Human wisdom—the wisdom of the world—and the wisdom of God through the knowledge of Christ are mutually exclusive. So, the source of a believer’s wisdom must be God alone, through the knowledge of Christ, by the means of God’s Word.

In continuing the Wednesday night lessons on prayer for our ladies, we studied examples of and a command to pray for wisdom. When I introduced the lesson, I asked what it is that we are really asking for when we pray for wisdom. Usually, I’m thinking: Please, Lord, tell me what to do! Help me decide what the best choice is.

But my question was whether God is going to always do that. Is God going to tell me (for the example I gave in class) which vaccination schedule is best for my child? Well, no, he’s not. There will be no direct revelation from God to help me on that one. So what are we asking for when we ask for wisdom?

These questions in my own study led me to look (generally) at wisdom in the Bible. If we are praying for wisdom, then we should know how the Bible talks about it. This first post will focus on wisdom itself: What is it? How do we get it? Where do some try to find wisdom? What does it look like when we do have the wisdom of God?

Definitions of Wisdom

The Hebrew word for wisdom is chokmah, which means “skill in technical matters, experience, shrewdness.”¹ This word was frequently used in describing the skills that the workers of the tabernacle had in building, sculpting, embroidery, etc. (cf. Exodus 28:3; 35:26, 35; 36:1).

The more commonly recognized Greek word sophia is defined as “the capacity to understand and function accordingly.”²

I have frequently heard (and you probably have too) wisdom defined as “the practical application of knowledge.” My question regarding this definition was this: If biblical wisdom is the practical application of knowledge, what is the knowledge that we are applying?

The Bible connects knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.

Proverbs 1:7 tells us:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Likewise, Psalm 11:10:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”

The Source of True Wisdom

Wisdom Belongs to God

Daniel ascribed wisdom to God. He then exemplified how God shows that wisdom, tied to his might:

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter” (Daniel 2:20-23, ESV).

The apostle Paul describes God’s wisdom in terms of depth and richness:

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” (Romans 11:33-35, ESV).

God Gives Believers Wisdom

In Daniel’s description above we not only saw that wisdom belongs to God but also that “he gives wisdom to the wise.” Any wisdom we have is sourced in God.

The book of Proverbs—a book chiefly interested in wisdom—also tells us that God gives wisdom to the upright. Then Proverbs describes what it looks like to have wisdom in your heart:

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways” (Proverbs 2:6-15, ESV).

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