Proverbs 3 Lean not on your own understanding

Proverbs 3

Still the instructions continue - we are 3 chapters in and remarkably short of soundbites!

Let love and understanding never leave you, bind them around your neck and write them on the tablet of your heart - says verse 3. I guess that is pretty sage advice, plus you get the benefit of favour and a good name in the sight of God and men. 

Trust in the LORD with  all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight. (Verses 5+6) 
So what is this saying? - trusting in God is better than education and thinking for yourself?
I don't think this is actually what is being suggested here, I think that perhaps it is suggesting that human understanding and logic are sometimes selfish and illogical, cruel and downright wicked. One only has to look at totalitarian regimes and ideologies to see that.
Perhaps it is saying that at the end of the day there is a higher way that may suggest a different action from your original feelings?

The chapter continues with instructions not to think too much of your intellect "Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the LORD and shun evil"

Careful use of resources is suggested here too "Honour the LORD with your wealth" 
There is a prayer in the church of England that has the line "All things come from you and of your own do we give you" - It is humbling to think that we will be called to account for the things we have owned and thrown away as well as our treasured possessions.

The rest of the chapter is mostly a description of the benefits of wisdom - 
Wisdom is more valuable than silver or rubies, nothing you can desire compares with wisdom.

God made the foundations of the earth by wisdom, and understanding set the heavens in place, by his knowledge the watery depths were divided and the clouds let drop the dew.
This is poetic language rather than a scientific treatise, but there is a deeper truth here, the earth may be a fluke of chance and happenstance and life on earth just be a mathematical coincidence caused by some, as yet unknown, interaction of complex amino acids.
It is odd that the scientific name given to orbits similar to the earth is known as "Goldilocks zone" (not too hot, not too cold, but just right)  

Wisdom suggests doing the right thing here and now and living in peace with all as far as it is possible, yet still not follow the ways of wicked or evil people.

Certainly verse 27 is a good summary - Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due.

Hey - what do you know - we got short soundbites!

Proverbs 2 Benefits of Wisdom

Proverbs 2

It has been said that the difference between knowledge and wisdom can be found in the tomato.
Knowledge says that the tomato is a fruit, wisdom says "Don't put it in a fruit salad"!

Having told my joke for the day, lets have a look at the chapter

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 
turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding.
Indeed if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

I find it interesting that wisdom and knowledge are not handed out on silver platters, they take effort and perseverance and habit to cultivate.
Jesus used similar language about the kingdom of God - we will get to this when we get to the gospels.

Wisdom is a gift from God, according tot he book of proverbs. 

Verse 7 in interesting - I'm not sure I agree totally with this - 
He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

I think the book of Job shows that this is not true in all circumstances?

Those who are wise, just, fair and honest - paths that are good.

Wise people avoid the ways of wicked men who have left straight paths and walk in dark ways delighting in doing wrong.

Wise people are safe from the adulterous woman - I don't think this only means women here, I think there is a moral degeneracy that it is wise to avoid.
It is not my place to pass judgement on how people live their lives, but those who seek to break families and destroy people.......

I will try my best to seek out wisdom, understanding, truth and justice.
Try to walk in the ways of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous.
I'll have to see how it pans out, but I'll at least find out with a good conscience! 

Proverbs 1 - the beginnings of wisdom?

Proverbs 1

The book of proverbs is regarded as one of the "wisdom" books, they are attributed to King Solomon, son of David, who, if you recall, asked God for wisdom.

The stated aim of the proverbs is to gain wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight and how to live prudently, doing what is right, just and fair.
To teach prudence to the gullible (a footnote suggests that the word "simple" means gullible or easily led, with little moral compass)
To teach knowledge and discretion to the young and to add the the learning of the wise, and guidance to the discerning.

Something for everybody here I think.

Now we get probably the most famous verse in the book of Proverbs.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge"

Fear of God is Theophobia or Zeusaphobia, is this what the Bible says? Theophobia is the beginning of knowledge?
I don't think so - phobias tend to be irrational (or semi rational)fears ranging from Pogonophobia (fear of beards) to Logizomechanophobia (Fear of computers) from Ablutophobia (Fear of washing or bathing) to Zoophobia (Fear of animals). 

 Should we be afraid of God? I don't think that this is what is meant? I'm an engineer and design thermal equipment that could be lethal if it is not properly operated and looked after.
With this equipment we have to respect it, understand the risks and take steps to ensure that we and others are safe. The same applies to other things that are all around us - fire and electricity to name but two.

In engineering we have things like risk assessments and HAZOP (Hazardous Operations) where we take a look at what could possibly go wrong, what the effects would be, and how we can reduce or eliminate the threat.
I respect the hazards of the equipment I design, but it does not mean that I am particularly nervous standing next to it while it is operating
In this case Fear of the LORD is not theophobia, but respect.

Meanwhile fools (or those with loose or no moral character) despise wisdom and instruction (they probably don't even read the manual!) - if it comes to that, I often don't either!

The middle section of the chapter is advice to not ignore wise and sage advice, don't follow wicked and sinful people who are out to make themselves rich at the expense of others.

The end of the chapter is titled Wisdom's rebuke

Wisdom is not something to seek in solitude - she shouts out from the rooftops and the city square.
Those who are wise listen and learn.
Those who refuse wisdom lose out and eventually come to rack and ruin.

Psalm 150 What a racket!

Psalm 150

Finally - the end of the book of Psalms! Wow, this has taken a while....

The book of psalms ends with a bang, not a whimper.

Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary, praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power, praise him for his surpassing greatness.

