperous life. Through these verses, he delineates the manifold blessings of embracing wisdom, including longevity, peace, divine favor, and protection. Solomon advises his readers to lean not on their own insight but to trust wholly in the Lord, to honor God with their resources, and to perceive divine discipline as an expression of God’s love.

The Rev. Brian Davies, pastor of Lord of Glory Lutheran Church in Grayslake, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Proverbs 3:13-35.

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.

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Proverbs 3:13-35

Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom

¹³Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding,
¹⁴for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
    and her profit better than gold.
¹⁵She is more precious than jewels,
    and nothing you desire can compare with her.
¹⁶Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are riches and honor.
¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
    and all her paths are peace.
¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
    those who hold her fast are called blessed.

¹⁹The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding he established the heavens;
²⁰by his knowledge the deeps broke open,
and the clouds drop down the dew.

²¹My son, do not lose sight of these—
    keep sound wisdom and discretion,
²²and they will be life for your soul
    and adornment for your neck.
²³Then you will walk on your way securely,
    and your foot will not stumble.
²⁴If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
²⁵Do not be afraid of sudden terror
    or of the ruin^[a] of the wicked, when it comes,
²⁶for the Lord will be your confidence
    and will keep your foot from being caught.
²⁷Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,^[b]
    when it is in your power to do it.

²⁸Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
    tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
²⁹Do not plan evil against your neighbor,
    who dwells trustingly beside you.
³⁰Do not contend with a man for no reason,
    when he has done you no harm.
³¹Do not envy a man of violence
    and do not choose any of his ways,
³²for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,
    but the upright are in his confidence.
³³The Lord‘s curse is on the house of the wicked,
    but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
³⁴Toward the scorners he is scornful,
    but to the humble he gives favor.^[c]
³⁵The wise will inherit honor,
    but fools get^[d] disgrace.

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Footnotes

Proverbs 3:25 Hebrew storm
Proverbs 3:27 Hebrew Do not withhold good from its owners
Proverbs 3:34 Or grace
Proverbs 3:35 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain

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.