The FarAboveAll translation of the Westminster Leningrad Codex edition of the Old Testament / Tanakh

This is the FarAboveAll English translation of the Westminster Leningrad Codex (version 4.18), obtained from the Groves Center. This document contains the English translation text only, without notes. Please refer to the Introduction, the Hebrew and Aramaic source text and the English translation and notes at www.FarAboveAll.com.

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Version 0.33.105, 15 February 2024

Psalms  

Psalms Chapter 1 

1Happy is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

And who does not stand on the way of sinners,

And who does not sit in the seat of mockers,

2But whose delight is in the Lord's law,

And in whose law he meditates day and night.

3And he will be like a tree planted at brooks of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season,

And whose leaves will not wither,

For everything that he does will prosper.

4Not so the wicked;

They are on the contrary like chaff

Which the wind drives about.

5That is why the wicked will not be able to stand at the judgment,

Nor will sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the wicked will cease.

Psalms Chapter 2 

1Why do the Gentiles rage,

And the nations contemplate a vain thing?

2The kings of the earth take their stand,

And the potentates plot together against the Lord

And against his messiah,

3And say, “Let us break their bonds apart

And cast their cords off us.”

4He who dwells in the heavens will laugh;

The Lord* will deride them.

5Then he will speak to them in his anger,

And in his fury he will terrify them.

6But I have anointed my king,

On Zion, my holy mountain.

7I will relate the Lord's statute.

He has said to me,

“You are my son;

Today I begot you.

8Ask me,

And I will give nations as your inheritance

And the ends of the earth as your possession.

9You will break them with a rod of iron;

You will dash them to pieces like a potter's jar.”

10So now, you kings, act wisely;

Be admonished, you judges of the earth.

11Serve the Lord with fear,

And rejoice in awe.

12Kiss the son

Lest he becomes angry

And you perish on the way,

When his anger is kindled but a little.

Happy are all those who trust in him.

Reference(s) in Chapter 2: v.1 ↔ Acts 4:25 ● v.2 ↔ Acts 4:26 ● v.7 ↔ Acts 13:33, Hebrews 1:5, Hebrews 5:5 ● v.8 ↔ Revelation 2:26 ● v.9 ↔ Revelation 2:27, Revelation 12:5, Revelation 19:15.

Psalms Chapter 3 

1A Psalm of David when he was fleeing from Absalom his son.

2O Lord, how my adversaries have increased!

Many are rising up against me.

3Many say about myself,

There is no salvation in God for him.”

Selah.

4But you, O Lord, are a shield around me

– My glory,

And the one who lifts up my head.

5I call out to the Lord with my voice,

And he answers me from his holy mountain.

Selah.

6I lay down and fell asleep.

Then I awoke,

For the Lord sustained me.

7I will not be afraid of the tens of thousands of people

Who have ranged themselves against me.

8Rise up, O Lord;

Save me, O God of mine,

For you have struck all my enemies on the cheek;

You have broken the teeth of the wicked.

9Salvation is of the Lord;

Your blessing is on your people.

Selah.

Psalms Chapter 4 

1To the choirmaster, in singing set to stringed music.↑

A Psalm of David.

2When I call out,

Answer me, O God of my righteousness.

You have relieved me in adversity;

Have mercy on me,

And hear my prayer.

3You sons of man, how long will you put my glory to shame?

You love vanity;

You seek falsehood.

Selah.

4So know that the Lord has set apart a sacred one for himself;

The Lord will hear when I call out to him.

5Be overawed and do not sin,

Speaking in your heart on your bed,

And be silent.

Selah.

6Offer righteous sacrifices,

And put your trust in the Lord.

7Many say, “Who will show us goodness?”

Raise the light of your presence on us, O Lord.

8You have put gladness in my heart

– More so than at the time

When their corn and new wine became abundant.

9I can lie down and sleep at the same time in peace,

For you alone, O Lord, can let me dwell in safety.

Reference(s) in Chapter 4: v.5 ↔ Ephesians 4:26.

Psalms Chapter 5 

1To the choirmaster in singing set to wind instruments.↑

A Psalm of David.

2O Lord, listen to my words;

Consider my meditation.

3Hearken to my call of crying out,

O my king and my God,

For to you I pray.

4O Lord, you hear my voice in the morning;

In the morning I will marshal my thoughts to you

And keep watch.

5For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;

No evil dwells in you.

6Those who boast shall not stand in your sight;

You hate all who are engaged in iniquity.

7You will destroy those who speak falsehood;

The Lord abhors the man of blood and deceit.

8But as for me, I will go to your house in the abundance of your kindness;

I will worship facing your holy temple

In fear of you.

9Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness

On account of my adversaries;

Make your way straight ahead of me.

10For there is no rectitude in his mouth;

Their inner heart consists of lusts.

Their throat is an open sepulchre;

They flatter with their tongue.

11Condemn them, O God,

Let them fall by their own plans.

Drive them out for the multitude of their transgressions,

For they have rebelled against you.

12Then all who put their trust in you will rejoice;

They will shout for joy age-abidingly,

And you will protect them,

And those who love your name

Will exult in you.

13For you, O Lord, will bless the righteous man;

You will surround him with delight like a shield.

Reference(s) in Chapter 5: v.10 ↔ Romans 3:13.

Psalms Chapter 6 

1To the choirmaster in singing set to stringed music, concerning the eighth day division choir.↑

A Psalm of David.

2O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger,

And do not chasten me in your fury.

3Have mercy on me, O Lord,

For I am languishing.

Heal me, O Lord,

For my bones are agitated,

4And my inner being is very agitated.

And you, O Lord,

How long before you act?

5Return, O Lord;

Save my life

And deliver me,

For your kindness' sake.

6For in death there is no remembrance of you;

In the grave, who can give thanks to you?

7I am weary with my sighing;

All night I cause my bed to swim.

I dissolve my mattress with my tears.

8My eye has been ravaged with grief;

It has aged because of all my adversaries.

9Depart from me, all you who are engaged in iniquity,

For the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.

10The Lord has heard my supplication;

The Lord will accept my prayer.

11Let all my enemies be ashamed

And be most frightened;

Let them desist

And become ashamed in an instant.

Reference(s) in Chapter 6: v.9 ↔ Luke 13:27.

Psalms Chapter 7 

1A Psalm of David of pre-eminence, which he sang to the Lord about the words of Cush the Benjaminite.

2O Lord my God, I have put my trust in you.

Save me from all those who pursue me,

And deliver me,

3Lest he, like a lion, tears my body in pieces,

Crushing me,

With no-one to deliver me.

4O Lord my God,

If I have done this,

If there is any injustice in my hands,

5If I have requited evil to anyone at peace with me,

Or if I have spoiled my adversary gratuitously,

6Then let my enemy pursue me to the death

And catch up with me

And trample on my life on the ground

And place my honour in the dust.

Selah.

7Arise, O Lord, in your anger;

Raise yourself at the haughtiness of my adversaries,

And rouse yourself for me by executing the justice

Which you have commanded.

8When the congregation of the various peoples surrounds you,

Return on high above them.

9The Lord will judge various peoples;

Judge me, O Lord,

According to my righteousness

And my personal integrity.

10Please may the evil of the wicked come to an end,

And may you establish the just,

When the righteous God tests hearts and kidneys.

11My shield is by means of trust in God,

Who saves the upright in heart.

12God judges the just man,

But God is indignant every day.

13He certainly will return

And sharpen his sword.

He draws his bow

And aims it.

14He has also prepared his deadly weapons;

He has fashioned his arrows into burning ones.

15Look how my enemy is giving birth to iniquity

And has conceived vice

And borne falsehood.

16He has dug a hole

And hollowed it out,

But he has fallen into the pit

Which he made.

17His vice will return on his head,

And his violence will descend on his crown.

18I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness,

And I will sing psalms to the name of the Most High, the Lord.

Psalms Chapter 8 

1To the choirmaster in singing set to percussion instruments.↑

A Psalm of David.

2O Lord our Lord,

How excellent your name is in the whole earth!

So set your majesty over the heavens.

3You have decreed strength from the mouth of infants and babies,

Because of your adversaries,

To silence the enemy and avenger.

4When I see your heavens,

The work of your fingers

– The moon and the stars which you have established –

5I ask, “What is man,

That you should remember him?

Or the son of Adam,

That you should visit him?”

6For you made him a little lower than God,

But you have crowned him with honour and majesty.

7You put him in charge of the works of your hands;

You placed everything under his feet:

8Sheep and oxen, all of them,

And also the beasts of the field,

9Birds of the sky

And fish of the sea

And whatever crosses the paths of the seas.

10O Lord our Lord,

How excellent your name is on the whole earth!

Reference(s) in Chapter 8: v.3 ↔ Matthew 21:16 ● v.5 ↔ Hebrews 2:6 ● v.6 ↔ Hebrews 2:7 ● v.7 ↔ 1 Corinthians 15:25, 1 Corinthians 15:27, Ephesians 1:22, Hebrews 2:7TR, Hebrews 2:8.

Psalms Chapter 9 

1To the choirmaster. The secret of the son.↑

A Psalm of David.

2I will praise the Lord with all my heart;

I will tell of all your wondrous deeds.

3I will rejoice and exult in you;

I will sing psalms of your most high name.

4When my enemies retreat back,

They will stumble and perish at your presence.

5For you will deal with my case and my right;

You will sit on the throne

Judging righteously.

6You will rebuke nations

And put an end to the wicked one.

You will eradicate their name

For the age and in perpetuity.

7O enemy, devastations will come to an end in perpetuity,

But as for the cities which you have destroyed,

The memory of them has perished.

8But the Lord is seated age-abidingly;

He will establish his throne of justice.

9And he will judge the world justly;

He will arbitrate between peoples equitably.

10And the Lord will be a refuge to the oppressed

– A refuge in times of affliction.

11And those who know your name will trust in you,

For you have not forsaken those who seek you,

O Lord.

12Sing psalms to the Lord,

Who is seated in Zion;

Relate his deeds

Among the various peoples.

13For he who requites bloodshed

Remembers them.

He does not forget

The crying of the afflicted.

14Have mercy on me, O Lord;

Observe my affliction by those who hate me,

You who lift me up from the gates of death,

15So that I can relate all your psalms of praise

At the gates of the daughter of Zion,

And rejoice in your salvation.

16The nations will sink in the pit which they have made;

In the very net which they hid,

Their leg will be trapped.

17The Lord is known

By the justice which he executes;

The wicked man is ensnared

By the work of his own hands.

A meditation. Selah.

18The wicked will return to the grave,

As will all the nations forgetful of God.

19For the poor will not be forgotten in perpetuity,

Nor will the hope of the meek perish for eternity.

20Arise, O Lord,

Do not let man prevail;

Let the nations be judged

In your presence.

21O Lord, put fear in them,

That the nations may know

That they are but man.

Selah.

Psalms Chapter 10 

1Why, O Lord, do you stand at a distance?

Why do you hide in times of affliction?

2The wicked man in his pride

Ardently pursues the needy,

But they will be caught by the very devices

Which they contrived.

3For the wicked man boasts in his personal pleasure-seeking,

And the defrauder blasphemes

– He blasphemes the Lord.

4The wicked, in his arrogant pride,

Does not seek divine guidance;

God does not come into any of his machinations.

5They pervert his way all the time.

Your judgments are high up, aloof from him;

He rails at all his adversaries.

6He says in his heart,

“I will not falter,

Because from generation to generation

I will not be in difficulty.”

7His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and vehemence;

Under his tongue are vice and iniquity.

8He lies in ambush in enclosed areas,

He kills the innocent in hiding places;

His eyes lie hidden,

Fixed on the downcast.

9He lies in ambush in the hiding place,

Like a lion in a thicket.

He lies in an ambush

Ready to pounce on the poor;

He pounces on the poor

As he draws him into his net.

10 And he crouches and keeps low,

And by his dominance

The strength of the downcast fails.

11He says in his heart,

God forgets,

He is hiding his face;

He will never look.”

12Arise, O Lord;

O God lift up your hand.

Do not forget the afflicted.

13Why does the wicked blaspheme God?

He says in his heart,

“He will not investigate it.”

14You have looked,

For you have seen sorrow and grief,

So as to requite it with your hand.

The downcast commits himself to you;

You are a helper to the orphan.

15Break the arm of the wicked and evil one;

Investigate his wickedness

Which he thinks you will not find.

16The Lord is king for the age and in perpetuity;

The nations are eliminated from his land.

17You have heard the desire of the meek, O Lord,

You will establish their heart;

Your ear has hearkened to it,

18So as to provide justice to the orphan and the afflicted.

The man from the earth

Will not cause terror any more.

Reference(s) in Chapter 10: v.7 ↔ Romans 3:14.

Psalms Chapter 11 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David.

I have put my trust in the Lord.

How can you say to my inner being,

“Flee to your mountain

Like a bird”?

2For behold, the wicked draw the bow;

They attach their arrow to the string,

Ready to shoot under cover of darkness

At the upright of heart.

3If the foundations are demolished,

What can the righteous man do?

4The Lord is in his holy temple;

The Lord's throne is in heaven.

His eyes are looking;

His eyelids are testing the sons of Adam.

5The Lord tests the righteous,

But his being hates the wicked

And him who loves violence.

6He will rain burning coals, fire and sulphur on the wicked,

And a scorching wind will be the portion of their cup.

7For the righteous Lord loves righteousness,

And the upright will see his face.

Psalms Chapter 12 

1To the choirmaster concerning the eighth day division choir.↑

A Psalm of David.

2Save, O Lord,

For the benevolent man has come to an end,

For faithfulness has ceased

Among the sons of Adam.

3Each man speaks falsehood to his neighbour;

They speak with flattering lips

And with an equivocal heart.

4The Lord will cut off all flattering lips,

And the tongue that speaks bombastic words

5Those who say,

“We will be great with our tongue;

Our lips are with us.

Who is lord over us?”

6“Because of the oppression of the poor,

Because of the groaning of the needy,

I will now rise up,

Says the Lord;

I will place him who is railed at

In safety.”

7The words of the Lord are pure words;

They are silver,

Refined in a crucible for the earth,

Purified seven times.

8You, O Lord, will guard them;

You will preserve him from this generation age-abidingly.

9All around, the wicked walk about,

Whilst the basest of the sons of Adam are exalted.

Psalms Chapter 13 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David.

2How long, O Lord, will you forget me entirely?

How long will you hide your face from me?

3How long must I consult within myself?

Sorrow is in my heart by day.

How long will my enemy be raised up against me?

4Look and answer me,

O Lord my God;

Light up my eyes

So that I do not sleep the sleep of death,

5Lest my enemy should say,

“I have prevailed over him”,

And my adversaries should rejoice

Because I totter.

6But I trust in your kindness;

My heart rejoices in your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord,

For he has dealt favourably with me.

Psalms Chapter 14 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David.

The fool has said in his heart,

There is no God*.”

They have acted corruptly;

They have acted abominably in deed.

There is no-one who does good.

2The Lord peered down from heaven

At the sons of Adam,

To see if there was anyone who was prudent

Anyone who was seeking God*.

3The whole has departed,

They have become corrupt together;

There is no-one who does good

There is not even one.

4Do all those engaged in iniquity not know?

– Those who devour my people

In the same way as they devour bread?

They do not call on the Lord.

5There, they had a great fear,

For God* was with a righteous generation.

6You have put the plans of the poor man to shame,

For the Lord is his refuge.

7Oh for the salvation of Israel from Zion!

When the Lord reverses the captivity of his people,

Jacob will rejoice

– Israel will be glad.

Reference(s) in Chapter 14: v.1 ↔ Romans 3:10 ● v.2 ↔ Romans 3:11 ● v.3 ↔ Romans 3:12.

Psalms Chapter 15 

1A Psalm of David.

O Lord, who will dwell in your tent?

Who can reside on your holy mountain?

2He who walks perfectly,

And does what is righteous,

And speaks the truth in his heart.

3He does not slander with his tongue;

He does not do wrong to his neighbour,

And he does not utter a reproach against his kin.

4Anyone despised in his eyes is rejected,

But he honours those who fear the Lord.

If he swears an oath and it becomes to his detriment,

He does not alter it.

5He does not put his money out with interest,

And he does not accept a bribe against an innocent person.

He who behaves this way

Will never be shaken.

Psalms Chapter 16 

1A Golden Psalm of David.

Keep guard over me, O God,

For I have put my trust in you.

2I have said to the Lord,

“You are the Lord*,

My source of goodness.

There is nothing above you.”

3As for the holy people who are in the land,

And the noble ones,

All my delight is in them.

4May the sorrows of those who hasten after another be multiplied.

I will not pour out their libations of blood,

And I will not take their names to my lips.

5The Lord is the portion of my allotment

And my cup.

You will appoint my lot.

6The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;

Indeed, the inheritance has been delightful for me.

7I will bless the Lord

Who instructs me.

Moreover, by night

My kidneys discipline me.

8I have continually placed the Lord before me,

For with him at my right hand,

I will not falter.

9That is why my heart is glad

And my mind rejoices;

My flesh also dwells in security.

10For you will not leave my being in the grave,

Nor will you allow your holy one to see decay.

11You have made the way of life known to me.

There is an abundance of joys in your presence,

And there are pleasant things in perpetuity at your right hand.

Reference(s) in Chapter 16: v.8 ↔ Acts 2:25 ● v.9 ↔ Acts 2:26 ● v.10 ↔ Acts 2:27, Acts 2:31, Acts 13:35 ● v.11 ↔ Acts 2:28.

Psalms Chapter 17 

1A Prayer of David.

Hear, O Lord, in righteousness,

Hearken to my cry;

Listen to my prayer,

Which is not with deceitful lips.

2May my justice come from your presence;

May your eyes see things that are upright.

3You have tested my heart,

You have paid a visit by night;

You have refined me and found no dross.

I have resolved that my mouth shall not transgress.

4As for the works of man,

By the word of your lips

I have been on guard

Against the ways of the violent man.

5Keep my steps on your paths,

So my steps do not falter.

6I have called on you,

For you answer me, O God.

Turn your ear to me;

Hear my oration.

7Show your wondrous kindness,

You who by your right hand save

Those who put their trust in you,

From those who rise up against them.

8Keep me as the apple of your eye;

Hide me in the shadow of your wings,

9From the wicked ones who treat me with violence

From my mortal enemies who surround me.

10With their fatness they have closed themselves off;

With their mouth they speak haughtily.

11Having followed our steps,

They have surrounded me now;

They have set their eyes

Ready to be devious on the ground.

12Here is a simile for this:

Like a lion that is eager to tear in pieces,

Like a young lion that crouches in hiding places.

13Arise, O Lord,

Confront him,

Bring him low;

Deliver my life from the wicked one

With your sword.

14Deliver me from men by your power, O Lord,

From men of the world,

Whose portion in life

Is that you fill their belly with your hidden treasure,

And their sons are satisfied,

And they leave their surplus to their children.

15As for me, I will see your face in righteousness;

I will be satisfied when I awake in your likeness.

Psalms Chapter 18 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of the servant of the Lord, of David who spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from Saul's hand. 2And he said,

“I will cherish you,

O Lord, my strength.

3The Lord is my rock and my fortress

And my deliverer,

My God and my firm ground.

I will put my trust in him

– My shield and the horn of my salvation

And my high stronghold.

4I will call on the praiseworthy Lord,

And I will be saved from my enemies.

5The tightening grip of death surrounded me,

And the onslaughts of the reprobate alarmed me.

6The tightening grip of the grave encompassed me;

Deadly snares confronted me.

7When I was in a strait,

I called on the Lord,

And I cried out to my God.

He heard my voice from his temple,

And my cry came before him to his ears.

8And the earth shook and trembled,

And the foundations of mountains quaked and shook,

Because he was furious.

9Smoke went up in his nostrils,

And fire from his mouth came devouring;

Coals were kindled by him.

10And he stretched out the heavens and descended,

And thick darkness was under his feet.

11And he rode on a cherub and flew

And swooped down on the wings of the wind.

12He made darkness his hiding place;

Around him as his booth

Was the darkness of water

And the thick clouds of the upper skies.

13At the brightness ahead of him

His thick clouds pass along

With their hail and fiery coals.

14And the Lord thundered in the heavens,

And the Most High sounded his voice

With hail and fiery coals.

15And he sent his arrows

And scattered them,

And he shot lightning bolts

And routed them.

16Then channels of water appeared,

And the foundations of the world were revealed

At your rebuke, O Lord

– At the blast of the wind from your nostrils.

17He sent help from on high,

And he took hold of me;

He drew me out of great waters.

18He delivered me from my strong enemy

And from those who hate me,

For they were stronger than I was.

19They confronted me on my day of distress,

But the Lord became a support for me,

20And he brought me out to a wide place;

He delivered me,

Because he delighted in me.

21The Lord recompensed me

According to my righteousness;

According to the cleanness of my hands

He rewarded me.

22For I have kept the ways of the Lord,

And I have not committed wickedness against my God.

23For all his injunctions were before me,

And I have not neglected his statutes.

24And I was perfect with him,

And I kept myself from iniquity,

25And the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness

– According to the cleanness of my hands

Before his eyes.

26With the kind, you will act kindly;

With the perfect man, you will act in perfection.

27With the pure, you will act in purity,

But with the perverse, you will act in a convoluted way.

28For you will save an afflicted people,

And you will bring haughty eyes low.

29For you light up my lamp;

The Lord my God brightens my darkness.

30For through you I can run through a battalion,

And through my God I can leap over a wall.

31As for God, his way is perfect.

The word of the Lord has been refined.

He is a shield to all who trust in him.

32For who is God

Apart from the Lord?

And who is a rock,

Except for our God?

33It is God who girds me with valour,

Who makes my way perfect,

34Who makes my feet like those of hinds

And stands me on my heights,

35Who teaches my hands the skills of war

So a copper bow can be drawn by my arms.

36And you gave me the shield of your salvation,

While your right hand gives me support,

And your meekness makes me great.

37You enlarged my step under me,

And my ankles did not slip.

38I pursued my enemies

And caught up with them,

And I did not return

Until I had made an end of them.

39I crushed them

So that they could not get up.

They fell under my feet.

40And you girded me with valour for war;

You brought down my opponents under me,

41And you gave me the neck of my enemies.

And as for those who hate me,

I cut them down.

42They cried out,

But there was no saviour;

They looked to the Lord,

But he did not answer them.

43And I pulverized them like the dust,

Carried along by the wind.

I disposed of them

Like the filth of the streets.

44You delivered me from the contentions of a people;

You set me at the head of nations.

A people that I did not know

Will serve me.

45At bidding coming to their ears,

They will obey me.

Foreigners will feign obedience to me.

46Foreigners will fade away;

They will be wrenched out of their confines.

47How the Lord lives,

And my rock is blessed,

And the God of my salvation is exalted

48– The God who gives me vengeance,

And who subdues peoples under me,

49Who delivers me from my enemies.

You also raise me up above those who rise up against me;

You rescue me from the man of violence.

50That is why I will praise you

Among the nations, O Lord,

And I will sing psalms to your name.

51He magnifies acts of salvation of his king,

Also showing kindness to his anointed

– To David and to his seed

Age-abidingly.”

Reference(s) in Chapter 18: v.3 ↔ Hebrews 2:13 ● v.32 ↔ Mark 12:32 ● v.50 ↔ Romans 15:9.

Psalms Chapter 19 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David.

2The heavens speak of the glory of God,

And the firmament tells of the work of his hands.

3Each day utters speech,

And each night declares knowledge.

4They have no speech and they have no words;

Their sound is not something heard.

5Their signification goes out into the whole earth,

And their statements to the end of the world.

Throughout the seasons he has assigned an abode for the sun.

6And as a bridegroom, the sun comes out of its bridal canopy

And exults as a valiant man about to run a course.

7Its rising is from one end of the heavens,

And its circuit is to the other end of them.

And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

8The law of the Lord is perfect

In restoring a person.

The testimony of the Lord is faithful,

Making the simple-minded wise.

9The precepts of the Lord are upright;

They gladden the heart.

The commandment of the Lord is pure;

It enlightens the eyes.

10Fear of the Lord is salutary;

It endures perpetually.

The judgments of the Lord are truth;

They are altogether righteous.

11They are more to be desired than gold,

Or than a vast amount of refined gold.

And they are sweeter than honey

And honey-syrup from honeycombs.

12Your servant also is warned by them;

There is great reward in keeping them.

13Who understands errors?

Oh acquit me from things hidden.

14From presumptuous sins, too, preserve your servant;

Do not let them rule over me.

Then I shall be perfect

And acquitted from great transgression.

15May the sayings of my mouth be acceptable,

And the meditation of my heart before you,

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Reference(s) in Chapter 19: v.5 ↔ Romans 10:18.

Psalms Chapter 20 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David.

2The Lord will answer you on the day of straitness;

The name of the God of Jacob will set you on high.

3He will send you help from the sanctuary,

And he will support you from Zion.

4He will remember all your meal-offerings

And regard your burnt offering as fat.

Selah.

5He will give to you according to your heart's desire

And fulfil all your ambitions.

6Let us shout for joy in your salvation

And set up a banner in the name of our God.

The Lord will fulfil all your requests.

7Now I know that the Lord saves his messiah;

He will answer him from his holy heavens,

By the mighty acts of salvation of his right hand.

8Some bring chariots to remembrance,

And others horses,

But we the name of the Lord our God.

9They collapse and fall down,

But we arise

And are kept firmly upright.

10O Lord, save;

The king will answer us

On the day when we call.

Psalms Chapter 21 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David.

2O Lord, the king will take pleasure in your strength,

And how greatly he shall rejoice in your salvation!

3You have given him his heart's desire,

And you have not withheld the request of his lips.

Selah.

4For you have gone in front of him,

With blessings of goodness;

You have put a crown of pure gold on his head.

5He asked you for life;

You gave him it

– Length of days,

Age-long and in perpetuity.

6His glory is great through your salvation;

You bestow majesty and splendour on him.

7For you have appointed him everlasting blessings;

You have gladdened him with happiness at your presence.

8For the king trusts in the Lord,

And through kindness of the Most High,

He shall not falter.

9Your hand will find all your enemies;

Your right hand will discover those who hate you.

10You will appoint them a fiery furnace

At the time of your presence.

The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,

And fire will consume them.

11You will eliminate their fruit from the earth,

And their seed from among the sons of Adam.

12For they have tendered you wickedness;

They have devised machinations,

But they will not prevail.

13For you have appointed them to flight;

With your bowstring you aim at their face.

14Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength;

Let us sing

And sing psalms of your might.

Psalms Chapter 22 

1To the choirmaster at Aijeleth Shahar.↑

A Psalm of David.

2My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you far from my salvation at my roaring words?

3O God of mine, I call by day,

But you do not answer,

And at night,

But I have no quietness.

4But you are holy,

You who dwell in the places of praise of Israel.

5In you our fathers trusted;

They trusted,

And you rescued them.

6They cried out to you,

And they were delivered.

They trusted in you

And were not ashamed.

7But I am a worm,

And not a man

– The reproach of men

And despised by the people.

8All those who see me, mock me.

They open their lips;

They shake their head,

And say,

9“He relied on the Lord

That he would rescue him.

Let him save him,

If he has pleasure in him.”

10For you brought me out of the womb;

From my mother's belly you caused me to trust in my mother's breasts.

11I was cast on you from the womb;

From my mother's belly

You have been my God.

12Do not be far from me,

For adversity is nearby.

For there is no-one to help.

13Many bulls have surrounded me;

Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.

14They gape at me,

Like a lion that tears and roars.

15I have been poured out like water,

And all my bones are out of joint.

My heart has become like wax;

It is melting in my inward parts.

16My strength has dried up like a shard,

And my tongue cleaves to my jaws.

You are about to reduce me to death's dust.

17For dogs have surrounded me;

The congregation of evildoers has hemmed me in,

Like a lion pinning down my hands and my feet.

18I can count all my bones.

They look on,

And stare at me.

19They share out my clothes among themselves

And cast a lot for my garment.

20But do not you, O Lord, be far off.

Hasten, O my strength, as my help.

21Deliver my life from the sword

– My most dear from the power of the dog.

22Save me from the mouth of the lion

And from the horns of buffaloes.

You have answered me.

23I will declare your name to my brothers;

In the midst of the convocation

I will praise you.

24Praise him, you who fear the Lord;

Honour him, all you seed of Jacob,

And revere him,

All you seed of Israel.

25For he does not disdain or loathe the affliction of the afflicted man,

And he does not hide his face from him.

And when such a one cries out to him,

He hears it.

26My praise is on account of you in a great convocation.

I will fulfil my vows

In the presence of those who fear him.

27The meek will eat and be satisfied;

Those who seek him will praise the Lord.

May your heart live in perpetuity.

28And all the ends of the land will remember

And return to the Lord,

And all the families of the Gentiles

Will worship before you.

29For the kingdom is the Lord's,

And he is ruler over the Gentiles.

30All the opulent of the earth will eat and worship;

All those who go down to the dust will bow down before him.

But he did not keep himself alive.

31A seed will serve him;

It will be related concerning the Lord* to a generation.

32They will come and declare his righteousness

To a people reborn,

For he will have accomplished this.

Reference(s) in Chapter 22: v.2 ↔ Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34 ● v.18 ↔ John 19:36 ● v.19 ↔ Matthew 27:35, John 19:24 ● v.23 ↔ Hebrews 2:12.

Psalms Chapter 23 

1A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not lack anything.

2He has me lie down in grassy pastures;

He leads me to restful waters.

3He refreshes my inner being;

He conducts me along righteous paths

For his name's sake.

4Even if I walk in the Valley of the Shadow of Death,

I shall not fear evil,

For you are with me.

It is your sceptre and staff that comfort me.

5You have set a table before me

In the presence of my adversaries.

You have anointed my head with oil;

My cup abounds.

6Surely goodness and kindness will pursue me

All the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

In the length of days.

Psalms Chapter 24 

1A Psalm of David.

The earth is the Lord's and the fulness of it

– The world and those who live in it.

2He founded it on the seas,

And he prepared it on running waters.

3Who can go up to the Lord's mountain,

And who can rise at his holy place?

4He who is of innocent hands

And pure in heart,

Who has not shown me vain impertinence

And has not sworn deceitfully.

5He will receive blessing from the Lord

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6This is the generation that seeks him

– Those who look for your presence, O Jacob.

Selah.

7Lift up your heads, O gates,

And be lifted up, O age-abiding doors,

And the king of glory will come in.

8Who is this king of glory?

The Lord, strong and mighty,

The Lord, mighty in battle.

9Lift up your heads, O gates,

And lift yourselves up, O age-abiding doors,

And the king of glory will come in.

10Who is this king of glory?

The Lord of hosts is the king of glory.

Selah.

Reference(s) in Chapter 24: v.1 ↔ 1 Corinthians 10:26, 1 Corinthians 10:28.

Psalms Chapter 25 

1A Psalm of David.

To you, O Lord,

I direct my sentiments.

2O God of mine, in you I have trusted.

May I not be ashamed;

May my enemies not gloat over me.

3May none of those who put their hope in you be ashamed either;

Let those who act treacherously without cause be ashamed.

4O Lord, make your ways known to me;

Teach me your paths.

5Guide my steps in your truth,

And teach me,

For you are the God of my salvation.

I put my hope in you all day long.

6Remember your compassion and kindness, O Lord,

For they have existed since ancient time.

7Do not remember the sins of my youth

Nor my transgressions.

In accordance with your kindness,

Do remember me

For the sake of your goodness, O Lord.

8The Lord is good and upright,

On account of which he instructs sinners on the way.

9He guides the steps of the meek in justice,

And he teaches the meek his way.

10All the ways of the Lord are kindness and truth

To those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11For your name's sake, O Lord,

Forgive my iniquity,

For it is great.

12Who is this man who fears the Lord?

He will instruct him in the way he is to choose.

13His very self will abide in well-being,

And his seed will inherit the earth.

14The Lord's private plan is for those who fear him,

And his covenant is to instruct them.

15My eyes are continually to the Lord,

For he will extricate my feet from the net.

16Turn to me and have mercy on me,

For I am solitary and afflicted.

17They have increased the anguish of my heart.

Deliver me out of my distress.

18See my affliction and my suffering,

And forgive all my sins.

19See how my enemies have increased,

And how they have hated me with a violent hatred.

20Guard my life and deliver me;

Do not let me be ashamed,

For I have put my trust in you.

21Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,

For I have put my hope in you.

22Deliver Israel, O God,

From all his adversities.

Psalms Chapter 26 

1A Psalm of David.

Judge me, O Lord,

For I have walked in my integrity,

And I have trusted in the Lord;

I shall not stumble.

2Examine me, O Lord,

And test me.

Refine my kidneys and my heart,

3For your kindness is in front of my eyes,

And I have walked in your truth.

4I have not sat in collusion with vain people,

Nor will I concur with the secretive.

5I have hated the convocation of wrongdoers,

And I will not sit with the wicked.

