Welcome to week two of the Wise Worship study. I hope you have enjoyed diving deeper into Proverbs this week. We will begin our teaching in chapter 4, which contains three sets of parental instructions. The first set of instructions, found in verses 1-9, is summarized by verse 5: “get wisdom.” We see the father lovingly guiding his children in the right way, passing on the wisdom he received from his own father. Traditionally, wisdom that has been passed down through the generations was considered more authoritative. The father’s speech contains the idea that he was an obedient son, and he hopes the same for his children.

The phrase “get wisdom” and “get insight” is repeated in verses 5 and 7, and repeated ideas are always important. When he says to “get wisdom” (v. 5), the Hebrew word “get” had to do with purchasing something. In effect, the father is saying that obtaining wisdom costs something, but it is always worth the cost. In return, wisdom will “keep you” (v. 6), or protect you, and “exalt you” (v. 8). We can humble ourselves under wisdom because wisdom in turn grants honor to those who value it.

The next set of instructions are in verses 10-19. Here the parent shows his children the two paths they will have to choose from in life. He begins by telling the child that hearing and obeying his words will lead to a long life. Remember what we said over and over last week, these are general principles, not promises, but choosing the right path generally leads to these rewards. The path you set out on has to do with your morality. Will you choose what is right, or what is wrong?

The first path, the one the parent is teaching, is “the way of wisdom” or “paths of uprightness” (v. 11). This is the right way that the parent longs to see his child take. Living this life of wisdom (generally) leads to success and safety. The parent paints a picture of walking and running on a road free of obstacles. Wisdom removes anything that might cause you to “stumble” (v. 12). Moreover, the parent encourages his child to “guard” or protect wisdom because of how valuable it is (v. 13). We have seen in the previous chapters the parent talk about the effort that is necessary to get and keep wisdom, so it is worthy of our protection.

The other path is “the path of the wicked” or “the way of the evil” (v. 14). This is clearly the wrong way, and the child is to avoid this path at all costs (v. 15). Instead of being able to move freely without stumbling, those on this path are unable to sleep “unless they have made someone stumble” (v. 16). They are addicted to evil, since they can’t even sleep without committing some type of wrong. Wickedness and violence are portrayed as their food and drink (v. 17).

The parent summarizes this set of instructions in verses 18-19. Choosing the first path shows God’s light to the world, but choosing the second path will leave you stumbling in the darkness.

The final set of instructions in this chapter begin in verse 20. Here the parent’s main focus is a wise heart. In each verse of this section the parent mentions a part of the body. Romans 6:12-13 says, “Let not sin reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.” It is clear that the parent wants his child to commit his whole body to wisdom, which in turn brings God glory.

Verse 23 is another well known, but perhaps misunderstood, verse. When the parent instructs his child to “keep your heart,” what is the child supposed to keep it from? If we read this verse in the context of this chapter we have been walking though, we can see the child should keep his heart from “the path of the wicked” (v.14). We guard our hearts to ensure that God’s truth remains there. “With all vigilance” tells us this will not be an easy task. If we see the heart as the control center, as was the popular belief of the time, we see that by keeping the heart right, we keep all the other parts of our body right. Jesus echoed this idea in Luke 6:45 when He said, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

And so, the next line of Proverbs 4 has to do with honest speech. “Crooked speech” (v. 24) is anything we say that goes against what God loves. What we say reflects who we are, and we want to be known as people who use our mouths rightly for speaking wisdom and God’s truth.

This chapter ends focused on our feet. Remaining on the path of wisdom and righteousness (v. 11) will take intentionality on our part. “You shall be careful therefore to do as the LORD your God has commanded you. You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.” (Deut. 5:32) “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law the Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:7) This repeated idea of not turning right or left means there can be no compromises. We must be fully committed to living the right way.

Although Proverbs 5 is written as a father speaking to his son, the same principles about sexuality apply to us as women. We would do well to “be attentive” (v. 1) to this teaching on sexual immorality and let it instruct how we relate to the opposite sex, whether married or single. The parent tells us to use our ears and lips for wisdom. We must guard against the advice we choose to listen to and the words we let pass from our lips. Don’t allow anything to come into your ears or out of your mouth that is not in line with God’s wisdom.

