Seeking Wisdom and Guidance from Scripture and Prayer

The pursuit of wisdom and guidance is a fundamental aspect of Christian devotion, rooted in biblical teachings and nurtured through prayer and scripture. The book of Proverbs invites readers to "know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding" ^[4]. This quest for wisdom involves a deepening understanding of God's will and ways, as expressed in scripture.

Scripture provides the foundation for seeking wisdom. The Psalmist prays, "Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts" ^[2]. This introspective prayer acknowledges the need for divine guidance in understanding one's own heart and actions. The book of Ecclesiastes reflects a similar pursuit, where the author "sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things" ^[1].

Prayer is a complementary means of seeking guidance. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, prayer is "converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him" ^[6]. Torrey's Topical Textbook highlights various aspects of prayer, including its commandment ^[7], its role in accessing God ^[5], and its practice under affliction ^[8]. The act of prayer is not merely a human initiative but is facilitated through Christ, as noted in the access to God "by Christ" and "through Christ" ^[5].

The Reformed tradition, as represented by Calvin's commentary on Philippians, emphasizes the importance of prayer in seeking guidance and wisdom. Calvin notes that Paul's prayer for the Philippians is that they "may be increased more and more in knowledge and experience" ^{[3, 9]}. This reflects a broader biblical emphasis on seeking wisdom and understanding through both scripture and prayer.

Different Christian traditions interpret the role of scripture and prayer in seeking guidance with some nuances. For instance, one commentary tradition by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 2 highlights the importance of diligence in hearing and praying for instruction to secure the fear of God ^[10]. Similarly, the Baptist/Reformed perspective, as seen in John Gill's commentary on Proverbs 19:20, stresses the need to "hear counsel, and receive instruction" from Christ and the Scriptures to be wise ^[11].

The practice of seeking wisdom and guidance through scripture and prayer is thus deeply ingrained in Christian devotion across various traditions. As the Psalmist's prayer for guidance and the biblical injunctions to seek wisdom illustrate, this pursuit is grounded in a recognition of human limitations and the need for divine illumination.

The biblical basis for this practice is reinforced by the understanding that God hears and answers prayer ^[7]. one commentary tradition by Keil & Delitzsch on Psalms 25:4 underscores the necessity of God's guidance for understanding His will as revealed in scripture. This guidance is not limited to intellectual comprehension but involves a living reality through God's enlightening and guiding grace.

Sources

Ecclesiastes “I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness. -- Ecclesiastes 7:25”
Psalms “Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. -- Psalms 139:23”
Philippians “Philippians 1:9 (BBE) — And my prayer is that you may be increased more and more in knowledge and experience;”
Proverbs “to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding; -- Proverbs 1:2”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Access to God — Is of God -- Ps 65:4. Is by Christ -- Joh 10:7, 9; 14:6; Ro 5:2; Eph 2:13; 3:12; Heb 7:9, 25; 10:19; 1Pe 3:18. Is by the Holy Spirit -- Eph 2:18. Obtained through faith -- Ac 14:27; Ro 5:2; Eph 3:12; Heb 11:6. Follows upon reconciliation to God -- Col 1:21,22. In Prayer -- See Prayer. De 4:7; Mt 6:6; 1Pe 1:17. In his temple -- Ps 15:1; 27:4; 43:3; 65:4. To obtain mercy and grace -- Heb 4:16. A privilege of saints -- De 4:7; Ps 15:1; 23:6; 24:3,4. Saints have, with confidence -- Eph 3:12; Heb 4:16; 10:19,20. Vouchsafed to repenting sinners -- See Repen”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Affliction, Prayer Under — Exhortation to -- Jas 5:13. That God would consider our trouble -- 2Ki 19:16; Ne 9:32; Ps 9:13; La 5:1. For the presence and support of God -- Ps 10:1; 102:2. That the Holy Spirit may not be withdrawn -- Ps 51:11. For divine comfort -- Ps 4:6; 119:76. For mitigation of troubles -- Ps 39:12,13. For deliverance -- Ps 25:17,22; 39:10; Isa 64:9-12; Jer 17:14. For pardon and deliverance from sin -- Ps 39:8; 51:1; 79:8. That we may be turned to God -- Ps 80:7; 85:4-6; Jer 31:18. For divine teaching and direction -- Job 34:32; Ps 27:11; 143:10. Fo”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, section 84.1: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1 1:26 3:22 9:6 9:6 9:6 14:13 Exodus 7:11 14:13 14:31 32:32 Leviticus 19:14 Deuteronomy 7:7-8 10:17 13:3 1 Kings 19:18 Job 4:18 Psalms 7:8 35:19 37:5 55:22 55:22 69:28 73:1-12 122:6 128:2 137:6 138:8 138:8 145:18 Proverbs 3:5 5:15 8:36 10:4 Ecclesiastes 9:3 Isaiah 11:4 26:9 30:15 30:21 33:22 42:1 45:23 48:11 50:5 53:1 55:11 55:13 60:2 60:2 60:2 64:8 Jeremiah 5:8 17:9 23:29 31:33 Ezekiel 11:20 Daniel 12:2 Hosea 1:10-11 Amos 9:36 Zechariah 14:8 Malachi 4:2 Matthew 5:11 5:14 5:15 ”
Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 2 (introduction): Men are invited to seek wisdom because it teaches those principles by which they may obtain God's guidance and avoid the society and influence of the wicked, whose pernicious courses are described. (Pro. 2:1-22) Diligence in hearing and praying for instruction must be used to secure the great principle of godliness, the fear of God. hide . . . with thee--lay up in store (compare Pro 7:1).”
Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 19:20: Hear counsel, and receive instruction,.... Of parents, masters, and ministers; especially the counsel and instruction of Wisdom, of Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God, the wonderful Counsellor; and of his Gospel and of the Scriptures, which are able to make a man wise unto salvation; that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end; in the latter end of life, at death; that then it may appear a man has been so wise as to be concerned for a future state, for the good of his soul in another world; by listening to the counsel and instruction of Christ, in his word; by lookin”

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