6I will wash my hands in innocence,

So let me go round your altar, O Lord,

7To make declaration with a thankful voice

And to recount all your wondrous acts.

8O Lord, I have loved the refuge of your house

And the place of your glorious tabernacle.

9Do not gather my being with sinners

Nor my life with men of blood,

10In whose hands is scheming,

And whose right hand is full of bribery.

11So I will walk in my integrity.

Redeem me and have mercy on me.

12My foot stands in uprightness,

And I will bless the Lord in the various convocations.

Psalms Chapter 27 

1A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

Of whom shall I be afraid?

2When evildoers approach me,

To devour my flesh

– My adversaries and my enemies –

They shall stumble and fall.

3Even if a battalion encamps against me,

My heart will not fear.

Even if a war should arise against me,

I will be confident in the situation.

4One thing I have requested from the Lord,

Which I seek,

Is that I should dwell in the house of the Lord

All the days of my life,

To see the Lord's pleasantness

And to contemplate his temple.

5For he will hide me in a booth;

On the evil day

He will conceal me in the secrecy of his tent.

He will raise me up on a rock.

6And now my head will be raised

Against my enemies round about me,

And I will offer in his tent the sacrifices of the battle-cry;

I will sing

And make psalm melody to the Lord.

7Hear me, O Lord,

As I call with my voice,

And have mercy on me,

And answer me.

8My heart has spoken to you.

You have said to us, “Seek my face”;

Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.

9Do not hide your face from me;

Do not turn your servant away in anger.

You have been my help;

Do not forsake me and do not abandon me,

O God of my salvation.

10If my father and my mother forsake me,

Then the Lord will gather me up.

11Teach me, O Lord, your way,

And lead me along an equitable path,

On account of my adversaries.

12Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries,

For false witnesses have risen up against me

Who breathe out violence.

13I have believed that I will see the Lord's goodness

In the land of the living.

14Put your hope in the Lord,

Be strong,

And may he strengthen your heart,

And put your hope in the Lord.

Psalms Chapter 28 

1A Psalm of David.

I will call on you, O Lord, my rock.

Do not turn a deaf ear to me,

Lest in being silent to me,

I should become like those

Who go down to the pit.

2Oh hear my supplications being uttered

When I shout out to you

– When I lift up my hands to your holy place of address.

3Do not draw me along with the wicked

Or perpetrators of iniquity,

Who speak peace with their neighbour,

While evil is in their heart.

4Render them according to their work

And according to the evil of their acts.

Render them according to the deeds of their hands;

Requite them their due.

5For they do not discern the works of the Lord

Nor the deeds of his hands.

He will demolish them

And not build them up.

6Blessed is the Lord,

For he has heard my supplications uttered.

7The Lord is my strength and my shield;

My heart has put its trust in him.

And I have been helped,

So my heart rejoiced,

And I will praise him with my song.

8The Lord is their strength,

And the stronghold of salvation is his messiah.

9Oh save your people,

And bless your inheritance,

And be a shepherd to them and exalt them

Age-abidingly.

Psalms Chapter 29 

1A Psalm of David.

Ascribe what is due to the Lord,

You mighty ones

– Ascribe glory and strength to the Lord.

2Ascribe the glory of his name to the Lord;

Worship the Lord in holy splendour.

3The voice of the Lord is over the waters,

The God of glory causes thunder;

The Lord is over great waters.

4The voice of the Lord is with power;

The voice of the Lord is with splendour.

5The voice of the Lord breaks cedars;

Indeed the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.

6And he makes them leap like a calf

– Lebanon and Sirion like the young of a buffalo.

7The voice of the Lord cleaves apart

With a fiery flame.

8The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;

The Lord shakes the desert of Kadesh.

9The voice of the Lord causes hinds to calve

And strips woodland bare.

And in his temple,

All of it speaks of glory.

10The Lord abode the flood,

And the Lord abides as age-abiding king.

11The Lord will give strength to his people;

The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Psalms Chapter 30 

1A Psalm. A song for the dedication of the house of David.

2I will extol you, O Lord,

For you have liberated me,

And you have not given my enemies cause for joy over me.

3O Lord my God,

I cried out to you,

And you restored me.

4O Lord, you have brought my being up from the grave;

You have preserved me alive

From me going down to the pit.

5Sing psalms to the Lord,

You sanctified ones of his,

And give thanks at holy remembrance of him.

6For although there is a moment in his anger,

There is life in his good pleasure.

In the evening, weeping is prevalent,

But in the morning there is rejoicing.

7And I have said in my prosperity,

“I will never falter.”

8O Lord, in your goodwill

You established my strong mountain,

But when you hid your face,

I was terrified.

9O Lord, I call out to you,

And it is with the Lord* that I plead.

10What profit is there in my blood

If I go down into the pit?

Does the dust give you thanks?

Does it proclaim your truth?

11Hear, O Lord,

And have mercy on me.

O Lord, be a helper to me.

12You have turned my mourning into dancing for me;

You have untied my sackcloth

And girded me with joy,

13So that one may sing psalms of glory to you

And not be silent.

O Lord my God,

I will give you thanks age-abidingly.

Psalms Chapter 31 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David.

2In you, O Lord, I have put my trust.

Do not let me ever be ashamed;

Deliver me in your righteousness.

3Extend your ear to me;

Rescue me speedily.

Be a rock-founded stronghold to me

– A fortified building to save me.

4For you are my rock and my stronghold,

So for your name's sake,

Conduct me and lead me.

5Extricate me from the net

Which they have hidden for me,

For you are my fortress.

6I commit my spirit into your hand.

You have redeemed me,

O Lord God of truth.

7I have hated those who keep false idols,

And I have trusted in the Lord.

8I will rejoice and be happy in your kindness,

In that you have looked at my affliction;

You have known my inner self in adversities.

9And you have not consigned me to the hand of the enemy;

You have stood my feet in a safe place.

10Have mercy on me, O Lord,

For I am in straits;

My eye is ravaged with grief,

As are my mind and my body.

11For my life has been worn down with distress,

And my years with sighing.

My strength falters in my iniquity,

And my bones have wasted away.

12I have been a reproach to all my adversaries,

And very much so to my neighbours,

And frightening to my acquaintances.

Those who saw me in the open

Fled from me.

13I have been forgotten like one deceased

– Out of mind.

I have become like an article going to waste.

14For I have heard the slander of many;

There was fear all round

When they plotted together against me

When they contrived to take my life.

15But I put my trust in you, O Lord;

I have said,

“You are my God.”

16My times are in your hand.

Oh rescue me from the hand of my enemies

And those who pursue me.

17Shine your face on your servant;

Save me in your kindness.

18O Lord, do not let me be ashamed,

For I have called on you.

Let the wicked be ashamed;

Let them be silent at the grave.

19Let false-speaking lips be dumbfounded,

Which speak insolently against the righteous

In arrogance and in contempt.

20How great your goodness is

Which you have hidden away

For those who fear you,

Which you have produced for those who trust in you

In the presence of the sons of Adam!

21You will hide them in the secrecy of your face;

You will conceal them in a booth from the brusque ways of man

And from hostile talk.

22Blessed be the Lord,

For he has shown his wonderful kindness to me

In a fortified city.

23But I said in my haste,

“I have been cut off from the presence of your eyes.”

Truly, you have heard my supplications uttered

When I cried out to you.

24Love the Lord, all you people of his grace.

The Lord is a guardian of the faithful,

And an abundant retributer

Of him who behaves proudly.

25Be strong and may he encourage your heart,

All you who are awaiting the Lord.

Psalms Chapter 32 

1An Instructive Psalm of David.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven

Whose sin is covered over.

2Blessed is the man

To whom the Lord will not impute iniquity

And in whose spirit is no deceit.

3When I was silent,

My bones wasted away

– When I roared all day long.

4Because day and night your hand was heavy on me,

My moisture turned into summer drought.

Selah.

5I acknowledge my sin to you,

And I do not hide my iniquity.

I have said,

“I will make confession concerning my transgression to the Lord”,

And you have forgiven the iniquity of my sin.

Selah.

6On account of this, every man of grace will pray to you

At a time when you may be found.

Surely in the flood of great waters,

They will not be able to reach him.

7You are my hiding place.

You keep me from adversity;

You surround me with shouts of deliverance.

Selah.

8“I will instruct you,

And I will teach you the way by which you will go.

I will counsel you with my eye.

9Do not be like the horse or like the mule,

Which cannot be made to understand,

With a bit and bridle as their trappings to control them,

Otherwise they will not come close to you.”

10The wicked will have many pains,

But as for him who trusts in the Lord,

Kindness will surround him.

11Be glad in the Lord and rejoice,

You righteous,

And shout for joy,

All you upright in heart.

Reference(s) in Chapter 32: v.1 ↔ Romans 4:7 ● v.2 ↔ Romans 4:8.

Psalms Chapter 33 

1Shout for joy, you righteous because of the Lord;

Praise is becoming to the upright.

2Give thanks to the Lord with the harp;

Make psalm melody with the ten-stringed lute.

3Sing a new song to him;

Strike up skilfully with jubilation.

4For the word of the Lord is upright,

And all his dealings are performed faithfully.

5He loves righteousness and justice;

The earth is full of the Lord's kindness.

6By the word of the Lord,

The heavens were made,

And by the spirit of his mouth,

All their array.

7He gathers up the waters of the sea into an accumulation;

He puts the depths in treasuries.

8Let all the earth fear the Lord;

Let all the inhabitants of the world be afraid of him.

9For he spoke, and it came to pass;

He commanded, and it stood firm.

10The Lord frustrates the counsel of the nations;

He thwarts the designs of the various peoples.

11The counsel of the Lord stands age-abidingly;

The designs of his heart are from generation to generation.

12Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord

– The people whom he has chosen as his inheritance.

13The Lord looks on from heaven;

He sees all the sons of Adam.

14From his place of residence he observes

All the inhabitants of the earth

15That is he who formed their hearts all together

And who discerns all their works.

16No king is saved by greatness of military force;

A warrior is not delivered by greatness of strength.

17A horse is a fallacious means of safety,

And it does not provide deliverance by its great strength.

18Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him

– On those who are waiting for his kindness,

19For their own salvation from death

And for their preservation in famine.

20“Our being is waiting for the Lord;

He is our help and our shield.

21For in him our heart rejoices,

For we trust in his holy name.

22O Lord, may your kindness be upon us,

According to how we have waited for you.”

Reference(s) in Chapter 33: v.6 ↔ Revelation 14:7.

Psalms Chapter 34 

1A Psalm of David when he changed his behaviour in the presence of Abimelech, so that he drove him out and he went away.

2I will bless the Lord at all times;

Praise of him is constantly in my mouth.

3My being will be praised because of the Lord;

The meek will hear it and rejoice.

4Extol the Lord with me,

And let us exalt his name together.

5When I sought the Lord,

He answered me,

And he delivered me from all my fears.

6They looked to him and brightened up,

And their faces were not ashamed.

7There was a certain poor man

Who called out,

And the Lord heard him

And saved him from all his adversities.

8The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,

And he delivers them.

9Taste, and see that the Lord is good;

Happy is the man who trusts in him.

10Fear the Lord, you holy ones of his,

For those who fear him have no lack of anything.

11Lion cubs are reduced,

And they hunger,

But those who seek the Lord

Will not suffer lack of any good thing.

12Come, you sons, and listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

13Who is the man who delights in life?

– Who loves days so as to see good?

14Keep your tongue from evil

And your lips from speaking deceit.

15Depart from evil

And do good;

Seek peace

And pursue it.

16The eyes of the Lord are directed to the righteous,

And his ears to their crying out.

17The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,

To cut off the memory of them from the earth.

18They call out,

And the Lord hears,

And he delivers them from all their adversities.

19The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,

And he saves those of contrite spirit.

20Many are the woes of the righteous man,

But the Lord delivers him from all of them.

21He keeps all his bones;

Not one of them becomes broken.

22Evil will slay the wicked,

And those who hate the righteous will be held guilty.

23The Lord redeems the life of his servants,

And none of those who trust in him

Shall be held guilty.

Reference(s) in Chapter 34: v.9 ↔ 1 Peter 2:3 ● v.13 ↔ 1 Peter 3:10 ● v.14 ↔ 1 Peter 3:10 ● v.15 ↔ 1 Peter 3:11 ● v.16 ↔ 1 Peter 3:12 ● v.17 ↔ 1 Peter 3:12 ● v.21 ↔ John 19:36.

Psalms Chapter 35 

1A Psalm of David.

O Lord, contend with my adversaries;

Do battle with those who do battle with me.

2Take hold of buckler and shield,

And rise up to my assistance.

3And draw out the spear,

And close in on those who pursue me.

Say to my being,

“I am your salvation.”

4Let those who seek my life

Be ashamed and suffer ignominy;

Let those who devise my harm

Be driven back and be disgraced.

5Let them be like chaff before the wind,

With the angel of the Lord driving them.

6Let their way consist of darkness and slippery places,

With the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

7For they secretly prepared without cause

A pit with their net for me.

Without cause they dug it for my life.

8Let destruction come upon him,

Which he will be unaware of,

And let his net which he hid

Catch him.

Let him fall into it

To his destruction.

9Then my being will rejoice in the Lord;

It will exult in his salvation.

10All my bones say,

“O Lord, who is like you?

– Delivering the afflicted

From him who is stronger than he,

And the afflicted and poor

From him who exploits them.”

11False witnesses rise up

And interrogate me concerning things

Which I do not know about.

12They repay me evil for good,

Leaving me destitute.

13Whilst I, when they were sick,

Wore sackcloth for my clothing.

I afflicted myself with fasting,

But my prayer returned to my own bosom.

14I conducted myself as to a friend or as to a brother of mine;

I was downcast in melancholy,

As one mourning for his mother.

15When I keeled over,

They rejoiced,

And slanderers gathered themselves against me more and more.

And I did not recognize their accusations

As they tore at me without stopping,

16With profane cake mockers,

Who gnash their teeth at me instead.

17O Lord*, how long will you look on?

Rescue my life from their devastations;

Rescue my most dear from the lion cubs.

18I will give you thanks in a great convocation;

I will praise you among a numerous people.

19Do not let my enemies rejoice over me on the basis of falsehood,

Nor let those who hate me without cause gloat over me.

20For they do not speak peace,

But they conceive deceitful words

Against those who are quiet in the land.

21And they have railed at me;

They have said,

“Ha, ha! Our eye has seen it.”

22You have seen it, O Lord;

Do not be silent.

O Lord*, do not be far from me.

23Rouse yourself

And awaken to my case,

O God of mine and my Lord

– For my cause.

24Judge me according to your righteousness,

O Lord my God,

And do not let them rejoice over me.

25Do not let them say in their heart,

“Ha, we have our desire.”

Do not let them say,

“We have swallowed him up.”

26Let those who rejoice in me being harmed

Be completely put to shame and disgraced.

And let those who triumph over me

Be clothed in shame and ignominy.

27Let those who delight in my justice

Shout for joy and rejoice

And continually say,

“Let the Lord, who delights in his servant's peace,

Be magnified.”

28And my tongue will utter your righteousness

And your praise, all day long.

Reference(s) in Chapter 35: v.19 ↔ John 15:25.

Psalms Chapter 36 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

2The transgressive speech of the wicked man is,

“In my heart there is no fear of God before his eyes.”

3For he flatters himself in his own sight,

Indifferent to finding iniquity in himself

Indifferent to being hateful.

4The words of his mouth are vanity and deceit.

He has ceased acting wisely

And doing what is good.

5He devises vanity on his couch;

He takes his stand on a way that is not good.

He does not reject evil.

6O Lord, your kindness is in heaven;

Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

7Your righteousness is like tremendous mountains;

Your justice is like a great deep.

O Lord, you save man and beast.

8How precious your kindness is, O God,

As the sons of Adam shelter in the shade of your wings.

9They will be satiated with the fat of your house,

And you will give them drink

With your pleasurable brook.

10For the fountain of life is with you;

In your light, we will see light.

11Continue your kindness

With those who know you,

And your righteousness

With the upright in heart.

12Do not let a proud foot come upon me,

And do not let the hand of the wicked drive me off course.

13That is where perpetrators of iniquity have fallen;

They have been thrust down,

And they cannot get up.

Reference(s) in Chapter 36: v.2 ↔ Romans 3:18.

Psalms Chapter 37 

1A Psalm of David.

Do not be infuriated by evildoers;

Do not be envious of perpetrators of injustice.

2For they will quickly be cut down like wild herbage

And will wither like green grass.

3Trust in the Lord and do good;

Dwell in the land

And feed on faithfulness.

4And delight in the Lord,

And he will grant you the requests of your heart.

5Entrust your way to the Lord,

And trust in him,

And he will perform it.

6And he will bring out your righteousness like light,

And your justice like midday.

7Be still before the Lord,

And wait for him.

Do not be infuriated by him who makes his way a success

– By a man who engages in intrigues.

8Cease from anger

And abandon fury;

Do not be infuriated,

Which just leads to acting wickedly.

9For those who act wickedly will be cut off,

But those who await the Lord

Will inherit the earth.

10And in just a little while,

There will not be any wicked.

As soon as you have taken stock of his position,

He will not be there.

11But the meek shall inherit the earth

And delight in great peace.

12The wicked man schemes against the righteous man

And gnashes his teeth at him.

13The Lord* will laugh at him,

For he has seen that his day will come.

14The wicked unsheathe a sword

And draw their bow,

In order to fell the poor and the needy,

And to slaughter those of an upright way.

15Their sword will go into their own heart,

And their bows will be broken up.

16The little that the righteous man has

Is better than the much of the many wicked.

17For the arms of the wicked will be broken,

But the Lord upholds the righteous.

18The Lord knows the days of those with integrity,

Whose inheritance will be age-abiding.

19They shall not be ashamed at an evil time,

And in days of famine, they will be satiated.

20For the wicked will perish,

And the enemies of the Lord are like the prime part of fatted lambs.

They will be consumed;

In smoke they will be consumed.

21The wicked man borrows and does not repay,

But the righteous man shows compassion and gives.

22For those blessed by him will inherit the earth,

But those cursed by him will be cut off.

23Man's steps are made firm by the Lord,

And he delights in his way.

24If he falls,

He will not be cast out,

For the Lord supports his hand.

25I was once a young man,

But now I am old,

And I have not seen a righteous man forsaken,

Nor seen his seed seeking bread.

26He is compassionate and lends all day,

And his seed is a blessing.

27Depart from evil and do good,

And so dwell age-abidingly.

28For the Lord loves justice,

And he does not forsake those of his grace.

They are kept safe age-abidingly,

But the seed of the wicked is cut off.

29The righteous will inherit the earth

And will dwell on it perpetually.

30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,

And his tongue speaks justice.

31The law of his God is in his heart;

None of his steps stumbles.

32The wicked watches for the righteous

And endeavours to kill him.

33The Lord will not leave him in his hand,

Nor will he condemn him when he is judged.

34Wait for the Lord,

And guard his way,

And he will exalt you in inheriting the earth.

When the wicked are cut off,

You will see it.

35I have seen a wicked, violent man

Spreading himself like a luxuriant native tree.

36Then he passes away,

And behold, he is not there,

And although I might seek him,

He is not to be found.

37Maintain integrity

And see to being upright,

For the final state of man is peace.

38But transgressors will be completely destroyed;

The final state of the wicked is to be cut off.

39But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;

He is their stronghold in the time of tribulation.

40And the Lord will help them and deliver them;

He will deliver them from the wicked ones

And save them,

For they have trusted in him.

Reference(s) in Chapter 37: v.11 ↔ Matthew 5:5.

Psalms Chapter 38 

1A Psalm of David to bring to remembrance.

2O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger,

Nor chasten me in your fury.

3For your arrows rain down on me,

And your hand descends onto me.

4There is nothing unscathed in my flesh

On account of your indignation;

There is no peace in my bones

On account of my sin.

5For my iniquities extend beyond my head;

They weigh down like a burden too heavy for me.

6My scars are loathsome;

They are a flux because of my folly.

7I am buckled,

I have been brought low in the extreme;

I go mourning all day long.

8For my loins are full of inflammation,

And there is nothing unscathed in my flesh.

9I have become languid,

And I have been crushed in the extreme.

I roar with the growling of my heart.

10O Lord*, all my yearning is set before you,

And my sighing is not concealed from you.

11My heart palpitates;

My strength has deserted me,

And the light of my eyes is not with me either.

12Those who love me, and my friends, stand back at my plight,

And my acquaintances station themselves at a distance,

13While those who seek my life lay snares,

And those intent on harming me

Speak pernicious things

And contemplate deceitful plots all day long.

14But I, like a deaf person, do not hear it,

And like a mute person,

Who does not open his mouth.

15And I was like a man who did not hear it,

In whose mouth were no reproofs.

16For I have waited for you, O Lord.

You will answer, O Lord* my God.

17For I have said,

“So that they do not rejoice over me,

Or triumph over me when my foot falters.”

18For I am on the point of keeling over,

And my grief is in front of me all the time.

19For I will confess my iniquity;

I am anxious about my sin.

20Meanwhile my enemies are alive

And have become strong.

And those who hate me on false grounds

Have become numerous.

21And those who requite evil instead of good

Oppose me for my pursuit of good.

22Do not abandon me, O Lord;

O God of mine, do not be far from me.

23Hasten to help me,

O Lord* of my salvation.

Psalms Chapter 39 

1To the choirmaster – to Jeduthun.↑

A Psalm of David.

2I have resolved that I will keep my ways,

Not sinning with my tongue;

I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle

As long as the wicked one is still before me.

3I was mute – in silence.

I was quiet because of my good situation,

Then sorrow came upon me.

4My heart was hot within me,

A fire was burning in my contemplation;

I spoke with my tongue.

5O Lord, make my end known to me,

And what the measure of my days is,

So that I may know how transient I am.

6Look, you have appointed my days to be as handbreadths,

And my lifespan is as nothing before you.

Surely all mankind is appointed to nothing but vanity.

Selah.

7Surely man walks around in a shadow;

Surely men are in a commotion in vanity.

He heaps things up

But does not know who will collect them.

8And now, O Lord*, what have I hoped for?

My hope is pinned on you.

9Deliver me from all my transgressions;

Do not make me a fool's reproach.

10I was silent;

I did not open my mouth,

For you acted.

11Do stop dealing me blows,

For I am consumed by the castigation of your hand.

12You chasten a man on account of iniquity with punishments,

And you dissolve away his elegance like a moth.

Surely all mankind is vanity.

Selah.

13Hear my prayer, O Lord,

And listen to my crying out.

Do not be indifferent to my tears,

For I am a foreigner with you

– A temporary resident, like all my fathers.

14Allow me respite,

And let me be cheerful,

Before I go

And am no more.

Reference(s) in Chapter 39: v.13 ↔ Hebrews 11:13.

Psalms Chapter 40 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David.

2I fervently put hope in the Lord,

And he turned to me

And heard my crying out.

3And he brought me up out of a deadly pit,

Out of the miry mud,

And he raised my feet onto a rock,

And he directed my steps.

4And he put a new song in my mouth

– A psalm to our God.

Many will see and fear

And trust in the Lord.

5Happy is the man

Who has made the Lord the object of his trust

And who has not turned to the insolent,

Nor to those who turn aside to dishonesty.

6O Lord my God,

Your wondrous works which you have performed

Are many,

And your thoughts to us are beyond compare.

I will announce them and speak of them,

Although they are too great to relate.

7You do not desire sacrifice or offering;

You have opened my ears.

You have not asked for burnt offering or sin-offering.

8Then I said,

“Behold, I have come.

In the scroll of the book it stands written concerning me:

9‘I delight to do your will,

O God of mine,

And your law is in my inner parts.’ ”

10I have brought good tidings of righteousness,

In a great convocation;

Look, I have not held my lips back.

O Lord, you know.

11I have not concealed your righteousness inside my heart,

I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;

I have not hidden away your kindness or your truth

From a great convocation.

12O Lord, you do not hold back your mercies from me;

Your kindness and your truth always guard me.

13For innumerable evils have surrounded me.

My iniquities have caught up with me,

So that I am unable to see.

They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,

And my heart has deserted me.

14Be willing, O Lord, to deliver me;

O Lord, hasten to my assistance.

15May those who seek to destroy my life

Be completely ashamed and disgraced.

May those who delight in my harm

Be driven back

And be made ignominious.

16May those who say to me, “Ha, ha”

Be devastated on account of their shame.

17May all those who seek you exult

And rejoice in you.

May those who love your salvation always say,

“Let the Lord be magnified.”

18But I am poor and needy,

Yet the Lord* considers me.

You are my helper and my deliverer.

O God of mine, do not delay.

Reference(s) in Chapter 40: v.7 ↔ Hebrews 10:5, Hebrews 10:6, Hebrews 10:8 ● v.8 ↔ Hebrews 10:7, Hebrews 10:9 ● v.9 ↔ Hebrews 10:9.

Psalms Chapter 41 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David.

2Happy is he who attends to the poor;

On the evil day,

The Lord will deliver him.

3The Lord will protect him

And preserve him alive.

And he will be pronounced happy on the earth,

And you will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.

4The Lord will support him on his sickbed;

You will overturn all causes of him being bedridden in his illness.

5I have said,

“O Lord have mercy on me,

Heal me inwardly,

For I have sinned against you.”

6My enemies speak an evil thing of me:

“When will he die,

And his name perish?”

7And if anyone comes to see what false thing he can say,

His heart accumulates iniquity;

He goes out into the open

And says it.

8All those who hate me

Whisper among themselves against me;

They conceive evil for me.

9A mischievous deed has taken shape in their plan,

Whereby, “When he lies down,

He will not rise again.”

10Even a man at peace with me,

In whom I trusted

One who partook of my bread –

Has lifted up his heel against me.

11But you, O Lord, have mercy on me,

And raise me up,

So that I can repay them.

12By this I know that you have pleasure in me:

My enemy will not gloat over me.

13As for me, you take hold of me in my integrity,

And you place me before yourself age-abidingly.

14Blessed be the Lord God of Israel

From age to age.

Amen and amen.

Reference(s) in Chapter 41: v.10 ↔ John 13:18.

Psalms Chapter 42 

1To the choirmaster.↑

For the sons of Korah, an Instructive Psalm.

2As a roebuck longs for brooks of water,

So my being longs for you, O God.

3My being thirsts for God

– For the living God.

When will I come

And see the face of God?

4A tear was my daily and nightly bread

When they said to me all day,

“Where is your God?”

5I will remember these things,

And I will pour out my soul over myself,

For I will pass through the crowd;

I will proceed softly with them to the house of God

With a joyful voice and thanksgiving,

As a multitude celebrates a festival.

6How you have been brought low, my spirit,

And have agitated me!

Await God,

For I will still praise him,

For his acts of salvation performed in his own presence.

7O God of mine, my spirit has been brought down low on me,

So I will remember you from the land of Jordan,

And the Hermons, from Mount Mizar.

8The deep calls to the deep

At the call of your water-surges;

All your breakers and waves have passed over me.

9By day the Lord will command his kindness,

And by night a song is with me

– A prayer to the God of my life.

10Let me say to God, my rock,

“Why have you forgotten me?

Why should I go about melancholically,

In the oppression of the enemy?”

11My adversaries reproach me with the crushing of my bones,

As they say to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

12How you have been brought low, my spirit,

And how you have agitated me!

Await God,

For I will still praise him,

For the acts of salvation before me,

And for being my God.

Psalms Chapter 43 

1Judge me, O God,

And defend my case against a graceless people.

Deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

2But you, O God, who are my stronghold,

Why are you averse to me?

Why do I go about dejectedly

In the oppression of the enemy?

3Send your light and your truth.

They will lead me;

Let them bring me to your holy mountain

And to your dwelling places,

4And I will go to the altar of God,

To the God of my joyous happiness.

And I will praise you with the harp,

O God my God.

5How you have been brought low, my spirit.

And have agitated me!

Await God,

For I will still praise him,

For the acts of salvation before me

And for being my God.

Psalms Chapter 44 

1To the choirmaster.↑

For the sons of Korah, an Instructive Psalm.

2O God, we have heard with our ears

– Our fathers told us –

Of the work you performed

In days of old.

3You disinherited nations with your hand

And planted them.

You did harm to various peoples

And cast them out.

4For they did not take possession of the land by their sword,

Nor did their own arm save them.

Rather, your right hand did,

And your arm,

And the light of your presence,

For you had pleasure in them.

5You are my king, O God;

Command the salvations of Jacob.

6Through you we will butt our adversaries;

Through your name, we will trample down

Those who rise up against us.

7For I do not put trust in my bow,

And my sword will not save me.

8For you have saved us from our adversaries

And have put those who hate us to shame.

9We have praised God throughout the day,

And we will be thankful to your name age-abidingly.

Selah.

10But you are averse to us,

And you have put us to shame,

And you do not go out in our armies.

11You drive us back from the adversary,

And those who hate us

Plunder away.

12You make us like sheep for food,

And you have scattered us among the Gentiles.

13You have sold your people at no value,

And you did not bid up their price.

14You make us a reproach to our neighbours

– A mockery and derision to those round about us.

15You make us a byword among the Gentiles

– A shaking of the head among the various peoples.

16All day long my ignominy is before me,

And the shame of my face covers me

17At the sound of the reproacher and the reviler

– At the presence of the enemy and the avenger.

18All this has come upon us,

But we have not forgotten you,

And we have not violated your covenant.

19Our heart has not withdrawn,

Nor do our steps deviate from your path,

20Although you have crushed us in a place of jackals,

And you have covered us with a shadow of death.

21If we have forgotten the name of our God

Or spread our hands to a strange god,

22Will not God search this out?

For he knows the hidden things of the heart.

23Indeed for your sake we are killed all day long;

We are considered as sheep for slaughter.

24Awake, why do you sleep, O Lord*?

Arise, do not be averse for all time.

25Why do you hide your face

And forget our affliction and our oppression?

26For our spirit is sinking into the dust;

Our belly is stuck to the earth.

27Arise and be our help,

And redeem us

For your kindness' sake.

Reference(s) in Chapter 44: v.23 ↔ Romans 8:36.

Psalms Chapter 45 

1To the choirmaster on Shoshannim.↑

For the sons of Korah, an Instructive Psalm. A song of love.

2My heart is bubbling up with a good thing,

I speak of my works for the king;

My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

3You are very much more comely than the sons of Adam;

Grace is poured out on your lips,

Because God has blessed you age-abidingly.

4Gird your sword onto your thigh, O warrior,

For your splendour and your majesty.

5And as for your majesty,

Prosper and ride

On the principle of truth and righteous meekness,

And your right hand will show you awesome things.

6Your arrows are sharpened;

Various peoples will fall under you

Those at the heart of the king's enemies.

7Your throne, O God, is age-abiding and in perpetuity;

The sceptre of your kingdom is an upright sceptre.

8You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness,

Which is why God, your God,

Has anointed you with the oil of gladness

More than your companions.

9All your clothes have been scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia,

From ivory palaces,

Because they gladden you.

10The daughters of kings are among your maids-of-honour,

And a queen stands on your right in gold from Ophir.

11Listen, O daughter, and look,

And incline your ear,

And forget your people,

And your father's house,

12While the king longs for your beauty,

For he is your Lord,

So worship him.

13And, O daughter of Tyre,

The rich of the people will seek your favour with a gift.

14The king's daughter is entirely glorious indoors,

And her clothing is of intricately woven gold.

15She will be brought to the king in embroidery;

Her virgin attendants following are brought to you.

16They will be brought with gladness and rejoicing,

They will come to the king's palace.

17In the place of your fathers

Will be your sons.

You will appoint them as princes

Over all the land.

18I will bring your name to remembrance

From every generation to generation,

Which is why the various peoples will praise you,

Age-abidingly and in perpetuity.

Reference(s) in Chapter 45: v.7 ↔ Hebrews 1:8 ● v.8 ↔ Hebrews 1:9.

Psalms Chapter 46 

1To the choirmaster, for the sons of Korah concerning maidens.↑

A Song.

2God is our refuge and strength

– A help in adversities.

He is readily found.

3That is why we will not fear

When the earth undergoes change,

Or the mountains tumble into the heart of the seas.

4His waters roar and swell;

Mountains shake at his grandeur.

Selah.

5A river and its streams give joy to the City of God

– To the holy dwelling places of the Most High.

6God is at its centre;

It will not be shaken.

God will help it

At the approach of the morning.

7The Gentiles are in a commotion,

And kingdoms topple.

When he gives utterance with his voice,

The earth melts.

8The Lord of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is a high stronghold to us.

Selah.

9Come and see the works of the Lord,

Who has brought about desolations on the earth.

10He stops wars up to the end of the earth,

He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;

He burns chariots in fire.

11Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the Gentiles;

I will be exalted on the earth.

12The Lord of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is a high stronghold to us.

Selah.

Psalms Chapter 47 

1To the choirmaster.↑

For the sons of Korah – a Psalm.

