Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 111:10

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 111:10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom — The original stands thus: ראשית חכמה יראת יהוה reshith chokmah, yirath Yehovah, The beginning of wisdom is the fear of Jehovah. Wisdom itself begins with this fear; true wisdom has this for its commencement. It is the first ingredient in it, and is an essential part of it. In vain does any man pretend to be wise who does not fear the Lord; and he who fears the Lord departs from evil: he who lives in sin neither fears God, nor is wise.

A good understanding have all they that do his commandments] These last words we add as necessary to make up the sense; but there is no need of this expedient, as the words of the original literally read thus: "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of Jehovah; good discernment to the doers." That is, They who act according to the dictates of wisdom, the commencement of which is the fear of Jehovah, have a sound understanding, discern their duty and their interest, and live to secure their own peace, their neighbour's good, and God's glory.

ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND ELEVENTH PSALM

It is supposed that this hymn was set by the author to be sung at the passover; and that it might be the more readily learned and remembered, the colons are in number as many as, and arranged in the order of, the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. It is an exhortation to praise God for his wonderful benefits bestowed on the world at large, and especially on Israel and the Church.

There are three parts in this Psalm: -

I. A resolution of the psalmist to praise God; the manner in which he would do so; and the company with whom he would do it, Psalms 111:1.

II. An expression of the reasons which moved him to praise God, viz., his admirable benefits, special and general, Psalms 111:2-9.

III. An inference from the premises by way of sentiment in which he commends the fear of God, Psalms 111:10.

I. The title of this Psalm is, "Hallelujah, praise ye the Lord;" and he adds, -

1. "I will praise the Lord." And shows how it should be done.

2. Not hypocritically; not with the lips only, but "with the heart."

3. "With the whole heart."

4. Not only secretly, but also "in the assembly of the upright," c. 1. Both in the assembly, where these good and upright men are. 2. And also in a mixed multitude, and secretly among good men.

II. And, having made a pious confession of his readiness to practise the duty, he next sets down the ground and matter of his praise.

First. His works of power, in the creation and conservation of the world, or the favours shown to the Church: "And these works of the Lord are great." 1. Great, not only for variety and beauty, but also in base creatures his wisdom is admirable, and to be admired. 2. Great for it was great to take to himself a people out of another people, to make a covenant with them, and to reveal his promises, and give them a law, to settle among them a policy for Church and state. 3. Fools and impious men, indeed, but little consider these works; they think not of their Author: but in the eyes of all wise men "they are sought out," c.

Secondly. His works of wisdom, in governing the creatures he has created, and in guiding and collecting his Church. 1. It is honourable and much more so its Author. 2. And glorious; far above the works of princes. 3. And righteous: "He is a righteous God, and his righteousness endureth for ever." For he never departs from the exact rule of justice.

Which record must be kept: -

"He hath made his wonderful works," c. As in the Jewish hosts.

Thirdly. His works of mercy. They proceed from mere mercy: "For the Lord is gracious," c. 1. "Gracious," in doing these works. 2. "Full of compassion," as a father towards his children.

Of these the prophet gives several instances: -

1. "He hath given meat," &c. He nourished his people for forty years in the wilderness, giving them meat from heaven.

2. "He will ever be mindful," &c. Notwithstanding their provocations.

3. "He hath showed his people," &c. As in the turning of Jordan backwards, overthrowing Jericho, staying the sun and moon, &c.

4. "That he might give them," &c. By the expulsion of the Canaanites: "The works of the Lord are great," &c.

He now uses an acclamation: "The works of his hands are," -

1. Verity. Making good his promise to Abraham.

2. Judgment. Executed on idolaters and profane persons.

And shows unto all the world that, -

1. "All his commandments are sure." That his laws, especially his moral laws, are of everlasting obligation on all.

2. That these commands "stand fast for ever" for they are established in truth, equity, justice, and reason.

The prophet next speaks of a mercy far exceeding all the rest, the work of human redemption by Christ. This may be thus expounded, and better than in reference to the redemption of Israel out of Egypt.

1. "He sent redemption," c. A Redeemer so long promised.

2. "He hath commanded his covenant," &c. Which is still extant.

III. The prophet, having enumerated many of God's works of power, wisdom, and mercy, concludes the Psalm with three acclamations.

"Holy and reverend," &c. Either in his service, or whenever he is signified.