The lips of the forbidden women (for us, the forbidden man) “drip honey” (v. 3). Her words seem pleasant and flattering, but in the end, they are “bitter as wormwood” (v. 4), which is a plant with a strong, unpleasant taste, quite the opposite of honey. Her speech is also described as “smoother than oil” (v. 3), which makes me think of a persuasive car salesman! But we find out she is actually “sharp as a two-edged sword” (v.4). We can apply these two verses as women by guarding our communication with the opposite sex so that we do not become entrapped by the subtle temptation within their speech, AND so that our speech does not become like that of the forbidden woman. This hollow praise, whether we are speaking it or listening to it, leads only to bitterness and death (v.5).

The parent’s next piece of wisdom is not to enter into the forbidden woman’s (man’s) presence. If you don’t keep away, the deadly effects are laid out in the rest of this chapter. Keep in mind these are general warnings, but just the threat of one of these should be enough to keep us in line! You will lose your honor (v. 9a), your years (v. 9b), your strength (v. 10a), and your labors (10b) for starters. If that is not enough of a deterrent, you will experience social ruin, disliked in the community (v. 14).

The parent interrupts this warning with an encouragement on marriage, veiled within a speech about water and wells in verses 15-19. When telling his son to “drink water from your own cistern” (v. 15), the parent is speaking of physical intimacy within a monogamous marriage. If we can be candid for a moment, God gave us sex as a gift to be enjoyed within the commitment of marriage. God intended physical intimacy for this context only, and when we reserve it for its rightful place, it becomes a holy desire, rather than a sinful temptation. Apply the “golden rule” here, and be faithful to your spouse, as you would want him to be faithful to you.

The parent ends this interlude on marriage by telling his son to “be intoxicated always in her love” (v. 19), and not to be “intoxicated…with a forbidden woman” (v. 20). This tells me intoxication can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on what you are intoxicated with. Being intoxicated with the right thing will lead to delight, while being intoxicated with the wrong thing will lead to destruction. Context is everything.

The parent gets back to his warnings with the final deadly effect of sexual immorality: spiritual death. He begins by reminding his child of the omniscient, or all-seeing, God. God is always watching over His creation, and He sees what we are doing, what “paths” we are taking. Both God and the parent in Proverbs also know that the wicked can easily trap us in sin if we are not careful to live in wisdom (v. 22). When the proverb says “he dies for lack of discipline” (v. 23), that does not mean that God will strike the person down right then and there, in the midst of his sin, although He could. It means that remaining in our sin will lead to an eternal death. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). God is a God of justice. Sow faithfulness in your marriage, or in preparation for your future marriage, and reap the benefits.

Proverbs 6 contains 4 sections of warnings. Verses 1-5 warn against going into debt by putting up security for someone else. Keep in mind these are general warnings, not hard and fast rules, but wisdom should always win out when making decisions in regards to money. It would be unwise to put up security for someone you do not know well, or for someone you know does not manage their money well, and therefore might leave you responsible for paying back what they owe. Consider the advice of this proverb, and prayerfully consult the Lord before rushing into any decisions that may lead you into poverty.

Verses 6-11 warn against laziness. In this case, poverty comes, not because you have done something unwise, but because you refuse to do anything! The ant is given as an example to the sluggard (v. 6). Ants work hard to store up food. They are prudent and efficient creatures. They have no “chief, officer, or ruler” (v. 7), but are self-motivated. They have the initiative and discipline that many human workers lack! The warning is that this refusal to work will lead to poverty that comes “like a robber” (v. 11), unexpectedly and without pity.

The third warning in verses 12-19 deserves extra attention because it is specifically labeled as an “abomination” to God (v. 16). This is a warning against “sowing discord” (v. 14).  The person who does this is described as “a worthless person, a wicked man” (v. 12). We know that God values righteousness, and so the wicked who are in rebellion against Him are worthless in His sight. The description of his “speech, … eyes, … feet, …finger, … [and] heart” (vs. 12-14) all point to dishonest and deceiving forms of communication. His way of life is the complete opposite of all that is good, and all that is of God. Because he is so self-absorbed, he does not see the danger (v. 15) that the wise would have the foresight to see.