2Clap the hands, all you various peoples;

Shout out to God with a joyful cry.

3For the Lord Most High is to be feared

– A great king over the whole earth.

4May he subdue peoples under us,

And nations under our feet.

5May he choose our inheritance for us

– The excellence of Jacob whom he loved.

Selah.

6God ascended with a shout

– The Lord, with the sound of the ramshorn.

7Sing psalms to God,

Sing psalms,

Sing psalms to our king;

Sing psalms.

8For God is king of all the earth.

Sing psalms of instruction.

9God reigns over the Gentiles;

God sits on his holy throne.

10The dignitaries of the various peoples have gathered

– The people of the God of Abraham –

For the shields of the earth belong to God;

He is highly exalted.

Psalms Chapter 48 

1A Song. A Psalm for the sons of Korah.

2The Lord is great

And is much to be praised

In the city of our God

– His holy mount.

3Fair in elevation,

The joy of all the land

Is Mount Zion,

As are its northern sides

– The city of the great king.

4God is known as a high fort

In its palaces.

5For behold, the kings held a meeting;

They passed across together.

6They saw it and were duly astonished;

They were startled and they fled in alarm.

7Trembling seized them there

– Writhing like a woman giving birth.

8With an east wind,

You shatter the ships of Tarshish.

9As we have heard, so we have seen,

In the city of the Lord of hosts.

In the city of our God,

Which God will establish age-abidingly.

Selah.

10We have contemplated your kindness, O God,

In the midst of your temple.

11As your name is, O God,

So is your praise at the ends of the earth.

Your right hand is full of righteousness.

12Let Mount Zion rejoice;

Let the daughters of Judah be glad

On account of your judgments.

13Go round Zion

And circle round it.

Count its towers.

14Set your heart on its might.

Consider its palaces,

So that you can relate it to the generation following,

15For this God is our God,

Age-abidingly and in perpetuity.

He will guide us at death.

Psalms Chapter 49 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm for the sons of Korah.

2Hear this, all you various peoples;

Listen, all who dwell in the world

3– Indeed, you sons of Adam,

Indeed, you sons of man

– Rich and poor together.

4My mouth will speak wisdom,

And the meditation of my heart will be intelligent words.

5I will turn my ear to a proverb;

I will strike up my riddle on the harp.

6Why should I fear in the days of evil?

The iniquity of those who would supplant me

Surrounds me

7Of those who trust in their own wealth

And boast in the abundance of their riches.

8A man cannot redeem his brother at all,

He cannot give God his ransom,

9For the redemption of their life is precious;

He will always fail,

10In redemption such that one should live on in perpetuity

And not see decay.

11For he sees how wise men die,

In the same way that the foolish and the coarse perish

And leave their wealth to others.

12Their inward thought is that their houses are age-abiding

That their dwellings will be from generation to generation.

They call their estates after their own names.

13But man will not remain in splendour;

He resembles cattle that are cut off.

14This way of theirs is their folly,

But those who come after them

Are pleased with their sayings.

Selah.

15They are put in a grave like sheep;

Death has dominion over them.

Now the upright will rule over them in the morning,

But their condition will decay in the grave

More than it did in their dwelling.

16Surely God will redeem my life

From the power of the grave,

For he will take me up.

Selah.

17Do not fear when a man becomes rich,

When the prestige of his house is increased.

18For he does not take anything with him at his death,

Nor does his honour follow him down.

19For he blesses himself in his lifetime,

And men praise you

When you do well for yourself.

20You will go to the generation of his fathers,

Who will never see light.

21A man in splendour,

But who does not understand,

Resembles cattle

That are cut off.

Psalms Chapter 50 

1A Psalm of Asaph.

God, God, the Lord has spoken

And called to the earth

From the rising of the sun

To its setting.

2God has shone from Zion

As the perfection of beauty.

3Our God will come and will not be silent.

A fire before him will consume away,

And around him it will be very tempestuous.

4He will call out to the heavens above,

And to the earth,

To judge his people.

5Gather my men of grace up to me

– Those who have carried out my covenant by sacrifice.

6And the heavens will declare his righteousness,

For God is the judge.

Selah.

7Listen, my people,

And I will speak, O Israel,

And I will testify against you.

I am God – your God.

8I will not reprove you about your sacrifices,

Nor your burnt offerings

Which are continually before me.

9I will not take a bull-calf from your house,

Nor he-goats from your folds,

10For all the wild animals of the forest are mine,

As are the cattle on a thousand mountains.

11I know all the birds of the mountains,

And the wildlife of the countryside is with me.

12If I were to be hungry,

I would not tell you,

For the world and its fulness are mine.

13Would I eat beef of strong bulls,

Or drink the blood of he-goats?

14Give a sacrifice of a thank-offering to God,

And fulfil your vows to the Most High.

15And call on me on the day of anguish,

And I will deliver you,

And you will glorify me.

16But to the wicked, God has said,

“What concern is it to you to relate my statutes,

And for you to take up my covenant in your mouth,

17Seeing you hate correction,

And you cast my words behind you?

18If you saw a thief,

You delighted in being with him,

And you participated with adulterers.

19You let your mouth loose with evil,

And you yoke your tongue to deceit.

20You sit and speak against your brother,

You publish defamation of your mother's son;

21You have done these things,

And I have been silent.

Did you think

That I would in any way be like you?

I will reprove you

And make the comparison in your sight.

22Now understand this,

You who forget God,

Lest I tear you apart,

And there will be no-one to deliver you.

23He who offers a thank-offering

Honours me,

And as for him who lays the way to heart,

I will show him the salvation of God.”

Psalms Chapter 51 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David, 2when Nathan the prophet came to him, because he had gone in to Bathsheba.

3Have mercy on me, O God,

According to your kindness;

Wipe out my transgressions

According to the greatness of your compassion.

4Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

And cleanse me from my sin.

5For I acknowledge my transgressions,

And my sin is continually before me.

6Against you, you only, I have sinned,

And I have done what is wrong in your sight,

So you are righteous when you speak,

And you are pure when you judge.

7Behold, I was born in iniquity,

And in sin my mother conceived me.

8Behold, you delight in truth in the inward parts,

And you make wisdom known to me

In the part which is concealed.

9Expiate my sin with hyssop

So that I become clean;

Wash me

So that I become whiter than snow.

10Give me gladness and joy to hear;

Let the bones you crushed rejoice.

11Hide your face from my sins,

And wipe out all my iniquities.

12Create me a clean heart, O God,

And make a new right-minded spirit in my inner self.

13Do not cast me out of your presence,

And do not take your holy spirit away from me.

14Restore the happiness of your salvation to me,

And may a willing spirit sustain me.

15I will teach transgressors your ways,

So sinners will return to you.

16Deliver me from guilt of bloodshed, O God,

O God of my salvation.

Let my tongue shout out your righteousness.

17O Lord*, open my lips

So that my mouth may declare your praise.

18For you do not take pleasure in sacrifice

Which I would give,

Nor do you desire a burnt offering.

19The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A heart that is broken and contrite

God will not despise.

20Do good in your delight in Zion;

May you build the walls of Jerusalem.

21Then you will take pleasure in sacrifices of righteousness

– A standard burnt offering and a complete burnt offering.

Then they will offer bulls on your altar.

Reference(s) in Chapter 51: v.6 ↔ Romans 3:4.

Psalms Chapter 52 

1To the choirmaster.↑

An Instructive Psalm of David, 2when Doeg the Edomite came and reported to Saul and said to him, “David has gone to Ahimelech's house.”

3How you boast in wickedness, O mighty man,

Whilst the kindness of God is present all day long.

4Your tongue devises calamitous things

– As a sharpened razor perpetrating deceit.

5You have loved evil more than good,

And falsehood more than speaking righteousness.

Selah.

6You have loved all kinds of predatory words,

You deceitful tongue.

7God for his part will tear you down for perpetuity;

He will take hold of you

And sweep you away from your tent

And root you out of the land of the living.

Selah.

8And the righteous will look on and fear

And laugh at him.

9Behold the man who does not make God his stronghold,

But trusts in the abundance of his wealth

And is strong in his calamitous way!

10But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God;

I have trusted in the kindness of God

Age-abidingly and in perpetuity.

11I will praise you age-abidingly,

For you have taken action,

And I will put hope in your name,

For you are good towards those under your grace.

Psalms Chapter 53 

1To the choirmaster on Mahalath.↑

An Instructive Psalm of David.

2The fool has said in his heart,

There is no God*.”

And they have acted corruptly;

They have committed abominable iniquity.

There is no-one who does good.

3God* peered down from heaven

At the sons of Adam

To see if there was anyone who was prudent

Anyone who was seeking God.

4They have all slidden back;

They have become corrupt together.

There is no-one who does good

There is not even one.

5Do those engaged in iniquity not know?

– Those who devour my people

In the same way as they devour bread?

They do not call on God*.

6There they had a great fear,

But there was no reason for fear,

For God* has scattered the bones

Of him who encamps against you.

You have put them to shame,

Because God* has rejected them.

7Oh for the salvation of Israel from Zion!

When God reverses the captivity of his people,

Jacob will rejoice

– Israel will be glad.

Reference(s) in Chapter 53: v.2 ↔ Romans 3:10 ● v.3 ↔ Romans 3:11 ● v.4 ↔ Romans 3:12.

Psalms Chapter 54 

1To the choirmaster in singing set to stringed music.↑

An Instructive Psalm of David, 2when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Is not David hiding with us?”

3O God, save me in your name,

And judge me by your might.

4O God, hear my prayer;

Listen to the words of my mouth.

5For strangers have risen up against me,

And fierce men seek my life.

They have not put God before them.

Selah.

6Behold, God is my helper;

The Lord* is among those

Who sustain my life.

7He will turn the evil onto my adversaries.

Cut them off by your truth!

8I will willingly sacrifice to you;

I will praise your name, O Lord,

For it is good.

9For you have delivered me from all adversity,

And my eye has looked on my enemies with satisfaction.

Psalms Chapter 55 

1To the choirmaster in singing set to stringed music.↑

An Instructive Psalm of David.

2Listen, O God, to my prayer,

And do not hide from my supplication.

3Hearken to me, and answer me.

I wander in my speech,

And I am in turmoil,

4At the sound of the enemy

– In the face of oppression of the wicked –

For they caused havoc to rain down on me,

And they beleaguer me in anger.

5My heart reels inside me,

And the dread of death has fallen on me.

6Fear and trembling come upon me,

And fright has enveloped me.

7Then I said,

“If only I had flight feathers like a dove,

I would fly away and come to rest.

8Behold, I would fly far away;

I would lodge in the desert.

Selah.

9I would be quick with my escape,

From the sweeping wind

– From the storm.”

10O Lord*, swallow them up;

Divide their tongue,

For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

11Day and night they go around it on its walls,

Whilst iniquity and vice are inside it.

12Inside it are perversities,

Whilst violence and deceit do not depart from its streets.

13For it is not an enemy that reproaches me,

Which I could have borne;

It is not one who hates me who defies me,

From whom I could have hidden,

14But you – a man of my own standing –

My friend and my acquaintance,

15With whom we sweetly took joint counsel.

We went to the house of God in a bustling crowd.

16May death suddenly come upon them;

May they go down to the grave alive,

For there are wicked things in their dwellings,

And in their midst.

17As for me, I will call to God

That the Lord may save me.

18Evening and morning, and at noon,

I will lament and sigh,

And he will hear my voice.

19He has redeemed my life in peace,

From my battle,

For there were many of them in conflict with me.

20God will hear them and answer them,

For he has been abiding from ancient time.

Selah.

Since they have no change of mind,

They do not fear God.

21He shot out his hands

Against those at peace with him;

He violated his covenant.

22The buttered words of his mouth were flattery,

Whilst battle was in his heart.

His words were softer than oil,

Whilst they were with daggers drawn.

23Cast your burden on the Lord,

And he will sustain you.

He will not allow the righteous to totter for ever.

24But you, O God, will bring them down to the pit of decay;

Men of blood and deceit will not have half their days.

But I will trust in you.

Psalms Chapter 56 

1To the choirmaster on Jonath-Elem-Rechokim.↑

A Golden Psalm of David when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

2Have mercy on me, O God,

For man thirsts for me;

All day long he oppresses me with fighting.

3My adversaries thirst for me all day long,

For many are they

Who haughtily do battle against me.

4On the day when I am afraid,

I will trust in you.

5Through God I will praise his word;

In God I trust and do not fear.

What can flesh do to me?

6All day long they do violence to my words;

All their thoughts are aimed at my harm.

7They meet and hide;

They keep watch over my footsteps,

As they lie in wait for my life.

8Deliver them into a void;

Bring down the various peoples in anger, O God.

9You can count my wanderings

And put my tears in your bottle.

Are they not in your book?

10Presently my enemies will turn back

– On the day when I call.

I know this,

For God is for me.

11Through God I will praise the word;

Through the Lord I will praise the word.

12In God I trust;

I shall not fear.

What can man do to me?

13O God, my vows to you are incumbent on me;

I will fulfil thank-offerings to you.

14For you have rescued me from death.

Is it not my feet you have saved from stumbling,

So I can walk before God in the light of the living?

Reference(s) in Chapter 56: v.5 ↔ Hebrews 13:6.

Psalms Chapter 57 

1To the choirmaster, Al-tashcheth.↑

A Golden Psalm of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.

2Have mercy on me, O God,

Have mercy on me.

For my being trusts in you,

And I will trust in the shadow of your wings

Until the dangers have passed.

3I will cry out to God the Most High

– To God who does the accomplishing for me.

4He will send help out from heaven and save me.

He reproached him who thirsts for me.

Selah.

God will send his kindness and his truth.

5My being is among lions;

I lie among incensed men

– Sons of men whose teeth are a spear and arrows,

Whose tongue is a sharp sword.

6May you be exalted over the heavens, O God;

May your glory be over all the earth.

7They have prepared a net for my steps.

My being is despondent.

They have dug a pit in front of me,

But they have fallen into it themselves.

Selah.

8My heart is resolved, O God,

My heart is resolved.

Let me sing

And make psalm melody.

9Awake, my glory,

Awake, O lute and harp;

Let me awake at dawn.

10I will give thanks to you among the various peoples, O Lord*;

I will make psalm melody to you among the nations.

11For your kindness is great,

Reaching up to heaven,

As is your truth,

Reaching up to the sky.

12May you be exalted above the heavens, O God;

May your glory be over all the earth.

Psalms Chapter 58 

1To the choirmaster, Al-tashcheth.↑

A Golden Psalm of David.

2Is there indeed silence

When you should speak righteously?

Do you judge uprightly,

O sons of Adam?

3Indeed, in your heart you commit iniquitous things,

And you mete out the violence of your hands on the earth.

4The wicked have been estranged since their time in the womb;

They have erred since their time in the belly,

Speaking falsehood.

5They have venom like serpents' venom;

They are like a deaf viper

That shuts its ear,

6That does not listen to the voice of charmers,

Nor the sagacious spellbinder.

7O God, break their teeth in their mouth;

Wrench out the incisors of lions, O Lord.

8May they melt away as water flows its way.

As soon as one attaches his arrow to his bow,

May they be like those who are cut off.

9Like a snail which melts as it goes;

Like a woman's miscarriage,

May they not see the sun.

10Before your pots are aware of the blackthorn fire,

As one minute living, another minute over a fire,

He will sweep them away.

11The righteous man will rejoice;

When he has seen vengeance,

He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

12And a man will say,

There is indeed fruit for the righteous.

There is indeed a God

Judging on the earth.”

Psalms Chapter 59 

1To the choirmaster, Al-tashcheth.↑

A Golden Psalm of David when Saul sent men to watch his house and to kill him.

2Deliver me from my enemies, O God of mine;

Set me on high ground

Against those who rise up against me.

3Deliver me from perpetrators of iniquity,

And save me from men of blood.

4For behold, they lie in wait for my life.

Cruel men are in league against me,

Not for my transgression and not for my sin,

O Lord.

5Without iniquity on my part,

They run and prepare themselves.

Arise to meet me and see.

6But you, O Lord God of hosts,

God of Israel,

Awake to visit all the Gentiles.

Do not show mercy

To any who treacherously deal in iniquity.

Selah.

7They return in the evening;

They growl like a dog

And go around the city.

8Look, they babble with their mouth.

Swords are on their lips,

But who is listening?

9But you, O Lord, will laugh at them;

You will mock all the Gentiles.

10As for his strength,

I will keep to you,

For God is my high stronghold.

11The God of kindness to me will precede me;

God will show me satisfaction over my adversaries.

12Do not kill them,

Lest my people forget.

Make them wander about by your power,

And bring them down,

O Lord* our shield.

13As for the sin of their mouth

– The word of their lips –

They will be taken in their pride,

And for the cursing and falsehood

Which they speak.

14Consume them in fury,

Consume them so that they are no more.

And they will know that God rules in Jacob

And to the ends of the earth.

Selah.

15And they will return in the evening

And growl like a dog,

And go around the city.

16They will wander around for food.

If they are not satiated,

They will complain.

17But I will sing of your strength

And celebrate your kindness in the morning,

For you have been a high stronghold to me

And a place of refuge on the day when I was in a strait.

18I will make psalm melody to you,

O my strength,

For God is my high stronghold

– The God of kindness to me.

Psalms Chapter 60 

1To the choirmaster in Shushan-Eduth.↑

A Golden Psalm of David to teach, 2when he contended with Mesopotamia, and Aramaea-Zobah, when Joab returned and attacked Edom in the Valley of Salt – when he killed twelve thousand.

3O God, you are averse to us;

You have broken us up.

You have been angry;

Oh restore matters for us.

4You have shaken the land;

You have ruptured it.

Oh heal its fractures,

For it is faltering.

5You have shown your people harshness;

You have given us wine to drink causing reeling.

6You have given to those that fear you

A standard to rally around,

On account of the truth.

Selah.

7In order that your beloved ones may be delivered,

Oh save with your right hand,

And answer us.

8God has said in his holiness,

“I will rejoice,

I will apportion Shechem;

I will allot the Valley of Succoth.

9Gilead is mine,

And Manasseh is mine,

And Ephraim is the stronghold of my head.

Judah is my lawgiver.

10Moab is my washing basin,

At Edom I will cast my shoe;

Philistia, you shall suffer harm on my account.”

11Who will bring me to a fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

12Have you not, O God,

Been averse to us?

And will you not, O God,

Go out with our armies?

13Oh give us help in adversity,

For man's salvation is false.

14Let us act valiantly through God,

And he will trample on our adversaries.

Psalms Chapter 61 

1To the choirmaster, in singing set to stringed music.↑

A Psalm of David.

2Hear, O God, my crying out;

Hearken to my prayer.

3From the end of the earth I will call to you,

When my heart is faint.

Lead me by a rock

That is higher than I.

4For you have become a refuge to me

– A strong tower in the presence of the enemy.

5I will dwell in your age-abiding tent;

I will trust in the secrecy of your wings.

Selah.

6For you, O God, have heard my vows;

You have given me the inheritance

Of those who fear your name.

7You will add days to the king's days,

And to his years as generation on generation.

8He will remain age-abidingly before God;

Appoint kindness and truth to watch over him.

9I will therefore make psalm melody to your name in perpetuity,

So as to fulfil my vows daily.

Psalms Chapter 62 

1To the choirmaster on Jeduthun.↑

A Psalm of David.

2Surely my being enjoys quietness towards God;

From him is my salvation.

3Surely he is my rock and my salvation;

My high stronghold

Where I will not falter, with great assurance.

4How long will you men beleaguer a man?

You will all be killed.

You are like a leaning wall

And like a buckling fence.

5Surely they take counsel

As to how to thrust a man out of his exalted position.

They take pleasure in falsehood;

With the mouth they bless,

But inwardly they curse.

Selah.

6Surely I must be inwardly quiet towards God,

For from him is my hope.

7Surely he is my rock and my salvation

– My high stronghold where I will not be shaken.

8On God rests my salvation and my glory

On the rock of my strength.

My refuge is in God.

9Trust in him at all times, O people;

Pour out your heart before him.

God is a refuge for us.

Selah.

10Surely the sons of Adam are vanity

– The sons of man are false.

In the balance they rise;

They are altogether constituted from vanity.

11Do not trust in the proceeds of oppression,

And do not act vainly for plunder.

If wealth increases,

Do not set your heart on it.

12Once God spoke;

This second time I heard it,

That strength belongs to God.

13And kindness belongs to you, O Lord*,

For you will repay man according to his works.

Reference(s) in Chapter 62: v.13 ↔ Romans 2:6, Revelation 2:23, Revelation 18:6, Revelation 20:12, Revelation 20:13, Revelation 22:12.

Psalms Chapter 63 

1A Psalm of David when he was in the Judaean Desert.

2O God, you are my God;

I will seek you diligently.

My being thirsts for you;

My flesh longs for you,

In an arid and weary land without water.

3In that way I have beheld you in the sanctuary,

Having seen your strength and your glory.

4Since your kindness is better than life,

My lips will commend you.

5Thus will I bless you in my life;

At your name I will lift up my hands.

6My being will be satiated as if with fat and oil,

And my mouth will give praise with rejoicing lips.

7When I remember you on my bed,

In the night-watches,

I meditate on you.

8For you have become my help,

And I will be jubilant in the shadow of your wings.

9My being will cling behind you;

Your right hand will uphold me.

10But those who seek my life for its destruction

Will go to the lower regions of the earth.

11He will be poured out

By means of the sword.

They will be the portion for foxes.

12But the king will rejoice in God.

Everyone who swears by him will glory,

But the mouth of those who speak falsehood

Will have been stopped.

Psalms Chapter 64 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David.

2Hear, O God, my voice in my oration.

Guard my life at a time of fear of the enemy.

3Hide me from the plotting of wrongdoers

– From the rage of perpetrators of iniquity,

4Who have sharpened their tongue like a sword,

And who have drawn their arrow

– A bitter word –

5To shoot at a man of integrity in secret.

They shoot at him suddenly

And do not fear anything.

6They strengthen their resolve in an evil matter,

They speak about hiding snares;

They say, “Who will see them?”

7They look for ways to commit injustices;

They say, “We have completed a thorough search.”

And that is the inward thought of a man and his deep heart.

8But God will suddenly shoot an arrow at them;

They will be in a plight of their own.

9They will be the cause of the matter collapsing;

Their tongue will be against them,

And everyone who sees them will flee.

10And every man will be in fear,

And they will relate the work of God,

And they will learn prudence from his action.

11The righteous will rejoice in the Lord

And trust in him,

And all who are upright in heart will glory.

Psalms Chapter 65 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David. A Song.

2To you belong quietness and praise,

O God, in Zion,

And a vow will be fulfilled to you.

3You who hear prayer,

All flesh will come to you.

4Iniquitous words have increased against me.

As for our transgressions,

You will expiate them.

5Happy is he whom you choose and bring near;

He will dwell in your courts.

We will be satisfied by the goodness of your house

– Your holy temple.

6You answer us with awe-inspiring things in righteousness,

O God of our salvation,

Who are the confidence of all the distant ends of the earth and the sea,

7Who prepares the mountains by his power,

Being girded with might,

8Who calms the raging of the seas

– The raging of their waves –

And the agitation of the various peoples.

9And the inhabitants of the most distant regions

Will be in fear at your signs,

And you will give cause for rejoicing

To the break of the morning

And to the onset of the evening.

10You have visited the earth and made it overflow;

You have greatly enriched it with a brook of God full of water.

You prepare their corn,

For so you have prepared it.

11Satiate its furrows,

Level its ridges,

Soften it with showers;

Bless its shoots.

12You have crowned the year of your goodness,

And your paths distil fatness.

13They distil to desert pastures,

And hills gird themselves with joy.

14The pastures are clothed with flocks,

And the valleys are covered with corn.

They shout for joy;

They sing too.

Psalms Chapter 66 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Song. A Psalm.

Shout joyfully to God,

All the earth.

2Make psalm melody of the glory of his name;

Bestow glory on his praiseworthiness.

3Say to God, “How awesome are your works!”

At the greatness of your strength,

Your enemies will feign obedience to you.

4All the earth will worship you

And will make psalm melody to you;

They will make psalm melody to your name.

Selah.

5Come and see the works of God.

He is awesome in deed to the sons of Adam.

6He turned the sea into dry land;

They crossed the river over on foot.

We rejoiced in him there.

7He rules by his might age-abidingly;

His eyes are watching the Gentiles.

Do not let the rebellious vaunt themselves.

Selah.

8O you various peoples,

Bless our God,

And cause the sound of his praise to be heard.

9He is the one who appoints our being to life

And does not consign our feet to faltering.

10For you have examined us, O God;

You have refined us,

Like the refining of silver.

11You have brought us into a net;

You have placed an oppressive burden on our loins.

12You caused men to ride over our heads.

We have gone through fire and through water,

But you have brought us out

Into a place of abundance.

13I will go to your house with burnt offerings;

I will fulfil my vows to you,

14Which my lips uttered,

And my mouth spoke,

When I was in a strait.

15I will offer fat burnt offerings to you

– Rams with incense;

I will offer bulls with he-goats.

Selah.

16Come, all you who fear God and hear,

And I will relate

What he has done for my being.

17I cried out to him with my mouth,

And he was extolled under my tongue.

18If I have an eye to iniquity in my heart,

The Lord* will not hear me.

19Truly, God has heard me;

He has hearkened to the sound of my prayer.

20Blessed be God,

Who has not set my prayer aside

Or withdrawn his kindness from me.

Psalms Chapter 67 

1To the choirmaster, in singing set to stringed music.↑

A Psalm. A Song.

2May God be merciful to us

And bless us.

May he let his face shine on us

– Selah –

3For knowledge of your ways on the earth,

And of your salvation amongst all nations.

4May the various peoples praise you, O God,

May the various peoples praise you

– All of them.

5Nations will rejoice and shout for joy,

For you will judge the various peoples equitably,

And you will guide nations on the earth.

Selah.

6May the various peoples praise you, O God,

May the various peoples praise you

– All of them.

7The earth yields its produce;

God, our God, will bless us.

8God will bless us,

And all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Psalms Chapter 68 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David. A Song.

2God will arise,

And his enemies will be scattered.

Those who hate him will flee from his presence.

3As smoke is driven away,

You will drive them away.

As wax melts in the presence of fire,

The wicked will perish in the presence of God,

4But the righteous will rejoice and exult before God,

And they will be glad with joy.

5Sing to God;

Make psalm melody to his name.

Raise up a highway

For him who rides through the arid tracts

In his name, the Lord,

And exult before him.

6A father to orphans,

One who provides justice to widows:

That is God in his holy dwelling.

7God accommodates in a household those who are alone;

He brings prisoners out into prosperity,

But the rebellious will dwell in a parched place.

8O God, when you went out before your people,

When you marched through desolate land

– Selah –

9The earth trembled

And the sky condensed precipitation

At the presence of God

– There at Sinai at the presence of God,

The God of Israel.

10O God, you sprinkled liberal showers;

When your inheritance was weary,

You invigorated it.

11Your flock dwelt in it;

You made provision through your goodness

For the afflicted, O God.

12The Lord* gave the word;

Those who brought good tidings

Were a great host.

13The kings of armies flee at every turn,

While the household at home shares out the spoil.

14Even if you lie between the sheepfolds,

You will be like the wings of a dove overlaid with silver,

With its flight feathers overlaid with yellow gold.

15When the Almighty scatters kings in it,

It will be snow-white as in Salmon.

16O mountain of God,

O mountain of Bashan,

O mountain range of many peaks,

O mountain of Bashan,

17Why do you look on with envy,

You mountain peaks,

At the mountain which God desires,

For him to live in?

Indeed the Lord will dwell there in perpetuity.

18The chariots of God are twenty thousand

– Thousands upon thousands.

The Lord* is among them,

As at Sinai, in the sanctuary.

19You have ascended high up,

You have taken captivity captive;

You have accepted gifts among men

– Indeed the rebellious –

So that the Lord God may take up a dwelling.

20Blessed is the Lord*;

Daily God bears our salvation for us.

Selah.

21Our God is a God of acts of salvation,

And the Lord my Lord has the escape routes from death.

22Surely God will dash the head of his enemies in pieces

– The hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.

23The Lord* said,

“I will retrieve them from Bashan;

I will retrieve them from the depths of the sea

24So that you may plunge your foot in blood,

And your dogs' tongues may lick it up

From the enemies as their portion.”

25They have seen your ways, O God,

The ways of my God

– My king in the sanctuary.

26The singers went first,

Then afterwards, the stringed instrument players,

In the midst of maidens playing drums.

27In your convocations, bless God

– The Lord –

You who are from the source of Israel.

28There is Benjamin,

Who is small, ruling them,

And the princes of Judah with their entourage,

And the princes of Zebulun

And the princes of Naphtali.

29Your God has commanded your strength.

Show strength, O God,

In what you will do for us.

30On account of your temple in Jerusalem,

Kings will bring you a gift.

31Rebuke the beasts of the reed marshland,

And the company of strong bulls against the calves of the people.

Let each submit himself with silver coins.

He will scatter the various peoples

Who take pleasure in battles.

32Nobles will come from Egypt;

Ethiopia will hasten to stretch out its hands to God.

33Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth;

Make psalm melody to the Lord*.

Selah.

34Sing to him who has been riding on the heavens of heavens

Since ancient time.

Behold, he sounds his voice

– A mighty voice.

35Ascribe strength to God;

His majesty is over Israel,

And his might is in the skies.

36O God, you are awesome,

Proceeding from your sanctuaries.

It is the God of Israel

Who gives strength and power to the people.

Blessed be God.

Reference(s) in Chapter 68: v.19 ↔ Ephesians 4:8.

Psalms Chapter 69 

1To the choirmaster on Shoshannim.↑

A Psalm of David.

2Save me, O God,

For waters have come to the point of threatening my life.

3I am sinking in deep mire,

And there is no foothold.

I have come into depths of water,

And the swell is engulfing me.

4I am weary with crying out;

My throat is parched,

And my eyes are exhausted,

As I wait for my God.

5They that hate me for no reason

Are more numerous than the hairs of my head.

Those who would kill me

– My enemies on false grounds –

Are mighty,

But I have not exploited them,

Otherwise I would restore it.

6O God, you know my foolishness,

And my misdeeds are not hidden from you.

7Do not let those who put hope in you

Be ashamed on my account, O my Lord the Lord of hosts.

Do not let those who seek you

Be discredited on account of me,

O God of Israel.

8For I have uttered a reproach against you;

Ignominy covers my face.

9I became estranged from my brothers,

And a foreigner to my mother's sons.

10For the zeal of your house has consumed me,

And the reproaches of those who reproach you

Have fallen on me.

11And I wept subjecting myself to fasting,

But it became a reproach against me.

12And I put sackcloth on as my clothing,

And I became a byword to them.

13Those who sit at the gate speak against me,

And those who drink strong wine

Make me the subject of their songs.

14But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord,

At an acceptable time, O God.

In your great kindness,

Answer me with your saving truth.

15Deliver me from the mire,

And do not let me sink.

Let me be delivered from those who hate me,

And from the watery depths.

16Do not let the swell of water engulf me,

And do not let the deep swallow me up,

And do not let the pit close its mouth over me.

17Answer me, O Lord,

For your kindness is good;

Turn to me in accordance with the abundance of your mercy.

18And do not hide your face from your servant,

For I am in a strait.

Make haste in answering me.

19Draw near to my being

And redeem it;

Ransom me on account of my enemies.

20For you know my reproach,

And my shame and my ignominy.

All my adversaries are before you.

21Reproach broke my heart,

And I became ill,

And I hoped to be consoled,

But there was no-one,

And I hoped for comforters,

But I did not find any.

22And they gave me hemlock for my food,

And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

23May their table in front of them become a snare,

And things pertinent to their welfare, a trap.

24May their eyes become too dark to see,

And make their hips falter continually.

25Pour out your indignation over them,

And may the fury of your anger overtake them.

26May their castle become desolate;

Let there be no inhabitant in their tents.

27For they pursue those whom you have struck,

And they talk to the grief of those you have wounded.

28Add iniquity to their iniquity,

And let them not come into your righteousness.

29May they be blotted out of the book of the living,

And not be written with the righteous.

30But I am afflicted and pained.

May your salvation, O God, lift me up.

31I will praise the name of God in song,

And I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

32And may it be pleasing to the Lord

More than an ox or bull-calf,

Which have horns and divide the hoof.

33The meek will see and be glad

– Those who seek God –

And your heart will live.

34For the Lord listens to the poor,

And he does not despise those of his in bondage.

35Let heaven and earth praise him,

And the seas,

And everything that moves in them.

36For God will save Zion,

And he will build the cities of Judah,

And they will dwell there

And take possession of it.

37And the seed of his servants will inherit it,

And those who love his name will dwell in it.

