“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.”
Psalm 111:10 KJV
Those with God’s wisdom obey his commandments, which means that they have good understanding. A good understanding of what? A good understanding of God’s commands (or His orders and instructions). It’s impossible to obey a command that you do not understand. That good understanding accompanies wisdom, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
And you’ll discover that the fear of the Lord is the forerunner of all other blessings. It starts with wisdom and understanding. But as a result of it…
- Jesus will never leave you. Matthew 28:20 “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
- Jesus is your friend. John 15:14 “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
- Jesus loves you and reveals Himself to you. John 14:21 “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
- You will forever remain in His love. John 15:10 “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”
- You will enter the gates of Heaven. Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”
I John 2:3 says, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.”
According to the dictionary, the word wisdom means “good judgment and intelligence in knowing what is right, good, and true.” So for us to even begin to understand what is right, good, and true, we must fear the LORD. For “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…” To fear the LORD means to reverence His Name and to recognize Him for who He is: the Creator of all living, our great and mighty God, whereby we might give Him the respect and honor due Him.
What is right, good, and true?
- God is good and right, and He’ll teach you as you go through life. Psalm 25:8 says, “Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.”
- God’s judgments are true. Psalm 19:9 says, “The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.”
- Jesus is the Truth. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
- The Bible is Truth: John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
And while God is good and right, His judgments are true, His Son is Truth, and His Word is Truth. Proverbs 3:7 says, “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” In other words, let go of your worldly wisdom and fear the Lord. Then He’ll give you the wisdom to depart from evil. Because “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”