Proverbs 18:4 (ESV)
The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
Have you ever listened to someone talk and not understood a thing they said? If you tell them you don’t understand they start all over and you are twice confused. It is even more complicated when you realize people may tell lies, stretch the truth and, or hide their real meaning. So that is why Solomon says the words of man’s mouth are deep waters. But, the second line of this proverb gives us great hope. True Biblical and Godly wisdom is as understandable and is as available as a bubbling brook. When men speak philosophical they like to make it confusing and complicated (and if they don't "like to" it still often is). They like others to listen to their refined speech and their hundred dollar words. But, when God speaks wisdom He puts the “cookies on the bottom shelf” for anyone to reach. Man’s words are high and lofty and say nothing. God’s wisdom is humble and unassuming and says everything. Hear wisdom and speak true wisdom.
The above proverb is a great comparison of Hebrew poetry. In this proverb the first and second line do a poetic dance for us as we seek to understand Solomon's meaning. The first line is talking about the mind of man and the second line is about the mind of God. In the first line we understand that the mind of man might flow from the mouth of man but come out as deep waters - a metaphor for deep thinking. Man likes to think deep ... at least he likes to think he thinks deep. Man likes to disguise his lack of knowledge by pontification through grand words. The converse of man, seen in the second line, is the Mind of God. God's word is described as a fountain and a bubbling brook. It is, of course, deep, or has depth, since it is the very wisdom of God. However, despite the fact that it is the depth of the riches of God, it flows like a bubbling brook to all and springs fourth like a fountain. If you are thirsty traveler, which would you like to come across on your journey, water in the deep or a fountain and/or bubbling brook? In this proverb Solomon is once again telling us what he stated in Proverbs 8 and 9: God makes wisdom available to all who thirst. Christ offered the women at the well water that would allow her to never thirst again. Solomon is telling us that God is making himself available to all.
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