SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING

God has given to man a wonderful brain, and the use of that brain has brought to humanity many benefits. But God has decreed that human wisdom shall not be the channel by which men shall come to know Him, 1 Cor. 1. 21. The reason for this is plain: man must not pride himself that by his own wisdom he has come into relationship with God; moreover, if human wisdom was to be the way, many of us would be excluded. Human wisdom has no standing in the realm of spiritual things.

Our writer ascribes to God the initiation into spiritual life and understanding, “The entrance of thy words giveth light”, v. 130. This implies an initial stage: into the darkness comes the Word of God. But this is only a beginning; there is a continuing process, “it giveth understanding unto the simple”. It is, of course, inferred that there is a readiness to admit the light, and then it immediately begins to work. Genesis 1 illustrates this. We are there introduced to “darkness … upon the face of the deep”, v. 2; “And God said, Let there be light”, v. 3. Read through the chapter, and see how everything was changed because of the entrance of light.

When the psalmist speaks of “the simple”, he is talking of those who are sincere and willing to be taught. This is the attitude in which to read the Word. And when we approach the Word like this, the Holy Spirit is there to increase understanding. Experience has shown that so-called “simple believers” may possess such a spiritual understanding that the wisdom of the world is baffled. In verse 104 we find a further consequence of having this understanding, “therefore I hate every false way”. It enables the believer to judge what is true and what is false.

This is God’s sovereign way of imparting truth, not to the wise, but to the simple. Matthew 11. 25, 26 gives us the Lord’s words, “I thank thee, O Father … because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight”. Shall we thank God for the truth of 1 John 5. 20, “the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding” And since this understanding is a continuing process, may we pray, “give me understanding according to thy word”, Psa. 119. 169.