Read & explore together
God’s wisdom orders and knows the whole creation
Sirach 42:15–25 praises the Lord by looking at creation and at what God knows. The passage moves from speaking about God’s works to showing that his wisdom orders everything and that his glory can be seen throughout creation.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
In this part of Sirach, the speaker says he will mention the works of the Lord and declare what he has seen. The passage stays focused on the Lord’s works, knowledge, wisdom, and glory, and it ends by asking who could ever see enough of that glory.
Sirach 42:15–25Main takeaway
Sirach 42:15–25 teaches that the Lord fully knows all things and wisely orders creation in a way that displays his glory.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Speaking of the Lord’s worksThe passage begins with a decision to speak about the Lord’s works and to declare what has been seen.
Explanation
The passage begins with a decision to speak about the Lord’s works and to declare what has been seen. It then links those works with the Lord’s words. The sun gives light and looks at all things, yet even this points beyond itself, because the Lord’s work is full of his glory.
02God knows what others cannot fully declareSirach says even the saints have not been given power to declare all the Lord’s marvellous works.
Explanation
Sirach says even the saints have not been given power to declare all the Lord’s marvellous works. The Almighty has firmly settled these works so that the universe might be established in his glory. This shows both the greatness of creation and the limits of human ability to describe it fully.
03The Most High knows all secretsThe Lord searches the deep and the heart, and he understands secrets. The Most High knows all knowledge, sees the signs of the world, declares past and future things, and reveals hidden traces.
Explanation
The Lord searches the deep and the heart, and he understands secrets. The Most High knows all knowledge, sees the signs of the world, declares past and future things, and reveals hidden traces. Nothing escapes him, not even a thought or a word. His knowledge is complete and searching.
04Creation shows ordered wisdom and lasting gloryThe Lord has ordered his mighty works by wisdom and is from everlasting to everlasting. Nothing needs adding or removing, and he needed no counsellor.
Explanation
The Lord has ordered his mighty works by wisdom and is from everlasting to everlasting. Nothing needs adding or removing, and he needed no counsellor. His works are desirable, even in a spark. They live, remain, are obedient, and exist in pairs, one opposite another, with each contributing to the good of another.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What does the writer say he is about to do at the start of the passage?
Look for the opening statement about making mention of the Lord’s works and declaring what has been seen.
02Which verses show that God knows hidden and secret things?
Gather the lines about the deep, the heart, secrets, the past and future, thoughts, and words.
03How does the passage describe the order and completeness of creation?
Notice the phrases about wisdom, nothing added or diminished, obedience, pairs, and one thing establishing the good of another.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Sirach 42:15–25
15I will make mention now of the works of the Lord, and will declare the things that I have seen. The Lord’s works are in his words.
16The sun that gives light looks at all things. The Lord’s work is full of his glory.
17The Lord has not given power to the saints to declare all his marvelous works, which the Almighty Lord firmly settled, that the universe might be established in his glory.
18He searches out the deep and the heart. He has understanding of their secrets. For the Most High knows all knowledge. He sees the signs of the world.
19He declares the things that are past and the things that shall be, and reveals the traces of hidden things.
20No thought escapes him. There is not a word hidden from him.
21He has ordered the mighty works of his wisdom. He is from everlasting to everlasting. Nothing has been added to them, nor diminished from them. He had no need of any counselor.
22How desirable are all his works! One may see this even in a spark.
23All these things live and remain forever in all manner of uses. They are all obedient.
24All things are in pairs, one opposite the other. He has made nothing imperfect.
25One thing establishes the good things of another. Who could ever see enough of his glory?