Do you want to know what a person is like? One of the best ways is to look at the things the person does. That can say a lot about the person. Look at “their walk and their talk”. It is the same way with the Lord God. If someone wants to know about Him, the best way is to learn what they can about Him. We learn about Him best through His Word, the Bible, but we can also learn a lot about Him by observing His works in the world. It is a sign of wisdom to seek to know the Lord, and that is the topic of today’s psalm.
Our psalmist opens his psalm with his announcement that we should be studying the works of the Lord. How can we do that? The best way to find out about God is by reading the Bible. We can read and study the Bible on our own, and we can get help with Bible study guides, many which can be found online. Hopefully you are able to attend a church which preaches God’s Word faithfully near your home, and many churches have weekly Bible study groups. In the Scriptures we read of many of the Lord’s works, from His creation, to the parting of the Red Sea. From His defeat of Goliath to protecting the three young men in the furnaces of Nebuchadnezzar. And God’s greatest work, of course, was Jesus’ death upon the Cross for our redemption, and His resurrection on the third day (vs. 9).
We also see God’s work in the world around us every day. With spring upon us in the northern hemisphere, we see flowers blooming and the leaves budding on the trees. We hear the birds singing and see nature awakening following its winter sleep. Right now I am hearing a male cardinal singing his heart out in praise to God! All of this is through the hands of God. Today, as I write this, many people across the U.S. will be blessed to see a great work of God in nature, that being a total eclipse of the sun. I am fortunate that the path of the eclipse cuts right across Illinois. Living in the Chicago area I am just a little bit north of where the path of totality is, but I will see 95%. The universe and celestial events don’t fall into place just by some chance. It is the glorious and awesome work of God.
The psalmist continues, finishing in verse 10, by stating that if we want wisdom, we need to have a fear of the Lord. Who doesn’t want wisdom? We all want that! However, as believers we need to be particular about what type of wisdom we seek after. We do not want worldly wisdom. The Book of James in the New Testament speaks about worldly wisdom versus Godly wisdom (James 3:13-18). Worldly wisdom is bitter, envious, self-seeking, sensual, and demonic, and leads to confusion and evil. That leads to no good. God’s wisdom is pure, peace-loving, considerate, gentle, sincere, and full of mercy. We get that when we fear the Lord and are in a strong, trusting relationship with Him.
Having a fear of God is not about being afraid, such as being afraid of the dark, or of the bully down the street, or having a worry or anxiety. Having a fear of the Lord is having a healthy respect for God’s power and authority. Genuine believers should have a healthy fear of the Lord, which leads to respect for His commands, precepts, and principles, which we learn of in His Word. When we fear the Lord, we find it a joy to obey Him.
The more we know God’s Word, the more we will learn about Him, and the more wisdom we will have. When we lose the fear of the Lord, we start to treat Him casually and nonchalantly, and then we start to ignore His Word more. And that leads to losing Godly wisdom. It also can lead to trying to obtain worldly wisdom, which leads to a bad end.
As we close our psalm for the week, fear the Lord, and seek to know Him by studying His Word and through His creation. Only in that way will you find Godly wisdom for your life.
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