Reference(s) in Chapter 69: v.5 ↔ John 15:25 ● v.10 ↔ John 2:17, Romans 15:3 ● v.22 ↔ John 19:28, John 19:29 ● v.23 ↔ Romans 11:9 ● v.24 ↔ Romans 11:10 ● v.26 ↔ Acts 1:20 ● v.29 ↔ Philippians 4:3, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 13:8, Revelation 17:8, Revelation 20:12, Revelation 20:15, Revelation 21:27.

Psalms Chapter 70 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David for remembrance.

2O God, hasten to deliver me;

O Lord, hasten to my assistance.

3May those who seek my life

Be ashamed and disgraced.

May those who delight in my harm

Be driven back

And be made ignominious.

4May those who say, “Ha, ha”

Go back on account of their shame.

5May all who seek you exult

And rejoice in you,

And may those who love your salvation always say,

“Let God be magnified.”

6But I am poor and needy.

O God, hasten to me;

You are my help and my deliverer.

O Lord, do not delay.

Psalms Chapter 71 

1In you, O Lord, I have put my trust;

Do not let me ever be put to shame.

2Rescue me and extricate me in your righteousness;

Incline your ear to me

And save me.

3Be to me a rock-strong dwelling place,

To go to at all times.

You have given commandment to save me,

For you are my rock and my fortress.

4O God of mine, rescue me from the hand of the wicked man

– From the palm of the iniquitous and violent one,

5For you are my hope, my Lord the Lord,

And my security from my youth.

6I have been dependent on you since the womb

– Since my mother's belly from which you cut me loose.

My praise has always been on your account.

7I became a marvel to many,

And you were my strong refuge.

8May my mouth be full of your praise

And of your splendour all day long.

9Do not cast me off in the time of my old age.

When my strength has become exhausted,

Do not abandon me.

10For my enemies have spoken against me,

And those watching out for a chance to take my life

Have taken counsel together,

11And have said, “God has forsaken him.

Pursue and seize him,

For there is no-one to deliver him.”

12O God, do not be far from me.

O God of mine, hasten to my assistance.

13May those who take a stand against my life

Be put to shame and consumed.

May those who seek my harm

Be covered in reproach and ignominy.

14But I will always wait,

And I will add to all your praise.

15My mouth will relate your righteousness

And your salvation, all day long.

I do not know the number of such deeds.

16I will come in the might of my Lord the Lord;

I will bring your righteousness to remembrance

– Yours only.

17O God you have taught me from my youth,

And I have been telling of your wondrous deeds up to now.

18Now also at old age and grey hair,

Do not forsake me, O God,

Before I have told of your strength

To this generation,

And I have told of your might

To all who are to come.

19And your righteousness, O God, is sublime,

In that you have performed great deeds.

O God, who is like you?

20Although you have shown us many adversities and troubles,

You will restore us to life again,

And lift me up again from the depths of the earth.

21You will increase my greatness

And surround and comfort me.

22I too will give you thanks on the lute;

I will make psalm melody of your truth to you,

O God of mine,

With the harp,

O holy one of Israel.

23My lips will rejoice

When I make psalm melody to you,

As will my being

Which you have redeemed.

24My tongue, too, will utter your righteousness all day long,

Because those who seek my harm have become ashamed

– Because they have become disgraced.

Psalms Chapter 72 

1A Psalm of Solomon.

O God, give your judicial principles to the king,

And your righteous standard to the king's son.

2He will judge your people righteously,

And those of yours who are poor, justly.

3The mountains will bring peace to the people,

As will the hills, in righteousness.

4He will judge those of the people who are poor;

He will save the sons of the needy

And crush the oppressor.

5They will fear you

When they are in the company of the sun,

And when they are in the presence of the moon,

For generation upon generation.

6He will come down like rain on mown grass

– Like showers that drench the earth.

7The righteous man will blossom in his days,

As will an abundance of peace,

Until the moon is no more.

8And he will have dominion from sea to sea,

And from the river to the ends of the earth.

9The inhabitants of the desert will bow down before him,

And his enemies will lick the dust.

10The kings of Tarshish and the coastlands will bring an offering;

The kings of Sheba and Seba will offer a gift.

11And all the kings will prostrate themselves before him;

All nations will serve him.

12For he will deliver the poor man who cries out,

And the needy who has no-one to help him.

13He will have pity on the destitute and poor,

And he will save the lives of the poor.

14He will redeem their lives from oppression and violence,

And their blood will be precious in his eyes.

15May he live,

And may they give him gold of Sheba,

And may they pray for him constantly

And bless him all day long.

16May there be an abundance of grain in the land;

May his fruit sway on the mountain summits as in Lebanon,

And may plants of the city bloom like the vegetation of the earth.

17May his name be age-abiding;

May his name in the presence of the sun give rise to posterity,

And may they be blessed through him.

May all nations call him blessed.

18Blessed be the Lord God

– The God of Israel –

Who works wondrous deeds on his own.

19And blessed be his glorious name age-abidingly,

And may the whole earth be filled with his glory.

Amen and amen.

20The prayers of David the son of Jesse are completed.

Psalms Chapter 73 

1A Psalm of Asaph.

Surely God is good to Israel

– To the pure in heart.

2But as for me, my feet were almost reduced to nothing;

My steps were exhausted.

3For I was jealous of the boasters,

When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4For they have no concerns about their death,

Whilst their body is healthy.

5They are not subject to man's toiling,

Nor are they plagued in common with man.

6That is why pride bedecks them,

And the garment which covers them

Is their violence.

7Their eyes bulge from fatness;

The imaginings of their heart pass beyond all bounds.

8They mock,

They speak wickedly, plotting oppression;

They speak haughtily.

9They have set their mouth against heaven,

While their tongue traverses the earth.

10Therefore he will bring his people back here,

And water will be wrung out to them in full.

11But they say,

“How does God know?”

And, “Does the Most High have any knowledge of it?”

12Behold, these are the wicked,

And those at ease in the age,

Who have increased in riches.

13Surely I cleansed my heart in vain,

When I washed my hands in innocence,

14For I was plagued all day long,

And I suffered castigation each morning.

15If I had said,

“Let me speak like that”,

I would have misled a generation of your sons.

16I pondered so as to know this matter

– It was to my sorrow in my sight –

17Until I went into the sanctuary of God

And understood their final state.

18Surely you will put them in slippery places;

You will make them fall into ruin.

19How they will become a desolation in a moment!

How they will perish and meet their end in terrors!

20As in waking up from a dream, O Lord*,

On awakening, you will despise their illusion.

21For my heart was embittered,

And I was pierced in my kidneys.

22But I was an imbecile

And did not know;

I was like the beasts with you.

23Yet I am always with you;

You have taken hold of my right hand.

24You will lead me in accordance with your purpose,

And afterwards, you will receive me in glory.

25Whom do I have in the heavens?

I delight just to be with you;

I have not delighted in the earth.

26My flesh has come to an end,

But as for my heart,

The rock of my heart and my portion

Is God age-abidingly.

27For behold, those departing from you will perish;

You have cut off

Everyone who commits whoredom against you.

28But as for me,

Closeness to God is good for me.

I have put my trust in my Lord the Lord

So as to tell of all your works.

Psalms Chapter 74 

1An Instructive Psalm of Asaph.

Why, O God, have you utterly rejected us?

Why does your anger fume over the sheep of your pasture?

2Remember your congregation,

Which you acquired in ancient time.

You redeemed the sceptre of your inheritance

– Mount Zion in which you dwelt.

3Speed up your strides towards the complete ruins

– All the harm the enemy has done in the sanctuary.

4Your adversaries roar in the midst of your assembly;

They have set up their ensigns as portents.

5A man used to be known

By how he could wield axes in a thick wood,

6But now it is wholly its engravings

That they hack at with hatchets and mallets.

7They have set your sanctuary on fire;

They have desecrated your renowned tabernacle,

Bringing it down to the ground.

8They have resolved and said,

“Let us ravage them completely.”

They have burnt all the places of assembly of God

Down to the ground.

9We have not seen our signs;

There is no prophet any more,

And no-one among us knows for how long.

10How long, O God, will the adversary reproach us?

How long will the enemy utterly despise your name?

11Why do you withdraw your hand

– Indeed your right hand –

From the midst of your bosom so completely?

12But God is my king,

Being from ancient time,

Carrying out acts of salvation

In the midst of the land.

13You split the sea in your strength;

You broke the heads of crocodiles in the waters.

14You crushed the heads of Leviathan;

You gave it as food for the inhabitants of the desert.

15You carved out fount and brook;

You dried up powerful rivers.

16Yours is the day;

Yours is the night also.

You prepared the night luminary

And the sun.

17You set all the boundaries of the earth.

As for summer and winter,

You fashioned them.

18Remember this:

An enemy has reproached the Lord,

And a foolish people have despised your name.

19Do not deliver the life of your turtle-dove

To the wild animals.

Do not completely forget

Your poor population.

20Observe the covenant,

For the dark places of the earth

Are full of nests of violence.

21Do not let the ill-treated return ashamed;

May the poor and needy praise your name.

22Arise, O God,

And contend your case;

Remember the reproach on you

From the fool all day long.

23Do not forget the noise of your adversaries;

The tumult of those who rise up against you

Ascends continually.

Psalms Chapter 75 

1To the choirmaster, Al-tashcheth.↑

A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

2We give thanks to you, O God;

We give thanks that your name is near.

People relate your wondrous deeds.

3“For I will receive the assembly;

I myself will judge the upright.

4The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolving away;

I am the one who fixed its pillars in place.

Selah.

5I have said to the boasters,

‘Do not boast’,

And to the wicked,

‘Do not raise up your horn.

6Do not raise your horn high up,

Nor speak with a stiff neck.’ ”

7For exaltation does not come from the east or from the west,

Nor from the south,

8For God is the judge.

One he brings low;

Another he elevates.

9For in the hand of the Lord is a cup

With a fermented wine

– A full mixture.

On one side he pours it out,

But all the wicked of the earth

Will drain and drink its sediment.

10And I will relate it age-abidingly;

I will make psalm melody

To the God of Jacob.

11And I will break off all the horns of the wicked.

But the horns of the righteous man will be exalted.

Psalms Chapter 76 

1To the choirmaster in singing set to stringed music.↑

A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

2God is known in Judah;

His name is great in Israel.

3And in Salem is his booth,

And his dwelling is in Zion.

4There, he broke the bolts of the bow,

The shield and the sword and the battle.

Selah.

5You are more illustrious and excellent

Than the mountains with their prey.

6The stout-hearted have been spoiled;

They have slumbered in their sleep.

And none of their valiant men have found their grip.

7At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,

Both chariot and horse sink down stupefied.

8You yourself are fearsome,

And who can stand before you

From the moment of your anger?

9You have proclaimed judgment from heaven;

The earth feared and was silent.

10When you rose up for judgment, O God,

It was to save all the meek of the earth.

Selah.

11For the fury of man will be to your praise

When you suppress the remaining fury.

12Make vows to the Lord your God,

And fulfil them.

Let all who are round about him

Bring a gift to the fearsome one.

13He will cut the spirit of leaders off;

He is fearsome to the kings of the earth.

Psalms Chapter 77 

1To the choirmaster on Jeduthun.↑

A Psalm of Asaph.

2My voice is directed to God,

And I cry out.

My voice is directed to God,

And he listens to me.

3On the day of my adversity, I sought the Lord*.

My hand was spread out at night,

And it did not become weary.

My inner being refused to be comforted.

4I remember God,

But I am agitated;

I commune,

But my spirit faints.

Selah.

5You have taken hold of my eyelids;

I am disturbed

And cannot speak.

6I have considered days of antiquity

And years of ancient times.

7I remember my song at night;

I commune with my heart,

And my spirit searches matters.

8Will the Lord* reject us throughout the ages

And not take pleasure in us any more?

9Will his kindness come to a complete end?

Has his communication,

Which was for generation after generation,

Ceased?

10Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has he shut off his mercies in anger?

Selah.

11Then I said, “This is me underrating

The years of the right hand of the Most High.

12I will make mention of the works of the Lord,

For I remember your wonder of ancient time.”

13So I meditated on all your work,

And I spoke of your deeds.

14O God, your way is to be found in the sanctuary.

Who is a great God like God?

15You are the God who works wondrously;

You have made your might known among the various peoples.

16By your arm you have redeemed your people

– The sons of Jacob and Joseph.

Selah.

17The waters see you, O God;

The waters see you and swirl.

The oceans rage as well.

18The clouds pour down water;

The skies emit a noise,

And your flashes fork off all around.

19There is the sound of your rolling thunder,

Lightning flashes illuminate the world;

The earth rages and shakes.

20In the sea there is your way,

And your paths are in great waters,

But your tracks are not known.

21You have led your people like sheep,

Through the intermediacy of Moses and Aaron.

Psalms Chapter 78 

1An Instructive Psalm of Asaph.

Listen, my people, to my law;

Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2I will open my mouth with a proverb;

I will utter riddles of ancient time,

3Which we have heard,

And we know them,

For our fathers related them to us.

4We will not hide them from their sons.

Up to the last generation we will relate the praiseworthy things of the Lord,

As well as his strength and his wondrous deeds

Which he has performed.

5Indeed, he has established a testimony in Jacob,

And he has set up a law in Israel,

Which he commanded our fathers

To make known to their sons,

6So that the last generation may know.

Sons that are to be born must rise up,

And tell their sons in turn.

7And they must put their hope in God

And not forget the works of God,

And they must keep his commandments.

8Furthermore they must not be like their fathers

– A refractory and rebellious generation,

A generation who did not prepare their heart,

And whose spirit was not faithful to God.

9The sons of Ephraim

– Armed archers –

Turned back on the day of battle.

10They did not keep God's covenant,

And they refused to walk in his law.

11And they forgot his works and his wonders

Which he had shown them.

12He worked marvels in the sight of their fathers,

In the land of Egypt

In the countryside of Zoan.

13He divided the sea and ushered them across;

He made the water stand like a mound,

14And he led them in the cloud by day,

And all night long by a fiery light.

15And he split rocks in the desert

So as to give drink as from a great depth.

16And he brought a stream out of hard terrain,

And he made waters flow down like rivers.

17But they still sinned against him again,

In rebelling against the Most High

In an arid land.

18And they tested God in their heart,

By asking for food for their appetite.

19So they spoke against God and they said,

“Can God lay a table in the desert?”

20Behold, he struck a rock,

And water flowed,

And streams overflowed.

“Is he able to provide bread too?

Can he prepare meat for his people?”

21So when the Lord heard it,

He became irate,

And a fire was kindled against Jacob,

And anger with Israel arose too.

22For they did not believe in God,

And they did not have faith in his salvation.

23Then he commanded the skies above,

And he opened the gates of the heavens.

24And he rained manna on them to eat,

And he gave them heavenly grain.

25Man ate the food of the mighty ones;

He sent them provisions to satiety.

26He set an east wind in motion in the sky,

And he drove a south wind by his strength.

27Then he rained meat on them like dust,

And winged fowl like the sand of the sea.

28And he made it fall in the middle of his encampment,

All around his tent sites.

29So they ate and were very much satiated,

For he had brought them what they desired.

30They were not averse to their desire.

When, with their food still in their mouths,

31God's anger arose over them,

He killed those of their company who were fat,

And he brought down the youths of Israel.

32In spite of all this they still sinned,

And they did not have faith in his wonders.

33So he ended their days in vacuity,

And their years in fear.

34When he was killing them,

They sought him,

And they diligently searched for God again.

35And they remembered that God was their rock,

And that the Most High God was their redeemer.

36Yet they dealt with him deceitfully with their mouths,

And they dealt with him dishonestly with their tongues.

37And their heart was not right with him,

And they were not faithful to his covenant.

38Yet he is merciful;

He expiates iniquity,

And he did not bring them to ruin.

And he went to great lengths in averting his anger,

And he did not arouse all his fury.

39For he remembered that they were flesh

– A wind that goes and does not return.

40How often they rebelled against him in the desert

And grieved him in the wasteland!

41Then they tempted God again;

They limited the holy one of Israel.

42They did not remember his intervention

– The day when he redeemed them from adversity,

43When he performed his signs in Egypt

And his miracles in the countryside of Zoan,

44When he changed their rivers to blood

So that they could not drink their liquids.

45He sent the gadfly on them to devour them,

And frogs to molest them.

46Then he gave their produce to the consuming locust,

And the results of their toil to the swarming locust.

47He destroyed their vines with hail,

And their sycamore fig trees with frost.

48And he consigned their cattle to hail,

And their livestock to bolts of lightning.

49He sent the fury of his anger on them

– Wrath and indignation and opposition,

And a deputation of harmful angels.

50Then he considered the course of his anger.

He did not spare their very selves from death,

And he consigned their life to pestilence.

51Then he struck down every firstborn in Egypt

– The prime of their strength in the tents of Ham.

52Then he moved his people like sheep,

And he led them like a flock in the desert.

53And he conducted them safely

So that they did not fear anything,

But the sea covered their enemies.

54And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary

– The mountain which his right hand had acquired.

55Then he drove out nations before them,

And he assigned them an inheritance by apportionment,

And he installed the tribes of Israel in their tents.

56But they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God,

And they did not keep his testimonies.

57And they slid back,

And they dealt treacherously like their fathers,

And they changed direction like a crooked bow shot.

58And they provoked him to anger with their idolatrous raised sites,

And they stirred him to jealousy with their carved images.

59God heard and became irate,

And he greatly disdained Israel.

60And he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh

– The tent he installed among men.

61And he delivered his strength into captivity,

And his splendour into the hand of an adversary.

62And he consigned his people to the sword,

Whilst he became irate over his inheritance.

63Fire consumed his young men,

And his virgins had no celebration.

64His priests fell by the sword,

And his widows did not lament.

65Then the Lord* awoke

As if from being asleep,

Like a warrior rejoicing from wine.

66And he beat his adversaries back;

He gave them age-abiding reproach.

67And he rejected the tent of Joseph,

And he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,

68But he chose the tribe of Judah,

And Mount Zion which he loves.

69And he built his sanctuary as an elevation,

Like the earth which he founded age-abidingly.

70Then he chose David his servant,

And he took him from the sheepfolds.

71He brought him from looking after dairy cattle

To tending Jacob his people

And Israel his inheritance.

72And he tended them wholeheartedly,

And he led them in his wise care.

Reference(s) in Chapter 78: v.2 ↔ Matthew 13:35 ● v.24 ↔ John 6:31.

Psalms Chapter 79 

1A Psalm of Asaph.

O God, the Gentiles have come into your inheritance,

They have defiled your holy temple;

They have made Jerusalem heaps of ruins.

2They have given the corpses of your servants

As food for the birds of the sky,

And the flesh of those under your grace

To the beasts of the earth.

3They have shed their blood like water around Jerusalem,

And there is no-one to bury them.

4We were a reproach to our neighbours

– Derision and ridicule to those around us.

5How long, O Lord, will you constantly be angry,

And will your zeal burn like fire?

6Pour out your wrath on the Gentiles

Who have not known you,

And on the kingdoms

Which have not called on your name.

7For he has devoured Jacob,

And they have devastated his abode.

8Do not call former iniquities to remembrance to our account.

May your mercies go swiftly in front of us,

For we have been very much weakened.

9Help us, O God of our salvation,

For the sake of the glory of your name,

And deliver us and atone for our sins,

For your name's sake.

10Why should the Gentiles say,

“Where is their God?”

Let him be known among the Gentiles in our sight

By vengeance for the blood of your servants

Which has been shed.

11May the prisoner's groan come before you.

According to the greatness of your power,

Preserve those condemned to die.

12Pay our neighbours back sevenfold in their bosom

The reproach with which they have reproached you, O Lord*.

13But we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,

Will thank you age-abidingly;

From generation to generation

We will relate your praise.

Psalms Chapter 80 

1To the choirmaster in Shoshannim-Eduth.↑

A Psalm of Asaph.

2Do listen, O shepherd of Israel,

You who lead Joseph like sheep,

And shine forth,

You who dwell between the cherubim,

3Do rouse your valour before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,

And come to our salvation.

4O God, restore us,

And let your face shine,

And let us be saved.

5O Lord God of hosts,

How long will you be fuming

At the prayer of your people?

6You have fed them with bread of tears;

You have given them a third measure of tears to drink.

7You make us an object of contention with our neighbours,

And our enemies poke fun.

8O God of hosts, restore us,

And let your face shine,

And let us be saved.

9You removed a vine from Egypt;

You drove out Gentiles and planted it.

10You made preparations for it,

And it took root,

And it filled the land.

11The mountains were covered by its shade,

And the mighty cedars by its boughs.

12It sent its branches as far as the sea,

And its suckers to the river.

13Why have you broken down its fences,

So that everyone passing through that way plucks it?

14The boar from the forest devours it,

And the wildlife of the countryside feeds on it.

15O God of hosts, do return;

Oh look from heaven and see,

And visit this vine,

16And the stock which your right hand planted,

And the offshoot which you invigorated for yourself.

17It has been burned with fire;

It has been cut off.

They will be annihilated at the rebuke of your face.

18May your hand be on the man of your right hand

– On the son of Adam whom you invigorated for yourself –

19Then we will not slide back from you.

Revitalize us, and we will call on your name.

20O Lord God of hosts,

Restore us,

And let your face shine,

And let us be saved.

Psalms Chapter 81 

1To the choirmaster in singing set to percussion instruments.↑

A Psalm of Asaph.

2Sing for joy to God our strength;

Shout out to the God of Jacob.

3Raise a melody and play the drum

And the pleasant harp with the lute.

4Blow the ramshorn at the new month

– At the new moon

And on the day of our festival.

5For it is a statute for Israel

– An injunction of the God of Jacob.

6He appointed it as a testimony in Joseph

When he came out in the face of the land of Egypt,

When I heard a language

Which I did not know.

7“I relieved his shoulder of a burden;

His hands were perishing from the brick-basket.

8You cried out in adversity,

And I delivered you;

I answered you with thunder secretly.

I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

Selah.

9Hear, O my people,

And I will testify to you.

O Israel, if you will hear me,

10Do not let there be any strange god among you,

And do not worship any foreign god.

11I am the Lord your God,

Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide

And I will fill it.

12But my people did not heed me,

And Israel did not want me.

13Then I let them go in the stubbornness of their heart,

And they walked in their own counsels.

14If only my people would listen to me,

And Israel would walk in my ways!

15I would soon have subdued their enemies

And have turned my hand against their adversaries.

16Those who hate the Lord

Would have feigned obedience to him.

And their time would have been age-abiding.

17And he would have fed them with the best of the wheat,

And I would have satisfied you with honey from a rock.”

Psalms Chapter 82 

1A Psalm of Asaph.

God stands in a mighty congregation;

He judges in the midst of gods.

2How long will you judge iniquitously

And show partiality to the wicked?

Selah.

3Judge the case of the destitute and the orphan,

And give justice to the needy and the impoverished.

4Deliver the destitute and the poor;

Rescue them from the hand of the wicked.

5They do not know,

And they do not understand.

They walk around in darkness;

All the foundations of the earth are shaken.

6I have said,

“You are gods

And you are all sons of the Most High.”

7But you will die like man

And fall like any of the princes.

8Arise, O God;

Judge the earth,

For you will inherit all the Gentiles.

Reference(s) in Chapter 82: v.6 ↔ John 10:34.

Psalms Chapter 83 

1A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.

2O God, do not be silent.

Do not be quiet,

And do not be still,

O God.

3For look,

Your enemies are in a commotion,

And those who hate you

Have raised their head.

4They are being crafty in their counsel against your people,

And they are plotting

Against those treasured up by you.

5They have said,

“Come, let us obliterate them

So that they aren't a people,

And the name of Israel is no longer remembered.”

6For they have deliberated unanimously;

They have made a covenant against you

7– The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,

Moab and the Hagrites,

8Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,

Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre.

9Assyria has also joined up with them;

They have become an arm to the sons of Lot.

Selah.

10Do to them as with Midian

– As to Sisera, as to Jabin,

At the Brook of Kishon.

11They were destroyed in En-Dor;

They became dung for the ground.

12Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb,

And all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

13Who said,

“Let us take possession of God's dwellings for ourselves.”

14O God of mine, make them like chaff

– Like straw residue before the wind;

15Like fire that burns a forest

And like a flame that sets mountains on fire.

16So you will pursue them with your tempest

And terrify them with your whirlwind.

17Fill their faces with dishonour,

And let them seek your name, O Lord.

18Let them be ashamed and terrified in all perpetuity,

And be disgraced and perish.

19And they will know that you

– Only your name is the Lord –

Are the Most High over all the earth.

Psalms Chapter 84 

1To the choirmaster in singing set to percussion instruments.↑

For the sons of Korah, a Psalm.

2How pleasant your tabernacles are,

O Lord of hosts!

3My being longs for,

And even pines for,

The courtyards of the Lord.

My heart and flesh shout out

To the living God.

4Even the bird has found a home,

And the swallow a nest for herself,

Where she lays her brood.

I long for your altars, O Lord of hosts

– My king and my God.

5Happy are those who dwell in your house;

They will repeatedly praise you.

Selah.

6Happy is the man

Whose strength is in you.

There are highways in their hearts.

7Those who pass through the Valley of Baca

Make it a water-source,

Just as the early rain covers it in blessings.

8They go from strength to strength;

He appears before God in Zion.

9O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;

Listen, O God of Jacob.

Selah.

10See our shield, O God,

And look at the face of your messiah.

11For a day in your courtyards is better than a thousand elsewhere.

I would choose to stand as a doorkeeper at the house of my God

Rather than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

12For the Lord God is a sun and a shield,

The Lord gives grace and honour;

He does not withhold what is good

From those who walk in integrity.

13O Lord of hosts,

Happy is the man

Who trusts in you.

Psalms Chapter 85 

1To the choirmaster.↑

For the sons of Korah, a Psalm.

2O Lord, you have taken pleasure in your land;

You have reversed the captivity of Jacob.

3You have forgiven the iniquity of your people;

You have pardoned all their sins.

Selah.

4You have retracted all your ire;

You have drawn back from the fury of your anger.

5Turn us around, O God of our salvation;

Set aside your displeasure with us.

6Will you be age-abidingly angry with us?

Will you draw out your anger from generation to generation?

7Will you not revive us again

So that your people rejoice in you?

8Show us, O Lord, your kindness,

And do give us your salvation.

9I will hear what God the Lord says,

For he speaks peace to his people and those of his grace,

And may they not return to foolishness.

10Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him

– For glory to dwell in our land.

11Kindness and truth have met each other;

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

12Truth has sprung up from the earth,

And righteousness has peered out from heaven.

13Indeed the Lord gives that which is good,

And our land will give its produce.

14Righteousness will go in front of him,

And he will designate his steps as the way.

Psalms Chapter 86 

1A prayer of David.

Incline, O Lord, your ear,

And answer me,

For I am poor and needy.

2Guard my soul,

For I am under your grace.

You who are my God,

Save your servant

Who trusts in you.

3Have mercy on me, O Lord*,

For I cry out to you all day long.

4Gladden the heart of your servant,

For to you, O Lord*,

I lift up my being.

5For you, O Lord*, are good and forgiving,

And abundant in kindness to all who call on you.

6Listen, O Lord, to my prayer,

And hearken to the sound of my supplications.

7On the day of my adversity,

I will call on you,

For you will answer me.

8There is none like you among the gods, O Lord*,

And there is nothing like your works.

9All the nations which you made

Will come and worship before you, O Lord*,

And they will glorify your name.

10For you are great,

And you perform wonders.

You alone are God.

11Teach me, O Lord, your way;

I will walk in your truth.

Unite my heart to fear your name.

12I will praise you, O Lord* my God, with all my heart,

And I will glorify your name age-abidingly.

13For your kindness towards me is great,

And you have delivered my being from the lowest underworld.

14O God, the insolent have risen up against me,

And the congregation of the violent seek my life,

And they have not placed you before them.

15But you, O Lord*, are a God of mercy and grace,

Forbearing, and abundant in kindness and truth.

16Turn to me and be merciful to me;

Give your strength to your servant,

And save the son of your maidservant.

17Give me a favourable sign,

So that those who hate me

May see it and be ashamed,

Because you are the Lord

Who helped me and comforted me.

Reference(s) in Chapter 86: v.9 ↔ Revelation 15:3 ● v.10 ↔ Revelation 15:3 ● v.11 ↔ Revelation 15:3.

Psalms Chapter 87 

1For the sons of Korah, a Psalm. A Song.

His foundation is on the holy mountains.

2The Lord loves the gates of Zion

More than all the tent sites of Jacob.

3Glorious things are spoken of you,

O City of God.

Selah.

4I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know me.

Behold, to Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia,

It will be said, “This one was born there.”

5And to Zion it will be said,

One man and another man were born in it,

And he who will establish it is the Most High.”

6The Lord will count

When registering the various peoples,

And say, “This one was born there.”

Selah.

7And singers and dancers likewise

– All my founts –

Are in it.

Psalms Chapter 88 

1A Song. A Psalm to the sons of Korah. To the choirmaster with dancing and singing in response.↑

An Instructive Psalm of Heman the Ezrahite.

2O Lord God of my salvation,

By day I have cried out;

By night my cry is before you.

3May my prayer come before you;

Incline your ear to my outcry.

4For my being is saturated with evils,

And my life is touching the grave.

5I am considered as being among those

Going down to the pit.

I am like a man without strength,

6Among the dead, free,

Like the slain who lie in a grave,

Whom you no longer remember,

As they are cut off from your hand.

7You have put me in the pit,

In the lowest regions,

In the dark places

– In the depths.

8Your fury bears down on me;

You have afflicted me with all your breakers.

Selah.

9You have removed my acquaintances from me;

You have made me an abomination to them.

I am hemmed in

And I can't come out.

10My eye languishes from affliction.

I have called on you, O Lord, daily;

I have opened out my hands to you.

11Do you perform a wonder for the dead?

Do the Rephaim rise and praise you?

Selah.

12Is your kindness recounted in the grave?

– Or your faithfulness in the place of decease?

13Is your wondrous power known in the darkness?

– Or your righteousness in the land of oblivion?

14But I have cried out to you, O Lord,

And my prayer went to you early in the morning.

15Why, O Lord, are you averse to my being?

Why do you hide your face from me?

16I am afflicted,

And I have been expiring since my youth.

I have borne your terrors,

And I am bewildered.

17Your outpourings of fury have come over onto me;

Alarming things of yours have cut me down.

18They surround me like water all day long;

They encircle me in unison.

19You have removed lover and friend from me,

And my acquaintances, to darkness.

Psalms Chapter 89 

1An Instructive Psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite.

2I will sing the Lord's acts of kindness age-abidingly;

From generation to generation I will make your faithfulness known

By the word of my mouth.

3For I have said,

“Kindness will be built up for the age.”

As for the heavens,

You will prepare your faithfulness in them.

4“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have sworn to David my servant,

5‘I will establish your seed age-abidingly,

And I will build up your throne

From generation to generation.’ ”

Selah.

6And the heavens will praise your wondrous power, O Lord,

As also your faithfulness in the convocation of the holy ones.

7For who in the sky is comparable to the Lord?

Who can be likened to the Lord

Among the mighty ones?

8– A most formidable God in the council of the holy ones,

And fearsome to all around him?

9O Lord God of hosts,

Who is strong like you, O Lord,

With your faithfulness around you?

10You rule over the haughtiness of the sea;

When the waves arise,

You calm them.

11You have crushed Rahab like the slain;

With your strong arm

You have scattered your enemies.

12Yours are the heavens;

Yours also is the earth.

As for the world and its fulness,

You founded them.

13North and south – you created them.

Tabor and Hermon – they rejoice in your name.

14You have a valiant arm,

Your hand is strong;

Your right hand is exalted.

15Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;

Kindness and truth go before you.

16Happy is the people that knows the sound;

O Lord, they will walk in the light of your presence.

17They will rejoice in your name all day long,

And they will be exalted in your righteousness.

18For you are the splendour of their strength,

And by your goodwill,

Our horn will be exalted.

19For the Lord is the possessor of our shield,

And the holy one of Israel is the possessor of our king.

20At that time you spoke in a vision to those under your grace and said,

“I have bestowed help on the warrior;

I have exalted a chosen one out of the people.

21I have found David my servant;

I have anointed him with my holy oil,

22With whom my hand will be established,

To whom also my arm will give courage.

23The enemy will not come upon him,

Nor will the unjust man afflict him.

24And I will beat his adversaries down before him

And strike down those who hate him.

25And my faithfulness and my kindness will be with him,

And his horn will be exalted in my name.

26And I will put his hand in the sea

And his right hand in the rivers.

27He will call out to me,

‘You are my father,

My God, and the rock of my salvation.’

28I will also place him as the firstborn

– The highest of the kings of the earth.

29I will maintain my kindness to him age-abidingly,

And my covenant will remain faithful to him.

30And I will appoint his seed in perpetuity,

And his throne as the days of heaven.

