How To Pray Proverbs

If one wants to learn and study the practical application of wisdom, the Book of Proverbs is one of the best books from the Bible to examine. Of course, one can find wisdom throughout the Bible, for the beginning of wisdom is not really about being street smart in life but having reverential fear toward God (Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.). So, if we desire to grow in wisdom, prudence, discretion, and understanding, then one of the best books in the Bible to base our prayers on is the book of Proverbs, which is considered wisdom literature along with the Book of Job and Ecclesiastes.

Heavenly Father, thank You because You are generous in giving wisdom to those who ask of You. May I grow in wisdom and continually walk in the fear of the LORD. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

 

Growing in Wisdom

First, we must understand and keep in mind that wisdom ultimately comes from God. Proverbs 2:6 states that the Lord gives wisdom and that from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Wisdom is not something that we gain on our own. While indeed we take action and make efforts to grow in wisdom, ultimately, God is the giver of it, and studying is how He gives it.

Second, the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD. So, without fear of the Lord, one may not grow in true biblical wisdom, for biblical or godly wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord. Proverbs 9:10 teaches us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. That is why, when you study the book of Proverbs, apart from finding practical application of what a wise person does, you will find verses whose common theme is about doing that which is righteous and blameless. For example, Proverbs 21:3 tells us that righteousness and justice are more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Another sample is from (Proverbs 28:6 Better the poor whose walk is blameless     than the rich whose ways are perverse.), which teaches us about walking with integrity. These verses instruct us to walk in righteousness and integrity and do justice, and more verses tell us to be faithful, diligent, trustworthy, and not gossipers. Why is that so? It is because doing what is right in God’s eyes is the very heart of wisdom.

So, wisdom is not about being street smart or cunning in a good way. It is about reverential fear toward God that causes us to do what is right in His eyes. If you are a student and your classmates are tempting you to cheat as you take the exam, refusing to cheat but taking the test honestly is already wise. That is why in Proverbs 10:23 it is written that doing wrong is a joke to a fool, but wisdom is a pleasure to a man of understanding.

Of course, growing in wisdom also involves studying God’s Word. It is one of the fruits of having reverential fear before God. If we revere God, we will honor Him and also honor His words by reading and studying them. That is one of the ways we grow in wisdom; one of the books in the Bible where we can continually read, meditate, and grow in wisdom is the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 4:5-7; Proverbs 2:1-6). (Proverbs 18:15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,     for the ears of the wise seek it out.) tells us that an intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

Father in heaven, give me the grace to read Your Word diligently. May I always meditate on it and apply it to my life so that I may grow and walk in wisdom. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Praying the Proverbs

As you desire to grow in wisdom, you desire the wise teachings of the Book of Proverbs to be evident in your life. So take, for example, the wisdom being taught by Solomon in Proverbs; you want it to be a reality in your life.

We will use Proverbs 14 as an example for praying any of the proverbs in the Bible.

(Proverbs 14 KJV here)

Solomon teaches us several pieces of wisdom in Proverbs 14.

1. One who walks in uprightness fears the LORD (verse 2).
2. The lips of the wise preserve them (verse 3).
3. Being diligent to do tedious work (verse 4).
4. The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way and to give thought to his steps (verses 8 and 15).
5. One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil (verse 16).
6. One who is slow to anger has understanding (verse 29).
7. Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding (verse 33).

Of course, there are many other verses in Proverbs 14 that you can apply and pray to be a reality in your life. But for the verses given above and the wisdom that they teach us, here is how we can put that into prayer:

Father, You are the giver of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Give me the grace, Lord, to always walk in uprightness and fear You. Help me have the lips of the wise, which can preserve me from trouble. Give me the grace to be diligent when doing tedious work. Cause me to grow in prudence, always discern my way, and give thought to every step I take. May I also be wise by being cautious always and turning away from evil. Help me also to be a person of understanding, slow to anger and with wisdom that rests in my heart. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

What we just did there is take the wise values that Proverbs 14 teaches us and simply pray to God for grace and to help make those virtues and values a reality in our lives. We know that in the end, He is the giver of wisdom from Whom everything comes.