Wisdom of Solomon 9 · The Lantern

O God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who have made all things with your word,

And ordained man through your wisdom, that he should have dominion over the creatures which you have made,

And order the world according to equity and righteousness, and execute judgment with an upright heart:

Give me wisdom, that sits by your throne; and reject me not from among your children:

For I your servant and son of your maidservant am a feeble person, and of a short time, and too young for the understanding of judgment and laws.

For though a man be never so perfect among the children of men, yet if your wisdom be not with him, he shall be nothing regarded.

For it is to be understood by us not concerning wisdom alone, but concerning every virtue, what Solomon says: "and even if anyone be perfect among the sons of men, if your wisdom be absent from him, he shall be reckoned as nothing".

This is also read in the book of Job: Is not wisdom found among the aged, and does not understanding come with long life? With Him are wisdom and strength; He has counsel and understanding. If He tears down, none can rebuild; if He shuts a man in, none can open (Job 12:12-14).

(Vers. 6.). And if anyone etc., in this charity is intimated, he will be consummate, that is, perfect: the Gloss says: "In judgment"; among the sons of men, who are born, namely, from man and woman, in distinction from the Son of Man, that is, of the Virgin alone, concerning whom Matthew chapter sixteen says: "Whom do men say the Son of Man is"?

You have chosen me to be a king of your people, and a judge of your sons and daughters:

"You who give salvation to kings, who redeemed David your servant from the sword of the wicked." He calls kings those righteous and true individuals who, as we have said, rule their bodies with the Lord"s help. The Lord gives salvation to these kings, since he has freed them from the vices of the flesh.

The history of the kings narrates that King David, wishing to build a temple, was forbidden by the Lord through the prophet, because his son, who would succeed him in the kingdom, would be the one to build a temple for the Lord; and so it happened that Solomon, who is considered the author of this book, built a wondrous temple for the Lord in Jerusalem.

Second, the twofold reason for being heard. But you have chosen etc. Here he adds the manifold reason for being heard, of which the first is the enjoined office of the kingdom: the second is the command to build the temple: And you said etc. (Vers. 7.). But you etc., as if to say: thus I am by myself insufficient without wisdom.

You have commanded me to build a temple upon your holy mount, and an altar in the city in which you dwell, a resemblance of the holy tabernacle, which you have prepared from the beginning.

And wisdom was with you: which knows your works, and was present when you made the world, and knew what was acceptable in your sight, and right in your commandments.

Question: Someone might say that the Son cannot, in a strict sense, see the Father, because it is written, "No one has ever seen God."Response: Let us now return to the origin of the source, by which we are taught, through the writings of both the Old and New Testaments, that the Son has always been able to see the Father, since Solomon says, "With you is wisdom, who knows your…

(Vers. 9.). And with you, namely prepared it, your wisdom, namely uncreated, "that is, your Son," of whom 1 Corinthians chapter one says: "Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." Who knows your works, as the co-worker of all things, according to that passage of the Psalm: "You have made all things in wisdom." Who was present, with you, then, namely when you made the wor…

O send her out of your holy heavens, and from the throne of your glory, that being present she may labor with me, that I may know what is pleasing to you.

The Son, therefore, is not properly said to have been sent in that He is begotten of the Father; but either in that the Word made flesh appeared to the world, whence He says, "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world;" or in that from time to time, He is perceived by the mind of each, according to the saying, "Send her, that, being present with me, she may labor…

Third, the end of the petition is touched upon in two ways. Send her, etc. Here he shows the end of the petition, that is, for what purpose he sought wisdom: and first he asks for wisdom in order to know and do the will of God. Second, he shows that it avails for the attainment of such an end: For she knows. (Vers. 10.). He says therefore: Send her, namely wisdom, etc.

For she knows and understands all things, and she shall lead me soberly in my doings, and preserve me in her power.

So shall my works be acceptable, and then shall I judge your people righteously, and be worthy to sit in my father’s seat.

For what man is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of the Lord is?

For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain.

For the perishable body presses down the soul, and the one of dust tabernacle weighs down the mind that muses upon many things.

"Praise the Lord, my soul." Your soul will answer you, I will praise him as best I can, poorly, feebly, weakly. Why? Because as long as we are united to the body we are in exile, far from the Lord. Why do you praise the Lord in this manner, not giving him a perfect and continuous praise? Ask the Scriptures.

Tears that spring from compunction of heart defeat the enemy and gain for us the gift of a victorious happiness. In fact, those who "go out weeping, scattering their seeds, will return rejoicing, carrying their sheaves." How wisely the holy prophet teaches that the seeds of good works must be watered with rivers of tears! And in fact, no seed germinates without being watered.

"The body, which is corrupted, weighs down the soul." The human intellect has the character of apprehending and judging, the possible and the agent intellect: nor can this intellect be sufficiently illuminated without the aid of a higher and loftier light.

And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth, and with labor do we find the things that are before us: but the things that are in heaven who has searched out?

Precisely by the name of sweat the sacred Scripture has called suffering in general, from which no one is exempt, because, whereas some suffer from difficult operations, others do so from excruciating cures. The studies of all those wishing to learn partake of these same sufferings.

Is it not perhaps superfluous and extremely dangerous to have to inquire into what is beyond our logical capacities and exceeds our intelligence? How can what God works, mysteriously, be clear to us? Moreover, what eye of the heart can be so acute as to be able to gaze on God?

(Vers. 16.). And with difficulty etc., as if to say: And this is evident, because we judge with difficulty, that is, we know estimatively, not with certitude: Ecclesiastes 1: "All things are difficult": the things that are on earth, that is, lower sensible things.

And your counsel who has known, except you give wisdom, and send your Holy Spirit from above?

For so the ways of them which lived on the earth were reformed, and men were taught the things that are pleasing to you, and were saved through wisdom.

Wisdom of Solomon9