31If his sons forsake my law,

Or do not walk in my judicial pronouncements,

32Or if they violate my statutes,

Or do not keep my commandments,

33Then I will visit their transgression with a rod,

And their iniquity with beatings.

34But I will not lay aside my kindness with him,

And I will not default on my faithfulness.

35I will not break my covenant,

And I will not change the utterance of my lips.

36I have sworn by my holiness once;

I will certainly not lie to David.

37His seed will abide for the age,

And his throne like the sun before me,

38Just as the moon is established for the age,

And is a faithful witness in the sky.”

Selah.

39But you have turned away and rejected

– And become irate with –

Your anointed.

40You have detested your servant's covenant;

You have rendered his crown powerless on the ground.

41You have broken through all his fences;

You have made his fortifications a ruin.

42All kinds of travellers have plundered him;

He has become a reproach to his neighbours.

43You have raised the right hand of his adversaries;

You have brought joy to all his enemies.

44Also you have driven back the blade of his sword,

And you have not upheld him in battle.

45You have put an end to his splendour,

And you have cast his throne down to the ground.

46You have curtailed the days of his youth;

You have covered him with shame.

Selah.

47How long, O Lord, will you be constantly hidden?

How long will your fury burn like fire?

48Remember what kind of a lifetime I have.

– To what kind of vain end

You have created all the sons of Adam.

49What man will live and will not see death?

What man can deliver his life from the power of the grave?

Selah.

50Where are your former acts of kindness, O Lord*,

Which you swore to David in your faithfulness?

51Remember, O Lord*, the reproach of your servants

– Me bearing it in my bosom –

From all kinds of mighty peoples,

52In that your enemies have made reproaches, O Lord,

In that they have reproached the footsteps of your anointed.

53Blessed be the Lord age-abidingly.

Amen and amen.

Reference(s) in Chapter 89: v.21 ↔ Acts 13:22 ● v.30 ↔ John 7:42 ● v.37 ↔ John 12:34, Acts 2:30.

Psalms Chapter 90 

1A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

O Lord*, you have been a refuge to us

In generation after generation.

2Before the hills were born

– For you gave birth to the earth and world –

You have been God,

And from age to age.

3You reduce men to dust,

And you say,

“Return, O sons of Adam.”

4For a thousand years in your eyes

Are as a day,

Like yesterday that has passed,

And a watch in the night.

5You have swept them away;

They have become like sleep.

In the morning they are like vegetation that flourishes;

6In the morning it flowers and flourishes,

But in the evening it fades and dries up.

7For we waste away at your anger,

And we are terrified at your fury.

8For you have set our iniquities out before you

– Our secret in the light of your presence.

9For all our days face your ire;

We finish our years dolefully.

10The days of our years amount to seventy years,

And if strength permits, eighty years,

But their pride is toil and vanity,

For it hastily passes over,

And we fly away.

11Who knows the intensity of your anger?

For as your fearfulness is,

So is your ire.

12So teach us to count our days

So that we may bring a wise heart.

13Return, O Lord.

How long will it be?

And have compassion on your servants.

14Satiate us in the morning with your kindness,

And let us shout for joy and rejoice

On all our days.

15Bring us joy

Matching the days that you afflicted us

– The years when we saw evil.

16Let your work appear to your servants,

And your splendour to their sons.

17Let the beauty of the Lord* our God be upon us,

And direct the work of our hands in our interest.

So do direct the work of our hands.

Reference(s) in Chapter 90: v.4 ↔ 2 Peter 3:8.

Psalms Chapter 91 

1“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

Resides in the shadow of the Almighty.”

2“I will say to the Lord,

‘My refuge and my fortress

– My God – ’

I will trust in him.”

3“For he will deliver you from the fowler's snare,

And from any harmful plague.

4He will cover you with his wing feathers,

And you will have shelter under his wings.

His truth is your shield and buckler.

5Do not be afraid of any terror of the night,

Nor of an arrow that might fly by day,

6Nor of the plague that is prevalent in the darkness,

Nor of pestilence that ravages at noon.

7A thousand will fall at your side,

And ten thousand on your right hand side.

No-one will be able to approach you.

8You will only have to look with your eyes,

And you will see retribution on the wicked.”

9“For you, O Lord, are my refuge.

O Most High, you have appointed your dwelling place.”

10“No harm will befall you,

And no blow will come near your tent.

11For he will command his angels concerning you

To protect you in all your ways.

12They will bear you upon their hands

Lest you strike your foot on a stone.

13You will tread on the fierce lion and the viper,

And you will trample on the young lion and the crocodile.”

14“For he has set his affection on me,

And I will extricate him.

I will exalt him

Because he knows my name.

15He will call on me,

And I will answer him.

I will be with him in adversity;

I will deliver him and glorify him.

16I will satiate him with length of days,

And I will show him my salvation.”

Reference(s) in Chapter 91: v.11 ↔ Matthew 4:6, Luke 4:10 ● v.12 ↔ Matthew 4:6, Luke 4:11.

Psalms Chapter 92 

1A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath day.

2It is good to thank the Lord,

And to make psalm melody to your name, O Most High,

3And to tell of your kindness in the morning

And of your faithfulness in the night,

4On the ten-stringed kithara and the lute,

With a meditation on the harp.

5For you have given me joy, O Lord,

Through your work.

I shout for joy

Because of the works of your hands.

6How great your works are, O Lord,

And how very deep your thoughts are!

7The undiscerning man does not know,

And the fool does not understand this.

8As the wicked shoot up like grass,

So all those who commit iniquity flourish,

But only for them to be destroyed in all perpetuity.

9And you are age-abidingly on high,

O Lord.

10For here are your enemies, O Lord,

For here are your enemies, who will perish;

All those who commit iniquity will be scattered.

11And you have exalted my horn like that of a rhinoceros;

I have been suffused with fresh oil.

12And my eye has beheld those who watched for me;

When evildoers rose up against me,

My ears heard it.

13The righteous man will flourish like a palm tree;

He will become great like a cedar of Lebanon.

14Being planted in the house of the Lord

– In the courtyards of our God –

They will flourish.

15They will still be putting forth shoots in old age;

They will be sap-rich and fresh,

16So as to tell that the Lord is upright

– My rock –

And that there is no injustice in him.

Psalms Chapter 93 

1The Lord reigns;

He is clothed in majesty.

The Lord being clothed in strength

Has girded himself.

The world also will be established

So that it will not totter.

2Your throne has been established since former time;

You have ruled since an ancient age.

3The rivers have raised, O Lord

– The rivers have raised their voice;

The rivers have risen up with their dashings.

4The Lord on high is more mighty

Than the sounds of mighty waters,

Or than the mighty breakers of the sea.

5Your testimonies are exceedingly faithful;

Holiness is becoming to your house, O Lord,

In the length of days.

Psalms Chapter 94 

1O Lord God of vengeance,

O God of vengeance,

Shine forth.

2Be exalted, O judge of the earth;

Bring retribution to the proud.

3How long, O Lord, will the wicked ...

– How long will the wicked exult?

4They babble and speak insolently;

All those who commit iniquity are boasting.

5O Lord, they crush your people,

And they afflict your inheritance.

6They kill the widow and the foreigner,

And they murder orphans.

7And they have said,

“The Lord will not see”,

And, “The God of Jacob will not take notice.”

8Understand, you unscrupulous ones among the people;

And you fools,

When will you become wise?

9He who planted the ear

Can he not hear?

Or he who formed the eye

Can he not see?

10He who chastises the Gentiles

– Will he who teaches man knowledge

Not reprove?

11The Lord knows the thoughts of man

– That they are vacuous.

12Happy is the man whom you, O Lord, chastise,

And whom you teach from your law,

13So as to give him rest from evil days,

Until a pit is dug for the wicked.

14For the Lord will not desert his people,

And he will not forsake his inheritance.

15For judgment will again become justice,

And all upright in heart will follow it.

16Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?

Who will take a stand for me

Against those who commit iniquity?

17If the Lord had not been a help to me,

My being would soon have dwelt in silence.

18Whenever I said,

“My foot is slipping”,

Your kindness, O Lord, supported me.

19In the profusion of perplexities within me,

Your consolations delighted my being.

20Is the throne of cupidity associated with you

As it fashions vice by statute?

21They press down on the life of the righteous

And condemn innocent blood.

22But the Lord became a high stronghold to me,

And my God the rock of my refuge.

23And he requited them with their iniquity,

And he will cut them off in their wickedness;

The Lord our God will cut them off.

Reference(s) in Chapter 94: v.11 ↔ 1 Corinthians 3:20 ● v.14 ↔ Romans 11:2.

Psalms Chapter 95 

1Come, let us cry out to the Lord for joy;

Let us sing in jubilation to the rock of our salvation.

2Let us meet in his presence in good time with thanksgiving;

Let us sing out to him with psalm melodies.

3For the Lord is a great God

And a great king above all gods.

4For the depths of the earth are in his hand,

And the treasures of the mountains are his.

5For the sea is his,

And he made it,

And his hands formed the dry land.

6Come, let us worship and bow down;

Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

7For he is our God,

And we are the people of his pasture

And the sheep of his hand.

Today, if you will heed his voice,

8Do not harden your heart,

As in the contention

– As on the day of testing in the desert –

9When your fathers tested me.

They put me to the proof,

Then they duly saw my works.

10For forty years I abhorred that generation,

And I said,

“They are a people who are erring in their heart,

And they do not know my ways.”

11So I swore in my anger

That they certainly would not enter into my resting place.

Reference(s) in Chapter 95: v.7 ↔ Hebrews 3:7, Hebrews 3:15, Hebrews 4:7 ● v.8 ↔ Hebrews 3:8, Hebrews 3:15, Hebrews 4:7 ● v.9 ↔ Hebrews 3:9 ● v.10 ↔ Hebrews 3:9, Hebrews 3:10 ● v.11 ↔ Hebrews 3:11, Hebrews 4:3, Hebrews 4:5.

Psalms Chapter 96 

1Sing a new song to the Lord,

Sing to the Lord,

All the earth,

2Sing to the Lord,

Bless his name;

Proclaim his salvation

From one day to the next.

3Tell of his glory among the Gentiles

And of his wondrous deeds among all the various peoples.

4For the Lord is great

And much to be praised;

He is awesome

Above all gods.

5For all the gods of the nations are idols,

But the Lord made the heavens.

6Majesty and splendour are before him;

Strength and magnificence are in his sanctuary.

7Ascribe to the Lord,

You families of nations,

Ascribe glory and strength

To the Lord.

8Ascribe the glory of his name to the Lord;

Make a meal-offering,

And enter into his courtyards.

9Worship the Lord

In the splendour of holiness.

Tremble in his presence,

All the earth.

10Say among the Gentiles,

“The Lord reigns.”

Indeed the world will be established

Such that it will not totter,

And he will judge nations equitably.

11Let the heavens rejoice

And the earth be glad;

Let the sea roar

With its fulness.

12Let the field exult,

And everything in it.

Then let all the trees of the forest shout for joy,

13Before the Lord

When he comes.

When he comes to judge the earth,

He will judge the world in righteousness,

And the various peoples according to his faithfulness.

Reference(s) in Chapter 96: v.11 ↔ Revelation 12:12.

Psalms Chapter 97 

1The Lord reigns.

Let the earth be glad;

Let the many coastlands rejoice.

2A cloud and gloom are around him;

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3Fire goes in front of him

And sets his adversaries on fire all around.

4His lightning flashes light up the world;

The earth sees and trembles.

5Mountains melt like wax before the Lord

– Before the Lord of all the earth.

6The heavens tell of his righteousness,

And all the nations see his glory.

7All who serve carved images will be ashamed

– Those who boast in idols.

Worship him, all you gods.

8Zion heard and rejoiced,

And the daughters of Judah were glad,

On account of your judgments, O Lord.

9For you, O Lord, are the Most High,

Over all the earth.

You are exalted

Far above all gods.

10You who love the Lord, hate evil.

He watches over the lives of those under his grace;

He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

11Light is sown to the righteous,

And joy to the upright in heart.

12Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,

And give thanks at the mention of his holiness.

Reference(s) in Chapter 97: v.7 ↔ Hebrews 1:6.

Psalms Chapter 98 

1A Psalm.

Sing a new song to the Lord,

For he has done wondrous things.

His right hand and his holy arm

Have brought him salvation.

2The Lord has made his salvation known;

He has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the Gentiles.

3He remembered his kindness and his faithfulness to the house of Israel;

All the ends of the earth saw the salvation of our God.

4Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth;

Break out in singing,

And cry out for joy,

And make psalm melody.

5Make psalm melody to the Lord with the harp,

With the harp and the sound of psalm-singing.

6With trumpets and the sound of the ramshorn,

Shout for joy before the king, the Lord.

7The sea roars, and its fulness

– The world, and those who inhabit it.

8The rivers clap their hands;

The mountains shout for joy together,

9In the presence of the Lord,

For he is coming to judge the world.

He will judge the world in righteousness,

And the various peoples in uprightness.

Psalms Chapter 99 

1The Lord reigns,

The nations tremble,

He dwells between the cherubim;

The earth will be shaken.

2The Lord in Zion is great,

And he is high above all the nations.

3Let them praise your great and awesome name;

He is holy.

4Now the king's power loves justice.

You have established uprightness,

And you have exercised judgment and justice in Jacob.

5Extol the Lord our God,

And worship at his footstool;

He is holy.

6Moses and Aaron were among his priests,

And Samuel was among those calling on his name.

They would call to the Lord,

And he would answer them.

7He spoke to them in a column of cloud;

They kept his testimonies

And the statute which he gave them.

8O Lord our God, you answered them;

You were a forgiving God to them,

Also taking vengeance for their deeds.

9Extol the Lord our God,

And worship at his holy mountain,

For the Lord our God is holy.

Psalms Chapter 100 

1A Psalm of Thanksgiving.

Sing out to the Lord,

All the earth!

2Serve the Lord in joy;

Come before him in joyful singing.

3Know that the Lord is God;

He made us and not we ourselves,

Being his people and the sheep of his pasture.

4Come to his gates with thanksgiving

And to his courtyards with praise.

Praise him,

And bless his name.

5For the Lord is good,

His kindness is age-abiding,

And his faithfulness is to generation after generation.

Psalms Chapter 101 

1A Psalm of David.

I will sing of kindness and justice;

I will make psalm melody to you, O Lord.

2I will act wisely in a sincere way.

When will you come to me?

I will walk in the sincerity of my heart

Inside my house.

3I will not put any worthless thing in my sights.

I have hated

What those who turn aside do;

It will not have any attraction to me.

4May a perverse heart depart from me;

I will not know the wicked.

5I will destroy

Him who slanders his neighbour privately;

I will not endure

Him who is of haughty eyes

Or a puffed up heart.

6My eyes are on the faithful of the land,

For them to dwell with me.

He who walks in a sincere way

Will serve me.

7He who commits deceit

Will not dwell in my house.

He who speaks falsehood

Will not be established in my sight.

8In the mornings I will destroy all the wicked of the land

So as to cut off all those who commit iniquity

From the City of the Lord.

Psalms Chapter 102 

1A prayer for the afflicted man who is languishing, and who pours out his case before the Lord.

2O Lord, hear my prayer,

And let my crying out come to you.

3Do not hide your face from me;

On the day when I am in a strait,

Incline your ear to me.

On the day when I call,

Do answer me quickly.

4For my days are ending in smoke,

And my bones are burning up like a firebrand.

5My heart is aggrieved

And dried up like grass,

So that I forget to eat my bread.

6With the sound of my sighing,

My bones cleave to my flesh.

7I have come to resemble the desert pelican;

I have become like the owl of the wastelands.

8I have been sleepless,

And I have become like a solitary bird on a rooftop.

9My enemies reproach me all day long;

Those who make me look foolish

Have taken oaths against me.

10For I have eaten ashes like bread

And mixed my drink with weeping,

11On account of your indignation and your wrath,

For you have lifted me up

And thrown me down.

12My days are like a declining shadow,

And I am drying out like grass.

13But you, O Lord, dwell age-abidingly,

And remembrance of you is from generation to generation.

14You will rise up and have mercy on Zion

When it is time to show it grace

– When the season has come.

15For your servants delight in its stones

And are well-disposed to its dust.

16And the Gentiles will fear the name of the Lord,

As will all the kings of the earth your glory.

17When the Lord has built Zion,

He will appear in his glory.

18He turns to the prayer of the destitute,

And does not despise their prayer.

19This will be written for the last generation,

And a recreated people will praise the Lord.

20For he has peered down from his holy heights;

The Lord has looked down from heaven to the earth,

21To hear the groaning of the prisoner,

To unbind those condemned to death,

22To declare the name of the Lord in Zion,

And his praiseworthiness in Jerusalem,

23When nations gather together,

And kingdoms too,

To serve the Lord.

24 He has oppressed my strength on the way;

He has shortened my days,

25So that I say,

“O God of mine, do not take me up at half of my days.

Your years are throughout generation and generation.

26In past time you founded the earth,

And the heavens are the work of your hands.

27They shall perish,

But you will remain,

And they will all wear out like a garment.

You will change them like clothing,

And they will undergo change.

28But you are the same,

And your years will not come to an end.

29Your servants' sons will be settled,

And their seed will be established before you.”

Reference(s) in Chapter 102: v.26 ↔ Hebrews 1:10 ● v.27 ↔ Hebrews 1:11, Hebrews 1:12 ● v.28 ↔ Hebrews 1:12.

Psalms Chapter 103 

1A Psalm of David.

Bless the Lord, O my being,

And his holy name, O all my inward parts.

2Bless the Lord, O my being,

And do not forget any of the recompenses of him

3Who forgives all my iniquity,

Who cures all my diseases,

4Who redeems my life from the pit,

Who crowns me with kindness and mercy,

5And who satiates my years with goodness;

My youth is renewed like an eagle.

6The Lord performs righteous acts,

And acts of justice for all the oppressed.

7He makes his way known to Moses

And his deeds to the sons of Israel.

8The Lord is merciful and gracious,

Forbearing and rich in kindness.

9He will not contend in perpetuity,

And he will not retain his anger age-abidingly.

10He has not dealt with us according to our sins,

Nor has he retributed us according to our iniquities.

11For as the heavens are high above the earth,

So his kindness prevails over those who fear him.

12As the east is remote from the west,

So he has removed our transgressions from us.

13As a father has compassion on his sons,

So the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.

14For he knows our condition;

He remembers that we are dust.

15As for man, his days are like grass;

Like the wild flowers, so he blossoms,

16Then the wind passes over him,

And he is no more,

And his place no longer recognizes him.

17But the Lord's kindness is of ancient time

And is age-abiding to those who fear him.

And his righteousness is directed to the sons of sons,

18To those who keep his covenant,

And those who remember his precepts

– To carry them out.

19The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,

And his kingdom rules over all.

20Bless the Lord, you angels of his,

You who are mighty in power,

Who carry out his word,

By heeding the utterance of his word.

21Bless the Lord, all you hosts of his,

You who serve him and do his will.

22Bless the Lord, all his works,

In all places of his rule.

Bless the Lord, O my being,

Psalms Chapter 104 

1Bless the Lord, O my being;

O Lord my God, you are very great.

You are clothed in majesty and splendour.

2You put on a covering of light like a garment;

You stretch out the heavens like a curtain.

3He who carpenters his upper rooms in the waters,

Who makes thick clouds his chariot,

Who moves around on the wings of the wind,

4Who makes his angels spirits,

And his servants a flaming fire

5Is he who founded the earth on its bases

So that it will not totter,

Age-abidingly and in perpetuity.

6As for the deep, you have covered it as with a garment;

Waters stand over mountains.

7They flee at your rebuke;

At the sound of your thunder,

They hasten away.

8They go up mountains;

They go down valleys,

To the place where you laid a foundation for them.

9You have set a boundary

Which they shall not cross;

They will not again cover the earth.

10You send source water into streams

Which run between the mountains.

11They provide drink for all wildlife;

Wild donkeys quench their thirst.

12Due to them,

The birds of the sky have a habitat;

They utter their call from among the branches.

13He waters the mountains from his upper rooms;

The earth is satiated with the fruit of your works.

14He makes grass grow for cattle,

And herbage for the benefit of man,

So that he can extract food from the earth,

15And wine which cheers the heart of men,

And products from oil to make the face shine,

And food which supports man's heart.

16The Lord's trees are satiated

– The cedars of Lebanon which he planted,

17Where the birds nestle.

As for the stork,

The cypresses are its home.

18The high mountains are home to the mountain goats;

The rocks are a refuge to the rock hyrax.

19He made the moon for the purpose of set times;

The sun knows its time to set.

20You appoint darkness

And it becomes night-time.

In it all the life of the forest crawls around.

21Lions roar for prey

And in seeking their food from God.

22When the sun rises,

They withdraw

And lie down in their dens.

23Man goes out to his work

And to his occupation until evening.

24How great are your deeds, O Lord!

You have performed them all in wisdom.

The earth is full of your property.

25This is the sea,

Great, and as wide as outstretched arms.

In it there is immeasurable creeping life

– Animals great and small.

26There, ships make voyages;

Leviathan is there,

Which you fashioned to play in it.

27They all look to you

To give them their food in its time.

28You provide for them,

And they glean it.

You open your hand,

And they become satiated with goodness.

29When you hide your face,

They are alarmed.

When you gather up their spirit,

They expire

And return to their dust.

30When you send out your spirit,

They are created,

And you renew the face of the ground.

31May the glory of the Lord be age-abiding;

The Lord rejoices in his works.

32When he looks at the earth,

It trembles;

When he strikes mountains,

They emit smoke.

33I will sing to the Lord

While I live;

I will make psalm melody to my God

As long as I exist.

34My meditation about him will be pleasant;

I will rejoice in the Lord.

35Sinners will be eliminated from the land,

And as for the wicked,

There will no longer be any of them.

O my being, bless the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

Reference(s) in Chapter 104: v.4 ↔ Hebrews 1:7.

Psalms Chapter 105 

1Give thanks to the Lord,

Call on his name;

Make his deeds known

Among the various peoples.

2Sing to him,

Make psalm melody to him;

Meditate on all his wonders.

3Boast in his holy name.

Let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

4Search for the Lord and his strength;

Seek his presence continually.

5Remember his wonders

Which he has performed

– His miracles

And the judgments of his mouth.

6The seed of Abraham his servant

– The sons of Jacob –

Are his chosen ones.

7He is the Lord our God;

His principles of justice

Are in the whole land.

8He remembers his covenant age-abidingly

– The word he commanded to a thousand generations,

9The covenant which he made with Abraham –

And his oath to Isaac

10Which he established as a statute to Jacob,

And as an age-abiding covenant to Israel,

11When he said,

“To you I will give the land of Canaan,

The allocation of your inheritance”,

12When they were a small company

– Few, but residents in it.

13And they went round from nation to nation

– From one kingdom to another people.

14He did not permit man to oppress them,

And he reproved kings concerning them,

15Saying, “Do not touch my anointed ones,

And do not harm my prophets.”

16Then he called a famine on the land;

He broke every supply of bread.

17He sent a man before them,

One sold as a servant – Joseph.

18They afflicted his feet with fetters;

His being went into iron shackles

19Until the time when his word came.

The utterance of the Lord verified him.

20The king sent orders and released him

– The ruler of nations – who unshackled him.

21He appointed him as master of his house

And ruler over all his possessions,

22With authority to bind his nobles at his will

And to instruct his elders in wisdom.

23Then Israel came to Egypt,

And Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.

24And he made his people very fruitful,

And he made them stronger than their adversaries.

25He changed their heart to hate his people

– To plot against his servants.

26He sent Moses his servant

And Aaron whom he had chosen.

27They performed the matters of his signs among them

And the miracles in the land of Ham.

28He sent darkness and made it dark,

And they did not rebel against his word.

29He turned their water to blood

And caused their fish to die.

30Their land swarmed with frogs

Which came into the rooms of their kings.

31He spoke, and the gadfly came,

And lice in all of their country.

32He transformed their rain into hail,

And there was blazing fire in their land.

33And he struck their vines and their fig trees

And broke the trees of their territory.

34He spoke, and the swarming locusts came,

And the devouring locusts,

Which were countless in number.

35And they ate all the herbage in their land,

And they consumed the fruit of their ground.

36Then he struck every firstborn in their land

– The prime of all their strength.

37And he brought them out with silver and gold,

And there was no-one in their tribes who faltered.

38Egypt was pleased at their departure,

For a feeling of dread of them had fallen upon them.

39He spread out a cloud as a covering,

And a fire to give light by night.

40The people asked, and he brought quails,

And he satiated them with bread of heaven.

41He opened a rock, and water flowed;

It ran like a river in an arid place.

42For he remembered his holy word

And Abraham his servant.

43And he brought out his people with rejoicing

– His elect with singing for joy.

44And he gave them lands of the Gentiles,

And they inherited the labours of various peoples,

45So that they might keep his statutes

And maintain his laws.

Praise the Lord.

Psalms Chapter 106 

1Praise the Lord;

Give thanks to the Lord,

For he is good,

For his kindness is age-abiding.

2Who can put the Lord's mighty deeds into words

Or express all his praiseworthiness?

3Happy are those who maintain justice,

And he who acts righteously at all times.

4Remember me, O Lord,

In good pleasure towards your people;

Visit me with your salvation

5So as to see the goodness towards your elect,

To rejoice in the joy of your nation

And to boast with your inheritance.

6We have sinned,

Along with our fathers.

We have committed iniquity;

We have acted wickedly.

7Our fathers in Egypt did not profit from the instruction of your wonders.

They did not remember the abundance of your kind deeds,

And they rebelled at the sea

– At the Red Sea.

8But he saved them for his name's sake,

To make his might known.

9So he rebuked the Red Sea,

And it dried up,

And he led them through the depths

As though through the desert.

10Then he saved them from the hand of him who hated them,

And he redeemed them from the grip of the enemy.

11But the water covered their adversaries;

Not one of them remained.

12Then they believed his words,

And they sang his praise.

13But they quickly forgot his works,

And they did not wait for his counsel.

14And they had a great longing in the desert,

And they tempted God in the wasteland.

15Then he granted them their request.

Then he sent leanness to their condition.

16At this they envied Moses in the camp,

And Aaron the Lord's holy man.

17The earth opened and swallowed Dathan,

And it smothered the confederacy of Abiram.

18And a fire burned in their confederacy;

A flame set the wicked on fire.

19They made a calf at Horeb,

And they worshipped a cast image.

20And they exchanged my glory

For the likeness of an ox that eats grass.

21They forgot God their saviour,

Who performed great deeds in Egypt,

22Wonders in the land of Ham

And awesome deeds at the Red Sea.

23Then he declared that he would have destroyed them,

If Moses his chosen one had not stood at the breach before him

To turn away his fury

From ravaging them.

24And they rejected the pleasant land;

They did not believe his word.

25And they grumbled in their tents;

They did not listen to the voice of the Lord.

26Then he raised his hand against them

To strike them down in the desert,

27And to strike their seed down among the Gentiles,

And to scatter them among the various countries.

28Then they yoked themselves to Baal-Peor,

And they ate sacrifices offered to the dead.

29And they provoked him to anger by their deeds,

So that a plague broke out among them.

30But Phinehas stood up and acted as judge,

So the plague was arrested.

31And it was accounted to him as righteousness

For generation after generation age-abidingly.

32Then they angered him at the waters of Meribah,

And it was hurtful to Moses because of them,

33For they resisted his spirit.

Then he spoke rashly with his lips.

34They did not destroy the peoples

Which the Lord had told them to.

35Then they mingled with the Gentiles,

And they learned their practices,

36And they served their idols,

Which became a snare to them.

37Then they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.

38So they shed innocent blood

– The blood of their sons and their daughters

Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan –

And the land was defiled with blood.

39So they became unclean through their practices,

And they prostituted themselves through their actions.

40And the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people,

And he loathed his own inheritance.

41And he delivered them into the hands of Gentiles,

And those who hated them

Ruled over them.

42And their enemies oppressed them,

And they were brought low under their power.

43Many were the times that he delivered them,

But they rebelled in their counsel,

And they degenerated in their iniquity.

44But he had an eye to their adversity

When he heard their crying out.

45He remembered his covenant which they had,

And he had compassion

According to the abundance of his kindness.

46Then he made them objects of mercy

Before all those who had held them in captivity.

47Save us, O Lord our God,

And gather us out of the Gentiles

To give thanks to your holy name

And to exult in praise of you.

48Blessed be the Lord God of Israel

From age to age,

And let all the people say,

“Amen, praise the Lord.”

Psalms Chapter 107 

1Praise the Lord,

For he is good,

For his kindness is age-abiding.

2Let the Lord's redeemed speak out

Those whom he redeemed from the grip of the adversary

3And gathered from the various countries,

From the east and from the west,

And from the north and from the south.

4They wandered in the desert

– A journey through wasteland.

They did not find an inhabitable city.

5Hungry and thirsty too,

Their willpower in them flagged.

6Then they cried out to the Lord in their adversity.

He delivered them from their predicament,

7And he guided their steps

On a way that was right,

So as to arrive at an inhabitable city.

8Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness

And for his wonders to the sons of Adam,

9For he satiates a person pacing up and down

And fills a hungry person with goodness.

10As for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death

– Prisoners in affliction and irons –

11Because they rebelled against the words of God

And despised the counsel of the Most High,

12He brought their heart down with toil.

They stumbled,

And there was no-one to help.

13When they shouted out to the Lord in their adversity,

He saved them from their predicament.

14He brought them out from darkness and the shadow of death,

And he unfastened their bonds.

15Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness

And for his wonders to the sons of Adam.

16For he has shivered copper doors in pieces

And shattered iron bolts.

17Fools, because of their transgression,

And because of their iniquities,

Suffer affliction.

18Their very being abhors all food,

And they have reached the gates of death.

19When they shouted out to the Lord in their adversity,

He saved them from their predicament.

20He sends his word and heals them,

And delivers them from their demise.

21Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness

And for his wonders to the sons of Adam.

22And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,

And let them relate his deeds

With shouting for joy.

23Those who go down to the sea in ships

To do business across great waters

24Are who have seen the Lord's works

And his wonders in the deep.

25For he spoke and set up a stormwind,

And it lifted up its waves.

26They rise to heaven,

They descend to the depths;

Their mind despairs in trouble.

27They reel and they stagger like a drunkard;

All their wisdom evaporates.

28Then they cried out to the Lord in their adversity,

And he delivered them from their predicament.

29He brought the storm to a standstill,

And its waves became quiet.

30Then they were pleased that they had abated,

And he conducted them to the harbour of their choice.

31Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness

And for his wonders to the sons of Adam.

32And may they exalt him in the convocation of the people

And praise him in the session of the elders.

33He turns rivers into a desert,

And water-sources into thirsty land,

34And fruitful land into a salty landscape,

On account of the evil of those who dwell in it.

35He makes the desert a pool of water,

And the arid land sources of water.

36Then he housed those who were hungry there,

And they established an inhabitable city.

37Then they sowed the fields and planted vineyards,

Which yielded a fruitful crop.

38Then he blessed them, and they increased greatly,

And he did not let their cattle become few.

39But they decreased and were brought low,

Owing to oppression, harm and grief.

40He poured out contempt on nobles,

And he made them wander in a desolate place

Where there is no trail.

41But he lifted the poor man out of his affliction,

And he appointed him families like a flock.

42The upright will see it and rejoice,

And all injustice will shut its mouth.

43Whoever is wise will keep these things,

And they will have understanding of the Lord's kindness.

Psalms Chapter 108 

1A Song. A Psalm of David.

2My heart is resolved, O God;

Let me sing

And make psalm melody,

And that in my glorying.

3Awake, O lute and harp;

Let me awake at dawn.

4I will give thanks to you among the various peoples, O Lord;

I will make psalm melody to you among the nations.

5For your kindness from high above the heavens is great,

As is your truth reaching up to the sky.

6May you be exalted over the heavens, O God;

May your glory be over all the earth.

7In order that your beloved ones may be delivered,

Oh save with your right hand,

And answer me.

8God has said in his holiness,

“I will rejoice,

I will apportion Shechem;

I will allot the Valley of Succoth.

9Gilead is mine,

Manasseh is mine,

And Ephraim is the stronghold of my head;

Judah is my lawgiver.

10Moab is my washing basin,

At Edom I will cast my shoe;

Over Philistia, I will shout in triumph.”

11Who will bring me to a fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

12Have you not, O God,

Been averse to us?

And will you not, O God,

Go out with our armies?

13Oh give us help in adversity,

For man's salvation is false.

14Let us act valiantly through God,

And he will trample on our adversaries.

Psalms Chapter 109 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David.

O God of my praise,

Do not be silent.

2For a wicked mouth

And a deceitful mouth

Have opened against me.

They have spoken against me

With a lying tongue.

3And words of hatred surround me,

And they battle against me gratuitously.

4In return for my love they oppose me,

And I am all prayer.

5And they have plotted wickedness against me in return for goodness,

And hatred in return for my love.

