Wisdom is (website only)
Wisdom is for us to find,
To hold it close and ever true;
A gift of joy for humankind
That will last a lifetime through.
Refrain
Lord, make us wise
And keep us strong.
Please hold us fast,
When things go wrong.
Help us to learn
What we should do, Lord,
To be at one with You.
Wisdom is for us to hold
And precious jewels cannot compare;
Much more than silver, more than gold,
It's a treasure we can share.
Refrain
Wisdom is for us to keep
With pleasant ways that never cease;
From when we wake until we sleep
Let us walk the paths of peace.
Refrain
Wisdom is for us to know,
It guided our Creator's plan;
A tree of life that needs to grow
And blossom where it can.
Refrain
Words and music © Heather Gallagher
Based on Proverbs 3: 13-20
Ideas for use
“Wisdom is” offers a way into the book of Proverbs, so will be useful on those few occasions when the book crops up in the Sunday lectionary (see below). More generally, it points to both the simplicity and the richness of the Hebrew wisdom tradition as a resource to reflect upon – for how we live our lives and also how we understand God’s dream for all of creation. “Wisdom”, Heather writes, is “a treasure we can share”.
The metre of the hymn is unusual, but Heather’s tune is accessible, with repeated phrases within the steady “treading” melody of the verse, contrasted with a memorable, flowing refrain.
More information
By and large, the Hebrew book of Proverbs is not one that worshippers in the Christian tradition are very familiar with. Just four passages from the book are included in Year B of the Sunday lectionary; two in Year C; and none at all in Year A. (Compare, for example, 31 passages included from the book of the prophet Isaiah in Year A; 25 in Year B; and 29 in Year C.)
The Index of Biblical Texts in the music edition of Singing the Faith lists other hymns that allude to the book but, apart from Charles Wesley's Happy are they who find the grace (StF 500), Heather Gallagher’s text is unusual in paraphrasing a passage from Proverbs so fully. It is a helpful reminder that the human endeavour to seek wisdom is deeply embedded in the Scripture that Jesus would have read and to which he responded throughout his ministry.
In her account of Proverbs in The Women’s Commentary (ed. Newsom and Ringe, 1992: SPCK), the scholar of wisdom literature Carol Fontaine writes:
“Unlike the Torah and the Prophets, which view God primarily in terms of covenant and national history, for the wisdom tradition God is primarily the Creator.” With specific reference to Proverbs 3: 13-20, she continues: “God used Wisdom to create the world and placed Wisdom within creation, where people could observe its harmonies and live in right relation to it. One does not need a special covenant relationship to know God’s rules or to be assured of the Creator’s blessing – simple common sense and responsible living will ensure that.” (p.145)
Heather stays close to the theme and imagery of Proverbs 3, which builds on the idea of Wisdom personified as a woman (pictured above in a stained glass window at Augustine United Church, Edinburgh). She holds “long life” in her right hand, and “riches and honour” in her left; “her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” (vv.16-17) cf. verse 3 of the hymn.
Verse 4 alludes to the importance of wisdom in “our Creator’s plan”. God’s vision (as in the Garden Eden) is of a “tree of life”, but Heather also allows the uncertainty that comes with free will. The tree of life needs to grow and blossom, but only “where it can” – it requires the willing participation of God’s created beings to make this happen.
For that reason, the hymn’s refrain gifts us a prayer to God/Christ our guide – that we may learn “what we should do, Lord, to be at one with you”.
Heather Gallagher is a retired music teacher living in Kent. With her husband, Derek, she coordinates the Hartlip Retreat Centre on behalf of Hartlip Methodist Church. The Resource Hub has also published her hymn Like Thomas (Life is hard at times).