So, the question I ask myself is - does God deserve this praise?
looking through the book of Psalms, we run the range of human experience, from being protected by God, abandoned by God, resting in God, being known at the deepest level by God, where does that leave us? 

I think I have to say probably I am in awe of God - the God who knows what I want to think before I even thunk it,

Lets look at the end of the book of Psalms - 

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, 
Praise him with the harp and lyre, 
Praise him with tambourine and dancing, 
Praise him with the strings and pipe
Praise him with the clash of cymbals
Praise him with resounding cymbals
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD

Praise the LORD.

As a trombonist I think they almost got the first instrument right! Though the valve trumpet that can play a full scale is a relatively recent development - so the trumpet was more volume than tune and probably based on the Zophar or rams horn (I tried playing one once, did not get very far, if truth be told!)

Some time ago I was playing in a music group for a service attended by the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, who is a man of God I have a lot of respect for.
Anyway it is well known that Archbishop Sentamu likes to play drums in services, and this one was no exception, the Archbishop started joining in on the African drum, but not quite in the same time or rhythm as the rest of us! The fact is that this did not detract from the music, the joy and exuberance actually added and the timing worked itself out.
The list of instruments listed here make a terrible orchestra - harps take forever to tune up, and then are not very loud!

It is interesting that percussion is mentioned twice - clashing and resounding cymbals.

Perhaps the instruction for everything that has breath to praise the LORD is just an attempt to drown out the cacophony of the band (or, if you are feeling traditional, organ!)

Psalm 149 With a song and a sword?

Psalm 149

Well, we are nearly at the end of the longest book of the Bible, with both the longest and shortest chapter in the Bible.

Anyway, I'm not so sure about this psalm as you might tell from the title!

Having said that, shall we dive in?

Praise the LORD (again literally Hallelujah)
Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.
Let Israel rejoice in their Maker, ket the people of Zion be glad in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.

Have you ever seen the movie "The Blues Brothers?" it is an amazing film, well ok, it has lots of really good music and car chases, what more is needed in a movie really?
Anyway there is a scene in the film where the Blues Brothers (Jake and Elwood) are told to go to the "Triple rock Baptist church" and listen to the sermon (Delivered by blues legend James Brown)
In the church there is some amazing music and the congregation start dancing.
This description here puts me in mind of that totally over the top service!

Back to the Psalm, 
For the LORD takes delight in his people, he crowns the humble with victory.
Let his faithful people rejoice in his honour and sing for joy on their beds.

It is impressive that God's pleasure is not in the rich or arrogant, or even those who sleep well at night! 

Now we get to the bit I find difficult.
We used to sing a song based on this back in the 1980's "With the high praises of God in our mouths, and a two edged sword in our hands, we'll march right on to the victory side, right into Canaan's land."

May the praise of God be in their mouths, and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples.
To bind their kings with fetters, their nobles in shackles of iron.
To carry out the sentence written against them

As a teenager, I used to like this song, these days it kind of makes me cringe!

This is the glory of all his faithful people.
Praise the LORD.


Should Israel, or any other nation, take it upon themselves to judge other nations? 
Where can we find God' s written sentence? 

Psalm 148 Natural praises

Psalm 148

This is a rather upbeat psalm really,

Praise the LORD, Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above.

Ok so that's one way to pass a long flight! however doing that out loud may cause concern and annoyance with some of the other passengers.

The psalm goes on to exhort the angels and armies of heaven to praise God along with teh shining stars.

Why?
Because he made them.

Ok, let's talk briefly about the old creation vs evolution argument.
The universe along with space and time was created in the big bang some 14 billion years ago.
In fact the very expression "big bang" was coined by sir Fred Hoyle, an astrophysicist who did not agree with the theory.
First of all there was nothing, which exploded and then there was everything.
If we can accept this, why can we not accept that there was some reason for it? 

Evolution is another theory that some people tell me that I'm not allowed to believe, nor that the universe is above 6000 years old - that some people seem to have picked up from some ultra literal reading of the Bible.

I personally don't have a problem reconciling science with faith - nor if it comes to that do a large number of extremely eminent scientists.

The weather and animals and plants are, along with kings, princes and old and young men and women, let them praise the name of the LORD.

The Psalm ends with 
The praise of all his faithful servants, of the people close to his heart.

Praise God.

Psalm 147 The god of nature

Psalm 147

The Psalm begins with a hebrew word "Hallelujah" which literally means "Praise the LORD".
It is a word that inspired the late great Leonard Cohen's famous song.

The psalm continues - How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him.

God builds up Jerusalem, he gathers the exiles of Israel.
He heals the broken-hearted, and binds up their wounds.

The next verse is a bit of an interesting thematic jump
He determines the number of the stars and calls each by name.

Great is our LORD and mighty in power, his understanding has no limit.

It is interesting that we are constantly discovering things like sub atomic particles and even galaxies, yet God has unlimited understanding.
One of my favourite verses in the Bible is found in the book of Proverbs (Chapter 25 verse 2) It is the Gory of God to conceal a matter. To search out a matter is the glory of kings.
I think that research and science are part of the glory of mankind - searching out the heart of the universe and God.

The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.

Why? given the vastness of the universe, why should God care about the humble and the proud and the hurting? 

Sing to the LORD with grateful praise, make music to our God on the harp.
I have to say I don't play the harp, and I am not that good at singing for that matter!

In the Psalm God is responsible for clouds and rains to make the land fertile and sustain ecosystems, both man made and natural.

God does not take pleasure in the strength of the horse, nor the legs of the warrior.
The LORD delights in those who fear him and put their hope in his unfailing love.

Perhaps here is a clue to why God cares? Love!