6Appoint a wicked one over him,

So that Satan stands at his right hand.

7When he is judged,

Let condemnation be pronounced,

And let his prayer become sin.

8May his days be few;

Let another person take his office.

9May his sons become orphans,

And his wife a widow.

10May his sons wander about unremittingly

And beg,

And seek their needs from their desolate places.

11May the creditor ensnare everything he has,

And may foreigners plunder his hard-earned wealth.

12May there not be anyone who extends him kindness,

And let there not be anyone showing compassion to his orphans.

13May his posterity be destined to be cut off;

May their name be obliterated in the next generation.

14May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the Lord,

And may the sin of his mother not be wiped out.

15May they be before the Lord continually,

And may he cut off memory of them from the earth,

16Because he did not remember to show kindness,

And he pursued a poor and needy man,

And one of dejected heart,

To have him put to death.

17Now he loved cursing,

So let it come over him,

And he did not take delight in a blessing,

So let it be far from him.

18And he clothed himself in cursing as in his vesture,

So let it come like water into his innards,

And like oil into his bones.

19Let it be to him

Like a garment that covers him,

And like a girdle

So that he constantly girds himself with it.

20These are the wages from the Lord

Of those who oppose me

And of those who speak evil

About my character.

21But you, O Lord my Lord,

Act with me for your name's sake,

For your kindness is good,

And deliver me,

22For I am poor and needy,

And my heart is wounded inside me.

23I am passing away

Like a shadow when it becomes long.

I am thrown about

Like a locust.

24My knees are languid from fasting,

And my flesh is wasting away losing fatness.

25And I have become a reproach to them;

They see me,

And they shake their head.

26Help me, O Lord my God;

Save me according to your kindness,

27So that they may know that this is your hand at work

That you the Lord brought it about.

28They may curse,

But you bless.

When they rise up,

Let them be ashamed,

But let your servant be glad.

29May those who oppose me

Be clothed in ignominy

And be covered in their shame

Like a robe.

30I will give great thanks to the Lord with my mouth,

And in the midst of many,

I will praise him.

31For he will stand on the right hand side of the poor

To save him from those who judge the capital case against him.

Reference(s) in Chapter 109: v.8 ↔ Acts 1:20.

Psalms Chapter 110 

1A Psalm of David.

The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit on my right hand side

Until I make your enemies your footstool.”

2The Lord will send your strong sceptre out from Zion;

Rule in the midst of your enemies.

3Your people will themselves be freewill-offerings

On your mighty day.

In holy splendours from dawn's womb,

You have had the dew of your youth.

4The Lord has sworn

And will not recant,

“You are an age-abiding priest

According to the order of Melchizedek.”

5The Lord* on your right hand side

Will strike through kings on the day of his anger.

6He will judge among the Gentiles,

He will fulfil this with dead bodies;

He will crush the head of one over a great land.

7He will drink from the brook on the way,

Which is why he will raise his head.

Reference(s) in Chapter 110: v.1 ↔ Matthew 22:44, Matthew 26:64, Mark 12:36, Luke 20:42-43, Acts 2:34-35, Hebrews 1:13 ● v.4 ↔ Hebrews 5:6, Hebrews 7:17, Hebrews 7:21.

Psalms Chapter 111 

1Praise the Lord.

I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart

In the conclave of the upright

And in the congregation.

2Great are the works of the Lord,

Sought after for all their delights.

3Splendour and majesty characterize his work,

And his righteousness stands in perpetuity.

4He has made a memorial to his wonders.

The Lord is gracious and merciful.

5He gives provision

To those who fear him;

He will remember his covenant

Age-abidingly.

6He has told his people of the power of his works,

That he will give them the inheritance of the Gentiles.

7The works of his hands are truth and judgment;

All his precepts are dependable,

8Upheld perpetually

– Age-abidingly –

And made in truth and uprightness.

9He sent deliverance to his people;

He has decreed his age-abiding covenant.

Holy and awesome is his name.

10The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord;

All those who act in accordance have good understanding.

His praiseworthiness stands fast in perpetuity.

Psalms Chapter 112 

1Praise the Lord.

Happy is the man who fears the Lord

Who delights very much in his commandments.

2His seed will be valiant on the earth;

A generation of upright people will be blessed.

3Wealth and riches will be in his house,

And his righteousness stands in perpetuity.

4Light arises in the darkness to the upright;

He is gracious and merciful and righteous.

5A man who is gracious and lends is good;

He will maintain his affairs judiciously.

6For he will never be shaken;

The righteous man will be an age-abiding memorial.

7He does not fear bad tidings;

His heart is steadfast,

Having been entrusted to the Lord.

8His heart rests assured;

He will not be afraid

Up to when he looks on his adversaries with satisfaction.

9He has made distributions;

He has given to the poor.

His righteousness stands perpetually;

His horn will be raised in glory.

10The wicked man will see it

And become angry.

He will gnash his teeth

And melt away.

The aspiration of the wicked will come to an end.

Reference(s) in Chapter 112: v.9 ↔ 2 Corinthians 9:9.

Psalms Chapter 113 

1Praise the Lord,

Give praise, you servants of the Lord;

Praise the name of the Lord.

2Let the name of the Lord be blessed,

From now on and age-abidingly.

3From the rising of the sun to its setting,

Let the name of the Lord be praised.

4The Lord is high above all nations;

His glory is over the heavens.

5Who is like the Lord our God?

– Who goes high to dwell,

6Who comes low to take a look

In heaven and on earth,

7Who raises the destitute man out of the dust,

Who raises the needy out of the dunghill,

8To house them with nobles,

With the nobles of his people,

9Who installs the barren with a household,

As the joyful mother of sons.

Praise the Lord.

Psalms Chapter 114 

1When Israel came out of Egypt

– The house of Jacob from a people who spoke a foreign language –

2Judah became his sanctuary,

And Israel his great dominion.

3The sea saw it and retreated;

The Jordan turned back.

4The mountains danced like rams,

And the hills like the young of sheep.

5What was the matter with you, O sea,

That you should retreat,

And that you, O Jordan,

Should turn back?

6That you mountains should dance like rams,

And you hills like the young of sheep?

7O earth, writhe in the presence of the Lord

– In the presence of the God of Jacob,

8Who turned the rock into a pool of water

– Flint into a water-source.

Psalms Chapter 115 

1Not to us, O Lord, not to us,

But to your name give glory,

On account of your kindness

And on account of your truth.

2Why should the Gentiles say,

“So where is their God?”

3But our God is in heaven;

He does whatever he pleases.

4Their idols are of silver and gold;

They are the work of the hands of men.

5They have a mouth,

But they cannot speak;

They have eyes,

But they cannot see.

6They have ears,

But they cannot hear;

They have a nose,

But they cannot smell.

7They have hands,

But they cannot feel;

They have legs,

But they cannot walk.

They cannot articulate in their throat.

8Those who make them

Will become like them,

As will everyone who trusts in them.

9O Israel, trust in the Lord.

He is their help and their shield.

10O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord.

He is their help and their shield.

11You who fear the Lord,

Trust in the Lord.

He is their help and their shield.

12The Lord has remembered us.

He will bless

– He will bless the house of Israel;

He will bless the house of Aaron.

13He will bless those who fear the Lord

– The small and the great.

14The Lord will increase you

– You and your sons.

15Blessed are you with the Lord

– The maker of heaven and earth.

16The heavens are the Lord's heavens,

And he has given the earth to the sons of Adam.

17It is not the dead who praise the Lord,

Nor any who descend to silence.

18But we will bless the Lord,

From now on and age-abidingly.

Praise the Lord.

Reference(s) in Chapter 115: v.4 ↔ Revelation 9:20 ● v.5 ↔ Revelation 9:20 ● v.7 ↔ Revelation 9:20.

Psalms Chapter 116 

1I have loved him,

Because the Lord has heard my voice

– My supplications.

2For he inclined his ear to me,

And I call to him on all my days.

3The pains of death have surrounded me,

And the straits of the grave have reached me.

I have encountered adversity and grief.

4I will call on the name of the Lord.

Oh please, Lord, save my life.

5The Lord is gracious and righteous,

And our God is merciful.

6The Lord watches over the simple-minded.

When I was at a low ebb,

He saved me.

7O my being, return to your restful places,

For the Lord has recompensed you.

8You have delivered my being from death,

My eye from tears

And my foot from stumbling.

9I will walk before the Lord

In the lands of the living.

10I have believed,

Therefore I speak.

I have been very much afflicted.

11I have said in my perplexity,

“All of mankind speaks lies.”

12What can I give back to the Lord

For all his generosity to me?

13I will raise the cup of great salvation,

And I will call on the name of the Lord.

14I will fulfil my vows to the Lord;

May it be in the presence of all his people.

15Precious in the eyes of the Lord

Is the death of those under his grace.

16Thank-you, O Lord,

For I am your servant;

I am your servant

– The son of your maidservant.

You have unbound my bonds.

17I will offer the sacrifice of thank-offering to you,

And I will call on the name of the Lord.

18I will fulfil my vows to the Lord;

May it be in the presence of all his people,

19In the courtyards of the house of the Lord

– In your midst, O Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord.

Reference(s) in Chapter 116: v.10 ↔ 2 Corinthians 4:13.

Psalms Chapter 117 

1Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;

Laud him, all you peoples.

2For his kindness has been mighty towards us,

And the Lord's truth is age-abiding.

Praise the Lord.

Reference(s) in Chapter 117: v.1 ↔ Romans 15:11.

Psalms Chapter 118 

1Give thanks to the Lord,

For he is good,

For his kindness is age-abiding.

2Oh do let Israel say

That his kindness is age-abiding.

3Oh do let the house of Aaron say

That his kindness is age-abiding.

4Oh do let those who fear the Lord say

That his kindness is age-abiding.

5From straits I was in,

I called on the Lord;

He answered me with the Lord's relief.

6The Lord is for me;

I will not fear.

What can man do to me?

7The Lord is for me,

Among those who help me,

So I shall look with satisfaction on those who hate me.

8It is better to seek refuge in the Lord

Than to trust in man.

9It is better to seek refuge in the Lord

Than to trust in nobles.

10All the Gentiles have surrounded me;

It is in the name of the Lord

That I will cut them off.

11They are around me,

Indeed, they have surrounded me;

It is in the name of the Lord

That I will cut them off.

12They surrounded me like bees;

They were extinguished like a fire of thorn bushes.

It is in the name of the Lord

That I will cut them off.

13You have pushed hard at me

To the point of me falling,

But the Lord has helped me.

14My strength and melody is the Lord,

And he has become my salvation.

15There is the sound of shouting for joy, and salvation,

In the tents of the righteous;

The Lord's right hand is acting mightily.

16The Lord's right hand is exalted;

The Lord's right hand is acting mightily.

17I will not die,

For I will live,

And I will relate the works of the Lord.

18The Lord has disciplined me severely,

But he has not given me over to death.

19Open to me the gates of righteousness;

I will go through them.

I will give thanks to the Lord.

20This is the gate to the Lord;

The righteous will enter through it.

21I will give thanks to you,

For you have answered me

And have become my salvation.

22The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the keystone.

23This came about from the Lord;

It is wondrous in our eyes.

24This is the day which the Lord has made;

Let us be glad and rejoice on it.

25Please, O Lord, please save;

Please, O Lord, make us prosperous.

26Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

We bless you from the house of the Lord.

27The Lord is God,

And he has given us light.

Bind the festival-day animal

With cords on the horns of the altar.

28You are my God,

And I will give you thanks;

You are my God,

And I will exalt you.

29Give thanks to the Lord,

For he is good,

For his kindness is age-abiding.

Reference(s) in Chapter 118: v.6 ↔ Hebrews 13:6 ● v.22 ↔ Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17, Acts 4:11, Ephesians 2:20, 1 Peter 2:7, Romans 9:33 ● v.23 ↔ Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:11 ● v.25 ↔ Matthew 21:9, Matthew 21:15, Mark 11:9, Mark 11:10, John 12:13 ● v.26 ↔ Matthew 21:9, Matthew 23:39, Mark 11:9, Luke 13:35, Luke 19:38, John 12:13.

Psalms Chapter 119 

1Happy are those with integrity on the way,

Who walk in the law of the Lord.

2Happy are those who keep his testimonies;

They seek him with all their heart.

3Indeed they do not commit iniquity;

They walk in his ways.

4You have given commandment regarding your precepts,

As matters to keep scrupulously.

5If only my ways may be established

So as to keep your statutes!

6Then I would not be ashamed

When I look at all your commandments.

7I will give you thanks in uprightness of heart

As I learn your righteous judgments.

8I will keep your statutes;

Do not forsake me in the slightest.

9By what means can a youth mend his way?

– By keeping your word.

10I have sought you with all my heart;

Do not let me err from your commandments.

11I have treasured up your saying in my heart

So that I do not sin against you.

12Blessed are you, O Lord;

Teach me your statutes.

13With my lips I have related

All the judgments you have pronounced.

14I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies,

As in all riches.

15I will meditate on your precepts,

And I will look to your paths.

16I will take delight in your statutes;

I will not forget your word.

17Recompense your servant so that I may live

And may keep your word.

18Unveil my eyes so that I may see

The wonders of your law.

19I am a foreigner on the earth;

Do not hide your commandments from me.

20My inner being is crushed in yearning

For your judgments at all times.

21You have rebuked the accursed insolent,

Who err from your commandments.

22Remove reproach and despising from me,

For I have kept your testimonies.

23Indeed, princes have been in session.

They have spoken together against me,

While your servant meditated on your statutes.

24Also, your testimonies are my delight;

They are my counsellors.

25My being cleaves to the dust;

Preserve me alive according to your word.

26I have related my ways,

And you have answered me.

Oh teach me your statutes.

27Instruct me in the way of your precepts,

And let me meditate on your wonders.

28My inner self weeps from grief;

Oh strengthen me according to your word.

29Remove any false way from me,

And graciously bestow your law on me.

30I have chosen the way of faithfulness;

I have put your judgments before me.

31I have cleaved to your testimonies.

O Lord, do not put me to shame.

32I will run the way of your commandments,

For you will encourage me.

33Educate me, O Lord,

In the way of your statutes,

And I will keep it to the end.

34Instruct me, and I will keep your law

And guard it wholeheartedly.

35Guide my steps on the path of your commandments,

For in that I delight.

36Incline my heart to your testimonies,

And not to unjust gain.

37Prevent my eyes from looking at falsity;

Preserve me alive in your way.

38Confirm your saying to your servant,

Who serves in fear of you.

39Remove my reproach of which I am afraid,

For your judgments are good.

40You see how I have longed for your precepts;

Preserve me alive in your righteousness.

41And may your kindnesses come over me, O Lord,

And your salvation according to your saying.

42Then I will be able to answer him who reproaches me,

For I will have trusted in your word.

43And do not take away the word of truth from my mouth at all,

For I have awaited your judgment.

44And may I keep your law always,

Age-abidingly and perpetually.

45And may I walk openly,

For I have sought your precepts.

46And may I speak about your testimonies before kings

And not be ashamed.

47And may I delight in your commandments,

Which I love.

48And may I lift up my hands to your commandments,

Which I love,

And meditate on your statutes.

49Mention the word to your servant

Concerning which you have had me wait.

50This is my comfort in my affliction,

For your saying has preserved me alive.

51The insolent have mocked me exceedingly,

But I have not turned aside from your law.

52I have remembered your ancient judgments, O Lord,

And I have been comforted.

53A scorching wind has seized me,

Coming from the wicked

– Those who forsake your law.

54I have melodies

– Your statutes –

In the house where I stay.

55I have remembered your name at night, O Lord,

And I have kept your law.

56This became my part,

For I have kept your precepts.

57I have said,

“My part is the Lord”,

By keeping your words.

58I have entreated you wholeheartedly;

Oh show me grace according to your saying.

59I have considered my ways

And retraced my steps to your testimonies.

60I have hastened and not delayed

In keeping your commandments.

61The snares of the wicked have surrounded me,

But I have not forgotten your law.

62I will get up at midnight to give you thanks

For your righteous judgments.

63I am a companion to all who fear you

And to those who keep your precepts.

64The earth, O Lord, is full of your kindness;

Oh teach me your statutes.

65You have done good to your servant, O Lord,

In accordance with your word.

66Teach me keen discernment and knowledge,

For I have put faith in your commandments.

67Before I was afflicted, I erred,

But now I keep your saying.

68You are good and you do good;

Oh teach me your statutes.

69The insolent have devised subterfuge against me,

But I will wholeheartedly keep your precepts.

70Their heart has become stolid like fat,

But I delight in your law.

71It was good for me that I was afflicted,

In order that I should learn your statutes.

72The law from your mouth is better for me

Than thousands of gold and silver coins.

73Your hands made me and established me;

Instruct me and let me learn your commandments.

74Those who fear you will see me and rejoice,

For I have awaited your word.

75I know, O Lord,

That your judgments are righteous,

And that you have afflicted me in faithfulness.

76Do let your kindness be comfort to me

According to your saying to your servant.

77May your compassion come over me,

So that I live,

For your law is my delight.

78May the insolent be ashamed,

For they have crookedly devised subterfuge against me.

I will meditate on your precepts.

79May those who fear you return to me

So that they may know your testimonies.

80May my heart be with integrity regarding your statutes

So that I will not be ashamed.

81My soul pines for your salvation;

I have awaited your word.

82My eyes pine for your saying, and they say,

“When will you comfort me?”

83For I have been like a wineskin in incense-smoke,

But I have not forgotten your statutes.

84How many are the days of your servant?

When will you execute judgment on those who pursue me?

85The insolent have dug pits for me,

Not being in accordance with your law.

86All your commandments are faithful.

They pursue me on false grounds;

Oh do help me.

87They have almost finished me off on the earth,

But I have not forsaken your precepts.

88Preserve me alive according to your mercy,

And may I keep the testimony of your pronouncement.

89Your word, O Lord, is age-abiding;

It stands in heaven.

90Your faithfulness is from generation to generation;

You have established the earth,

And it stands.

91They stand today according to your judgments,

For all things are your servants.

92If your law were not my delight,

Then I would have perished in my affliction.

93I will never forget your precepts,

For through them you have preserved me alive.

94I am yours;

Oh do save me,

For I have sought your precepts.

95As for me, the wicked hoped to destroy me,

But I will give attention to your testimonies.

96I have seen an end to every accomplishment,

But your commandment is very far-reaching.

97How I love your law;

All day long it is my meditation.

98You have given me more wisdom through your commandments than my enemies,

For it is age-abiding to me.

99I have acquired more skill than all my teachers,

For your testimonies are my meditation.

100I am gaining more understanding than elders,

For I keep your precepts.

101I have kept my feet away from every evil path

In order that I may keep to your word.

102I have not departed from your judgments,

For you have instructed me.

103How smooth your saying is to my palate

– More so than honey to my mouth.

104I am gaining understanding from your precepts,

Which is why I hate every false path.

105Your word is a lamp to my feet

And a light to my path.

106I have sworn, and I will uphold it,

To keep your righteous judgments.

107I have been afflicted very much.

O Lord, preserve me alive according to your word.

108O Lord, do accept the freewill-offerings of my mouth,

And teach me your judgments.

109My life is continually in the palm of my hand,

But I have not forgotten your law.

110The wicked have set a trap for me,

But I have not strayed from your precepts.

111I have inherited your testimonies age-abidingly,

For they are a joy to my heart.

112I have disposed my heart to perform your statutes,

Age-abidingly, and to the end.

113I have hated the doubters,

But I have loved your law.

114You are my hiding place and my shield;

I have awaited your word.

115Depart from me, you evildoers,

While I keep the commandments of my God.

116Support me according to your saying

So that I may live

And do not put me to shame in my expectation.

117Uphold me, and I will be saved,

And I will look to your statutes continually.

118You carry away all those who stray from your statutes,

For their deceit is a false thing.

119You put an end to dross

– All the wicked of the earth.

For that reason I love your testimonies.

120My flesh shudders in awe of you,

And I fear your judgments.

121I have executed justice and righteousness;

Do not abandon me to those who oppress me.

122Pledge good for your servant;

Do not let the insolent oppress me.

123My eyes pine for your salvation

And for your righteous saying.

124Treat your servant according to your kindness,

And teach me your statutes.

125I am your servant;

Oh give me understanding

So that I may know your testimonies.

126It is time for the Lord to act.

They have violated your law.

127That is why I love your commandments

More than gold and than fine gold.

128That is why I consider all your universal precepts to be right,

Whilst I hate every false path.

129Your testimonies are wondrous,

Which is why my being has kept them.

130The opening up of your words gives enlightenment;

It gives understanding to the simple-minded.

131I have opened my mouth wide

And drawn breath,

For I have longed for your commandments.

132Turn to me and be gracious to me,

According to the judgment for those who love your name.

133Establish my steps by your saying,

And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.

134Deliver me from man's oppression,

And may I keep your precepts.

135Let your face shine on your servant,

And teach me your statutes.

136Streams of water run down my eyes,

Because they do not keep your law.

137You, O Lord, are righteous,

And your judgments are upright.

138You have commanded the righteousness of your testimonies

And much faithfulness.

139My zeal has eaten me up,

For my adversaries have forgotten your words.

140Your saying is highly refined,

And your servant loves it.

141I am lowly and despised,

But I have not forgotten your precepts.

142Your righteousness is age-abiding righteousness,

And your law is truth.

143Adversity and distress have encountered me,

But your commandments are my delight.

144The righteousness of your testimonies is age-abiding.

Give me understanding, and I will live.

145I have called out with all my heart;

Oh answer me, O Lord.

Let me keep your statutes.

146I have called on you;

Oh save me,

And let me keep your testimonies.

147I have been up earlier than the morning twilight

And cried out;

I have awaited your words.

148My eyes have been open earlier than night-watches

To meditate on your saying.

149Oh hear my voice according to your kindness, O Lord;

Preserve me alive according to your judgment.

150Those who pursue deceit have drawn near,

And they are far from your law.

151You are near, O Lord,

And all your commandments are truth.

152I have known from your testimonies from long ago

That you founded them age-abidingly.

153Oh see my affliction and deliver me,

For I have not forgotten your law.

154Plead my case and redeem me,

And preserve me alive according to your saying.

155Salvation is far from the wicked,

For they have not sought your statutes.

156Your mercies are great, O Lord;

Oh preserve me alive according to your judgments.

157Many are those who pursue me and my adversaries,

But I have not turned away from your testimonies.

158I have seen those who deal treacherously

And loathed them

Those who have not kept your saying.

159See how I love your precepts;

O Lord, do preserve me alive according to your kindness.

160The principle of your word is truth,

And all your righteous judgment is age-abiding.

161Princes have pursued me gratuitously,

But my heart is in awe at your words.

162I rejoice at your saying,

Like someone finding great spoil.

163I hate falsehood, and I abominate it,

But I love your law.

164I praise you seven times per day

For your righteous judgments.

165Those who love your law have great peace,

And they have no occasion to stumble.

166I have awaited your salvation, O Lord,

And I have carried out your commandments.

167My being has kept your testimonies,

And I love them very much.

168I have kept your precepts and your testimonies,

For all my ways are before you.

169Let my shouting draw near to your presence, O Lord,

And give me understanding according to your word.

170May my supplication come before you;

Oh deliver me according to your saying.

171My lips will effuse praise,

For you will teach me your statutes.

172May my tongue answer with your saying,

For all your commandments are righteous.

173May your hand be to help me,

For I have chosen your precepts.

174I have longed for your salvation, O Lord,

And your law is my delight.

175May my being live and praise you,

And may your judgment help me.

176I have strayed like a sheep getting lost;

Oh seek your servant,

For I have not forgotten your commandments.

Psalms Chapter 120 

1A song of the sundial degree markings.

When I was in adversity

I called out to the Lord,

And he answered me.

2O Lord, deliver my life from a false lip,

And from a deceitful tongue.

3What will he give you,

Or what else will he give you,

O deceitful tongue?

4– The sharpened warrior's arrows

With blazing broom attached.

5Alas for me, for I am staying in Meshech

And dwelling with the tents of Kedar.

6My being dwelt there for a long time

With one who hates peace.

7I am for peace,

But when I speak,

They are for war.

Psalms Chapter 121 

1A song of the sundial degree markings.

I will lift up my eyes to the hills;

Oh where will my help come from?

2My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

3May he not allow your foot to falter;

May he who watches over you not slumber.

4Behold, the protector of Israel does not slumber,

Nor does he sleep.

5The Lord is your protector;

The Lord is your shade

At your right hand.

6By day the sun will not strike you,

Nor the moon by night.

7The Lord will protect you from all evil;

He will protect your life.

8The Lord will protect your day-to-day affairs

From now on and age-abidingly.

Psalms Chapter 122 

1A song of David of the sundial degree markings.

I rejoiced when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

2Our feet are standing

At your gates, O Jerusalem

3– Jerusalem which is built

Like a city which is wholly joined up,

4To where the tribes go up

– The tribes of the Lord –

As a testimony to Israel,

To give thanks to the name of the Lord.

5For thrones of judgment are located there

– Thrones of the house of David.

6Ask for the peace of Jerusalem;

May those who love you be free of cares.

7May there be peace in your building stock

And well-being in your palaces.

8For the sake of my brothers and friends,

Do let me say,

“Peace within you.”

9For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,

I will seek your welfare.

Psalms Chapter 123 

1A song of the sundial degree markings.

To you I have lifted up my eyes,

You who dwell in the heavens.

2Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,

As the eyes of a maidservant look to the hand of her mistress,

So our eyes look to the Lord our God

Until he has mercy on us.

3Have mercy on us, O Lord,

Have mercy on us,

For we have had our fill of contempt in great measure.

4Our being has had its fill in great measure,

With mockery from the wanton

And contempt from the proud.

Psalms Chapter 124 

1A song of David of the sundial degree markings.

If the Lord were not for us

– Do let Israel say –

2If the Lord were not for us

When man rose up against us,

3Then they would have swallowed us alive

When their anger was kindled against us.

4Then, water would have overwhelmed us;

A torrent would have overrun our corporate existence

5– Then impudent water would have overrun our corporate existence.

6Blessed is the Lord,

Who did not give us up

As a prey to their teeth.

7Our sensation is like that of a bird that has escaped from the fowlers' snare;

The snare has been broken,

And we have escaped.

8Our help is in the name of the Lord,

The maker of heaven and earth.

Reference(s) in Chapter 124: v.8 ↔ Revelation 14:7.

Psalms Chapter 125 

1A song of the sundial degree markings.

Those who trust in the Lord

Are like Mount Zion,

Which will not totter,

But which remains age-abidingly.

2Jerusalem has mountains round about it,

And the Lord is round about his people,

From now on and age-abidingly.

3For the sceptre of wickedness will not rest on the lot of the righteous,

In order that the righteous should not stretch out their hands to iniquity.

4Do good, O Lord, to the good

And to the upright in their hearts.

5But as for those who turn aside to perversity,

The Lord will lead them away

With those who commit iniquity.

Peace be on Israel.

Psalms Chapter 126 

1A song of the sundial degree markings.

When the Lord reversed the captivity of Zion,

We were like those who dream.

2Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

And our tongue with shouting for joy.

Then they said among the Gentiles,

“The Lord has done a great thing with these people.”

3The Lord acted in a great way with us,

And we became joyful.

4O Lord, reverse our captivity,

As torrents are restored in the south.

5Those who sow in tears

Will reap in joyful shouting.

6Just as he will go out weeping,

Carrying the seed to be scattered,

So he will certainly come back in joyful shouting,

Carrying his sheaves.

Psalms Chapter 127 

1A song of Solomon of the sundial degree markings.

If the Lord does not build the house,

Those building it toil in vain.

If the Lord does not guard a city,

The guard stands in watch in vain.

2It is in vain that you rise early

And stay up late,

Eating bread of sorrows.

That is why he gives his beloved one sleep.

3Behold, the inheritance of the Lord is sons;

The recompense is the fruit of the womb.

4As arrows in the hand of a warrior,

So are the sons of one's youth.

5Happy is the man

Who fills his quiver with them.

They will not be ashamed,

For they will speak with the enemies at the gate.

Psalms Chapter 128 

1A song of the sundial degree markings.

Happy is everyone who fears the Lord,

Who walks in his ways,

2For you will eat from the toil of your hands.

Happy are you,

And may goodness be yours.

3Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

At the sides of your house.

Your sons will be like shoots of olive trees

Round about your table.

4Behold, for so is the man blessed

Who fears the Lord.

5May the Lord bless you from Zion,

So that you see the goodness to Jerusalem

All the days of your life.

6And you will see your grandsons too.

Peace be on Israel.

Psalms Chapter 129 

1A song of the sundial degree markings.

Many a time they have distressed me

Since my youth.

Do let Israel say,

2“Many a time they have distressed me

Since my youth.

Nevertheless, they have not prevailed over me.”

3The ploughmen have ploughed on my back;

They have made their furrows long.

4The Lord is righteous;

He has cut the cord of the wicked in pieces.

5They will be ashamed,

And they will be driven back

– All those who hate Zion.

6They will be like vegetation on roofs,

Which becomes dry before it is plucked up,

7Which does not fill the hand of the reaper

Or the bosom of the sheaf binder.

8For those passing through do not say,

“The blessing of the Lord to you;

We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

Psalms Chapter 130 

1A song of the sundial degree markings.

I have called on you, O Lord,

From the depths.

2O Lord*, hear my voice.

May your ears be attentive

To the sound of my supplications.

3If the Lord were to keep a record of iniquities,

O Lord*, who could stand?

4For forgiveness is with you

In order that you should be feared.

5I have put hope in the Lord;

My being has hope,

And I await his word.

6My being awaits the Lord*

More keenly than men on watch for the morning

– Watchmen waiting for the morning.

7O Israel, await the Lord,

For with the Lord there is kindness,

And with him there is much redemption.

8And he will redeem Israel

From all its iniquities.

Psalms Chapter 131 

1A song of David of the sundial degree markings.

O Lord, my heart is not arrogant,

And my eyes are not haughty,

And I have not walked ostentatiously

Or in ways too grandiose for me.

2I have certainly been even-handed,

And I have been quiet inwardly.

Like a child weaned off his mother,

My very being is as if it has been weaned off me.

3O Israel, await the Lord,

From now on and age-abidingly.

Psalms Chapter 132 

1A song of the sundial degree markings.

Remember, O Lord, David

– All his affliction suffered.

2It is he who swore to the Lord,

Who vowed to the mighty one of Jacob,

3“I most certainly will not go to the tent

Which is my house,

I most certainly will not go up to the couch

Which is my bed;

4I most certainly will not give my eyes sleep

Or my eyelids slumber

5Until I find a place for the Lord

– A site for the mighty one of Jacob.”

6Behold, we heard it in Ephrathah;

We found it in the woodland countryside.

7Let us go to his temple site;

Let us worship at his footstool.

8Arise, O Lord, to your resting place,

You and your strong ark.

9Your priests will be clothed in righteousness,

And those under your grace will shout for joy.

10For the sake of David your servant,

Do not turn the face of your anointed away.

11The Lord has sworn to David in truth;

He will not go back on it,

“From the fruit of your loins

I will appoint your throne.

12If your sons keep my covenant

And this testimony of mine which I am teaching them,

Then their sons will also sit on your throne

In all perpetuity.”

13For the Lord has chosen Zion;

He has longed for it as a dwelling place for himself.

14This is my resting place in all perpetuity;

I will dwell here,

For I have longed for it.

15I will certainly bless its food supply;

I will satiate its poor with bread.

16And I will clothe its priests in salvation,

And those in it under grace will certainly shout for joy.

17I will make the horn of David spring up there;

I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.

18I will clothe his enemies in shame,

But on him a diadem will glitter.

Reference(s) in Chapter 132: v.11 ↔ John 7:42.

Psalms Chapter 133 

1A song of David of the sundial degree markings.

See how good and how pleasant it is

For brothers to dwell quite together.

2It is like good oil on the head

When it runs down onto the beard,

As with Aaron's beard

And when it ran down onto the opening of his robes.

3It is like the dew of Hermon,

Which comes down onto the mountains of Zion,

For that is where the Lord commanded the blessing

– Age-abiding life.

Psalms Chapter 134 

1A song of the sundial degree markings.

Behold, bless the Lord,

All you servants of the Lord

Who stand at the house of the Lord by night.

2Lift up your hands in holiness,

And bless the Lord.

3May the Lord,

The maker of heaven and earth,

Bless you from Zion.

Psalms Chapter 135 

1Praise the Lord,

Praise the name of the Lord;

Give praise, you servants of the Lord

2Who stand at the house of the Lord,

At the courtyards of the house of our God.

3Praise the Lord,

For the Lord is good.

Make psalm melody to his name,

For it is pleasant.

4For it is Jacob

Whom the Lord chose for himself

– Israel, to be his special acquisition.

5For I know that the Lord is great,

And our Lord is greater than all gods.