1. Holy - unpolluted by hypocrisy. The command is, "Be ye holy, for I am holy."

2. Reverend - not rashly or negligently performed. Or, as some read it, terrible and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The second acclamation follows upon the preceding: -

1. This fear "is the beginning of wisdom." For these men begin to be wise "to eschew evil, and do good."

2. This fear, if it be right, will be practical: "For a good understanding," c.

The third acclamation is, "His praise endureth for ever." Which some refer to God, others to man but both are true. For the praise must continue for ever: "His power, mercy," c.

If referred to man then the sense will be, -

1. "His praise." For "they that dwell in thy house," &c., Psalms 84:4.

2. Or "His praise." The commendation of a good man "will be had in everlasting remembrance," Psalms 112:6. "The name of the wicked shall rot," &c. Proverbs 10:7. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant," c. Matthew 25:21. His praise is in this world lasting, but in the world to come everlasting.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 111-112 God and his godly people

Equal in length and similar in form, these two psalms can be read as a pair. Both are acrostics (see note preceding Psalms 9:0). The former considers the greatness of God, the latter the character of his godly people.

God’s wonderful works, both in creation and in history, are a cause for praise by all his worshipping people (111:1-3). In his sovereign power he took the agriculturally productive land of Canaan from its heathen inhabitants and gave it to the Israelite people according to the covenant he had made with them (4-6). His desire is that they rule themselves according to his just law (7-8). He is the mighty and holy covenant-redeemer of his people, and they should fear him, honour him, obey him and praise him (9-10).
When people respond to God in such a way, God blesses them with a respected, upright and prosperous line of descendants (112:1-3). God looks after those who are fair in their treatment of others and generous with their money (4-6). Their lives will be enriched with a sense of security and confidence, so that they fear nothing (7-8). The satisfaction that comes from such lives is in sharp contrast to the envy and hopelessness of the wicked (9-10).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“He hath sent redemption unto his people; He hath commanded his covenant forever: Holy and reverend is his name. The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all they that do his commandments: His praise endureth forever.”

“He hath sent redemption unto his people” “This redemption was the deliverance from Egypt.”J. R. Dummelow’s Commentary, p. 371.

“He commanded his covenant forever” See under Psalms 111:8, above, for comment on this.

“Holy and reverend is his name” “This is the only place in the Bible where the word `reverend’ occurs, and it is applied to God, NOT to ministers.”Henry H. Halley’s Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House), p. 247.

“The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom” “The meaning is that religion is the foundation of all wisdom.”J. R. Dummelow’s Commentary, p. 371. Jamieson observed that, “The love and fear of God is the chief element of true wisdom.”Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary, p. 381. Whatever intellectual achievements in a man may be hailed as `wisdom,’ if there is no knowledge and fear of God, such a person is a “fool,” regardless of what earthly information he may possess.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The fear of the Lord - Reverence for God; respect for his law, his will, his government, himself; the fear of offending him, which will lead us to do right. This fear is not that of a slave; it is not mere dread; it is not terror. It is consistent with love, and springs from it. It is consistent with calmness of mind, and promotes it. It does not produce terror, but rather delivers from it, and preserves the mind from alarms. The word here rendered “fear” is a noun of the same origin as the word rendered “reverend” in the previous verse. The suggestion to the mind of the psalmist that the “name of the Lord” was “reverend,” or was to be venerated, introduced this thought that such reverence is the very foundation of wisdom.

Is the beginning of wisdom - The foundation, the origin, the commencement of being truly wise. It is so. There is no true wisdom which does not recognize the being, the perfections, and the claims of God. The highest wisdom - the most lofty endowment of man - is that he “may” know and honor God. This, in capability, makes him wise above the brute creation; this, in exercise, makes one man more wise than another; this, when it springs up in the soul, makes a man more wise than he was before - or, is the “beginning” of true wisdom in the soul. Compare Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 9:10; Deuteronomy 4:6; Job 28:28; Ecclesiastes 12:13.

