Solomon begins his introduction of Proverbs with these words: “The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight . . .” Right from the start, we know what this book is all about. Or do we? Not if we don’t understand the meaning of “wisdom” or what is meant by “to know wisdom.” In God’s Wisdom in Proverbs, Dan Phillips explains that the word “know” does not indicate mere possession of facts about a person or subject (you may have heard this in connection with Romans 8:29). This is knowing, as it is said, “in the biblical sense.” It is an intimate relationship, in this case, with wisdom.
What, then, is this wisdom that Solomon wants us to know? We often think of it as an exceptional cleverness, the ability to make good decisions, or to solve problems like Solomon did (1 Kings 3:16ff). But anyone, believer or infidel, could possess those qualities. Biblical wisdom is more than that.
One is not truly wise unless he knows the Lord personally. Solomon will make this very clear when he says, “The beginning of wisdom is the feat of Yahweh, And the knowledge of the Holy Ones is discernment” (Prov. 9:10 DJP). Though Proverbs is much concerned with what we might call “horizontal success”—success in relationships, business, character-building—it is no less concerned with success in our vertical relationship with God. It is as Archer says: hokmâ [wisdom] “came to be applied to the art of getting along successfully with God and with men.”
The wisdom with which Solomon proposes to acquaint us, then, is skill for living in the fear of Yahweh. It subsumes all under the Godhead of God (Prov. 1:7; 9:10; 31:30) and casts every bit of life within that framework. This God-centered wisdom will encompass all our endeavors, including excellence in relationships, in personal pursuits, finances, child-rearing, “the whole shooting match.” But the constant backdrop of these living skills will be the imperative of a life lived in reverence for God, in conscious application of His revealed wisdom, and dedicated to promoting His glory.
—Dan Phillips, God’s Wisdom in Proverbs (Kress Biblical Resources, 2011), 39–40.
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