The Biblical Illustrator
Psalms 111:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Piety is true wisdom
I. Explain the text.
1. By “the fear of the Lord,” you are to understand, not merely one affection of our minds towards God; but, piety in general, the service of God, and the devotion of the heart to Him.
2. “Wisdom,” in the Scripture sense, is a virtue which makes a man not only skilful and intelligent, but also good and virtuous. It consists, not so much in knowledge, as in practice.
3. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” This may signify, either that it is first in order of time--the rudiment, the foundation of wisdom; or first in point of dignity--the principal, or chief part of wisdom.
4. “A good understanding have all they that do thereafter;” i.e. they are truly wise, and best consult their own interests, both in this and the next world, who do such things as belong to the fear of the Lord.
II. Illustrate and confirm the truth of the text thus explained: showing, that to practise those duties, in which the fear of God consists, is to be really wise; that it is acting agreeably to our reason, and our interests.
1. Religion alone teaches what is the supreme good of man; concerning the nature of which the philosophers so much erred. It is religion that points out to us an end most excellent, most worthy of our efforts, and of such inestimable value, as to overpay all our labours in the attainment of it: and that end is,--to enjoy eternal, uninterrupted happiness, in the presence of God.
2. Religion not only shows this admirable end to us; but also teaches the means to be used by us for attaining to it; namely, faith and obedience, prayer and thanksgiving; which constitute our religious duty. (S. Partridge, M.A.)
The danger and folly of living without religion
Philosophically speaking, it has been said that nature abhors a vacuum; and morally speaking, it may also be said that the absence of the fear of God is revolting to the human soul.
I. To live without the fear of God, or, in other words, without religion, must be a dangerous thing. Whether we consider the character of God, or the sinfulness of man--whether we contemplate the sacrifice which God has made, in laying a foundation for our religious homage--whether we fix our views on the riches of God’s love, or on the terrors of His wrath,--whether we look to time or to eternity, to death or to doom: Is it not, we would ask, yea, must it not be a dangerous thing to be at war with Heaven? And what, but this, is the position of man without religion? Verily, God is to be feared and held in reverence of all His creatures. His might in creation, and His majesty in providence--our own weakness and our own wants, all combine in enforcing on us this important truth. And yet how strange that we above all His other workmanship should refuse Him a willing homage! Let it not be forgotten that the want of religion is sin, and for sin the Son of God died. Can the irreligious, therefore, the sinful man, be safe?
II. To live without religion is to exemplify the very perfection of folly.
1. Is he not a fool who overlooks the end of his existence--who forgets and forgets entirely the purpose for which he was sent into the world?
2. Is he not a fool who sacrifices the ethereal, the immortal mind that is in him, to the appetites and desires of the material body in which that mind is enshrined?
3. Is he not a fool who willingly foregoes all that can give a charm to worldly prosperity--a relish to the joys that Providence dispenses in this vale of tears.
4. Is he not a fool who willingly and of his own accord, and recklessly, makes a sacrifice of all that can soothe him in sorrow--support him in trial--comfort him in adversity, or give him hope in death? (W. Craig.)
Religion the highest wisdom, and sin the greatest madness and folly
Wisdom consists in two things: choosing a right end, and using right means to obtain it. Now, what end so becoming a creature to live for ever, as everlasting happiness? And what way can it be obtained, but in the way of holiness?
I. Men will not take the safest side in religion, which their reason and self-love carry them to do in other cases. Believe and regard what God has said; be holy in all manner of conversation; strive with all your might to enter in at the strait gate; accept of Christ as your Lord and Saviour. Do this, and you are safe, let the case be as it will; there are no bad consequences that can possibly follow from this conduct.
II. Is it not the greatest folly to believe, or profess to believe, the great truths of religion, and yet act quite contrary to such a belief? Do you plead, that “you intend to repent of this inconsistent conduct hereafter”? But if religion is an excellent thing, as you profess to believe it, why do you not choose it now? the sooner the better. Again, is it not the greatest folly to indulge yourselves in a practice that you deliberately intend to repent of? Will you prosecute a scheme which you deliberately intend afterwards to condemn and be sorry for?
