Embracing God's Wisdom Amidst Human Struggles

Summary

After a season of struggle, David finally experiences victory and stability as king of Israel. Yet, in a moment of worldly reasoning, he attacks Moab—his relatives—contrary to God’s explicit command to leave them alone. This decision, though politically and militarily sound, is a rejection of God’s wisdom in favor of human strategy. While David is away fighting in Syria, Edom seizes the opportunity to attack Israel, inflicting significant damage. David recognizes this as God’s discipline—a direct result of his pride and misplaced trust in his own strength rather than in God.

Psalm 60 is David’s response to this crisis. He laments the pain and confusion of God’s discipline, acknowledging that sometimes the hardest things we face are not simply attacks from enemies, but are allowed or even sent by God to correct and train us. David’s repentance is genuine; he does not justify his actions or make excuses. Instead, he confesses that God’s boundaries and commands are right, and that his own attempts to secure Israel apart from God’s wisdom are futile.

Yet, even in the midst of discipline, David clings to hope. He sees that God has set up a banner—a rallying point—for those who fear Him. Salvation and deliverance come not from human effort or cleverness, but from God alone. David’s journey moves from despair, through repentance, to renewed hope and trust in God’s power.

This narrative draws a sharp contrast between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God. Throughout Scripture, God’s ways often appear foolish or impractical by human standards—whether it’s Abraham believing for a son in old age, Israel trapped at the Red Sea, or the ultimate “foolishness” of Christ crucified. Yet, God’s wisdom consistently proves superior, bringing about deliverance and life where human wisdom fails.

The challenge for us is to discern and embrace God’s wisdom in a world saturated with contrary voices. Our lives, if shaped by God’s wisdom, will often seem incomprehensible—even foolish—to those around us. We are called to immerse ourselves in God’s Word, walk by the Spirit, and learn from the faithful around us, so that our lives reflect a wisdom not of this world, but of God. The invitation is to forsake the world’s wisdom and walk in the “foolishness” of God, which alone leads to true life.

Key Takeaways

- God’s Discipline Is Redemptive, Not Punitive
When God allows hardship or discipline, it is not to punish us out of anger, but to correct and train us for our good. David’s experience shows that God’s discipline is strong medicine, designed to turn us from self-reliance to dependence on Him. The pain of discipline is real, but it is always aimed at restoration and deeper relationship with God. [25:08]

- Genuine Repentance Requires Surrender, Not Justification
David’s repentance is marked by a refusal to justify his actions or argue for their practicality. True repentance means agreeing with God’s assessment, turning away from our own wisdom, and realigning ourselves with His revealed will. It is only in this posture of humility that we can experience restoration and renewed hope. [29:52]

- The Wisdom of God Often Appears as Foolishness to the World
Throughout Scripture, God’s instructions frequently defy human logic and strategy. Whether it’s leaving Moab alone, facing the Red Sea, or the cross of Christ, God’s ways are often incomprehensible to worldly thinking. Yet, it is precisely in these “foolish” acts that God’s power and wisdom are most clearly displayed. [38:54]

- Our Lives Should Bear the Mark of God’s Wisdom, Not the World’s
If our choices, priorities, and values make perfect sense to the unbelieving world, we may be living by its wisdom rather than God’s. The call is to live in such a way that our lives provoke questions and even confusion in those who do not know Christ, pointing them to a reality beyond human understanding. [54:27]

- Discernment Comes Through Immersion in the Word, the Spirit, and Community
To distinguish God’s wisdom from the world’s, we must be deeply rooted in Scripture, attentive to the Holy Spirit, and engaged in authentic Christian community. These are the means by which God shapes our minds and hearts, enabling us to recognize and walk in His wisdom, even when it seems counterintuitive. [49:49]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[18:49] - Setting the Scene: David’s Early Victories
[20:22] - David’s Misstep: Attacking Moab and Its Consequences
[23:56] - Reading Psalm 60
[25:08] - The Three Themes: Discipline, Repentance, Hope
[27:09] - Hope in the Midst of Discipline
[28:53] - David’s Repentance and God’s Boundaries
[29:52] - Surrender Without Justification
[31:25] - The Futility of Human Wisdom
[32:00] - Realigning with God’s Power
[35:32] - The Contrast: God’s Wisdom vs. Human Wisdom
[38:54] - Biblical Examples of “Foolish” Obedience
[44:08] - The Cross: Ultimate Wisdom and Foolishness
[49:49] - Discerning God’s Wisdom in Our Lives
[52:36] - Does Your Life Make Sense to the World?
[54:27] - The Invitation to God’s “Foolishness”
[55:42] - Closing Prayer and Benediction

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

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### Bible Reading

- Psalm 60
- Deuteronomy 2:8-9, 17-19 (God’s command to Israel to leave Moab and Edom alone)
- 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (The “foolishness” of God’s wisdom, especially the cross)

