“I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate” (Prov. 8:12-13).
“I wisdom”
Father, You are the All-Wise God, and true wisdom comes from above for Your Word says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17).
Please, will You bless me with the wisdom from above? James has told me I will meet trials in this life and am to consider them joy. However, he also told me that if I need wisdom in approaching my trials, I must pray for it because You are a God Who gives generously to all without reproach.
I see in Your Word that wisdom is to be prized more than all the riches in the world. It is more valuable than all the kingdoms and their wealth. Nothing can be compared with wisdom.
Through wisdom, I will be able to approach the various circumstances of life and please You in them all. It is through wisdom that my life will stand when the storm hits.
“dwell”
Teach me, Lord, where wisdom dwells. I want to know how to find it.
Your Word has ensured that when I seek wisdom, I will find it, for Solomon says, “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding…Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding” (Prov. 2:1-2, 5-6).
Open my ears unto wisdom and teach me to search for it diligently.
“with prudence”
Father, Your Word tells me that wisdom dwells with prudence. Thus, I am ensured that I will also have good judgment when I have wisdom. I am reminded of Solomon, who prayed for wisdom so that he would be able to lead the people. Wisdom does not stand alone but is accompanied by many friends.
Therefore Solomon prayed, “And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people” (1 Kings 3:8-9).
Father, I pray that You would bless me with wisdom so that I, too, can properly judge the various matters of my life.
“and find out knowledge of witty inventions”
I am given a glimpse of what I ought to be seeking. You have told me to seek wisdom and prudence. Now I am made aware that I must also be seeking knowledge. Please help me to grow in my knowledge and understanding of You.
Please, manifest Your Spirit in my life in more significant measure. Teach me to see what You would have for me in Your Word, not simply letters on a page. I desire to know You, not merely things about You.
“The fear of the Lord”
When I learn to grow in my fear of You, I realize many other benefits will arise. I will walk in holiness to the degree that I fear Your name. I will grow in knowledge and understanding when my fear of You increases. At the same time, I am encouraged by the promises in Your Word.
You have said, “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men” (Ps. 31:19).
And again I am told, “But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10:53). I desire to be accepted by You. I know I am accepted in Christ, but I am convinced that You will dwell with me in greater measure as I learn to fear Your name.
“is to hate evil”
Father, You tell me that to fear You is to hate evil. Therefore, teach me to hate what You hate. I am also aware that hatred is not necessarily wrong as long as it is biblical. Work in my heart this day and show me where I fall short.
Search me and reveal if there are any grievous ways within me and lead me along the everlasting path.
I know that sin is deceiving, and I do not know all my shortcomings. I know I need more of Your Spirit and His sanctifying work in my life. Please help me to be dependent on You in my fight against sin.
“pride”
In the Garden, Adam and Eve fell because of their sin. Pride is self-exalting, and when they ate the fruit of the tree, they inevitability sought to exalt themselves above Your rule and authority.
You created man to have dominion over the earth, but You made man to be under submission to You.
Some may wonder why You placed a tree in the Garden and told Adam and Eve not to eat from it. But it is evident that despite their authority in the land, they needed to know they were still under authority. The tree proclaimed that message clearly, for they were aware of Your law and reign whenever they looked upon it.
Nevertheless, they ate, and sin entered the world. Since then, pride has been at the root of every sin. Pride will never cease until the final day of redemption. However, I pray that You would teach me to hate pride and put it to death wherever I see it in my life.
“arrogancy”
Father, You have also told me to hate arrogance. I recognize the close connection between pride and arrogance. Help me to live for You and not for the praise of man. Teach me to be humble in what You have given me, my gifts, and whatever You have helped me to accomplish in life. Teach me what it means to be selfless and to seek to know others rather than be known.
“and the evil way,”
I must not only hate evil, but I must also learn to hate the evil way. There is a way in which evil travels. The way of holiness is a well-worn path. But unfortunately, the way of evil is the broad path that contains a wide gate.
It is easy to travel down the way of evil. There is little resistance on the evil way, but many have found that it is the path to destruction.
Thank You for the warnings in Your Word. Teach me to enter through the narrow gate and take the hard path, for it is the path that leads to life.
“and the froward mouth”
My words matter. You are concerned about the words I speak, when I speak them, and how I speak them.
You have told me, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account therof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matt. 13:36-37).
Thank You for declaring me righteous in Christ. At the same time, I am made aware that when my words are not what they ought to be, I can know that there is a problem within my heart. Therefore, cleanse my heart from wickedness and teach me to honor You.
“do I hate”
Help me be like Joseph, who could not succumb to evil and sin against You. He prized You above sin. He was like Moses, who forsook the fleeting pleasures of Egypt because he considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth.
Teach me to be like You. Your Word says that we are one. I pray that this reality will be seen more remarkably in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.