Proverbs 8:8 - The Excellence of Wisdom

Audio Bible

Context

The Excellence of Wisdom
…7For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips. 8All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse. 9They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge.…

Cross References

Psalm 119:130
The unfolding of Your words gives light; it informs the simple.Psalm 119:160
The entirety of Your word is truth, and all Your righteous judgments endure forever.Psalm 19:7-9
The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple. / The precepts of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. / The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true, being altogether righteous.Psalm 12:6
The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.Psalm 119:140
Your promise is completely pure; therefore Your servant loves it.Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.Psalm 119:89
Your word, O LORD, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens.Psalm 119:151
You are near, O LORD, and all Your commandments are true.Psalm 119:172
My tongue sings of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteous.Isaiah 45:19
I have not spoken in secret, from a place in a land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in a wasteland.’ I, the LORD, speak the truth; I say what is right.Isaiah 55:11
so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.John 17:17
Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.John 8:31-32
So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. / Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Psalm 12:6
The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Isaiah 45:23
I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

Isaiah 63:1
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

there

Proverbs 8:13
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

John 7:46
The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

froward or wreathed

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Proverbs 8

All the words of my mouth are righteous;
This phrase emphasizes the purity and moral integrity of wisdom's speech. In the biblical context, righteousness is a key attribute of God, and wisdom is often personified as a divine attribute. The words of wisdom align with God's character, reflecting truth and justice. This aligns with Psalm 19:9, which states, "The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous." The righteousness of wisdom's words suggests that they are trustworthy and align with God's law, which is a central theme throughout the Bible.

none are crooked or perverse.
This part of the verse highlights the absence of deceit or moral corruption in wisdom's speech. In the ancient Near Eastern context, crookedness and perversity were often associated with falsehood and injustice. The Hebrew words used here convey a sense of moral deviation and distortion. This is contrasted with the straight and narrow path that wisdom offers, as seen in Proverbs 3:5-6, which encourages trust in the Lord and promises that He will make paths straight. The absence of crookedness or perversity in wisdom's words underscores their reliability and divine origin, pointing to the ultimate fulfillment of wisdom in Jesus Christ, who is described as "the way, the truth, and the life" in John 14:6.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Solomon
Traditionally attributed as the author of Proverbs, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom.

2. Wisdom
Personified in Proverbs 8, Wisdom is depicted as a woman calling out to people, offering guidance and understanding.

3. Israel
The nation to whom the Proverbs were originally addressed, providing moral and spiritual guidance.

4. Ancient Near East
The cultural and historical context in which the Proverbs were written, influencing their themes and teachings.

Teaching Points

The Nature of True Wisdom
True wisdom is inherently righteous and aligns with God's character. It is devoid of deceit or moral corruption.

The Importance of Righteous Speech
Our words should reflect the righteousness of God's wisdom, avoiding any form of dishonesty or moral compromise.

Discernment in Communication
As believers, we must discern and ensure that our communication is upright and truthful, reflecting the integrity of God's wisdom.

Emulating Divine Wisdom
We are called to emulate the wisdom of God in our daily lives, seeking to speak and act in ways that are righteous and just.

Guarding Against Corruption
Vigilance is necessary to guard our hearts and minds against influences that might lead to crooked or perverse speech.

(8) Froward.--That is, twisted, or crooked.

Verse 8. - In righteousness; i.e. joined with righteousness equivalent to "righteous." In Proverbs 3:16 the Septuagint has an addition which may perhaps be an echo of this passage: "Out of her mouth proceedeth righteousness, and she beareth upon her tongue law and mercy." But more probably it is derived partly from Isaiah 45:23, and partly from Proverbs 31:26. There is nothing froward or perverse in them. In the utterance of Wisdom there is nothing crooked, no distortion of the truth; all is straightforward and direct. Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

All
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the words
אִמְרֵי־ (’im·rê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 561: Something said

of my mouth
פִ֑י (p̄î)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

are righteous;
בְּצֶ֥דֶק (bə·ṣe·ḏeq)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6664: The right, equity, prosperity

none
אֵ֥ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

are crooked
נִפְתָּ֥ל (nip̄·tāl)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6617: To twine, to struggle, be, tortuous

or perverse.
וְעִקֵּֽשׁ׃ (wə·‘iq·qêš)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6141: Twisted, perverted

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