A good understanding ... - Margin, “good success.” The original word - שׂכל śêkel - is rendered “understanding” (as here) in 1 Samuel 25:3; Ezra 8:18; Job 17:4; Proverbs 3:4; Proverbs 13:15; Proverbs 16:22; “wisdom” in 1 Chronicles 22:12; Proverbs 12:8; Proverbs 23:9; “prudence,” 2 Chronicles 2:12; Proverbs 19:11 (margin); “sense,” in Nehemiah 8:8; “knowledge,” 2 Chronicles 30:22; and “policy” in Daniel 8:25. It “may” denote, therefore, understanding, wisdom, knowledge, success, prudence; and it is true in regard to “all” of these - for the fear of the Lord, or true religion, produces them “all.” It is not necessary, therefore, to endeavor to ascertain precisely which of these is the meaning here.

That do his commandments - Margin, as in the Hebrew, “do them.” That do the things connected with the fear of the Lord; that is, who obey God.

His praise endureth for ever - That is, the foundation for his praise endures to all eternity; or, is unchangeable. As God is always the same, so there is, as derived from his being and perfections, always the same foundation for praise. As there will always be created beings who can and will appreciate this, so it will be literally true, as it should be, that his praise “will” be celebrated forever.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

10.The fear of Jehovah Having treated of the kindness of God, and paid a well-merited tribute to the law, the prophet goes on to exhort the faithful to reverence God, and be zealous in the keeping of the law. In calling the fear of God, The beginning or source of wisdom, he charges with folly those who do not render implicit obedience unto God. As if he should say, They who fear not God, and do not regulate their lives according to his law, are brute beasts: and are ignorant of the first elements of true wisdom. To this we must carefully attend; for although mankind generally wish to be accounted wise almost all the world lightly esteem God, and take pleasure in their own wicked craftiness. And as the very worst of men are reputed to be superior to all others in point of wisdom; and, puffed up with this confidence, harden themselves against God, the prophet declares all the wisdom of the world, without the fear of God, to be vanity or an empty shadow. And, indeed, all who are ignorant of the purpose for which they live are fools and madmen. But to serve God is the purpose for which we have been born, and for which we are preserved in life. There is, therefore, no worse blindness, no insensibility so grovelling, as when we contemn God, and place our affections elsewhere. For whatever ingenuity the wicked may possess, they are destitute of the main thing, genuine piety. To the same effect are the words which immediately follow,a good understanding have all they who keep God’s commandments. There is great emphasis upon the qualifying adjunct טוב, tob; because the prophet, in inveighing against the foolish opinion to which we have already adverted, tacitly condemns those who delight in their own wicked craftiness. His meaning is, I admit, that they are usually deemed wise who look well to their own interests, who can pursue a temporising policy, who have the acuteness and artifice of preserving the favorable opinion of the world, and who even practice deception upon others. But even were I to grant that this character belongs to them, yet is their wisdom unprofitable and perverse, because true wisdom manifests itself in the observance of the law. Next he substitutes the keeping of God’s commandments for the fear of God. For though all men, without exception, boast that they fear God, yet nothing is more common than for them to live in the neglect of his law. Hence the prophet very properly inculcates upon us the voluntary assumption of his yoke, and submission to the regulations of his word, as the most satisfactory evidence of our living in the fear of God. The term beginning ⁽³⁴⁰⁾ has misled some, leading them to imagine that the fear of God was denominated the entrance of wisdom, as it were the alphabet, because it prepares men for true piety. Such an opinion is scarcely deserving of notice, seeing that, in Job 28:28, it is called “wisdom.” In this passage fear is not to be understood as referring to the first or elementary principles of piety, as in 1 John 4:18, but is comprehensive of all true godliness, or the worship of God. The conclusion of the psalm requires no explanation; it being the object of the prophet simply to inculcate upon the faithful, that nothing is more profitable for them, than to spend their lives in the celebration of the praises of God.

(340) “The beginning, — the word, so translated, also signifies the prime, the chief part, the perfection; a sense which it may very well bear in this place: comp. Deuteronomy 10:12 ” — Cresswell. “ראשית this word may signify, the first in time, and so it may denote the foundation of any thing; hence the meaning of the Psalmist here is, that the foundation of all wisdom is the fear of the Lord. But ראשית has also the sense of being first in dignity, as well as in order of time; thus ראשית חכמה , wisdom is the chief thing, Proverbs 4:7. Here it may be understood in the same manner; i.e. , the fear of the Lord is the chief wisdom.” — Phillips.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 111:1-10 has twenty-two lines. It is known as an acrostic psalm; each line in this psalm begins with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet. And so the first line of the psalm in Hebrew begins with Aleph, the second line in Hebrew begins with Beyth, the third line begins with Giymel, and the fourth Daleth, and so forth through the Hebrew alphabet, each line. And this is true also of Psalms 112:1-10 , another psalm of twenty-two lines. They are called acrostic because of the alphabet is used in a succeeding way throughout the psalm. It begins with Hallelujah.

