Top 7 Bible Verses About Wisdom and Discernment

Wisdom and discernment—these are two gifts that we should all be praying and asking God for on a daily basis. King Solomon is considered the wisest man that ever lived, because he asked God for wisdom instead of anything else for his Kingdom. As a result of his pleasing request, God granted him riches and fame and all the other blessings that he didn’t even ask for from the Father. The prophet Daniel explains that all wisdom comes from God as he writes, “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might” (Daniel 2:20).We too need wisdom in our lives to make the best decisions, so here are my top 7 Bible verses about wisdom and discernment.

Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!” 

This is a great verse to start a discussion about wisdom and discernment, because it explicitly states where wisdom begins. It starts with the fear of the Lord, and we will have clear understanding when we practice this. This does not mean that we should be terrified of God, rather it describes a sense of awe and reverence for him. If we love and respect our God, then we will obey his commandments. We will also praise him forever.

Proverbs 3:13 “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,” 

Who doesn’t want to live a life that is blessed and rewarding? I know that I do, and this verse is a clear reminder of where we must look for them. This verse is one of my favorites, as it is the one I included as a quote in my high school yearbook years ago. I cannot say that I have achieved a lot of wisdom and understanding in my life’s journey, but I do believe that the Lord has blessed me tremendously in my search and quest to please Him.

Philippians 1:9 “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment…” 

Paul’s prayer mentioned here was for all of the Christians in Philippi as well as for the other Christians that eventually would read his epistle, as he wanted them to be filled with love, knowledge, and discernment from the Lord. Paul knew that as young followers of Christ they needed the guiding of the Holy Spirit as well as an extra measure of discernment in spiritual matters. Many of them would face persecution and trials, like he was experiencing, so he wanted to encourage them to seek God’s wisdom in all circumstances.

Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” 

One of the best ways that we can gain wisdom today, besides asking God for it, is found in reading the Bible. We see the apostle encouraging his fellow Christians to let the word of Christ dwell in them richly. In other words, this saturation of God’s word would bestow on them an extra measure of wisdom and understanding, so that they could teach and admonish one another in love. I like how the verse goes on to encourage worshipping our Lord with singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in our hearts, because God’s word cannot be contained. Paul knew that knowing God’s word would lead us to burst out in all forms of praise and worship.

Hebrews 5:14 “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” 

Along with physical and mental maturity, it seems that the power of discernment also comes from experience and practice. Just like a growing child is eventually able to eat solid food, likewise the maturing Christian will also be able to distinguish good from evil more and more with practice. Wisdom and discernment come from seeking the Lord and his will for our lives, as well as from the experiences we face in our walk with him.

James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” 

Any discussion about wisdom must include this verse, because it clearly states its source. God is the giver of wisdom, and he loves to grant it to us if we but ask him for it. I often find myself asking the Lord for wisdom, because I need his help and guidance. And the good news is that he gives it to me and to all who would ask for it generously and without reproach or condemnation.

James 3:17 “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” 

My final verse about wisdom and discernment is found here in the book of James, because it is a wonderful definition of what these words mean. James confirms what others have written about the origin of wisdom—it comes from our God above. Then he goes on and explains that wisdom is pure, and peaceable, gentle, and open to reason. Wisdom is also full of mercy, good fruits, it is impartial and it is sincere.

CONCLUSION

Seeking wisdom and discernment is a lifelong journey, as it often takes time to receive these gifts and put them into practice. However, Father God is eager to share these with us if we just ask him, as he loves to give great blessings to his children. Like Solomon, our hearts should seek the Father’s heart including discernment and wisdom above and beyond all other earthly treasures.

Written by Karla Hawkins

God has been good to me over the years, and I have much for which to be grateful to Him. First of all, I feel blessed to be the pastor’s wife of a thriving church in northern Michigan and the mother of four amazing grown children. It is also very rewarding to be a Christian author, editor and translator for the Kingdom of God. Some of my favorite pastimes include supporting my children’s contemporary Christian band ONLY9AM, singing on the worship team at church, traveling, and connecting with family and friends via social media. When I am not working, I love spending time with my family and especially with my precious three-year-old grandson.