proverbs

Preaching Postscript for May 15, 2022

AM Sermon — “Profiting from the Proverbs” (Prov 1:1-6)

I mentioned how the literary structure of Proverbs can be broken down in different ways. One common approach is to divide the book into seven parts:

  1. v.1-6 — “Preamble” i.e., Purpose Statement

  2. 1:7–Chapter 9 — Discourses on the Nature of Wisdom & Folly

  3. Prov 10-22 — First Section of Solomonic Wisdom

  4. Prov 22-24 — Assorted Sayings of the Wise

  5. 25-29 — Second Section of Solomonic Wisdom

  6. Prov 30-31 — Sayings of Agur & Lemuel

  7. Prov 31 — Poem to the Virtuous Woman

For a full introduction to the structures and themes of Proverbs, I suggest:

One or two good commentaries on Proverbs are a must. From beginner-level to more advanced, I recommend:

  • Proverbs: Wisdom that Works by Ray Ortlund, Jr. — lots of application. I ordered a copy for the church which should be here in the next two weeks.

  • Proverbs: a Shorter Commentary by Bruce Waltke — more technical, still good application.

  • Proverbs by Charles Bridges (Banner) — the language is a bit antiquated but its full of treasure!

Finally, in terms of daily devotions, you might enjoy a stand-alone edition of the Book of Proverbs. I use this one regularly:

PM Sermon — David’s Desire for Zion

Here’s a 4-minute video on YouTube portraying the capture of Jerusalem in David’s time.