The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.1
O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.2 By your mere utterance you created every living creature—the birds that fly and the animals that roam the earth.3 And you assigned man to name them all.4
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, . . . O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!5
He gave man free will6; that he may learn that apart from God everything is vanity.7 He who teaches man knowledge—the LORD—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.8 He enacted laws to show man his sinfulness.9 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.10
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law . . .the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.11 In all wisdom, God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”12
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!13 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.14
Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to . . . Jesus Christ . . . to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.15
Notes:
1. Proverbs 3:19-20
2. Psalm 104:24-25
3. Genesis 1:20-31
4. Genesis 2:19-20
5. Psalm 8:3-9
6. Deuteronomy 30:19-20
7. Ecclesiastes 1:14
8. Psalm 94:10b-11
9. Romans 3:20
10. Romans 4:13-15
11. Romans 3:21-23
12. Romans 1:27-31
13. Romans 11:33
14. Proverbs 3:5-8
15. Romans 16:25-27