6Everything that the Lord was pleased to do,

He did in heaven and on earth,

In the seas and in all the oceans.

7He makes vapours rise from the end of the earth,

He produces lightning with the rain;

He brings wind out of his storehouses.

8It is he who struck down the firstborn of Egypt

– Of both man and beast.

9He sent signs and miracles,

Into your midst, O Egypt,

To Pharaoh and to all his servants.

10It is he who struck down great nations

And killed powerful kings:

11Sihon king of the Amorites

And Og king of Bashan

And all the kingdoms of Canaan.

12And he gave their land as an inheritance

– An inheritance to Israel his people.

13O Lord, your name is age-abiding,

O Lord, remembrance of you is from generation to generation.

14For the Lord will judge his people,

And he will have compassion on his servants.

15The idols of the Gentiles are of silver and gold;

They are the works of the hands of man.

16They have a mouth,

But they cannot speak;

They have eyes,

But they cannot see.

17They have ears,

But they cannot listen;

Moreover, there isn't any breath in their mouth.

18Those who make them

Will become like them,

As will everyone who trusts in them.

19O house of Israel, bless the Lord,

O house of Aaron, bless the Lord,

20O house of Levi, bless the Lord;

You who fear the Lord,

Bless the Lord.

21Blessed be the Lord from Zion

– He who dwells in Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord.

Reference(s) in Chapter 135: v.15 ↔ Revelation 9:20 ● v.16 ↔ Revelation 9:20.

Psalms Chapter 136 

1Give thanks to the Lord,

For he is good,

For his kindness is age-abiding.

2Give thanks to the God of gods,

For his kindness is age-abiding.

3Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

4To him who alone performed great wonders,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

5To him who is maker of heaven with competence,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

6To him who stretched out the earth over the waters,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

7To him who made great lights,

For his kindness is age-abiding

8– The sun as ruler in the daytime,

For his kindness is age-abiding

9– The moon and stars as rulers by night,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

10To him who struck Egypt in their firstborn,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

11When he brought Israel out of their midst,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

12With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

13To him who divided the Red Sea into two parts,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

14When he brought Israel across through the middle of it,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

15When he shook off Pharaoh and his forces in the Red Sea,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

16To him who led his people in the desert,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

17To him who struck down great kings,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

18When he killed mighty kings,

For his kindness is age-abiding

19– Sihon king of the Amorites,

For his kindness is age-abiding

20– And Og king of Bashan,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

21When he gave their land as an inheritance,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

22As an inheritance to Israel his servant,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

23In that he remembered us in our low condition,

For his kindness is age-abiding,

24And tore us away from our adversaries,

For his kindness is age-abiding.

25He gives bread to all flesh,

For his kindness is age-abiding.

26Oh give thanks to the God of the heavens,

For his kindness is age-abiding.

Psalms Chapter 137 

1At the rivers of Babylon,

There we sat,

And we wept too,

When we remembered Zion.

2On the willows in its midst,

We hung our harps.

3For there our captors asked us for the words of a song,

And those who had brought us to lamentation

Asked us for rejoicing and said,

“Sing to us

Verses from a song of Zion.”

4How can we sing the Lord's song

On foreign soil?

5If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

May my right hand forget me.

6May my tongue cleave to my palate

If I do not remember you

– If I do not exalt Jerusalem

At the foremost of my joy.

7Remember, O Lord, the sons of Edom,

On the day of Jerusalem

– Those who said, “Strip it,

Strip it to its foundation.”

8“O daughter of Babylon,

Which will be destroyed,

Blessed is he who will requite you,

With retribution on you

For what you did to us.

9Happy is he who seizes and dashes your children

Against the rock.”

Psalms Chapter 138 

1A Psalm of David.

I will give you thanks with all my heart;

I will make psalm melody to you in the presence of God.

2I will worship in your holy temple,

And I will give thanks to your name,

For your kindness and for your truth,

For you have made your saying great

For the sake of nothing but your name.

3I called by day,

And you answered me;

You emboldened me with strength in my mind.

4Let all the kings of the earth give thanks to you, O Lord,

When they hear the sayings you pronounce.

5And let them sing of the ways of the Lord,

For great is the glory of the Lord.

6Although the Lord is high,

He looks to the interests of the lowly,

But he knows the haughty from a distance.

7If I go into deep adversity,

You will preserve me alive

Against the anger of my enemies;

You will stretch out your hand,

And your right hand will save me.

8The Lord will conclude matters for me.

O Lord, your kindness is age-abiding.

Do not discontinue the works of your hands.

Psalms Chapter 139 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David.

O Lord, you have searched me,

And you know.

2You know my sitting down

And my rising up.

You discern my mind from a distance.

3You discern my travelling and my resting,

And you are acquainted with all my ways.

4For there is no word on my tongue

But behold, O Lord, you know all of it.

5You confine me behind and in front,

And you put the palms of your hands on me.

6Such knowledge is too wondrous for me

– It is elevated –

I cannot master it.

7Where can I go from your spirit,

And where can I flee from your presence?

8If I ascend to heaven,

You are there;

Or if I make my bed in the underworld,

Behold, you are there.

9Or if I take up the wings of dawn,

To dwell at the extremity of the sea,

10There your hand leads me too,

And your right hand takes hold of me.

11And if I say,

“Surely darkness will envelop me”,

Yet even at night light will shine around me.

12Even darkness cannot be too darkening for you,

And night can shine like day.

As is darkness, so is light.

13For you have taken possession of my kidneys;

You wove me together in my mother's womb.

14I will give you thanks

Because I have been awesomely wonderfully made.

Your works are wondrous,

As my being is very much aware.

15My frame is not hidden from you,

Although I was made in secret

– I was embroidered in the lowest parts of the earth.

16Your eyes have seen my embryo,

And in your book all my days are written,

Which were formed

When not one of them had yet come to pass.

17How precious your thoughts are to me, O God;

How powerful are the things they head up!

18If I were to count them,

They would be more numerous than grains of sand.

When I awake,

I am still with you.

19Surely, O God, you will kill the wicked man,

And say, “You men of blood, depart from me”,

20Because they speak against you in deceit;

Your enemies utter falsehood.

21Do I not hate, O Lord,

Those who hate you?

And do I not loathe

Those who rise up against you?

22I have hated them with perfect hatred;

They have become enemies of mine.

23Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Examine me, and know my thoughts,

24And see whether there is any idolatrous way in me,

And lead me along the age-abiding way.

Reference(s) in Chapter 139: v.13 ↔ Revelation 2:23 ● v.21 ↔ Matthew 5:43 ● v.22 ↔ Matthew 5:43.

Psalms Chapter 140 

1To the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David.

2Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man,

And protect me from the man of violence

3Those who have devised evil in their heart.

Every day they convene for wars.

4They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent;

Vipers' venom is under their lips.

Selah.

5Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;

Protect me from the man of violence,

For they have planned to overturn my steps.

6The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords,

They have spread out a net to the side of the path;

They have set snares for me.

Selah.

7I have said to the Lord,

“You are my God.”

Listen, O Lord,

To the utterance of my supplications.

8O Lord my Lord, the strength of my salvation,

You protected my head on the day of battle.

9O Lord, do not grant the wicked man his desires;

Do not further his scheming

By which such men become exalted.

Selah.

10As for the head men of those who surround me,

May the invective of their lips overwhelm them.

11May burning coals tumble down on them,

May he cause them to fall into the fire;

May they not rise from the floods.

12Do not let a slanderer be established in the land,

Nor an evil man of violence.

May he hunt him to destruction.

13 I know that the Lord will defend the interest of the poor

And the justice of the needy.

14Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name,

And the upright will dwell in your presence.

Reference(s) in Chapter 140: v.4 ↔ Romans 3:13.

Psalms Chapter 141 

1A Psalm of David.

O Lord, I have called out to you.

Do hasten to me.

Listen to my voice

When I call out to you.

2Let my prayer be considered as incense in your presence,

And the lifting up of hands

As the evening meal-offering.

3O Lord, put a guard on my mouth;

Watch over the door of my lips.

4Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,

To engage in wicked practices

With men who commit iniquity.

And may I not eat their delicacies.

5Let the righteous man beat me with kindness,

And let him reprove me with oil for the head.

And do not let him withhold it from my head,

For my prayer is still against their wicked deeds.

6Their judges will be thrown down at the sides of a rock,

But they will hear my sayings,

For they are pleasant.

7As with one who cleaves and splits rocks on earth,

So our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave.

8For my eyes look towards you,

O Lord my Lord.

I have put my trust in you;

Do not drain my energy.

9Keep me from the grip of the snare

Which they have set for me,

And from the traps of those who commit iniquity.

10May the wicked fall into their own nets

Until I have completely passed by.

Reference(s) in Chapter 141: v.2 ↔ Revelation 5:8, Revelation 8:4.

Psalms Chapter 142 

1An Instructive Psalm of David when he was in the cave. A Prayer.

2I cried out to the Lord with my voice;

With my voice I made supplication to the Lord.

3I poured out my grievance before him;

I told him in his presence of my distress

4When my spirit fainted within me,

But you knew my path,

On the way along which I went

When they had laid a snare for me.

5Look to the right and see

That I have no-one who recognizes me.

I have lost the opportunity for a refuge;

There is no-one who cares for my life.

6I cried out to you, O Lord.

I said, “You are my refuge

– My portion in the land of the living.”

7Hearken to my cry,

For I am very much reduced.

Deliver me from those who pursue me,

For they are stronger than I.

8Do get me alive out of confinement

So as to give thanks to your name.

The righteous will surround me,

For you have recompensed me.

Psalms Chapter 143 

1A Psalm of David.

O Lord, hear my prayer.

Listen to my supplications;

Answer me in your faithfulness and in your righteousness.

2And do not enter into judgment with your servant,

For no living person will be justified in your presence.

3For the enemy has pursued me for my life;

He has pounded my liveliness into the ground.

He has made me dwell in darkness,

Like those long dead.

4And my spirit is fainting within me.

Inside me, my heart is being devastated.

5I remember the days of old;

I meditate on all your deeds.

I am contemplating the work of your hands.

6I stretch out my hands to you;

My being looks to you,

Like an exhausted land.

Selah.

7O Lord, answer me quickly;

My spirit is spent.

Do not hide your face from me,

So that I am not like those

Who go down into the pit.

8Proclaim your kindness to me in the morning,

For I have trusted in you.

Show me the way I should go,

For I have lifted up my inner being to you.

9Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord;

I look for cover in you.

10Teach me to do your will,

For you are my God.

Your spirit is good;

Lead me into an upright land.

11For the sake of your name, O Lord,

Preserve me alive.

Bring my being out of adversity

In your righteousness.

12And cut off my enemies

In your kindness,

And destroy all those who are hostile to my being,

For I am your servant.

Psalms Chapter 144 

1A Psalm of David.

Blessed be the Lord my rock,

Who teaches my hands battle,

And my fingers war

2– My kindness, my fortress, my high stronghold,

And my deliverer, my shield,

In whom I trust,

Who subdues my people under me.

3O Lord, what is man,

That you should know him?

– The son of man,

That you should consider him?

4Man resembles vapour;

His days are like a shadow passing by.

5O Lord, take leave of your heavens,

And come down;

Strike the mountains,

And they will smoke.

6Flash lightning and scatter them;

Send your arrows and rout them.

7Send your hands from above;

Snatch me away,

And deliver me from great waters

– From the hand of foreigners,

8Whose mouths speak a lie,

And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9O God, I will sing a new song to you;

With the ten-stringed lute I will make psalm melody to you.

10It is he who gives salvation to kings;

It is he who snatches David his servant away from an evil sword.

11Snatch me away and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,

Whose mouths speak a lie,

And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12It is he through whom our sons may be like plants raised in their youth,

And our daughters like cornerstones

Hewn in a form fit for a palace,

13And through whom our granaries may be full,

Supplying all kinds of needs,

And through whom our flocks may bear thousands,

And tens of thousands in our open places,

14And through whom our cattle may be with young,

And that there may be no invasion or deportation

Or cry of sorrow in our open places.

15Happy is the people who have such a situation;

Happy is the people whose God is the Lord.

Reference(s) in Chapter 144: v.3 ↔ Hebrews 2:6.

Psalms Chapter 145 

1A Psalm of Praise of David.

I will exalt you, my God the king,

And I will bless your name

Age-abidingly and perpetually.

2I will bless you every day,

And I will praise your name

Age-abidingly and perpetually.

3Great is the Lord,

And very much worthy of praise.

And of his greatness there is no searching out.

4One generation will praise your works to the next generation,

And they will relate your mighty deeds.

5I will speak of the splendour of your majestic glory

And the details of your wonders.

6And they shall speak of the power of your awesome deeds,

Whilst I will recount your great acts.

7They will utter remembrance of your great goodness,

And they will sing out of your righteousness.

8The Lord is gracious and merciful,

Forbearing and of great kindness.

9The Lord is good to all,

And his mercies are with all his works.

10All your works give cause for praising you, O Lord,

And those under your grace will bless you.

11They will speak of the glory of your kingdom

And talk of your might,

12To make his mighty deeds known to the sons of Adam,

And the illustrious glory of his kingdom.

13Your kingdom is a kingdom of all ages,

And your rule is over each and every generation.

14The Lord supports all who fall,

And he straightens up all who are bent double.

15The eyes of all look to you,

And you give them their food in due time.

16You open your hand

And satisfy the appetite of every living being.

17The Lord is righteous in all his ways

And benevolent in all his works.

18The Lord is near to all those calling on him

– To all who call on him in truth.

19He will bring about the desire of those who fear him,

And he will hear their crying out,

And he will save them.

20The Lord keeps all those who love him,

But he will destroy all the wicked.

21My mouth will speak the Lord's praise,

And all flesh will bless his holy name

Age-abidingly and perpetually.

Reference(s) in Chapter 145: v.17 ↔ Revelation 15:3.

Psalms Chapter 146 

1Praise the Lord.

O my being, praise the Lord.

2I will praise the Lord in my life;

I will make psalm melody to my God

As long as I exist.

3Do not trust in nobles,

Nor in a son of man,

Who does not have salvation.

4His spirit goes out;

He returns to the ground.

On that day, his purposes cease to exist.

5Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

Whose expectation is in the Lord his God,

6The maker of heaven and earth,

And the sea, and everything in them,

Who keeps truth age-abidingly,

7Who executes judgment for those who are oppressed,

Who gives bread to the hungry

– The Lord who releases captives,

8The Lord who opens the eyes of the blind,

The Lord who straightens up those bent double,

The Lord who loves the righteous.

9The Lord keeps foreigners safe;

He supports the orphan and the widow,

But he overturns the way of the wicked.

10The Lord will reign age-abidingly;

Your God, O Zion, is from generation to generation.

Praise the Lord.

Reference(s) in Chapter 146: v.10 ↔ Revelation 11:15.

Psalms Chapter 147 

1Praise the Lord,

For it is good to make psalm melody to our God,

For it is pleasant,

And praise is becoming.

2The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem;

He will gather those driven out of Israel.

3He is the healer of the brokenhearted,

And he binds up their sorrows.

4He counts the number of the stars;

He calls all of them by their names.

5Great is our Lord,

And very powerful;

His understanding is limitless.

6The Lord supports the meek;

He brings the wicked down to the ground.

7Sing with thanks to the Lord;

Make psalm melody with the harp to our God,

8Who covers the heavens with thick clouds,

Who prepares rain for the earth,

Who makes vegetation sprout up on mountains,

9Who gives animals their food,

And to the young ravens

Which cry out for it.

10He does not delight in the strength of the horse;

He does not take pleasure in the legs of man.

11The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him

– In those who await his kindness.

12O Jerusalem, praise the Lord;

Praise your God, O Zion.

13For he has strengthened the bolts of your gates;

He has blessed your sons inside you.

14He makes your border peace

And satiates you with the finest wheat.

15He sends his communication to the earth;

His word runs with speed.

16He gives snow like wool;

He scatters hoarfrost like ashes.

17He deposits his ice in pieces;

Who can stand in the presence of his cold?

18He sends his word and melts them;

He makes his wind blow,

And the waters flow.

19He proclaimed his word to Jacob

– His statutes and his judicial pronouncements to Israel.

20He did not act like this to every nation,

And as for his judicial pronouncements,

They do not know them.

Praise the Lord.

Psalms Chapter 148 

1Praise the Lord,

Praise the Lord from heaven;

Praise him in the heights.

2Praise him, all you angels of his;

Praise him, all you of his host.

3Praise him, sun and moon;

Praise him, all you stars of light.

4Praise him, you heavens of heavens,

And you waters above the heavens.

5Let them praise the name of the Lord,

For he commanded it,

And they were created.

6And he set them up perpetually for the age;

He gave a statute,

And it will not pass away.

7Praise the Lord from the earth,

You sea-monsters and all depths,

8Fire and hail,

Snow and vapour,

Stormwind carrying out his word,

9You mountains and all you hills,

You fruit-bearing trees and all cedars,

10You animals and all cattle,

You reptiles and winged birds,

11You kings of the earth and all peoples,

You princes and all the earth's judges,

12You young men, and virgins too,

You old men, together with youths.

13Let them praise the name of the Lord,

For exalted is his name alone;

His majesty is above earth and heavens.

14And he has raised a horn to his people;

A matter of praise to all those under his grace

– To the sons of Israel,

A people he is near.

Praise the Lord.

Psalms Chapter 149 

1Praise the Lord,

Sing a new song to the Lord,

And his praise

In the convocation of those under his grace.

2Let Israel rejoice in their maker;

Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their king.

3Let them praise his name with dancing;

Let them make psalm melody to him with the drum and the harp.

4For the Lord delights in his people;

He will adorn the meek with salvation.

5Let those under his grace exult in glory;

Let them shout out on their couches.

6Let there be extollings of God in their larynx,

And a two-edged sword in their hand,

7To carry out vengeance on the nations,

And punishment of the various peoples,

8To bind their kings in chains,

And their honourable men in iron fetters

9– To execute on them the judgment written.

This is splendour redounding on all those under his grace.

Praise the Lord.

Psalms Chapter 150 

1Praise the Lord,

Praise God in his sanctuary;

Praise him in his strong expanse.

2Praise him for his mighty deeds;

Praise him according to the magnitude of his greatness.

3Praise him with the blast of a ramshorn;

Praise him with the lute and harp.

4Praise him with the drum and dancing;

Praise him with stringed instruments and the flute.

5Praise him with resounding cymbals;

Praise him with cymbals that ring out.

6Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

Proverbs  

Proverbs Chapter 1 

1The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, the king of Israel,

2For discerning wisdom and instruction,

For understanding perspicacious sayings,

3For acquiring instruction in prudence,

Righteousness, and judgment and uprightness,

4To give shrewdness to the gullible,

And knowledge and thoughtfulness to the young man.

5The wise man will hear,

And he will add to his learning,

And the astute will acquire guidance,

6In understanding a proverb or an enigma

– The words of the wise and their riddles.

7Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,

But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

8My son, hear the correction of your father,

And do not forsake the instruction of your mother,

9For they are a garland of grace for your head

And a necklace around your neck.

10My son, if sinners entice you,

Do not comply.

11If they say,

“Come with us,

Let's ambush for blood;

Let's without moral concern lie hidden for the innocent.

12Let's swallow them up

Like a grave for the living,

And whole,

Like those who go down into the pit.

13We will find all sorts of valuable goods

– We will fill our houses with booty.

14Cast your lot in with us;

We will all have one purse”,

15Then, my son, do not go that way with them.

Keep your foot from their path,

16For their feet are running towards wrongdoing,

And they are hastening to shed blood,

17For the net is spread without suspicion

In the eyes of all fowl,

18But they lie in wait for their own blood

– They hide so as to take their own lives.

19Such are the paths of everyone who engages in robbery

– It costs him his own life.

20Wisdom cries out in the open;

In the streets it raises its voice.

21It calls out at the centre of public life;

At the city's gate entrance, it delivers its discourse

And says,

22“How long, you gullible people, will you love gullibility?

And the mockers have made mockery their delight,

While fools detest knowledge.

23Return to my reproof.

Look, let me pour out my spirit on you;

Let me make my arguments known to you,

24Because I have called out,

But you have refused.

I have extended my hand,

But no-one has paid attention,

25And you have neglected all my advice,

And you have declined my reproof.

26I for my part will laugh at your downfall;

I will mock

When fear due to you arrives.

27When fear on you arrives like a tempest,

And your downfall comes like a whirlwind

– When distress and trouble come over you –

28Then they will call on me,

But I will not answer;

They will seek me diligently,

But they will not find me,

29Because they detested knowledge,

And they did not choose fear of the Lord.

30They did not want my advice;

They despised all my reproof.

31So they will eat the fruit of their way

And be satiated with their own counsels,

32For the apostasy of the gullible will kill them,

And the disregard of fools will destroy them.

33But he who hears me will dwell in security

And will be sheltered from fear of harm.”

Proverbs Chapter 2 

1My son, if you accept my sayings,

And treasure up my commandments with you,

2By your ear paying heed to wisdom,

And if you incline your heart to understanding

3– Indeed, if you call out for discernment,

And if you devote your voice to asking for understanding,

4If you seek it like silver,

And search for it like hidden treasure,

5Then you will understand the fear of the Lord

And find knowledge of God.

6For the Lord will give wisdom;

Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.

7 And he will store up resourcefulness for the upright.

He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

8By maintaining paths of justice;

He keeps the way of those under his grace.

9And then you will understand righteousness and justice,

And uprightness – every good path.

10For wisdom will enter your heart,

And knowledge will be a delight to your being.

11Thoughtfulness will guard you;

Understanding will protect you,

12In saving you from the way of the wicked

– From the man speaking subversive things

13From those who leave upright paths

To walk in paths of darkness

14From those who take pleasure in doing evil,

And rejoice in the subversive ways of evil,

15Whose ways are perverse,

And who are devious in their paths,

16And by saving you from the stranger-woman

– From the foreign lady who flatters with her talk,

17Who leaves the mentor of her youth

And forgets the covenant of her God,

18For she has sunk into what brings the death of her household,

And her paths lead to the Rephaim.

19None who come to her return,

And they do not attain to the paths of life.

20My sayings are so that you may walk in the way of the good,

And keep to the paths of the righteous,

21For the upright will dwell in the land,

And those with integrity will remain in it,

22But the wicked will be cut off from the land,

And the treacherous will be wrenched out of it.

Proverbs Chapter 3 

1My son, do not forget my instruction,

And let your heart keep my commandments,

2For they will add length of days

And years of life

And peace to you.

3Do not let kindness and truth leave you.

Bind them around your neck;

Write them on the tablet of your heart,

4And find grace and recognition of sound intellect

In the eyes of God and man.

5Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

And do not rely on your own understanding.

6In all your ways acknowledge him,

And he will direct your paths.

7Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Fear the Lord,

And depart from evil.

8Let healing come to your sinews,

And refreshment to your bones.

9Honour the Lord with a portion of your wealth,

And with the firstfruits of all your produce,

10And your storehouses will be filled in abundance

So that your wine vats will overflow with new wine.

11My son, do not reject the Lord's correction,

And do not be averse to his reproof,

12For the Lord reproves those he loves,

Just as a father does with a son in whom he delights.

13Happy is the man who has found wisdom,

And the man who obtains understanding,

14For its value is greater than the value of silver,

And its yield is greater than that of gold.

15It is more precious than red corals,

And none of your material desires can be compared to it.

16Length of days is in its right hand,

And in its left hand are wealth and honour.

17Its ways are pleasant ways,

And all its paths are peaceable.

18It is a tree of life to those who take hold of it,

And each of those who obtain it is content.

19The Lord founded the earth in wisdom;

He established the heavens with competence.

20By his knowledge, the oceans were split open,

And the skies now distil dew.

21My son, do not let them go out of your sight;

Guard resourcefulness and thoughtfulness,

22And your being will have life,

And your neck will have grace.

23Then you will walk in your way safely,

And your foot will not strike anything.

24When you lie down, you will not fear.

So you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

25Do not be afraid of a sudden terror

Or of the destructive action of the wicked

When it comes about.

26For the Lord will be in your inward parts,

And he will keep your foot from becoming caught.

27Do not deny what is good

To those to whom it is appropriate,

When it is within your means to do it.

28Do not say to your neighbour,

“Go, and come back,

And tomorrow I will give you something”,

When you have the means.

29Do not devise evil against your neighbour

Who lives safely alongside you.

30Do not contend with a man gratuitously,

If he has not caused you any harm.

31Do not be envious of a man of violence,

And do not choose any of his ways,

32For the devious man is an abomination to the Lord,

But his secret is with the upright.

33The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked,

But he blesses the abode of the righteous.

34Whereas he will mock the mockers,

He will give grace to the meek.

35The wise will inherit honour,

But contempt will show up fools.

Reference(s) in Chapter 3: v.4 ↔ Romans 12:17 ● v.7 ↔ Romans 12:16 ● v.11 ↔ Hebrews 12:5 ● v.12 ↔ Hebrews 12:6, Revelation 3:19 ● v.34 ↔ 1 Peter 5:5, James 4:6.

Proverbs Chapter 4 

1You sons, hear the father's correction,

And pay attention to knowing understanding,

2For I give you good learning.

Do not forsake my instruction,

3For I was a son to my father,

And tender and special in my mother's eyes.

4And he taught me, and he said to me,

“Let your heart take hold of my words;

Keep my commandments and live.

5Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding;

Do not forget,

And do not turn aside from the sayings

Which I utter.

6Do not forsake it,

And it will keep you;

Love it,

And it will guard you.

7The prime thing is wisdom.

Acquire wisdom,

And among all your acquisitions,

Acquire understanding.

8Extol it,

And it will exalt you;

It will honour you

If you embrace it.

9It will give a garland of grace to your head;

It will endow you with a crown of glory.”

10Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,

And your years of life will be many.

11I have instructed you in the way of wisdom;

I have guided you onto straight paths.

12As you walk,

Your step will not be in a strait,

And if you run,

You will not stumble.

13Take hold of correction;

Do not let go of it.

Guard it,

For it is your life.

14Do not go onto the path of the wicked,

And do not proceed on the way of the evil.

15Avoid it,

Do not cross over to it;

Turn aside from it,

And pass by.

16For they cannot sleep

Unless they act wickedly.

And their sleep eludes them

Unless they cause others to stumble.

17For they eat bread of wickedness

And drink wine of violence.

18But the way of the righteous is like a shining light;

It shines more and more

Until reaching its zenith.

19The way of the wicked is like thick darkness;

They don't know what they are stumbling on.

20My son, pay attention to my words;

Incline your ear to my sayings.

21Do not let them go out of your sight;

Keep them inside your heart.

22For they are life to those who find them

And healing to all one's flesh.

23Guard your heart most rigorously,

For from it are the ways out to life.

24Rid yourself of perverse speech,

And distance yourself from wayward talk.

25Let your eyes look straight on,

And let your eyelids point straight in front of you.

26Weigh up the path of your feet,

And let all your ways be steadfast.

27Do not deviate to the right or left;

Move your feet away from evil.

Proverbs Chapter 5 

1My son, pay attention to my wisdom;

Incline your ear to my understanding,

2In observing thoughtfulness,

So that your lips are in keeping with knowledge.

3For the lips of a stranger-woman will drip honey,

And the savour of her is smoother than oil.

4But her end is as bitter as wormwood

And as sharp as a two-edged sword.

5Her feet descend to death;

Her steps conduct her to the grave.

6Beware of even considering her way of life;

Her ways are changeable in a way you cannot predict.

7So now, my sons, hear me,

And do not depart from the sayings I have uttered.

8Keep your ways well clear of her,

And do not approach the door of her house

9In case you give your high standing to others

And your years to the cruel one

10– In case strangers satiate themselves with your wealth,

And your hard work goes to a foreigner's house,

11And in your last days you groan,

As your flesh and your body are consumed,

12And you say,

“How I have hated correction,

And how my heart has despised reproof.

13And I have not heeded the appeal of my teachers,

And I have not inclined my ear to my instructors.

14I soon came into all kinds of trouble

In the midst of the convocation and the congregation.”

15Drink water from your own cistern,

And liquid from your own well.

16Your water-sources could spread outside

– Streams of water in the open areas –

17But let them be for you alone,

And not for the strangers who are with you.

18May your water-source be blessed,

And rejoice in the wife of your youth

19– The lovable hind

Or the graceful wild she-goat,

Whose breasts will delight you at all times,

In whose love you will always indulge yourself.

20So why, my son, should you indulge yourself in a stranger-woman

And embrace a foreign lady's bosom?

21For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord,

And he weighs up all of a man's paths.

22The iniquities of the wicked man will catch him,

And he will be caught up in the strands of his sin.

23He will die not having accepted instruction,

And he will go astray in the great extent of his foolishness.

Proverbs Chapter 6 

1My son, if you provide security for your neighbour,

If you strike a deal with a stranger,

2If you are ensnared with the sayings you utter,

If by the sayings you utter you are caught,

3Then do this, my son, to extricate yourself:

When you have come into your neighbour's grip,

Go and humble yourself,

And act firmly with your neighbour.

4Do not allow your eyes to sleep,

Or your eyelids to slumber.

5Free yourself like a gazelle from the grip of the predator,

And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6Go to the ant,

You who are lazy;

Observe its ways,

And become wise.

7It does not have a superintendent,

Or overseer, or ruler,

8As it stocks up its food in the summer

And stores its provisions in the harvest season.

9How long, you who are lazy,

Will you lie down?

When will you get up from your sleep?

10After a little sleep,

A little slumber,

A little folding the arms

To lie down,

11Poverty comes on you like a vagrant,

And shortage like a man with a shield.

12An iniquitous person is a worthless man;

He walks with perverse speech.

13He winks with his eyes,

He speaks with his feet;

He points with his fingers.

14Subversive things are in his heart;

He devises evil all the time.

He sows discord,

15Which is why his downfall will suddenly come;

Suddenly he will be broken without remedy.

16The Lord hates these six things,

And seven are an abomination to his being:

17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

And hands which shed innocent blood;

18A heart which devises vain thoughts,

Feet which are quick to run to wrongdoing,

19A false witness who belches out lies,

And he who sows discord among brothers.

20My son, keep your father's commandment,

And do not forsake your mother's instruction.

21Bind them onto your heart at all times;

Tie them round your neck.

22As you walk around,

Let it lead you;

When you lie down,

It will guard you.

When you awaken,

It will commune with you.

23For the commandment is a lamp,

And the law is light,

And the reproofs in correction are the way of life,

24In keeping you from an evil woman

– From the flattery of an exotic tongue.

25Do not desire her beauty in your heart,

And do not let her captivate you with her eyelids,

26Because going after a prostitute

Will lead to forfeiture of everything up to a loaf of bread,

And another man's wife will hunt one's precious life.

27Can a man gather up fire in his bosom

Without his clothes being burnt?

28Can a man walk on burning coals

And his feet not be seared?

29Such is he who goes to his neighbour's wife;

No-one who touches her will be held guiltless.

30A thief may not be despised if he steals

To fill himself when he is hungry,

31But if he is caught,

He shall repay seven times over

– He may have to give all the assets of his household.

32He who commits adultery with a woman is weak-minded;

He who does it ruins himself.

33He will encounter adversity and shame,

And his reproach will not be wiped out,

34For a man's fury derives from jealousy,

And he will not show pity on the day of vengeance.

35He will not accept any payment of damages;

He will not become amenable

Even if you make the gift large.

Proverbs Chapter 7 

1My son, keep my sayings,

And treasure up my commandments with you.

2Keep my commandments and live,

And my instruction like the apple of your eye.

3Bind them to your fingers;

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

4Say to wisdom,

“You are my sister”,

And call understanding your acquaintance,

5To guard you from a stranger-woman

– From a foreign lady who flatters with her talk.

6For at the window of my house,

Through the lattice window, I peered out,

7And I looked among the gullible,

And I discerned among the sons a weak-minded young man,

8Crossing the street at her corner,

And striding down the way to her house.

9In the darkness at the end of the day,

In the dead of night and thick darkness,

10There was a woman meeting him,

In a prostitute's attire,

Whose intention was well guarded.

11She is restive and unruly;

Her feet do not stay in her house.

12One moment she is out in the open;

Another moment she is on the streets,

And she lurks at every corner.

13And she took hold of him and kissed him;

With brazen face, she said to him,

14“I have got peace-sacrifices with me;

Today I fulfilled my vows,

15Which is why I have come out to meet you,

To seek your company diligently,

And I have found you.

16I have made up my bed with drapery

And with carvings and linen from Egypt.

17I have sprinkled myrrh on my bed,

And aloes aroma and cinnamon.

18Come let us luxuriate in passion until the morning.

Let us revel in love,

19Because my husband is not at home;

He has gone on a distant journey.

20He has taken a bag of money in his hand;

On the day of the new moon he will come back home.”

21She seduces him with the abundance of her captivating talk;

With her flattering lips she entices him.

