Poetry & Wisdom Literature

  • Job is the oldest book of the Bible— more than 400 years older than Genesis. Job lived at about the same time as Abraham.

  • This book is a collection of 150 songs, prayers, and poems.

  • A book of short, pithy sayings that give the wise reader advice about how to live a fulfilling life.

  • Though life may seem “meaningless” at times, the reader is advised to find true meaning through a right relationship with their Creator.

  • A brief love story celebrating the joy of marriage.

This is a collection of songs, proverbs, and common sense advice that express deep human emotions and give practical advice for living a virtuous life.

Avoid turning this good advice into commands or promises from God.

Watch these short videos for an overview of the books of Poetry and Wisdom Literature.

The Books of Poetry & Wisdom

Job

(persecuted one) Job is a wealthy man whose children, possessions, and health are suddenly taken from him. His friends accuse him of being a very sinful man. They think God blesses good men and punishes sinners. But Job knows that sinful men often live comfortable lives while good men suffer. He wants to make his case before God, for he thinks God has dealt with him unjustly. Job is trying to suffer patiently but he doesn’t know why this is happening to him.

Finally, God speaks to Job from a thunderstorm. He quickly puts him in his place, making him see that God is not obligated to bless someone just because they offer sacrifices to Him. People do not have the right to judge God’s sense of justice. There are things going on in the heavenly realm that are beyond human understanding. But God is sovereign over all.

Spoiler alert— the story has a happy ending for Job. God gives him many children and even more wealth than he had before.

Psalms

(melody of praise) This is a collection of 150 songs, prayers, and poems arranged in five books. Don’t expect these poems to rhyme. They were written in a style known as parallelism, in which a statement is repeated, or a statement and its opposite are written in sequence. One advantage of parallelism is that when a psalm is translated into another language it retains its parallel structure. If the verses rhymed in the original, they probably would not rhyme when translated.

The psalms were written for the Israelites to sing together at public events. Some are joyful, some are sad, and some tell stories of God’s great deeds in rescuing them from their enemies. Others are reminders of the importance of keeping the Law of Moses. There are also petitions, laments, songs of thanks, and psalms that point to Christ.

In ancient times only a few people would have owned a copy of the Scriptures. These songs, prayers, and poems helped the Israelites retain their national identity.

Proverbs

(parable) What’s the difference between a wise man and a fool? The wise man seeks God’s will, but the fool seeks his own. Wisdom is described in the context of a proper fear of the Lord. Wisdom is timeless. It is based on truth, and truth does not change. These proverbs address a broad spectrum of everyday circumstances.

The modern reader can easily recognize the advantages of wisdom and the consequences of being a fool. These sayings give helpful advice about how to avoid trouble while living a productive, happy, and fulfilling life. Keep in mind that these proverbs are not a formula guaranteeing a life of health and wealth. Wise people will have many difficulties in life. But wisdom knows how to handle them.

Ecclesiastes

(preacher) “Meaningless, meaningless, everything is meaningless!” Sound a little depressing? Yes, but Solomon knew what he was talking about. As Israel’s king and the wisest man alive, Solomon had experienced the joys and sorrows of a long and prosperous life. He had hundreds of wives and even more children. He built a magnificent temple in Jerusalem, planted vineyards, and completed many great construction projects.

Though he thoroughly enjoyed both his work and his pleasures, Solomon called it all meaningless— “a chasing after the wind.” He knew he would soon die and leave it to his heirs. All his labor seemed futile. Finally, he came to the conclusion that it is good to enjoy life to the fullest as long as one never forgets that his deeds will be judged by God. Life should be savored, but do not expect it to satisfy. The only thing that is truly meaningful is for a person to have a right relationship with their Creator.

Song of Songs

(or Song of Solomon) This little book might be a collection of wedding songs or perhaps the script of a drama, in which the groom plays the part of a king and the bride is his queen. It may also be a parable or metaphor that describes the love between God and Israel. Or maybe it speaks of Christ’s love for His Bride.

The book does not explicitly state how it should be viewed. There is also some debate over whether there are two characters (Lover and Beloved) or three characters (Lover, Beloved, and Solomon). In any case, Song of Songs is a celebration of the beauty of marital love.

Poetry & Wisdom Literature

Poetry & Wisdom Literature

JOB.......... PSALMS.......... PROVERBS.......... ECCLESIASTES..........SONG OF SONGS

JOB.......... PSALMS.......... PROVERBS.......... ECCLESIASTES..........SONG OF SONGS

Why are there books of poetry and wisdom in the Bible?

Because God is a wise poet.

Each genre adds another layer to the overall message of the Bible. The Old Testament narratives tell the main story, the law books give specific instructions, and the prophets explain how the Israelites broke their covenant with God.

However, the genre of Poetry and Wisdom expresses the full range of emotions associated with these events. They add color, depth, and life to the story. These books prove that God is not some cold, dispassionate Being who lives far away from His creation. God feels. He experiences joy and sorrow.

God spoke into Job’s pain with great power and authority. God showed concern for His people by teaching them wisdom through the Proverbs. And in Ecclesiastes, God encouraged them to enjoy their brief life “under the sun.” The books of Poetry and Wisdom speak directly to humanity’s deepest hopes and fears, even today.

Where would you like to go now?

OT Narratives

Prophecy