Psalm 111:10 teaches that wisdom begins with a deep reverence for God, a settled respect that shapes how a person thinks and lives. The verse also says that people who live by God’s ways gain sound understanding, and that God’s praise never wears out. The psalm is a song of worship, written in the Old Testament, and it speaks to God’s people gathered to praise him for his faithful works.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. All those who do his work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
Psalm 111:10 (WEB)
What Psalm 111:10 Means
The phrase “the fear of the LORD” does not describe terror or cowering. In Scripture, fear of the Lord means awe that recognizes God’s greatness, holiness and authority, and that responds to him with trust and obedience. The verse calls this attitude “the beginning” of wisdom, meaning the starting point. A person who begins with a right view of God is positioned to see life clearly, because they understand who is in charge and what matters most.
The second line says that “all those who do his work have a good understanding.” The point is not that effort alone produces insight. Understanding grows as people walk in step with God’s purposes, learning from his character and commands. The final line, “His praise endures forever,” reminds the reader that God’s worth and faithfulness do not fade, so praise directed to him is never wasted.
The verse does not promise that every wise person will be free from confusion or hardship, nor does it guarantee that understanding arrives on demand. It describes a pattern: reverence opens the door to wisdom, and wisdom grows as life is lived under God.
The Context of Psalm 111:10
Psalm 111 is one of the acrostic psalms in the Hebrew Bible, with its lines arranged in alphabetical order, and it is traditionally attributed to David. It is a hymn of praise that lists God’s works: his faithfulness, justice, redemption and covenant. The psalm is meant to be sung by the community of Israel and remembered in worship.
Just before verse 10, the psalm celebrates that God’s precepts are “sure” and “established forever,” and that his name is “holy and awesome” (verses 7 to 9). Verse 10 then answers the natural question that follows: how should people respond to such a God? The answer is reverence, which leads to wisdom. Read this way, the verse is not a stand-alone proverb but the conclusion of a sustained act of worship.
Key Phrases in Psalm 111:10
Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
(WEB)
This proverb repeats the same truth that the fear of the Lord is the starting point of wisdom and that knowledge of the Holy One brings understanding. Reading it alongside Psalm 111:10 shows that the link between reverence and wisdom is a steady theme across Israel’s wisdom literature.
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
(WEB)
Here the same connection appears at the opening of the book of Proverbs, where fear of the Lord is named as the beginning of knowledge. Together with Psalm 111:10, it frames the whole pursuit of wisdom as rooted in a right relationship with God.
A Short Prayer From Psalm 111:10
Lord, you are holy and awesome, and your works are true and just. Teach my heart to honor you in every decision I make today. Let my reverence for you be the foundation for the wisdom I need, and guide my thoughts so that they reflect your truth. Help me to walk in your ways, learning from your faithfulness as I go. Thank you that your praise endures forever, and that you are worthy of all my worship. Amen.
