The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. (Psalm 19:7b NIV)
We all need wisdom. No matter how smart we are, no matter how much we know, no matter how much experience we have, we don’t always know what to do or what to say or how to respond when we’re faced with life’s challenges. But God does; and He has given us access to His infinite wisdom via His Word.
King David tells us that “The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” We can trust the Bible because we can trust God. God’s Word will never lead us astray or let us down because God will never lead us astray or let us down.
Perhaps the biggest challenge to accessing God’s wisdom is that it requires humility. We don’t like to think of ourselves as “simple;” but in comparison to God, that’s exactly what we are. When we approach the Bible with the recognition that God is God and we are not, we’ll find the wisdom that we’re seeking.
David’s son, Solomon, is widely regarded as the wisest man of his day. When Solomon became king after his father’s death, God asked him what he would like God to give him. Solomon chose wisdom rather than riches or power, because he understood that God was the source of all wisdom. God was pleased with Solomon’s humble response, so He gave him the wisdom he had requested; and He also gave him wealth and honor (2 Chronicles 1:1-12). Solomon’s God-given wisdom was so great that even the Queen of Sheba came to see him so she could experience his wisdom first-hand (2 Chronicles 9:1-12).
Later in his life Solomon wrote down much of what he had learned. We have a record of some of his wisdom in the Books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. If you’re looking for a place to find God’s wisdom, Proverbs is a great place to start.
The next time you read the Bible, whether you’re reading Proverbs or something else, ask God to give you an attitude of humility and submission so that you can gain wisdom, recognizing that God is wiser than we are and that we can trust His Word because we can trust Him.
Do you have any favorite examples of God’s wisdom from the Bible? Feel free share them below.