Praise unto the LORD [Hallelujah]. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all of them that have pleasure therein. His work is honorable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion ( Psalms 111:1-4 ).

Again, how wrong it is to picture the God of the Old Testament as the God of judgment and wrath and all. Void of love. Here again the psalmist declares, "The Lord is gracious, full of compassion."

He hath given meat to them that reverence him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant. He hath showed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen. The works of his hands are truth and judgment; and all of his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name ( Psalms 111:5-9 ).

Don't call me Reverend. There is nothing reverend about the name of Chuck or Smith. I refuse the title. It is used in the scripture only of the name of the Lord. To me it would be almost blasphemous to tag that title onto me or onto my name. In fact, I don't like any titles. But I always wonder about the person who tacks a Reverend on his signature when it is a title that is ascribed only to that holy name of Yahweh. That is the name that is reverend or to be reverenced.

But man in seeking the honor of man and the glory from man takes that title to himself because he wants man to give him prestige and glory and honor. And so somewhere along the line back in history, ministers began to take the tag of Reverend So-and-so. Reverend, and then their name. And then the Right Reverend. And then the Most Right Reverend. And then the Most Holy Right Reverend. And I'm sure that God looks down and says, (Raspberries). No, He doesn't say that, honey? No, He doesn't say that. But I'm sure He's disgusted with it, however He expresses His disgust. That men should seek to exalt their name. Oh God, help us. Let us exalt the name of Jesus. "God has given Him a name that is above all names: that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess" ( Philippians 2:9-11 ). But as far as man, we're all dust. We're all flesh. We're all corrupt. And titles by which men try to elevate themselves above others are a curse. They're a sign of pride, and Reverend is a sign of spiritual pride which is the worst kind ever. "Holy and reverend is His name." For any man to take the title of Reverend, there has got to be something wrong with his theology.

The fear of the LORD ( Psalms 111:10 ):

Or the reverence of the Lord. And actually the word fear is reverence. The reverence of Yahweh. "Holy and reverenced is His name. And the reverence of Yahweh,"

is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever ( Psalms 111:10 ).

Now let me say this. I believe that there are many men who have taken the title of Reverend in sheer ignorance. I mean, I don't think that they are really trying to exalt themselves. Or every man that signs it Reverend Whoever is trying to exalt themselves and has a pride problem. And that I believe that there are some that just follow tradition and haven't even thought the thing through and haven't even gone to the scriptures. And thus, you know, I put it down not to a real pride problem. I just put it down to stupidity. So it would be wrong if you get a letter from Reverend Ike. What is so reverend about the name Ike, pray tell? Icky Ike. We better move on into Psalms 112:1-10 . "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 111

This is one of the acrostic psalms (cf. Psalms 9, 10; Psalms 25; Psalms 34; Psalms 37; Psalms 112; Psalms 119; Psalms , 145). Each successive line in the Hebrew text begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The writer evidently expressed his thoughts this way so the Israelites could memorize and recite the psalm easily. He recounted the Lord’s great works of redemption that should draw out His people’s praise.

"Acrostic poems in general do not show logical development because of the arbitrary imposition of the alphabetic form." [Note: VanGemeren, p. 700.]

"Psalms 111-113 all begin with Hallelujah, and there is a specially close bond between 111 and 112. These two are . . . a matched pair in their subject-matter, which tells of God in this psalm, and of the man of God in the next, even sharing the same or similar phrases in one or two verses." [Note: Kidner, Psalms 73-150, p. 396.]

"But Psalms 111, 112 are treated separately because they have a slightly different accent, an unqualified statement that the world is ruled by God with moral symmetry. That symmetry in the world is reflected in the disciplined acrostic structure of these two psalms. The world works so that persons receive the consequences of their actions (Galatians 6:7); this statement entertains no doubt about it." [Note: Brueggemann, p. 45.]

This author called these psalms "songs of retribution." [Note: Ibid.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

3. Concluding wisdom 111:10

The writer may have quoted Job 28:28, Proverbs 1:7 or Psalms 9:10, or Ecclesiastes 12:13.

