The final verse of Hosea is striking because it explicitly calls the reader of the book to go back and meditate on all the words again. The goal of rereading? Wisdom.

Who is wise? Then let him understand these things.

Discerning? Let him know them.

For the ways of Yahweh are straight, and righteous people walk in them,

But sinners are tripped up by them. (Hosea 14:10/9)

Wisdom like what?

The words sounds to me like Psalm 1. Commentaries frequently highlight how the language and concepts in this verse—“the way(s) of Yahweh”—also appear in Deuteronomy and Proverbs. But my first thought is Psalm 1 because if you get a running start heading in to the last verse of Hosea 14, zooming out to consider the whole chapter, then you see more connections than just the language of “the way of Yahweh.”

Hosea 14 and Psalm 1 both have the following features:

• Emphasis on “the way” (Hosea 14:10/9; Psalm 1:1)
• Tree and fruit language to speak of flourishing (Hosea 14:5/4–9/8; Psalm 1:3)
• Contrast between the righteous and the wicked (Hosea 14:10/9; Psalm 1:5–6)
  

Wisdom Art

What does it look like to reread and ponder literature in the way Hosea 14:10/9 calls for? I always find the metaphor of an art gallery helpful. When you enter an art gallery you stare at the exhibits. You reflect. You move to another picture close by, and you come back and think about similarities and differences. You move seamlessly between pondering your own life and work of the artist. I think this is the way the Torah is intended to be read. It’s the way to read the Psalm, and I think it’s the way all prophetic literature is intended to be read as well. I think all Scripture is meant to be handled this way, but it’s striking when you get explicit statements like Hosea 14:10/9, Psalm 1, and many others (including passages from Proverbs and Deuteronomy, of course).

Conclusion

The final line of Hosea calls everyone who makes it to the last line of the book to go back and reread. The call is to ponder the prophet’s words, like one ponders good art. Psalm 1 functions similarly, and the multiple conceptual overlaps between this last verse of Hosea and Psalm 1 makes me want to spend more time considering what meaning there might be in this canonical connection. After all, Psalm 1 is the beginning of the Writings and Hosea 14:10/9 is the last verse of the first book in the Minor Prophets. In this sense Hosea and Psalms are canonical neighbors.

If you take the last verse of Hosea seriously, it could change the way you read the book. For Hosea, wisdom and life are found in Yahweh and his ways. By reading and rereading his words, the ideal reader will say, with the prophet,

We will no longer say “our gods” to the work of our hands because in you the orphan is comforted. (Hosea 14:4/3)

In Yahweh is life and comfort, and Hosea’s words are meant to lead you to him.