Wisdom and understanding

“My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.” (Psalm 49:3)

Hello my friend…

Today I speak briefly of wisdom. The Bible has much to say on this subject; however, we shall only share a few thoughts on it. I encourage you to run a basic Bible concordance-led study of this topic. Just read every verse you can find that is listed in the concordance of your Bible. Of course, many of us have more detailed study materials at our disposal, but the most basic concordance will get you enough to understand what God has to share with you.

In today’s passage we read the words of King David. David, of course, grew up in a godly home and he was very familiar with the God of heaven. Remember, he wrote most of the Psalms – songs of praise, songs of worship, songs of intreaty, songs of encouragement. David, as a young lad, was a shepherd for his father’s flock. Through the years, he was anointed as the next king of Israel (when he was still a teenager, it is believed), he was hand-chosen to live in the king’s chambers to minister to him when he was upset or angry, then finally became the sitting king.

He had communed with God in his heart through meditation and song while shepherding his father’s flock, so he had personal contact and an intimate relationship with God as he matured. Later, when he became the king, David was able to continue enjoying that relationship with his heavenly Father. God would speak to him of battles, of conflicts within his own kingdom, of direction and guidance and he would obey. Later on, Paul understood fully what David was speaking of in this verse because he, like many others, had walked with Christ for years. Like David with the Psalms, Paul wrote most of the New Testament. Paul had a deep well of experiences from which to draw his words to the early church.

In today’s passage, David wrote of wisdom first. When we think of wisdom, we often think of Solomon from the Bible, Confucious from the Orient, we think of Sigmund Freud, Wayne Dyer – whoever “speaks” to you about life. I close my eyes and picture an old man sitting atop a mountain, dressed in a white robe, answering peoples’ questions. In other words, we often think of wisdom as a passive, purely mental accumulation of thoughts. We think of it as peaceful, of non-violent, of words and nothing else. But the word David used here for wisdom is used throughout the Old Testament and it is related to the word meaning “skill (in war), wisdom (in administration), shrewdness, prudence (in religious affairs), wisdom (ethical and religious).” In other words, the wisdom of which David wrote here is not a sit-back-and -wait or just someone spewing great-sounding platitudes, but of someone who has battle-tested, time-tested, life-approved, applied principles and ideals that work in the real world – unlike some of the “counsel” we receive that sounds good but affects nothing. David wrote that his mouth would speak of wisdom. Scripture proves that David was an excellent mentor and leader.

The second part of the verse says that the meditation of his heart would be of understanding. The word David used for understanding means “skill, intelligence, understanding, insight.” David declares that he would spend his quiet moments contemplating “normal” things – guy things – normal human intelligence things. He would spend time thinking of experiences in his life, of things he had done and seen, and tying it to God’s protection, His guidance, and His providence. We read in scripture that out of the heart the mouth speaketh. So it was with David, and so it should be with each of us as Christians. If you listen to someone long enough, you will discover what is in their heart.

Our challenge today, my friend, is to pay attention to what you say during the course of a day. What words do you speak? Do you speak words of godly encouragement and wisdom, or do you speak words of doubt, discouragement, and discontent? Do you spend your time filling your mind with the latest on Entertainment Tonight, or do you spend some time with God and His Word? Are you more familiar with Love Island than with the Isle of Patmos? Can you tell the stories of different contestants on Survivor but don’t know the encounters of Paul? Are your words filled with words of comfort to those who mourn? Do you lift up the lives of those around you, or do they leave your presence feeling the same as when they came to you? What we say reflects the condition of our hearts. How is your heart today?

My prayer for you is that you are filled with the love of Christ, are walking according to the leading of His Holy Spirit, and that “...these signs shall follow (you); In (Jesus’) name shall (you) cast out devils; (you) shall speak with new tongues; (You) shall take up serpents; and if (you) drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt (you); (you) shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (adapted from Mark 16:17-18).

Be blessed.