"This famous saying is virtually the motto of the Wisdom writers, where its truth appears in various forms . . ." [Note: Kidner, Psalms 73-150, p. 398.]

In view of God’s great acts and faithfulness, fearing Him is the better part of wisdom. Obedience expresses reverential trust. Continuing worship is also appropriate. Some interpreters take the last clause as a prayer rather than a statement. [Note: E.g., Dahood, 3:125.]

God’s people should commit to memory the great characteristics and works of their God so they will remember to trust and obey Him.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,.... The fear of the Lord, whose name is revered, is not a fear of his judgments here or hereafter, but of his goodness and grace; it is a reverential affection for him, a fiducial fear of him, a fear of offending so good a Being as he is; and it includes all religious worship of him, inward and outward, private and public; and at this true wisdom begins; a man begins to be wise when he fears the Lord, and not till then; this is his highest wisdom, and this is, as it may be rendered, "the chief of wisdom" i, the principal part of it; see Proverbs 9:10.

A good understanding have all they that do his commandments; or "that do them" k; the fear of the Lord and wisdom; that exercise them, that do as they oblige and direct to; so R. Moses in Aben Ezra connects the words; such have a good understanding of the Lord, know him as the object of their fear and reverence, and of their duty to him, and of their own interest, it being their wisdom to fear him; since by attending to their duty, to the word and ordinances of God, such arrive to a greater degree of knowledge and understanding of divine things. Some render it "good success l" or "prosperity", as Kimchi; such usually have prosperity in soul and body, in things temporal and spiritual; see Joshua 1:8.

His praise endureth for ever; or "its praise" m; the praise of the fear of the Lord, of divine wisdom, and of a good understanding; just as of circumcision in the heart, Romans 2:29 or the praise of him that does the above things, that does the commandments of God, or acts under the fear of God, and as a wise man, 1 Corinthians 4:5 or rather the praise of God, which shall be given him by angels and men now and for evermore, as it ought to be; and to stir up to which is the design of the psalm throughout; and which men are encouraged to from the works and word of God, from his name, nature, and covenant, and from his blessings and acts of grace and goodness.

i ראשית חכמה "caput sapientiae", Junius Tremellius "vel praecipuum", Cocceius; "summa", Michaelis. k עשיהם "facientibus ea", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius Tremelilius, c. l שכל טוב "successus optimus", Junius & Tremellius so Ainsworth. m תהלתו "quorum laus", Tigurine version i.e. "uniuscujusque facientium", Gejerus, Michaelis.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      6 He hath showed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.   7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.   8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.   9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.   10 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.

      We are here taught to give glory to God,

      I. For the great things he has done for his people, for his people Israel, of old and of late: He has shown his people the power of his works (Psalms 111:6; Psalms 111:6), in what he has wrought for them; many a time he has given proofs of his omnipotence, and shown them what he can do, and that there is nothing too hard for him to do. Two things are specified to show the power of his works:-- 1. The possession God gave to Israel in the land of Canaan, that he might give them, or in giving them, the heritage of the heathen. This he did in Joshua's time, when the seven nations were subdued, and in David's time, when the neighbouring nations were many of them brought into subjection to Israel and became tributaries to David. Herein God showed his sovereignty, in disposing of kingdoms as he pleases, and his might, in making good his disposals. If God will make the heritage of the heathen to be the heritage of Israel, who can either arraign his counsel or stay his hand? 2. The many deliverances which he wrought for his people when by their iniquities they had sold themselves into the hand of their enemies (Psalms 111:9; Psalms 111:9): He sent redemption unto his people, not only out of Egypt at first, but often afterwards; and these redemptions were typical of the great redemption which in the fulness of time was to be wrought out by the Lord Jesus, that redemption in Jerusalem which so many waited for.

