This growing list features a variety of sources for a deeper understanding of wisdom in the Bible.
Proverbs, Kenneth T. Aitken
“In this perceptive commentary, familiar sayings from the book of Proverbs, such as this one, are seen in a new light. Kenneth T. Aitken deepens our understanding of the collection of popular sayings and folk wisdom of ancient Israel. “We need not,” according to Aitken, “dig very deeply into the book to find that the sage looks at life from a different angle from priest or prophet….The sage concerns himself with people as plain, ordinary individuals who live in the world, and with the wisdom and folly of their attitudes and actions in the common things of life.”
Ecclesiastes: A Mentor Commentary, Richard P. Belcher Jr.
“The book of Ecclesiastes, part of the wisdom literature of the Bible, can be a perplexing maze to interpret and teach. Full of apparent contradictions and much–debated Hebrew, the theme focuses on the gritty realities of life ‘under the sun’. Richard Belcher approaches this book with the depth and care it needs, presenting solid guidance on the intricacies of interpretation – alongside continual comments on the practicalities of preaching.”
Proverbs: A Commentary on an Ancient Book of Timeless Advice, Robert L. Alden
“Because of the nontechnical nature of the book, the practical relevance of the comments, and the inclusion of comments on every verse, this reviewer recommends this as one of the best popular treatments on Proverbs. This is a highly useful volume. . .” -Roy B. Zuck, Bibliotheca Sacra
Ecclesiastes: Why Everything Matters, Philip Graham Ryken
“Ecclesiastes is for people who have their doubts about God, but can’t stop thinking about him. The author of Ecclesiastes had his doubts, too, and these have enabled him to speak to skeptics as well as believers down through the centuries. Ecclesiastes is a book rich in literary artistry and multi–layered depths of spiritual meaning.”
Job (The NIV Application Commentary), by John H. Walton
“This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today’s preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God’s Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.”
An Exposition of Proverbs, Charles Bridges
“The Book of Proverbs, in Bridges’ view, ‘is not generally estimated at its just value’. ‘The best work on the Proverbs’, was C.H. Spurgeon’s verdict on this commentary. ‘Whilst explaining the passage in hand, he sets other portions of the word in new lights’.”
An Introduction to the Poetic Books of the Old Testament, C. Hassell Bullock
“…these five books (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon) reveal the very heart of men and women struggling with monumental issues such as suffering, sin, forgiveness, joy, worship, and the passionate love between a man and woman. C. Hassell Bullock, a noted Old Testament scholar, delves deep into the hearts of the five poetic books, offering readers helpful details, like hermeneutical considerations for each book, theological content and themes, detailed analyses of each book, and cultural perspectives.”
Proverbs in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, Sid S. Buzzell
“What does That verse mean? How should I interpret this passage? The Bible Knowledge Commentary answers these and other questions about the Scriptures, discussing all the Bible verse by verse and often phrase by phrase.”
Job: The Wisdom of the Cross, Christopher Ash
“Taking a staggeringly honest look at our broken world and the trials that we often face, Ash helps us see God’s sovereign purposes for adversity and the wonderful hope that Christians have in Christ.”
Proverbs, from The Preacher’s Commentary series, David A. Hubbard
“The Preacher’s Commentary offers pastors, teachers, and Bible study leaders clear and compelling insights into the Bible that will equip them to understand, apply, and teach the truth in God’s Word.”
Interpreting the Wisdom Books: An Exegetical Handbook, Edward M. Curtis
“The Wisdom Literature of the Bible (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs) is filled with practical principles for everyday life. While some Christians are deterred by the pragmatic character of these matter-of-fact guidelines, they are as integral to God’s purposes for His people as the explicitly theological material that dominates other parts of Scripture. The Wisdom books tie these two streams of God’s revelation together in a way that enriches and strengthens the church.”
Proverbs, from the Everyman’s Bible Commentary series, Irving L. Jensen
“The wisdom of Proverbs sometimes comforts and sometimes confuses. It contains some of our most cherished verses, as well as odd metaphors, and strange pronouncements that can feel cold or even cruel. What we need is a guide—someone who can explain the confusing bits and bring familiar passages to life. This is what the best preachers do, but you don’t have to wait until Sunday’s sermon. Encounter the beautiful depth of Proverbs through an enlightening verse-by-verse commentary from Irving Jensen that’s both straightforward and insightful.”
The Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible, Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“First published in 1940, this classic reveals how the Psalms are essential to the life of the believer and offers Bonhoeffer’s reflections on Psalms of thanksgiving, suffering, guilt, praise, and lament. Now with an introduction by Walter Brueggemann and excerpts from the Psalms, Bonhoeffer’s timeless work offers contemporary readers ancient wisdom and resources for the living of these days.”
The Proverbs, from the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series, Derek Kidner
“Proverbs—a book full of wisdom, and yet a book demanding all one’s wisdom to understand. Derek Kidner has not only provided a running commentary on the whole of Proverbs, but has also included two helpful study aids: a set of subject guides that bring together teaching scattered throughout the book, and a short concordance that helps locate lost sayings (in territory notoriously hard to search) and encourages further subject studies. In short, this volume is a wise person’s guide to wisdom.”
Proverbs, from the Baker commentary on the Old Testament wisdom and Psalms series, Tremper Longman III
“With Proverbs, veteran Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman III offers an accessible commentary on one of Scripture’s most frequently quoted and visited books. With his deft exegetical and expositional skill, the resulting work is full of fresh insight into the meaning of the text.”
Proverbs. Word Biblical Commentary series, Roland E. Murphy
“The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is a judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology.”
“The Book of Proverbs” in the New Interpreter’s Bible, Raymond C. Van Leeuwen
“Introduction to Wisdom Literature; Proverbs; Ecclesiastes. New Interpreter’s® Bible offers critically sound biblical interpretations for the 1990s and beyond. Guided by scholars, pastors, and laity representing diverse traditions, academic experience, and involvement in the Church, this entirely new collection of writings is specifically prepared to meet the needs of preachers, teachers, and all students of the Bible.”
The Book of Proverbs, Roger Norman Whybray
“Who compiled the varied material in the book of Proverbs, and why? Is there any significance in the order in which it has been arranged? These and similar questions about the book have often been discussed in the past, but no agreed conclusions reached. In this study the question of the purpose behind the composition of the book is raised anew.”
Be Skillful, Warren W.Wiersbe
“The book of Proverbs offers principles to develop godly character daily. From the dangers of speaking without listening to the satisfaction inherent in fearing the Lord, author Warren Wiersbe will unpack the Scriptures in ways that will help you apply these spiritual truths.”
The Message of Proverbs, David J. Atkinson
“In The Message of Proverbs the ancient voice of Lady Wisdom cries out again. She summons us to the life skills of godliness and helps us say no to the foolish and destructive enticements that inhabit the malls, campuses, housing divisions and office buildings of the postmodern world.”
The Gospel According to Job, Mike Mason
“The Gospel According to Job sensitively brings the reader to this realization, using a devotional commentary format that reminds them that it’s all right to doubt, to be confused, to wonder–in short, to be completely human. But what will heal us and help us endure is a direct, transforming encounter with the living God.”
Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Ray Ortlund
“Pastor and teacher Ray Ortlund unpacks the book of Proverbs in twenty-one straightforward sermons, providing a biblical worldview on everything from money, sex, and power to that of the daily routines of an average life. Drawing relevant parallels from ancient culture to present day, he helps us understand how the book of Proverbs is practical help for ordinary people going through everyday life.”
Proverbs: A Mentor Commentary, John A. Kitchen
“The escalating growth of our technological knowledge in the last century has been nothing short of breathtaking – but has it rendered us wiser? Or godlier? We have lost something priceless, and seem to be trying to replace it with more and more ‘information’. We need wisdom!”
Proverbs: An Introduction and Commentary, Lindsay Wilson
“In this replacement Tyndale Commentary, Lindsay Wilson shows how the first nine chapters provide a reading guide for the many proverbs in subsequent chapters; and how the fear of the Lord, choosing wisdom not folly, and having our characters formed by wisdom are crucial for understanding Proverbs as Christian Scripture and living out our faith in daily life.”
Living the Proverbs, Charles Swindoll
“Swindoll offers amazingly fresh insights about how to live with inexplicable joy in spite of the daily grind.”
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