6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 7 For my palate shall meditate truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing tortuous or perverse in them. 9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold: 11 for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not equal to it.
12 I wisdom dwell [with] prudence, and find the knowledge [which cometh] of reflection. 13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate. 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am intelligence; I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, and rulers make just decrees; 16 by me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth. 17 I love those that love me; and they that seek me early shall find me. 18 Riches and honour are with me; durable wealth and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than fine gold, yea, than pure gold; and my revenue than choice silver. 20 I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: 21 that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries.
22 Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23 I was set up from eternity, from the beginning, before the earth was.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Proverbs 8:6-23
Commentary on Proverbs 8:1-11
(Read Proverbs 8:1-11)
The will of God is made known by the works of creation, and by the consciences of men, but more clearly by Moses and the prophets. The chief difficulty is to get men to attend to instruction. Yet attention to the words of Christ, will guide the most ignorant into saving knowledge of the truth. Where there is an understanding heart, and willingness to receive the truth in love, wisdom is valued above silver and gold.
Commentary on Proverbs 8:12-21
(Read Proverbs 8:12-21)
Wisdom, here is Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; it is Christ in the word, and Christ in the heart; not only Christ revealed to us, but Christ revealed in us. All prudence and skill are from the Lord. Through the redemption of Christ's precious blood, the riches of his grace abound in all wisdom and prudence. Man found out many inventions for ruin; God found one for our recovery. He hates pride and arrogance, evil ways and froward conversation; these render men unwilling to hear his humbling, awakening, holy instructions. True religion gives men the best counsel in all difficult cases, and helps to make their way plain. His wisdom makes all truly happy who receive it in the love of Christ Jesus. Seek him early, seek him earnestly, seek him before any thing else. Christ never said, Seek in vain. Those who love Christ, are such as have seen his loveliness, and have had his love shed abroad in their hearts; therefore they are happy. They shall be happy in this world, or in that which is beyond compare better. Wealth gotten by vanity will soon be diminished, but that which is well got, will wear well; and that which is well spent upon works of piety and charity, will be lasting. If they have not riches and honour in this world, they shall have that which is infinitely better. They shall be happy in the grace of God. Christ, by his Spirit, guides believers into all truth, and so leads them in the way of righteousness; and they walk after the Spirit. Also, they shall be happy in the glory of God hereafter. In Wisdom's promises, believers have goods laid up, not for days and years, but for eternity; her fruit therefore is better than gold.
Commentary on Proverbs 8:22-31
(Read Proverbs 8:22-31)
The Son of God declares himself to have been engaged in the creation of the world. How able, how fit is the Son of God to be the Saviour of the world, who was the Creator of it! The Son of God was ordained, before the world, to that great work. Does he delight in saving wretched sinners, and shall not we delight in his salvation?