“What does Proverbs 3:5 mean?”

February 2023 – Grace & Truth Magazine

QUESTION: What does Proverbs 3:5 mean, “lean not on your own understanding”? If I cannot lean on my own understanding, how can I lean on anybody else’s understanding?

ANSWER: When we want to understand a verse or, as in this case a phrase from a verse, it is always helpful to read the portion where it is found. The book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon, a son of King David. Solomon was the wisest mere man the Bible tells us about.

We must remember that the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son who became Man in order to be able to die for us, is Wisdom itself. This is indicated in Proverbs 8, especially in verses 22-31. John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16 tell us plainly that He is the Creator of all things, and the more we study creation, all the way from the smallest virus to the farthest galaxy, the more we see how intricate it is. Thus, how wise its Creator is, who not only made all of it but also designed it to work seemingly all by itself. Furthermore, when we consider His plans for our salvation and blessing, made long before the creation of the heavens and the earth (Eph. 1:4), we can only marvel at His wisdom, and how His love and His righteousness are in perfect balance in it all.

From the many times Solomon said “My son” in the early chapters of Proverbs, and especially from what he stated in Proverbs 4:1-13, we gather that he wrote this book especially for his son Rehoboam. Scripture only names this son and two daughters of Solomon, never indicating in any way that he had any other children, which surprises us when we think of the number of Solomon’s wives and concubines. Sad to say, Rehoboam does not seem to have heeded his father’s counsel. Instead, he followed the advice of his friends and thereby lost most of the kingdom. The path to happiness and blessing today is to obey the teaching God gives us in His Word.

The immediate context of the expression “lean not on your own understanding” is: “My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands … let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones” (3:1,3-8 NKJV).

Wise Solomon, at this point in his life, “loved the Lord” (1 Ki. 3:3) and was walking with Him. This is evident throughout the book of Proverbs. Sadly, late in his life he was led astray by some of his heathen wives, and his life ended under a cloud.

It is evident from what we have seen that even the wisest of men cannot trust themselves or their own wisdom. Solomon himself did not finish his life well. When we read about it in 2 Kings and in both books of Chronicles, we find him building the costly temple for the LORD and his own palace. We see the Queen of Sheba visiting him and being highly impressed by his wisdom and the way he went up to the house of the Lord. But when we see that this wisest of men, famous for his wisdom and even inspired by the Holy Spirit to write books that are a part of the Word of God, failing to follow the counsel he wrote for his son and for us 3,000 years later, we see the foolishness of leaning on our own understanding. We realize too that we cannot lean upon the understanding of any other person, whether the person be our spouse, friends, scientists, politicians, religious leaders or any other human beings, past or present.

We must look to God, the only source of true wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom” – and we all do – “let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting,” the apostle James writes for us in chapter 1:5-6 of his letter.

In Proverbs and other portions of God’s Word we find verses that tell us things like, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (9:10). Psalm 111:10 adds, “A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.” To look into God’s Word, the Bible, for direction and answers to our questions is far better than to trust in our own quite limited understanding. Let us go humbly to God in prayer. We can speak to Him about anything. Don’t try to dictate to Him; let Him answer however it may please Him. Be sure to acknowledge Him and thank Him that He, great as He is, will stoop down to give you – and me, too – the answer, direction, encouragement, help and whatever it is that we need!

Answered by Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.