Verses 16-19 use a numeric literary device that is not meant to be a complete list of the things God hates, but simply a small sample. The “six…seven” is meant to draw your attention to the final item as the result of the list. The six things God hates that are listed in verses 17-19 are all body parts being used to treat others wrongly. That lying shows up twice in this list should not surprise us, as this was part of the ten commandments. All of this dishonesty leads to the seventh thing that is “an abomination to him: … one who sows discord among brothers” (vs. 16, 19). You cannot fear God and create disharmony among His people at the same time. Those who are wise, who are fearing the Lord, sow peace and cooperation.

The rest of this chapter in Proverbs is another warning from parent to son about adultery. The child is encouraged to remember his parents’ teaching and keep it close so that his actions are in line with their instruction. Verse 22 states that their teaching “will lead you” as a guide, “watch over you” as a protector, and “talk with you” as a friend. When we have godly parents who can give us wise counsel, we do well to heed their advice.

The parents warn their son not to covet the adulteress “in your heart” (v. 25) because they know that lust begins in the heart. They tell their son to avoid this risky behavior because it is impossible to “walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched” (v. 28). When the proverb warns “none who touches her will go unpunished” (v. 29) we can know that our just God is the one enacting the punishment, but also “he who does it destroys himself” (v. 32). Adultery and sexual immorality is self-destructive. It is a risk not worth taking.

Chapter 7 is another set of parental instructions regarding the temptation of adultery. We have seen this topic addressed in three separate chapters this week, so while it may feel like we’re beating a dead horse at this point, this is clearly something God takes seriously, and wants us to think seriously about.

The parent wants the child to treasure his commands, and we should so the same with God’s truth. Treasuring God’s word means not only meditating on it, but also consistently applying it in our lives. What you hold in your mind influences your actions. By thinking and acting on God’s word, you internalize the wisdom within it and begin to develop godly character, which is displayed in godly habits. Wisdom, rather than the adulteress, should be the one we hold close as a “sister” or “intimate friend” (v. 4).

The parent tells a story of looking out his window and seeing “a young man lacking sense” (v. 7). This man is among the simple, those who are naïve, and so he is the perfect target for the adulterous woman. The Psalms contain advice for this young man in chapter 119, verse 9: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.” God’s truth provides protection, but the young man is operating outside of wisdom, and he has put himself in the wrong place at the wrong time by “taking the road to her house in the twilight” (vs. 8-9).

The young man leads himself into temptation under the cover of darkness, and is met by a woman provocatively clothed. Although not a prostitute, she is dressed as such. She is described as loud, bold, and aggressive, looking for a man to fall into her trap whom she can seduce. In light of her poor character, her spiritual claim that she “had to offer sacrifices” (v. 14) seems fake. She entices him with her words, “I have come out to meet you, to see you eagerly” (v. 15), making the young man feel desired and pursued. Her description of her bed appeals to his sense of sight (“colored linens” [v. 16]), touch (“Egyptian linen” [v. 16]), and smell (“myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon” [v. 17]). She promises love, delight, and sensual pleasure, but these will only last the night.

She persuades the young man that they will not be found out, because her “husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey” (v. 19). The young man is convinced this is safe, and there will be no consequences. Her flattery “persuades him” (v. 21) and “all at once he follows her” (v. 22), completely unaware of the end that awaits him. Now that this woman has him in her grasp, she will destroy him, and “he does not know that it will cost him his life” (v. 23).

The parent comes out of this story to once again warn his child to listen. “Let not your heart turn aside to her ways” (v. 25). As we said before, adultery begins in the heart, especially in a heart that does not place God first above all the pleasures this world has to offer. And where the heart goes the feet will follow. Only wisdom will help the young man (or woman) see past the seemingly pleasurable temptations of this world to the “chambers of death” (v. 27) that lie beneath them. Hide God’s word in your heart so that you do not become another casualty of evil’s plan for this world. Live for a pleasure that extends beyond this earth, one that awaits you in heaven.

What did you learn this week about how to worship by living a wise life? Is what you’re learning about God drawing you closer to Him? I pray that the wisdom of His teachings is changing you, an you are living a life that reflects your worship of Him.