BIBLE VERSE STUDY
Psalms 111:10 — The Fear of the Lord as the Beginning of Wisdom
The verse identifies the fear of Jehovah as wisdom's beginning and affirms that obedient doers of his commandments gain sound understanding, with his praise enduring forever.
Scripture
10The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all they that do his commandments: His praise endureth for ever.
What this passage means
The opening line of the verse states a foundational claim: 'The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom.' The Hebrew expression places this fear not as mere emotion but as the starting point from which all wisdom flows. The verse frames wisdom as something that begins in a relationship of reverence toward God rather than in human intellect or experience alone.
The second line shifts from the beginning of wisdom to its visible fruit: 'A good understanding have all they that do his commandments.' Wisdom is not limited to knowledge of God's commands; it is confirmed and matured through the act of doing them. The verse thus connects reverence with obedience, presenting faithful practice as the evidence of genuine understanding.
The closing line, 'His praise endureth for ever,' ties the whole psalm together. After a passage that emphasizes God's works of truth, justice, redemption, and an everlasting covenant, the verse concludes that the proper, enduring response to such a God is continuous praise. The closing word links the fear of the Lord and obedient action to the unending worship that God's character deserves.
Context
Psalms 111 is an alphabetic acrostic psalm that opens with the speaker promising wholehearted thanksgiving in the assembly of the upright (v. 1). The body of the psalm reflects on the works of Jehovah—great, honorable, righteous, gracious, and merciful—and on his covenant with his people (vv. 2–9). Verse 10 functions as the climactic conclusion of this reflection, drawing together the themes of reverence and covenant faithfulness into a single declaration about wisdom.
Because no cross references were provided in the source material, this page does not cite parallel passages. The reading offered here is grounded solely in the psalm itself, treating verse 10 as the natural culmination of the praise that runs from verse 1 through verse 9.
Common questions
What does 'the fear of Jehovah' mean in this verse?
Within the verse itself, the fear of Jehovah is presented as the starting point of wisdom and is immediately linked to doing his commandments. In the context of the surrounding verses, which speak of God's works of truth, justice, redemption, and covenant, this fear reflects a reverent response to who God is and what he has done, not a mere emotional fright.
How does verse 10 relate to the rest of Psalm 111?
Psalm 111 moves from praise (v. 1) through reflection on God's great works and his covenant with his people (vv. 2–9). Verse 10 gathers the themes of reverence, obedience, and everlasting praise into a single concluding statement, drawing the whole psalm to its pointed close.
Does the verse say wisdom ends with doing the commandments?
The verse does not say that doing the commandments ends wisdom. It says those who do his commandments possess 'a good understanding,' indicating that obedient practice is the visible evidence and confirmation of the wisdom that began with the fear of Jehovah. Praise, not performance, is what the verse sets forth as enduring forever.