"7 Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom, And with all you acquire, acquire understanding. 8 Highly esteem it, and it will exalt you. It will honor you because you embrace it. 9 It will place an attractive wreath on your head; It will adorn you with a crown of beauty.” 10 Listen, my son, and accept my sayings, And the years of your life will be many."
Prove 4:7 True wisdom is the ability to apply divine knowledge successfully, in harmony with God's right standards, for the benefit of others and ourselves. Understanding sees how to put the pieces together of something, especially something of divine importance. The Scriptures says "Make sure of the more important things." (Phili 1:10). Let's seek God's wisdom and understanding by giving adequate attention and reflection on God's word, including Proverbs.
Prove 4:8-9 Humbly working to grow in divine wisdom, while respecting God's greatness, will in turn bring us honor from God. It will cause our thoughts and words to be more pleasing to God and others of obedient, God-fearing mankind. While we all want to be liked, respected, or appreciated by others, there may be a snare, trap, or pitfall in this desire if excessive. We should all stand for God's wisdom, His right standards. Yet, God allows free will--He gives us the opportunity to choose to obey Him out of love for Him. Not everyone has made such a choice. Thus, when we stand for what's right, we may find out who really respects us for who we are and what we stand for, and who doesn't! But standing for what's right sets the example for such ones to find everlasting life themselves, if they may turn to God and His ways. While we shouldn't be overly judgmental or condemning of others, we are made in the image of God to make judgments--we want to judge others well, with compassion and mercy wherever possible. We should judge impartially--not by ethnicity, race, skin color, economic standing, etc. but rather by their actions--their choices between good and bad. If someone makes foolish, bad decisions, or acts in wrong ways, we may rightly judge them to be poor associates, at least until they learn to turn around from such behaviors. We still love such ones, and may seek to help them understand the right way to live, but we must do so with the greatest of caution, as they themselves may try to influence us against what is right! Thus, 1Corinthians 15:33 exhorts: "Do not be misled. 'Bad company corrupts good character.'" (NIV). And Proverbs 13:20 similarly says: "Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm." (NIV). Therefore, hold true to God, and look forward to the day when all earth's inhabitants will be friends of God, genuinely respecting Him and each other, living right and loyally loving one another! (Psalm 37:29; 2Peter 3:13).
Prove 4:10 God's guidance and direction does generally contribute to longer life now, but much more in receiving His reward of endless life in the future. Thus, once again, the key to a long, satisfying life is in pleasing God--listening, and accepting His sayings. Jehovah is the God of truth, and does not intentionally lie to us. He thus has proven eminently trustworthy, reliable. Such a loving father, who cares for each of us, we should ever want to please Him and offer Him acceptable worship--even if just by accepting the truth from God, letting it touch our heart by pondering it's value in our life, and thereby living and acting in harmony with it. Since it is the truth, we should practice honesty ourselves, "speaking the truth in [our] heart," and not dealing deceitfully with others (Psalm 15:2). Encouraging such qualities as humility, reliance upon God, doing good work, and being rich in fine works, 1Timothy 6:17-19 thus helps all to "get a firm hold on the real life." It then cautions against the contradiction of the "falsely called 'knowledge.'"--so-called knowledge that teaches lies, violating what is holy, and opposing the truth of God. May we be alert to such things, and truly accept and treasure the sayings of God!
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Verse 58 for instance pleads "I appeal to you with all my heart; Show me favor according to your promise." Verses 61-64 read: "The ropes of the wicked surround me, But your law I do not forget. 62 At midnight I get up to give you thanks For your righteous judgments. 63 I am a friend of all who fear you And of those who keep your orders. 64 Your loyal love, O Jehovah, fills the earth;Teach me your regulations."
REMEMBER GOD'S LAW. Psalm 119:61 Even if lawless ones seem to have us "cornered," may we remember God's law, like the psalmist. Keep in mind, our love is both ways, for God and humans. It is not only God's love for us, but our love for Him, which we show by keeping His commandments. As 1John 5:3 says "This is what the love of God means, that we observe His commandments, and yet His commandments are not burdensome." Likewise, it is not only the love of other humans for us--we should be unsefishly loving others, acting as an extension of God's hand in kind acts and loyal patience in dealing with our neighbors. Such love, however, may take time to cultivate, with appreciation for God's love, as well as faith, or deep trust, in Him and His son, as a foundation for Christian discipleship, imitating the way Jesus honored God and loved others, while seeking purity of heart and maintaining a humble view of ourselves. (Colos 3:12). If "cornered," there may be only one right way of "escape"--maintaining firm obedience to God--prayerfully look for the "way out" God makes available for you to endure your trial faithfully, with integrity (1Cori 10:13).
'ALWAYS PLEASING HIM.' Psalm 119:62 Recall God's word emphasizes His "faithfulness during the nights." God's "righteous judgments" demonstrate His faithfulness toward humans, as He is loyal to His own right standards. When He judges, or evaluates a situation, He decides according to what is right, just, fair and true. How thankful we should be for God's adherence to righteousness--His own integrity! And may we imitate such integrity in our own life, seeking always to please Him by doing right ourselves. At John 8:29, we read of Jesus: "And the One who sent me is with me; he did not abandon me to myself, because I always do the things pleasing to him.”
UNITED BY GOD OF PEACE. Psalm 119:63 Here is another joy of loving God first and serving Him faithfully--we may find delightful association with others who are equally devoted to Jehovah, holding to His standards. The genuine fear of God is not a morbid one--while respecting His greatness and power, we fear displeasing or hurting Him, wanting nothing to hinder His love. Thus, godly fear and love are spoken of together in the Scriptures. (Deute 10:12; Psalm 103:11). It is ONLY by the united loyalty to Jehovah God that genuine peace and love can flourish, having His support and blessing! Proverbs 10:22 reminds us: "It is the blessing of Jehovah that makes one rich, And He adds no pain with it." Psalm 133:1 expresses the result, in saying: "Look! How good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!" Together, we treasure loyalty and faithfulness to God, shown by our obedience.