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### Observation Questions

1. In Psalm 60, what are the main emotions David expresses in the opening verses, and what does he believe is the cause of Israel’s suffering? ([23:56])
2. According to Deuteronomy 2, what specific instructions did God give Israel regarding Moab and Edom? How did David’s actions differ from these commands? ([19:30])
3. In 1 Corinthians 1, how does Paul describe the difference between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world? What examples does he use? ([46:55])
4. What does David ask God to do for Israel in Psalm 60, and what does this reveal about his understanding of where true help comes from? ([24:30])

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### Interpretation Questions

1. Why does David see the attack from Edom as God’s discipline rather than just an unfortunate military setback? What does this reveal about his view of God’s involvement in Israel’s life? ([25:08])
2. The sermon says David’s repentance was marked by not justifying his actions. Why is it significant that David doesn’t try to explain away his mistake? How does this shape our understanding of genuine repentance? ([29:52])
3. The wisdom of God is described as “foolishness” to the world, especially in the example of the cross. Why do you think God’s ways so often seem impractical or even foolish to human thinking? ([44:08])
4. The sermon challenges us to consider if our lives make sense to the unbelieving world. What does it mean for a Christian’s life to be “incomprehensible” to others, and why might this be a sign of following God’s wisdom? ([54:27])

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### Application Questions

1. Think of a time when you made a decision that seemed wise or practical by the world’s standards, but later realized it was not in line with God’s Word. What led you to that decision, and what did you learn from the outcome? ([20:22])
2. The sermon says God’s discipline is “strong medicine” meant to restore us, not just punish. Can you identify a recent hardship or disappointment in your life that might be God’s way of drawing you back to Him? How did you respond? ([25:08])
3. David’s repentance involved surrender, not justification. Is there an area in your life where you tend to make excuses or justify your actions instead of simply agreeing with God and turning away? What would it look like to surrender in that area? ([29:52])
4. The wisdom of God often looks foolish to the world. Is there a specific command or teaching of Jesus that you find hard to obey because it doesn’t make sense to those around you? How do you wrestle with that tension? ([44:08])
5. The sermon asks, “Does your life make sense to your non-believing friends?” Are there choices you’ve made—about money, career, family, or priorities—that would seem strange to someone who doesn’t follow Jesus? If not, why do you think that is? ([52:36])
6. The pastor said discernment comes through immersion in the Word, the Spirit, and community. Which of these three do you find most challenging to pursue right now? What is one step you could take this week to grow in that area? ([49:49])
7. When you face a difficult decision, whose wisdom do you tend to trust first—God’s or the world’s? What practical habit could help you pause and seek God’s wisdom before acting? ([35:32])

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Devotional

Day 1: The Discipline of God Leads Us to Repentance
God sometimes allows us to experience hardship as a form of loving discipline, not to punish us, but to teach us to turn away from self-reliance and return to Him. When we face difficulties that shake our foundations, it is an invitation to examine our hearts and recognize where we have trusted in our own wisdom rather than God's. These moments, though painful, are meant to draw us back into dependence on the Lord, reminding us that His ways are higher and His love is steadfast even in correction. [26:07]

Psalm 60:1-3 (ESV)
O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses;
you have been angry; oh, restore us.
You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open;
repair its breaches, for it totters.
You have made your people see hard things;
you have given us wine to drink that made us stagger.

Reflection: Is there a recent hardship in your life that could be God’s loving discipline, inviting you to trust Him more deeply instead of relying on your own strength or plans?


Day 2: True Repentance Means Surrendering Our Justifications
Repentance is not about justifying our actions or making excuses, but about wholeheartedly agreeing with God’s truth, turning away from our sin, and realigning ourselves with His will. David’s example shows us that genuine repentance involves letting go of our need to defend our choices, even when they seemed practical or wise at the time, and instead confessing, “You were right, Lord, and I was wrong.” This kind of humility opens the door for restoration and renewed relationship with God. [29:52]

Psalm 60:6-8 (ESV)
God has spoken in his holiness:
“With exultation I will divide up Shechem
and portion out the Vale of Succoth.
Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet; Judah is my scepter.
Moab is my washbasin;
upon Edom I cast my shoe;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

Reflection: Where in your life are you tempted to justify your actions instead of simply confessing and turning from them before God?


Day 3: The Wisdom of God vs. The Wisdom of the World
There is a constant tension between what makes sense in the eyes of the world and what God calls us to do; following God often looks like foolishness to those around us, but it is the path to true life and victory. Throughout Scripture and history, God’s people have been called to trust Him in ways that defy human logic, whether it’s leaving enemies on their borders, forgiving those who wrong them, or loving the least and the lost. The wisdom of God is revealed in obedience, even when it doesn’t make sense to anyone else. [38:05]

1 Corinthians 1:25-29 (ESV)
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

Reflection: What is one area where God’s wisdom is calling you to act differently than the world expects, and what would it look like to obey Him in that today?


