Proverbs 22:17-18 (ESV)
17 Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise,
and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
This begins a new section of Proverbs commonly called the “Words of the Wise” (Proverbs 22:17-24:22). Many scholars believe that Solomon incorporates the wisdom of other sages into his instruction at this point. As Bruce Waltke explains, “Solomon is adopting and adapting the sayings of his sage peers.” God’s wisdom did not originate with Solomon, and under divine inspiration he could draw upon the wisdom of others and incorporate it into the book of Proverbs. What we receive here, therefore, is not merely human wisdom, but the inspired wisdom of God.
Receiving wisdom requires intentional effort. Solomon begins with “incline your ear” and “hear the words of the wise.” The picture is of someone deliberately turning her attention toward instruction, prepared to receive what is being taught. A wise woman does not assume she already knows what she needs to know. She listens carefully, eager to learn and prepared to make necessary changes.
Solomon adds, “apply your heart to my knowledge.” It is not enough merely to hear wisdom. The student must take it to heart, allowing what she learns to become part of her thinking and ultimately her behavior. Solomon says it will be “pleasant” when these words are kept “within you.” The Hebrew literally refers to the belly, but here pictures wisdom being stored deep within the inner person, where it can govern the way she lives.
These words should be “ready on your lips.” God’s wisdom should become so familiar that it is available when we need it. This requires learning, remembering, and even memorizing biblical truth so that we are prepared to speak it at the right time. The more God’s Word fills our hearts and minds, the more readily his wisdom can come from our mouths.
Memorizing Scripture takes work, but we have an amazing ability to remember what captures our attention. We may no longer memorize phone numbers, addresses, or directions because our phones do it for us, yet we can still recall lyrics from songs we have not heard in years, lines from favorite movies, and countless details about the things we love. How much of God’s Word have you intentionally committed to memory lately? Choose a passage and begin today. Store God’s wisdom in your heart now so that it will be ready when you need it most.