      II. For the stability both of his word and of his works, which assure us of the great things he will do for them. 1. What God has done shall never be undone. He will not undo it himself, and men and devils cannot (Psalms 111:7; Psalms 111:7): The works of his hand are verity and judgment (Psalms 111:8; Psalms 111:8), that is, they are done in truth and uprightness; all he does is consonant to the eternal rules and reasons of equity, all according to the counsel of his wisdom and the purpose of his will, all well done and therefore there is nothing to be altered or amended, but his works are firm and unchangeable. Upon the beginning of his works we may depend for the perfecting of them; work that is done properly will last, will neither go to decay nor sink under the stress that is laid upon it. 2. What God has said shall never be unsaid: All his commandments are sure, all straight and therefore all steady. His purposes, the rule of his actions, shall all have their accomplishment: Has he spoken, and will he not make it good? No doubt he will; whether he commands light or darkness, it is done as he commands. His precepts, the rule of our actions, are unquestionably just and good, and therefore unchangeable and not to be repealed; his promises and threatenings are all sure, and will be made good; nor shall the unbelief of man make either the one or the other of no effect. They are established, and therefore they stand fast for ever and ever, and the scripture cannot be broken. The wise God is never put upon new counsels, nor obliged to take new measures, either in his laws or in his providences. All is said, as all is done, in truth and uprightness, and therefore it is immutable. Men's folly and falsehood make them unstable in all their ways, but infinite wisdom and truth for ever exclude retraction and revocation: He has commanded his covenant for ever. God's covenant is commanded, for he has made it as one that has an incontestable authority to prescribe both what we must do and what we must expect, and an unquestionable ability to perform both what he has promised in the blessings of the covenant and what he has threatened in the curses of it, Psalms 105:8.

      III. For the setting up and establishing of religion among men. Because holy and reverend is his name, and the fear of him is the beginning of wisdom, therefore his praise endureth for ever, that is, he is to be everlastingly praised. 1. Because the discoveries of religion tend so much to his honour. Review what he has made known of himself in his word and in his works, and you will see, and say, that God is great and greatly to be feared; for his name is holy, his infinite purity and rectitude appear in all that whereby he has made himself known, and because it is holy therefore it is reverend, and to be thought of and mentioned with a holy awe. Note, What is holy is reverend; the angels have an eye to God's holiness when they cover their faces before him, and nothing is more man's honour than his sanctification. It is in his holy places that God appears most terrible, Psalms 68:35; Leviticus 10:3. 2. Because the dictates of religion tend so much to man's happiness. We have reason to praise God that the matter is so well contrived that our reverence of him and obedience to him are as much our interest as they are our duty. (1.) Our reverence of him is so: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It is not only reasonable that we should fear God, because his name is reverend and his nature is holy, but it is advantageous to us. It is wisdom; it will direct us to speak and act as becomes us, in a consistency with ourselves, and for our own benefit. It is the head of wisdom, that is (as we read it), it is the beginning of wisdom. Men can never begin to be wise till they begin to fear God; all true wisdom takes its rise from true religion, and has its foundation in it. Or, as some understand it, it is the chief wisdom, and the most excellent, the first in dignity. It is the principal wisdom, and the principal of wisdom, to worship God and give honour to him as our Father and Master. Those manage well who always act under the government of his holy fear. (2.) Our obedience to him is so: A good understanding have all those that do his commandments. Where the fear of the Lord rules in the heart there will be a constant conscientious care to keep his commandments, not to talk of them, but to do them; and such have a good understanding, that is, [1.] They are well understood; their obedience is graciously accepted as a plain indication of their mind that they do indeed fear God. Compare Proverbs 3:4, So shalt thou find favour and good understanding. God and man will look upon those as meaning well, and approve of them, who make conscience of their duty, though they have their mistakes. What is honestly intended shall be well taken. [2.] They understand well. First, It is a sign that they do understand well. The most obedient are accepted as the most intelligent; those understand themselves and their interest best that make God's law their rule and are in every thing ruled by it. A great understanding those have that know God's commandments and can discourse learnedly of them, but a good understanding have those that do them and walk according to them. Secondly, It is the way to understand better: A good understanding are they to all that do them; the fear of the Lord and the laws of that give men a good understanding, and are able to make them wise unto salvation. If any man will do his will, he shall know more and more clearly of the doctrine of Christ, John 7:17. Good success have all those that do them (so the margin), according to what was promised to Joshua if he would observe to do according to the law. Joshua 1:8, Then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and shalt have good success. We have reason to praise God, to praise him for ever, for putting man into such a fair way to happiness. Some apply the last words rather to the good man who fears the Lord than to the good God: His praise endures for ever. It is not of men perhaps, but it is of God (Romans 2:29), and that praise which is of God endures for ever when the praise of men is withered and gone.