He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Parallel translations
- WEB He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity;
- BSB He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk with integrity,
- NKJV He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
- NASB He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
- NLT He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God stores up sound wisdom for the upright and shields those of integrity. It matters because it shows God protects and provides for the godly.
Overview
The Lord lays up wisdom as a reserve for the righteous and acts as their shield. Godly character and divine protection are joined together. This picture of God guarding His people finds its deepest fulfillment in Christ, who keeps His own securely (John 10:28).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Jas 3:15–17This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
- Prov 30:5Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
- Ps 84:11For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
- 1 Cor 3:18–19Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
- 1 Cor 1:19For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
- 2 Tim 3:15–17And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Cor 1:30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
- Prov 28:18Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.
- Col 2:3In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
- 1 Cor 2:6–7Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
- Prov 14:8The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
- Ps 144:2My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
- Prov 8:14Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
- 1 Cor 1:24But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
- Job 28:8The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 2:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.