Bridges on Proverbs 3:19-20
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 3:19-20
 
 1-2 
 3-4 
 5-6 
 7-8 
 9-10 
 11-12 
 13-15 
 16-18 
 19-20 
 21-22 
 23-26 
 27-28 
 29-30 
 31-32 
 33 
 34 
 35 
 
19. The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. {established: or, prepared} 20. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
 
We have seen wisdom, as it is in man, with all its enriching blessings. Here we behold its majesty, as it is in the bosom of God, and gloriously displayed in his works. 'Hereby he showeth, that this wisdom, whereof he speaketh, was everlasting, because it was before all creatures; and that all things, even the whole world, were made by it.’† Behold it founding the earth “upon nothing;” and yet “so sure, that it cannot be moved.” (Job 26:7. Psalm 93:1.) See how this great Architect hath established the heavens, fixing all their bright luminaries in their respective orbits (Genesis 1:14-16. Psalm 136:5. Jeremiah 10:12; 51:15)—'such a glorious canopy set with such sparkling diamonds!’† Each of these departments declares his knowledge—In the earth, by breaking up the depths, and gathering them up into rivers and streams for the refreshment of man. (Chapter 8:24-29. Genesis 1:9, 10. Job 38:8-12. Psalm 104:8-13)—In the heavens, by collecting the moisture into dew, and dropping down fatness upon the parched ground;† each of these countless drops falling from this Fountain of life. (Job 38:28.) Thus does every particle of the universe glitter with infinite skill. (Psalm 104:24.) The earth is its pavement, and the heavens—its ceiling; both miracles of wisdom, to “declare the glory of God.” (Psalm 19:1.) How beautiful is the uniformity of the two great systems of God! Both are the work of the same Architect. Both display the wisdom and knowledge of God. (John 1:1-14. Ephesians 1:8; 3:10. Colossians 1:13-17.) The universe is a parable, a mirror of the gospel. The manifestation of these Divine Perfections in the field of Creation opens a rich provision for our happiness. Much more let their more glorious exhibition in the great work of redemption fill us with adoring praise—“O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!”†
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Reformers’ Notes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Job 26:7
7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
 
Psalm 93:1
1 ¶ The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Genesis 1:14-16
14 ¶ And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: {the day...: Heb. between the day and between the night}
 
Psalm 136:5
5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
 
Jeremiah 10:12
12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
 
Jeremiah 51:15
15 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Leighton's beautiful fragment on Psalm 8. Works, vol. ii.
 
 
Psalm 8
1 ¶ {To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David.} O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. {ordained: Heb. founded} 3 ¶ When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: 7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; {All...: Heb. Flocks and oxen all of them} 8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 8:24-29
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. {fields: or, open places} {the highest...: or, the chief part} 27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: {a compass: or, a circle} 28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
 
Genesis 1:9, 10
9 ¶ And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
 
Job 38:8-12
8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? 9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, 10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, {brake...: or, established my decree upon it} 11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? {thy...: Heb. the pride of thy waves} 12 ¶ Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
 
Psalm 104:8-13
8 They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. {They go up...: or, The mountains ascend, the valleys descend} 9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth. 10 ¶ He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. {He: Heb. Who} {run: Heb. walk} 11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. {quench: Heb. break} 12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. {sing: Heb. give a voice} 13 He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Genesis 27:28, 29. There is a philosophical difficulty in supposing “the clouds to drop down with dew,” which is the moisture rising from the lower region, sometimes a very few feet from the earth. In the East, however, the dew is said to fall from a considerable height. Gesenius states, that the Hebrew word represents a 'gentle rain.’
 
 
Genesis 27:28, 29
28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: 29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Job 38:28
28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Psalm 104:24
24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Psalm 19:1
1 ¶ {To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.} The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
John 1:1-14
1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 ¶ And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. {comprehended: or, did not admit, or, receive} 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: {power: or, the right, or, privilege} 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
 
Ephesians 1:8
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
 
Ephesians 3:10
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
 
Colossians 1:13-17
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: {his...: Gr. the Son of his love} 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Romans 11:33. Full of profound thought are the words of our admirable Hooker — ‘That which moveth God to work is Goodness; that which ordereth his work is Wisdom; that which perfecteth his work is Power. All things, which God in these times and seasons hath brought forth, were eternally and before all time in God; as a work unbegun is in the artificer, which afterwards bringeth it into effect. Therefore whatsoever we do behold now in this present world, it was enwrapped within the bowels of Divine Mercy, written in the book of Eternal Wisdom, and held in the hands of Omnipotent Power, the first foundations of the earth being as yet unlaid. So that all things which God hath made are in that respect the Offspring of God. They are in him, as effects in their highest cause. He likewise is actually in them; the assistance and influence of his Deity is their life.’ — Book v. lvi.5.
 
 
Romans 11:33
33 ¶ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!