Week 27: Psalm 145 – Proverbs 21

The Hebrew people divided (Old-Testament) Scripture into three primary sections: the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. The third division, the Writings, include such books as Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.

This week, as we complete our reading of the Psalms and move into Proverbs, we stay within the Writings…but move into a very different literary tradition, which we call Wisdom Literature.

This week’s readings are as follows:
• Weekend: Psalms 145-150
• Monday: Proverbs 1-5
• Tuesday: Proverbs 6-9
• Wednesday: Proverbs 10-13
• Thursday: Proverbs 14-17
• Friday: Proverbs 18-21

King Solomon wrote most of the Proverbs. According to 1 Kings 4:32, Solomon spoke over 3,000 proverbs. Many of these proverbs were no doubt recorded and included in the Book of Proverbs.

Other sage writers contributed to the Book of Proverbs as well. Proverbs 22:17 and 24:23, for example, speak of the “sayings of the wise.” Other contributors appear by name. Chapter 30 ascribes authorship to Agur, son of Jakeh, and 31:1-9 attributes its content to King Lemuel. Neither of these writers appears again in Scripture.

The Book of Proverbs displays several notable literary characteristics. Many proverbs are short, two-line sayings that are cast in contrasts. Biblical scholars call this type of Hebrew poetry “antithetical parallelism.” Proverbs 10:19, for example, says, “When words are many, sin is not absent, but those who hold their tongues are wise.” Proverbs makes liberal use of simile and metaphor. Eleven similes occur in chapter 25 alone!

One important feature to note is that the Book of Proverbs contains practical wisdom…which is to say wisdom that is generally (though not always) true. It is often the case, for example, that the just and unjust “receive their due on earth” (11:31)…but not always. A person’s rewards or punishments will be reckoned in eternity, irrespective of what happens on earth (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10).

When we read these proverbs, we must be careful not to interpret them as absolute promises or surefire prophecies that will always be realized. They are offered up as “instruction to the wise”…“for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young... (Proverbs 1:2-4).

Read with a pen in hand and mark the proverbs that speak to your soul this week. You’ll be the wiser for having read this section of God’s word!

Faithfully,
Chuck