Growing up in a Baptist church Sunday school and children’s choir, I learned to sing “Praise Him, Praise Him, All You Little Children.” In “big church” I heard and learned “Praise Him! Praise Him!” and many more hymns praising “Him.” I never heard a hymn praising “Her.” Most hymns sung in any denomination today don’t praise “Her,” although the Bible calls us to “prize” Lady Wisdom “highly” and follow Her (Proverbs 1:20-23; 3:13-18; 4, 8, 9).

More than ever, our country and our world are in deep need of Wisdom. We need Divine Wisdom to guide us out of the pandemic, climate change, white supremacy, racism, sexism, misogyny, economic injustice, wars, and violence. Imagine how different our world would be if people praised Wisdom and followed Her paths of peace and justice. Wisdom calls us to co-create with Her a world of justice, peace, equity, and abundant life for all.

Vontril McLemore wrote the lyrics to “Lady Wisdom, She’s Worthy to Be Praised” for our New Wineskins Community September worship service, celebrating Grandparents Day. She draws from Proverbs 8, which celebrates Wisdom’s co-creating the universe “ages ago. . . before the beginning of the earth.” Wisdom is our Co-Creator, our Ancient Grandmother. In our New Wineskins service, Vontril and Alexandria McLemore sang this song and all participants told moving stories of the wisdom, nurture, and unconditional love our grandmothers gave us.

Here are Vontril and Alexandria singing “Lady Wisdom, She’s Worthy to be Praised.”

Lady Wisdom, She’s Worthy to Be Praised        
Proverbs 8-9

Praise Her, praise Her, praise Her, praise Her, praise Her.
Praise Her, Lady Wisdom; She’s worthy to be praised.

She’s set a banquet for you, a banquet for you, a banquet for you, a banquet for you.
She’s set a banquet for you; Lady Wisdom she’s worthy to be praised.

She’s calling your name, calling your name, calling your name, calling your name.
She’s calling your name; Lady Wisdom, She’s worthy to be praised.

She was there in the beginning, there in the beginning, there in the beginning, there in the beginning.
She was there in the beginning; Lady Wisdom, She’s worthy to be praised.

She’s worth Her weight in gold, Her weight in gold, Her weight in gold, Her weight in gold.
She’s worth Her weight in gold; Golden Lady Wisdom, She’s worthy to be praised .

She offers abundant life, offers abundant life, offers abundant life, offers abundant life.
She offers abundant life; Lady Wisdom, She’s worthy to be praised.

Seek and find Her, seek and find Her, seek and find Her, seek and find Her. Seek and find Her;
Lady Wisdom, She’s worthy to be praised.

Obey and serve Her, obey and serve Her, obey and serve Her, obey and serve Her.
Obey and serve Her; Lady Wisdom, She’s worthy to be praised.

Trust and love Her, trust and love Her, trust and love Her, trust and love Her.
Trust and love Her; Lady Wisdom She’s worthy to be praised.

Praise Her, praise Him; praise Her, praise Him; praise Her, praise Him; praise Her, praise Him.
Praise Them, hallelujah; They’re worthy to be praised.

Words © 2021 Vontril McLeMore

Words © 2021 Vontril McLeMore