Day 4: Immersing Ourselves in God’s Word and Spirit
The primary way to discern God’s wisdom is by immersing ourselves in His Word, listening to the Holy Spirit, and learning from the lives of faithful believers around us. The world’s voices are loud and persistent, but God’s wisdom is found in Scripture, confirmed by the Spirit, and often modeled in the lives of those who walk closely with Him. As we saturate our hearts and minds with God’s truth, we become better able to recognize His voice and follow His ways, even when they challenge our assumptions or comfort. [49:49]

James 1:5 (ESV)
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Reflection: How can you intentionally make God’s Word and the voice of His Spirit the primary influence in your decisions this week?


Day 5: Living Lives That Don’t Make Sense to the World
A life shaped by God’s wisdom will often be incomprehensible to those who do not know Him; our priorities, choices, and values should reflect a different kingdom and a different King. When we follow Jesus, our lives become a testimony to the reality of His rule and the hope of His gospel, even if it means being misunderstood or ridiculed by the world. The question is not whether our lives make sense to others, but whether they are marked by obedience to Christ and the foolishness of the cross. [54:27]

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Reflection: In what specific way could your life reflect God’s wisdom so clearly this week that it would cause someone who doesn’t know Jesus to wonder about the hope you have?

Quotes

And when we try to do what makes sense in the eyes of the world rather than what makes sense in God's economy, that's when things go sideways. You go back to the beginning in Genesis 3. God says, don't eat it. And Adam and Eve look at it and they say, well, it looks like it'd be good to eat and it's going to make me wise if I do. And so God said, don't eat it, but I think I want to eat it because I'm going to get something from it. [00:36:57] (33 seconds) Edit Clip

``But the ultimate demonstration of this contrast between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world is found in the cross. One of the major difficulties that people had in understanding what Jesus was doing was they thought, he's the Messiah. He's going to come and he's going to drive out the Romans and reestablish the nation of Israel. And everything's going to be okay. And so what Jesus actually did and what he actually said was foolishness to them. They couldn't make heads or tails of it. It didn't make sense. It's foolishness for Jesus to let himself be arrested without fighting back. It's foolishness for the most powerful man who ever lived to allow himself to be treated like that. It's foolishness to think that the son of God would die on a cross. It's foolishness to think that the only sinless man would willingly take the sin of the world on himself. It's foolishness according to the wisdom of the world. [00:44:08] (75 seconds) Edit Clip

But God showed that his wisdom is different from the wisdom of the world. And he showed that by raising Jesus to life again on the third day. Proving in that moment that all of the things that the world was concerned with are ultimately unimportant in God's economy. And that the world and the things that were ultimately important in God's economy were the things that the powers of this world just completely overlooked and paid no attention to. Justice, mercy, righteousness, love. These are the things that the powers that hung Jesus on the cross had no concern with. But in raising him from the dead, God demonstrated that those are the things that are closest to his. That are closest to his. heart. [00:45:25] (55 seconds) Edit Clip

For since in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom. It pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. The Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and a folly to Gentiles. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. And so what he's saying there, well, he says it in the next verse, that the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. [00:46:45] (38 seconds) Edit Clip

To have a crucified Savior hung on a cross to die is foolishness. It is weakness in the eyes of the world. But that is the way that God has chosen to show his strength and his wisdom. [00:47:22] (22 seconds) Edit Clip

We must surrender ourselves wholeheartedly to the wisdom of God and renounce the wisdom of this world in every part of our lives. Jesus died for your sin and rose again on the third day. He is coming back to bring the kingdom of heaven here on earth, where peace and righteousness and justice and mercy reign. And he calls all people everywhere to turn away from their sin, to stop living lives according to the wisdom of this world, and to instead live your life in faith. [00:48:15] (39 seconds) Edit Clip

But the foolishness of God is wiser than men. And however smart we might think ourselves, however clever we might think ourselves, whatever other gods we might think we have figured out to be able to worship, they cannot save. They will not save. It is only Jesus who is the wisdom of God. [00:49:13] (29 seconds) Edit Clip

The number one way that we know what the wisdom of God is, is in his word. And so we must be immersed in the word. That must be the primary influence on the way that we look at our lives and the way that we look at the world around us. And to the extent that we are allowing other things, other people to speak into our lives and to shape us, we are submitting ourselves to the wisdom of this world. [00:49:53] (28 seconds) Edit Clip

Our lives, at some level, should be incomprehensible to an unbelieving world. They should look at what we're doing and say, I don't get it. That doesn't make sense. Why would they do that? Why would David leave Moab right on their border? It doesn't make sense. Well, it doesn't make sense unless God is protecting them. It doesn't make sense unless we are walking according to a wisdom that doesn't come from the world, and so it won't make sense to the world. It will be foolishness. [00:54:02] (42 seconds) Edit Clip

But we cannot walk in the wisdom of God while hanging on to the wisdom of this world. It is an either -or proposition. Which wisdom do you follow today? [00:55:20] (17 seconds) Edit Clip