III. Is it not the greatest folly for men to pretend to love God, when their temper and conduct are inconsistent with it, and plainly evidential of the contrary? What mean thoughts must they have of God, when they think to put Him off with such an empty compliment and hypocritical profession!
IV. Is it not the greatest folly for men to hope for heaven, when they have no evidences at all of their title to it, or fitness for it? Can an illiterate rustic find pleasure in rigid mathematical demonstrations, and learned speculations, or a man of pleasure and business in the ascetic, mortified life of a hermit? Can a man, whose taste is vitiated by sickness, enjoy happiness in the entertainments of a feast? No, nothing can make a man happy, but what is suited to his relish and disposition.
V. Is it not the greatest madness to be more concerned about the affairs of time than those of eternity? If you should throw away an estate to obtain a farthing, if you should run upon a drawn sword to escape a prickle, if you should prefer pebbles to crown’s and kingdoms, darkness to light, or one luxurious meal to the support of your whole life, it would not be so shocking a piece of madness.
1. Since there is so much folly in the world in matters of religion, how astonishing is it that it is not universally contemned and ridiculed, or pitied and lamented!
2. With what an ill grace do the irreligious contemn and despise those that make religion their great concern, as weak, silly creatures!
3. How absurd is it for men to pretend they will not turn their thoughts to religion, lest it should make them melancholy or distracted! Alas! sinners, you cannot be more so than you are already; and you will never come to yourselves till, with the prodigal, you determine to return to your Father’s house.
4. If the fear of the Lord, religion, is the perfection of wisdom, how unreasonably does the world charge it with making people mad!
5. Since men are such fools in matters of religion, since they censure it with so much severity and contempt, how astonishing is it that God should send down that Divine, heaven-born thing, religion, into our world, where it is so much neglected and abused! (S. Davies, M.A.)
A good understanding have all they that do His commandments.--
Keeping God’s commandments the surest evidence of a good understanding
I. Illustrate and confirm the declaration. By “them,” or the commandments of God, we are to understand our general duty, as His reasonable creatures; whatever He hath revealed to us as His will, whether by the light of nature or His written Word. Besides living soberly, righteously, and godly, it requireth faith in Christ, love to Him, trust in Him, an humble dependence on the help of the Holy Spirit, and a compliance with the institutions of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which are commandments of God, as being enjoined by Jesus Christ, who was a teacher sent from Him. Doing His commandments implies avoiding everything that is evil (Job 28:28). It includes also learning to do well, and practising every duty which God requiteth of us. It is not sufficient to study the commandments of God as a science, to understand their meaning and extent, and to be able to explain them with the most critical exactness. It is not sufficient to talk of them, to admire their suitableness and excellency, but we are to do them, to do them sincerely, cheerfully, and constantly, unmoved by any temptations that would lead us to neglect the observance of them. Now, they who thus do God’s commandments are said to have good understandings, that is, to be wise men.
1. They understand the nature of things best, and judge rightly of their essential difference.
2. They understand the nature and will of God best.
3. They understand this world best. They consider it, not as their home and portion, but as a distant land; a school of education; a state of trial for another world.
4. They understand themselves and their own interest best. They know, and consider, that they were formed for God; for His service and honour. Therefore their first inquiry is, “Where is God my Maker?” What doth He require of me, and how is His favour to be obtained? They know, from reflecting upon their own natures, that they were not formed to scrape together the riches of earth, to indulge its pleasures, and to gratify every craving appetite. Therefore, whilst others are “cumbered about many things,” their attention is fixed upon the “one thing needful.” They know that “to fear God, and keep His commandments, is thewhole duty and interest of man,” and therefore they do this.
II. Apply it in some useful reflections and advices.
1. Let us be thankful for the Divine commandments, which are adapted to exalt us to such dignity and felicity.
2. We may hence learn to judge, who are truly wise, and have good understandings.
3. Here is the true test of orthodoxy. There is no error or heresy so opposite to the Gospel as a wicked life. “There are many,” saith Mr. Flavel, “who hate doctrinal errors, yet perish by practical ones; who hate false doctrine, yet perish by a false heart.”
4. Let us all make it our great care and business to do the commandments of God. Let us study this as the most important branch of science; mind this as the great concern of human life. Here let your labour and zeal be employed. (Job Orton, D.D.).