Hebrew Poetry and a Life of Righteousness and Fear of the Lord

Primary Biblical Texts

The Bible (Primary Source)

Proverbs 10:1-12; 11:1-10; 14:26-27; 15:33 – Core passages for the lesson, demonstrating themes of righteousness, fear of the Lord, and practical living.

Supporting Scriptures:

• Proverbs 1:7 – "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge."
• James 1:5 – Wisdom is available to all who ask God.
• I Corinthians 1:24 – Christ as the wisdom of God.

Commentaries on Proverbs

• "Proverbs" (The NIV Application Commentary) by Paul Koptak
  A detailed exploration of Proverbs' structure and practical applications.
• "Proverbs: An Introduction and Commentary" (Tyndale Old Testament Commentary) by Derek Kidner
  Insights into Hebrew poetry and the themes of righteousness and fearing the Lord.
• "How to Read Proverbs" by Tremper Longman III
  Explains the literary style and purpose of Proverbs for modern application.

Books on Hebrew Poetry and Old Testament Wisdom Literature

• "Old Testament Wisdom: An Introduction" by James L. Crenshaw
  Discusses the role of wisdom literature in Israelite society and its poetic elements.
• "The Wisdom of Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes" by Derek Kidner
  Explores the theological and practical aspects of Proverbs within the wisdom tradition.

Study Bibles for Context and Notes

• The ESV Study Bible
  Provides notes on Hebrew parallelism and the theological themes of Proverbs.
• The NIV Study Bible
  Offers commentary on Proverbs' cultural and historical context, with emphasis on righteous living and fear of the Lord.

Online Resources

• BibleGateway (www.biblegateway.com)
  For comparing translations of Proverbs and cross-referencing other related passages.
• Blue Letter Bible (www.blueletterbible.org)
  For studying Hebrew terms like "righteousness" (tsedeq) and "fear of the Lord" (yir'at YHWH).
• The Bible Project (www.bibleproject.com)
  Videos and articles explaining the structure of Proverbs and its poetic techniques, including parallelism.

Articles and Sermons

• "Wisdom in Proverbs" (Desiring God Article) by John Piper
  Reflects on the fear of the Lord and its role in righteous living.
• Sermon on Proverbs 10-11: Practical Righteousness by Tim Keller
  Discusses the application of Proverbs to daily decision-making and relationships.

Theological and Historical Sources

• "An Introduction to the Old Testament" by Tremper Longman III and Raymond B. Dillard
  Provides historical and literary background for the book of Proverbs.
• "The Ancient Near East" by James B. Pritchard
  Examines the cultural and literary context of Proverbs and other wisdom literature.