22Suddenly he goes after her,

As an ox goes to slaughter,

And as a miscreant goes to fetters for correction,

23When an arrow cuts his liver in pieces,

Like a bird hastening towards a snare,

Not knowing that it is for its life.

24So now, sons, hear me;

Pay attention to the sayings I utter.

25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways;

Do not stray onto her paths,

26For she has caused many to fall as casualties,

And there are mighty men among all her slain.

27Her home lodges the ways of the grave,

Which go down to chambers of death.

Proverbs Chapter 8 

1Does not wisdom call out?

And does not understanding raise its voice?

2On the most prominent position on the road,

At the crossroads, there it stands;

3At the side of the gates,

At the way into the city

At the entrance doors –

There it cries out.

4You men, to you I call out,

And to you sons of Adam, I direct my voice.

5You gullible ones, understand shrewdness,

And you fools, understand strength of character.

6Hear, for I will speak of noble things,

While opening my lips with upright matters.

7For my palate savours the truth,

But wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8All the sayings of my mouth are in righteousness;

There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

9They are all straightforward to him who understands,

And upright to those who find knowledge.

10Accept my correction, and not silver,

And knowledge rather than choice gold.

11For wisdom is better than red corals,

And no material desires can be compared to it.

12I, wisdom, abide in shrewdness,

And I acquire the faculty of thoughtfulness.

13The fear of the Lord is to hate evil,

Pride, and arrogance and an evil way.

And I hate a mouth speaking subversive things.

14I have counsel and resourcefulness.

I am understanding.

I have valour.

15By me, kings reign,

And potentates legislate justice.

16By me princes rule, and leaders

– All those who administer justice.

17I love those who love me.

And those who seek me diligently

Will find me.

18Riches and honour accompany me

– Resplendent wealth and righteousness.

19My fruit is better than a gold nugget or a fine gold ingot,

And my produce is better than choice silver.

20I walk in the way of righteousness

– Within the paths of justice,

21By bestowing wealth on those who love me,

As I fill their treasuries.

22The Lord acquired me at the beginning of his way,

Before his works since then

23– Before the age came about.

I was appointed in advance,

Before the things preceding the earth.

24When there were no deep waters,

I was brought forth

– When there were no sources well endowed with water.

25Before the mountains were settled in place,

Before the hills existed,

I was brought forth.

26Before he had made the earth and the open spaces,

When the particles of the earth were the starting point,

27When he prepared the heavens,

I was there.

And when he determined a sphere over the surface of the deep,

28When he made the skies above firm,

When he gave strength to the fountains of the deep,

29When he issued his statute to the sea

That the waters should not exceed his dictum,

When he decreed the foundations of the earth,

30I was with him constantly,

And I was his delight day by day,

Rejoicing in his presence all the time,

31Rejoicing in the inhabitants of his earth,

And my delights were with the sons of Adam.

32So now, you sons, hear me,

For happy are they who keep my ways.

33Hear correction,

And become wise,

And do not reject it.

34Happy is the man who hears me,

So that he watches at my doors daily,

Guarding at the posts of my doors,

35For he who finds me has found life,

And he obtains favour from the Lord.

36But he who sins against me,

Does violence to himself;

All who hate me love death.”

Proverbs Chapter 9 

1Wisdom has built its house;

It has hewn out its seven pillars.

2It has slaughtered its animal for the slaughter,

It has blended its wine;

It has also laid its table.

3It has sent out its maidservants;

It will call out on the city hilltops,

4“Whoever is gullible,

Let him turn this way.”

As for the weak-minded, it says to him,

5“Come and partake of my bread,

And drink the wine I have blended.

6Leave the gullible and live,

And proceed on the way of understanding.

7He who admonishes a mocker

Reaps contempt,

And he who reproves a wicked man,

Becomes tarnished.

8Do not reprove a mocker

In case he hates you for it;

Reprove a wise man,

And he will love you for it.

9Give wisdom to the wise man,

And he will become wiser still;

Inform the righteous,

And he will increase in learning.

10The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord,

And understanding is knowledge of holy matters.

11For it is by me that your days are multiplied,

And years of life are added to you.

12If you gain wisdom,

You gain wisdom for yourself,

But if you mock,

You will bear it on your own.”

13A foolish wife is restive,

Gullible, and she does not know anything.

14And she sits at the door of her house

Or on a chair in the prominent places of the city,

15To call out to those passing by on the road,

Who are going straight on their way,

16To whoever is gullible,

That he should turn aside there.

And she says to the weak-minded,

17“Stolen waters are sweet,

And secret bread is delightful.”

18But he doesn't know that the Rephaim are there;

Those she has called out

Are in the depths of the grave.

Proverbs Chapter 10 

1The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son pleases his father;

A foolish son is his mother's grief.

2The lucre from wrongdoing is of no profit,

But righteousness delivers from death.

3The Lord will not let a righteous person go hungry,

But he repudiates the ambition of the wicked.

4A negligent hand makes one impoverished,

But the hand of the industrious enriches.

5He who gathers store in the harvest time is an intelligent son;

He who falls asleep in the harvest time is a shameful son.

6Blessings come onto the head of the righteous man,

But violence envelops the mouth of the wicked.

7The memory of the righteous is a blessing,

But the name of the wicked will rot.

8The wise in heart accepts commandments,

But the loquacious fool will flounder.

9He who walks with integrity walks securely,

But he who perverts his ways will be identified.

10He who winks with the eye causes sorrow,

And the loquacious fool will flounder.

11The mouth of a righteous man is the source of life,

But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

12Hatred arouses strife,

But love covers all transgressions.

13In the lips of the astute man, wisdom is found,

But a rod is applicable to the back of the weak-minded.

14The wise treasure up knowledge,

But ruin is close to the mouth of the fool.

15The wealth of the rich is his strong city;

The ruination of the poor is their poverty.

16The recompense of the righteous is life,

But the product of the wicked is sin.

17He who retains instruction has the way of life,

But he who forsakes reproof leads astray.

18He who conceals hatred with lying lips,

Or he who spreads slander,

Is a fool.

19In the abundance of words,

Transgression does not cease,

But he who is sparing with his lips

Is intelligent.

20The tongue of the righteous man is choice silver;

The heart of the wicked is hardly so.

21The lips of the righteous act as a shepherd to many,

But fools will die in weak-mindedness.

22The blessing of the Lord enriches,

And he does not add sorrow to it.

23It is like a sport to a fool

To devise fraud,

But a man of understanding has wisdom.

24What the wicked man fears will come upon him,

But he will grant the wish of the righteous.

25When the whirlwind passes over,

There will not be any wicked,

But the righteous man is an age-abiding foundation.

26As vinegar to the teeth and as smoke to the eyes,

So is the lazy man to those who send him on an assignment.

27Fear of the Lord adds to one's days,

But the years of the wicked will be curtailed.

28The expectation of the righteous is happiness,

But the hope of the wicked will perish.

29The way of the Lord is a fortress to the man with integrity,

But ruination to those who perpetrate iniquity.

30The righteous man will never falter,

But the wicked will not inhabit the earth.

31The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom,

But a subversive tongue will be cut off.

32The lips of the righteous know what is pleasing,

But the mouth of the wicked only knows subversive things.

Reference(s) in Chapter 10: v.12 ↔ 1 Peter 4:8.

Proverbs Chapter 11 

1False scales are an abomination to the Lord,

But a full weight is to his liking.

2When haughtiness comes,

Then so does humiliation,

But wisdom is with the modest.

3The integrity of the upright will lead them,

But the perverseness of the treacherous will ravage them.

4Wealth will not be of benefit on the day of wrath,

But righteousness will deliver from death.

5The righteousness of the integrous man will direct his way,

But the wicked will fall by his wickedness.

6The righteousness of the upright will save them,

But the treacherous will be caught in their intrigue.

7When a wicked man dies,

His hope perishes,

And the expectation of the iniquitous

Comes to nothing.

8The righteous man is delivered from adversity,

But the wicked man enters into it instead of him.

9A profane person brings ruin on his neighbour with his mouth,

But the righteous will be delivered by knowledge.

10A city rejoices in the goodness of the righteous,

And there is jubilation at the demise of the wicked.

11By the blessing of the upright,

The city is exalted,

But by the mouth of the wicked,

It is demolished.

12The weak-minded man despises his neighbour,

But a man of understanding keeps silence.

13He who goes about gossiping reveals a secret,

But he of a dependable spirit

Conceals a matter.

14Without guidance a people will fall,

But safety is found

In taking much counsel.

15He who becomes security for a stranger

Will surely suffer evil,

But he who hates striking deals

Is secure.

16A gracious wife acquires honour,

And the mighty acquire riches.

17A kind man benefits his own self,

But a cruel man causes grief to his own body.

18An evil man engages in fraudulent activity,

But he who sows righteousness

Has a durable reward.

19As righteousness is to one's life,

So is the pursuit of evil to one's death.

20The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord,

But those of integrity in their way are his delight.

21Whomever the wicked shakes hands with,

He will not be acquitted,

But the seed of the righteous man will escape.

22A beautiful woman who lacks discernment

Is a golden ring in the nose of a pig.

23The yearning of the righteous is only for what is right;

The prospect of the wicked is wrath.

24One distributes liberally,

And more is added to him,

But he who withholds more than what is fair

Will surely become in need.

25A generous person will be richly satisfied,

And he who gives plenty to drink

Will in return receive much rain.

26As for him who withholds corn,

The people will curse him,

But he who trades it

Has a blessing on his head.

27He who diligently seeks good

Seeks what is acceptable,

But as for him who is intent on evil,

It will come on him.

28He who trusts in his riches will fall,

But the righteous will thrive like foliage.

29He who causes his household trouble

Will inherit thin air,

And a fool will be a servant to the wise of heart.

30The fruit of the righteous is the tree of life,

And he who takes care of spiritual needs is wise.

31Behold, the righteous in the land will be recompensed.

How much the other way with the wicked and sinner!

Proverbs Chapter 12 

1He who loves correction loves knowledge,

But he who hates reproof is ill-bred.

2A good man will obtain the Lord's goodwill,

But he will condemn a scheming man.

3A man is not established by wickedness,

But the root of the righteous will not be shaken.

4A virtuous wife is the crown of her husband,

But she who causes shame is like rot in his bones.

5The thoughts of the righteous are concerned with justice,

But the contrivances of the wicked are with deceit.

6The words of the wicked concern ambushing for blood,

But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.

7The wicked are overthrown,

And they are gone,

But the house of the righteous will stand.

8A man is given praise according to his intelligence,

But the false-hearted will be held up to contempt.

9One who is of low estate,

But has a servant,

Is better than one who vaunts himself,

But lacks bread.

10The righteous man recognizes the feelings of his cattle,

But the mercies of the wicked are cruel.

11He who cultivates his land

Will have plenty of bread,

But he who pursues vain things

Is weak-minded.

12The wicked man delights in the hunting net of evil men,

But the root of the righteous will bear fruit.

13There is a snare to an evil man in the impropriety of his lips,

But the righteous man will come out of adversity.

14A man will be satiated with good things by the fruit of his mouth,

And he will bestow the reward of a man's labour on him.

15A fool's way is upright in his own eyes,

But he who listens to advice is wise.

16The anger of the fool becomes known in due course,

But he who conceals an ignominious situation is prudent.

17He who utters faithful things declares justice,

But a false witness, deceit.

18There is one who speaks recklessly like the piercings of a sword,

But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

19A truthful lip is established in perpetuity,

But a lying tongue only endures until I act all of a sudden.

20There is deceit in the heart of those who devise evil,

But those who counsel peace will have joy.

21No adversity will befall the righteous man,

But the wicked will be full of trouble.

22Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,

But they who act faithfully are his delight.

23A prudent man withholds information,

But a foolish heart makes proclamations without discretion.

24The hand of the diligent will rule,

But remissness will become tribute-bearing.

25Anxiety in a man's heart brings it low,

But a good word makes it rejoice.

26The righteous man is a better guide than his neighbour,

But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

27The remiss will not catch his prey,

But a man's wealth is precious

If diligently obtained.

28In the way of righteousness is life,

And the way of this path is to immortality.

Proverbs Chapter 13 

1A wise son hears the correction of his father,

But a scoffer does not hear rebuke.

2A man shall eat what is good by the fruit of his mouth,

But the appetite of the treacherous will be slaked by violence.

3He who guards his mouth keeps his life;

He who opens his lips wide will have ruin.

4The lazy person longs for a thing,

But it comes to nothing,

Whilst the appetite of the industrious

Will be richly satisfied.

5The righteous man hates a false word,

But a wicked man acts despicably

And is disgraced.

6Righteousness will guard an integrous man on his way,

But lawlessness will subvert the sin-offering.

7There is the one who enriches himself,

But does not have anything,

And the one who impoverishes himself,

But has great wealth.

8The ransom for a man's life is his wealth,

But the poor man does not hear rebuke.

9The light of the righteous shines cheerfully,

But the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.

10Haughtiness just engenders contention,

But wisdom is with those

Who have been given advice.

11Wealth obtained from vain pursuits will decline,

But that of him who gathers through labour will increase.

12Protracted expectation grieves the heart,

But the coming delight is a tree of life.

13If a person despises a word,

It will be his destruction,

But he who fears the commandment

Will be recompensed.

14The law of the wise man is a source of life,

By departing from deadly snares.

15Good insight gives grace,

But the way of the treacherous is austere.

16Every prudent man acts in an informed way,

But a fool spreads nonsense.

17An unjust messenger will fall into harm,

But a faithful envoy brings healing.

18Poverty and contempt await him who disregards correction,

But he who takes heed of reproof will be honoured.

19A longing fulfilled is sweet to one's spirit,

But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.

20He who walks with the wise

Will become wise,

But he who associates with fools

Will suffer evil.

21Trouble will pursue sinners,

But he will recompense the righteous with good.

22A good man leaves an inheritance to his sons' sons,

Whereas the wealth of the sinner

Is hidden away for the righteous.

23The agricultural work of the poor brings abundance of food,

But there is the one who perishes without justice.

24He who spares his rod hates his son,

But he who loves him

Is alert to give him correction.

25The righteous eats to his heart's content,

But the stomach of the wicked will suffer lack.

Proverbs Chapter 14 

1The wisdom of women is what builds up their household,

But foolishness in their hands demolishes it.

2He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,

But he who is devious in his ways despises him.

3In the mouth of the fool is a sceptre of pride,

But the lips of the wise will guard them.

4For want of oxen, the stall is empty,

But abundance of produce is by the strength of the ox.

5A faithful witness does not lie,

But a false witness utters lies.

6The scoffer seeks wisdom,

But does not find any,

Whilst knowledge is easily come by to the judicious.

7Go away from the foolish man,

In whom you have not detected knowledgeable speaking.

8The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,

But the senselessness of fools is deceit.

9As for fools, each ridicules the guilt-offering,

But among the upright is goodwill.

10The heart knows its own bitterness,

And a stranger does not interfere with its joy.

11The house of the wicked will be destroyed,

But the tent of the upright will flourish.

12There is a way which seems right from man's perspective,

But its end is the ways of death.

13Also in jesting there will be heartache,

And the result of it is that the fun will become grief.

14A backslider in heart will be satiated with his ways,

And over against this, so will the good man!

15The gullible man believes every word,

But the prudent understands his course.

16A wise man is fearful

And departs from evil,

But a fool behaves wantonly

And has confidence.

17He who is impatient will act foolishly,

And a scheming man will be hated.

18The gullible inherit foolishness,

But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

19The bad will submit to the good,

And the wicked will be at the gates of the righteous one.

20The poor is hated even by his neighbour,

But there are many who love a rich man.

21A sinner despises his neighbour,

But happy is he who is merciful to the poor.

22Will not those who perpetrate evil perish,

Whereas kindness and truth will accompany those who perform good?

23In all hard work there will be abundance,

But talking at length only leads to shortage.

24The crown of the wise is their wealth,

But the stupidity of fools remains stupidity.

25A true witness saves lives,

But a deceitful witness utters lies.

26In the fear of the Lord is strong security,

And his sons will have a refuge.

27The fear of the Lord is the source of life,

So as to avoid deadly snares.

28The splendour of a king is in a large population,

And lack of people is ruinous demise.

29He who is patient is of great understanding,

But he who is impatient extols foolishness.

30A healthy heart is life in the flesh,

But envy is rotting of the bones.

31He who oppresses the poor reproaches his maker,

But he who honours him is gracious to the needy.

32A wicked man will be abased by his evil,

But the righteous has confidence at his death.

33Wisdom will rest in a judicious heart,

And it will be made known among fools.

34Righteousness will exalt a people,

But sin is a reproach to nations.

35A king's delight is in a sensible servant,

But his wrath will be directed at him who causes shame.

Proverbs Chapter 15 

1A gentle answer turns wrath away,

But a grievous word arouses anger.

2The tongue of the wise makes good use of knowledge,

But the mouth of fools utters stupidity.

3The eyes of the Lord are in every place,

Observing the bad and the good.

4A calming tongue is a tree of life,

But perverseness with the tongue is spiritual shipwreck.

5A fool scorns his father's correction,

But he who respects reproof will act prudently.

6The house of the righteous man is great wealth,

But the income of the wicked man will bring trouble.

7The lips of the wise broadcast knowledge,

But the heart of fools is dishonest.

8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

But the prayer of the upright is his delight.

9The way of the wicked man is an abomination to the Lord,

But he loves him who pursues righteousness.

10Correction is baneful to him who leaves the way,

And he who hates reproof will die.

11The grave and destruction are before the Lord;

How much more the hearts of the sons of Adam!

12The mocker does not love him who reproves him;

He does not go to the wise.

13A joyful heart makes the face cheerful,

But in a sorrowful heart is a dejected spirit.

14An astute mind seeks knowledge,

But a fool's face feeds on nonsense.

15All the days of a poor man are bad,

But he of a good heart has a continual banquet.

16It is better to have little,

With fear of the Lord,

Than great treasure,

But turmoil with it.

17A meal of vegetables

Where there is love

Is better than a fatted ox

Where there is hatred.

18A bad-tempered man will stir up strife,

But forbearance quietens a quarrel.

19The way of the lazy is a hedge of thorns,

But the path of the upright is a highway.

20A wise son brings joy to the father,

But a foolish man despises his mother.

21Foolishness is joy to the weak-minded,

But a man of understanding walks in uprightness.

22Projects fail for lack of consultation,

But you will prosper if you have plenty of counsellors.

23A man's joy comes from the aptness of his speech,

And how good a word in season is!

24The way of life to the sensible is upwards,

So as to avoid the grave below.

25The Lord will pluck the house of the proud away,

But he will appoint an estate for the widow.

26The thoughts of the evil man are an abomination to the Lord,

But pleasant words are pure.

27He who engages in robbery

Brings trouble on his household,

But he who hates bribes

Will live.

28A righteous heart meditates on how to give an answer,

But the mouth of the wicked exudes evil things.

29The Lord is far away from the wicked,

But he hears the prayer of the righteous.

30The light of the eyes makes the heart glad,

And a good report heard nourishes a person.

31An ear that hears reproof which gives life

Will dwell in the company of the wise.

32He who disregards correction

Rejects his own self,

But he who heeds reproof

Acquires inward understanding.

33The fear of the Lord yields wise reproof,

And before honour can come,

Meekness is warranted.

Proverbs Chapter 16 

1Man has resolutions,

But from the Lord comes the spoken answer.

2All man's ways are pure in his own eyes,

But the Lord assesses the nature of spirits.

3Commit your deeds to the Lord,

And your thoughts will be well-grounded.

4The Lord has made everything for his own purpose,

Including even the wicked one for the day of evil.

5Everyone of a haughty heart is an abomination to the Lord,

And he who colludes with them will not be held innocent.

6Iniquity is atoned for by kindness and truth,

And by fear of the Lord,

So as to depart from evil.

7When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord,

He will cause even that man's enemies to be at peace with him.

8A little obtained righteously is better

Than abundance of produce obtained unjustly.

9A man's heart plans his course,

But it is the Lord who directs his steps.

10When there is an oracle on the lips of a king,

His pronouncement will not be perverse in jurisdiction.

11The Lord has a just balance and scales;

All the weights of the bag are his work.

12It is an abomination to kings to act wickedly,

For his throne is established on the basis of righteousness.

13Just pronouncements are the delight of kings,

And he loves him who speaks uprightly.

14The wrath of a king is like angels of death,

But a wise man will appease it.

15In the light of the appearance of the king is life,

And acceptance by him is like a cloud of latter rain.

16How much better it is to acquire wisdom than pure gold,

And how preferable to acquire understanding than silver!

17The course of the upright is to depart from evil;

He who guards his way keeps his life safe.

18Pride comes before a disaster,

And a haughty spirit before ruin.

19It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the meek

Than to share spoil with the proud.

20He who acts sensibly in a matter will find good,

And happy is he who trusts in the Lord.

21The wise in heart will be called astute,

And sweet lips add to learning.

22Insight is a source of life to those who possess it,

But correction by fools

Is simply foolishness.

23A wise heart instructs one's mouth,

And adds learning to one's lips.

24Pleasant words are a honeycomb

– Sweet to one's sentiments,

And healing to the body.

25There is a way which seems right from man's perspective,

But its end is the ways of death.

26A person who toils

Toils for himself,

For his aspirations urge him on.

27A useless man plots evil,

And what is on his lips is like a scorching fire.

28A subversive man launches into contention,

And a gossipmonger separates friends.

29A malevolent man deceives his neighbour

And leads him on a way which is not good.

30He who shuts his eyes

So as to contemplate subversion

Seals his lips

And concludes evil intent.

31Grey hairs constitute a crown of splendour

If it is acquired on the righteous way.

32A man of forbearance is better than a warrior,

And one who can control his spirit

Is better than one who can capture a city.

33One's lot is cast into the lap,

But from the Lord comes all his judgment.

Proverbs Chapter 17 

1A dry morsel when there is calm with it

Is better than a house full of meat with strife.

2An intelligent servant will rule over a son who causes shame,

And he will have a share of the inheritance among the brothers.

3The crucible is for silver,

And the furnace for gold,

But it is the Lord who tests hearts.

4An evildoer heeds unprofitable lips,

And a lie feeds a perverse tongue.

5He who mocks the poor

Reproaches his maker;

He who rejoices in another's calamity

Will not be absolved.

6Grandchildren are the crown of old men,

And the glory of sons is their fathers.

7Verbosity is not becoming to an irreverent man;

How much less lying lips to a well-bred man!

8A gift is a beautiful gemstone in the eyes of its owner;

Wherever he turns,

He considers it.

9He who pardons a transgression

Seeks love,

But he who is fickle in a matter

Alienates friends.

10A rebuke is more effective

With one who has understanding

Than a hundred beatings

With a fool.

11Surely rebellion invites trouble,

And a cruel emissary will be sent against it.

12May a bereaved bear meet a man

Rather than that a fool in his stupidity should meet him.

13As for him who requites evil for good,

Evil will not retreat from his house.

14The beginning of strife is like when one lets water escape,

So abandon the quarrel before it becomes heated.

15He who justifies a wicked man,

And he who condemns a righteous man

Are both an abomination to the Lord.

16Why, then, is there a payment in a fool's hand to buy wisdom

When he has no heart to receive it?

17A friend shows love at all times,

And a brother is born for adversity.

18A weak-minded man strikes a deal

And offers security in the presence of his neighbour.

19He who loves transgression

Loves a quarrel,

And he who has a high door

Courts disaster.

20He who is of a perverse heart

Will not find good,

And he who is subversive with his tongue

Will fall into evil.

21If one begets a fool,

It will be sorrow for him,

And the father of an irreverent son

Does not have joy.

22A joyful heart brings good healing,

But a dejected spirit parches the human frame.

23A wicked man takes a bribe out of the lap

To pervert the course of justice.

24Wisdom is in prospect to him who understands,

But the eyes of a fool are fixed on the end of the earth.

25A foolish son is a frustration to his father

And an exasperation to her who gave birth to him.

26It is not right at all to punish the righteous,

Or to beat the noble-minded for their uprightness.

27He who possesses knowledge is sparing with his speeches,

And a man of understanding is of a highly prized spirit.

28Even a fool who is silent

Is considered wise,

And he who seals his lips,

Astute.

Proverbs Chapter 18 

1A recluse seeks to fulfil his yearning,

And despite all his resourcefulness,

He flares up.

2A fool does not take delight in understanding,

But in laying open his heart.

3When a wicked man comes,

Contempt comes too,

And with shame comes reproach.

4The words of a man's mouth are deep waters,

And the source of wisdom is a gushing stream.

5To show partiality to the wicked is not good,

Nor is it to pervert the course of justice of the righteous man.

6The lips of the fool enter into a quarrel,

And his mouth calls out for beatings.

7The fool's mouth is his ruin,

And his lips are a trap for his life.

8The words of a gossipmonger are like delicacies,

Which go down to the inner parts of the belly.

9Also he who is slack in his work

Is a brother to a ruinous man.

10The name of the Lord is a tower of strength.

To him the righteous man runs

And is set on high.

11A rich man's wealth is his strong town,

And it is like a high wall in his imagination.

12A man's heart is haughty before a disaster,

But meekness is warranted before honour.

13When one gives an answer before he has heard,

It is foolishness and ignominy to his account.

14The spirit of a man sustains him in his infirmity,

But as for a dejected spirit,

Who can endure it?

15An understanding heart acquires knowledge,

And it is knowledge that the ear of the wise seeks.

16A gift from a man provides relief for him

And leads him to the presence of the great.

17The first to state his case seems right in his lawsuit,

But when his neighbour comes,

He investigates him.

18The lot as determined puts an end to disputes,

And it parts great men.

19An offended brother is more difficult to win over

Than a strong town,

As are arguments

Than a castle gate bolt.

20By the fruit of a man's mouth

His stomach will be satisfied,

And by the produce of his lips

He will be satiated.

21Life and death are in the power of the tongue,

And those who love it

Will eat its fruit.

22He who has found a wife

Has found something good

And has received goodwill from the Lord.

23He who is impoverished utters supplications,

But a rich man answers with harsh words.

24A man may have friends

Who bring him to breaking point,

But there is one who loves him

And is attached to him more than a brother.

Proverbs Chapter 19 

1An impoverished man who walks in his integrity

Is better than one who is of perverse lips

And who is a fool.

2Also it is not good

That a person should be without knowledge,

And he who hastens impetuously

Sins.

3The foolishness of a man perverts his way,

And his heart becomes dispirited with the Lord.

4Wealth makes many extra friends,

But a poor man becomes separated from his friend.

5A false witness will not be held guiltless,

And he who belches out lies will not escape.

6Many appeal to the noble-minded,

And everyone is the friend of a generous man.

7All the brothers of an impoverished man hate him;

How much more do his friends distance themselves from him!

He accosts them eloquently, but they are not obliging.

8He who acquires a right heart

Loves his life,

As he nurtures understanding

So as to find what is good.

9A false witness will not be held guiltless,

And he who belches out lies will perish.

10Luxury is not befitting for a fool;

How much less is it befitting for a servant to rule over princes!

11A man's insight stems his anger,

And it is to his credit

To pass over a transgression.

12The anger of a king is like the growling of a young lion,

But his goodwill is like dew on grass.

13A foolish son is a calamity to his father,

And the contentions of a wife are like a continual drip.

14The inheritance of one's fathers is a house and wealth,

But a sensible wife is from the Lord.

15Laziness makes one fall into deep sleep,

And an indolent person will suffer hunger.

16He who keeps the commandment

Keeps his life,

But he who shows contempt for his ways

Will die.

17He who is gracious to a poor man

Is a lender to the Lord,

Who will repay him a recompense.

18Discipline your son while there is hope,

And do not forbear,

Which would lead to him losing his life.

19 A wrathful lot bears punishment,

And unless you put it away,

You will bear it again.

20Hear advice and accept correction

So that you become wise in the latter time of your life.

21Many are the thoughts in a man's heart,

But it is the Lord's counsel

Which will stand firm.

22The longing of a man is for his kindness,

And a poor man is better than a liar.

23The fear of the Lord leads to life,

And he who is steeped in it will lodge

Where harm will not be encountered.

24A lazy man dips his hand in the bowl,

Yet he will not bring it back to his mouth.

25Hit the scoffer

And the gullible will become wary,

And reprove the astute

So that he will acquire all the more knowledge.

26He who preys on his father

Or causes his mother to flee,

Is a son who causes shame and disgrace.

27My son, to stop listening to correction

Is to stray from instructive sayings.

28A rogue witness mocks justice,

And the mouths of the wicked feast on iniquity.

29Judgments have been prepared for the mockers,

And beatings for the backs of fools.

Proverbs Chapter 20 

1Wine is a mocker,

And strong drink is riotous,

And none who go astray with it

Become wise.

2Fear of a king is like the growling of a young lion;

He who takes liberties with him

Sins against himself.

3Honour to the man who ceases from strife,

But every fool flares up.

4From autumn on, the lazy man will not plough,

Then at harvest time he begs

And has nothing.

5Counsel in a man's heart is like deep water,

And a man of understanding draws on it.

6The majority of men will proclaim their own generosity,

But as for a faithful man,

Who can find him?

7The righteous man walks in his integrity;

Happy are his sons after him.

8A king sitting in his judgment seat

Winnows out everything that in his eyes is evil.

9Who can say,

“I have purified my heart;

I am clear of my sin”?

10One weight for one,

And another weight for another,

One ephah for one,

And another ephah for another

– They are both an abomination to the Lord.

11Even a boy is known by his deeds

– Whether his behaviour is pure

And whether it is upright.

12A hearing ear and a seeing eye

– The Lord assuredly made both of them.

13Do not love sleep,

So that you do not become destitute.

Open your eyes

And be satiated with bread.

14It is poor quality, poor quality”,

Says the buyer.

And then he goes his way,

And then boasts about it.

15Gold and an abundance of red corals have a place,

But knowledgeable lips are a precious instrument.

16“Take his clothing,

For he became security to a stranger,

And bind him up,

For pledging to foreigners.”

17Dishonestly obtained bread is sweet to a man,

But afterwards his mouth becomes full of gravel.

18Plans undertaken with counsel will be established,

So wage war with shrewd deliberations.

19He who goes around gossiping

Reveals a secret,

So do not involve yourself

With one of wide open lips.

20As for him who curses his father or mother,

His lamp will go out in pitch black darkness.

21An inheritance may be avariciously obtained at first,

But then its final state will not be blessed.

22Do not say,

“I will repay evil.”

Put your hope in the Lord,

And he will save you.

23One weight for one, and another weight for another,

Is an abomination to the Lord,

And false scales are not good.

24Man's steps are received from the Lord.

But as for man,

What does he understand of his way?

25It is a snare to a man

To rashly say anything holy,

And after the vows,

To reconsider.

26A wise king winnows out the wicked,

And drives the threshing wheel back over them.

27The spirit of man is the Lord's lamp,

Searching all the inner parts of the belly.

28Kindness and truth protect the king,

And it is with kindness

That he sustains his throne.

29The glory of young men is their strength,

And the dignity of the old is their grey hair.

30Weals from wounding are a cleansing,

In a baneful way,

And beatings cleanse the inner parts of the belly.

Reference(s) in Chapter 20: v.22 ↔ Romans 12:19.

Proverbs Chapter 21 

1A king's heart is like sources of water in the Lord's hand;

He inclines it to whatever he wishes.

2Every way of man is right in his own eyes,

But it is the Lord who tests hearts.

3To do righteousness and justice

Is preferable with the Lord to sacrifice.

4Haughty eyes and arrogance

– The field of work of the wicked –

Are preferable to them than a sin-offering.

5The thoughts of a diligent man assuredly lead to plentifulness,

But as for everyone who is hasty,

His actions assuredly lead to lack.

6Acquiring treasure by a lying tongue

Is mist blown around

By those who seek death.

7The rapacity of the wicked drags them away,

For they refuse to act justly.

8The way of man is crooked and outlandish,

But as for the pure man,

His work is upright.

9It is better to live in a corner of a roof

Than in a mansion,

But with a contentious wife.

10A wicked person craves wrongdoing;

His neighbour does not find favour in his eyes.

11By the punishment of the mocker,

The naive man becomes wise,

And by the instruction to the wise man,

He obtains knowledge.

12The righteous one is prudent with the house of the wicked;

He overthrows the wicked to their detriment.

13He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor

Will in turn call out,

But he will not be answered.

14A gift given in private appeases anger,

And a present put into the lap assuages strong fury.

15It is joy to the righteous to act justly,

But a dreadful thing to those who commit iniquity.

16A man who strays from a prudent way

Comes to rest in the company of the Rephaim.

17He who loves merrymaking

Will be a man in penury;

He who loves wine and fine food

Will not become rich.

18The wicked will be a ransom for the righteous,

And the traitor in the place of the upright.

19It is better to live in a desert land

Than with a contentious and bad-tempered wife.

20There is delightful treasure and oil

In the abode of the wise,

But a foolish man dissipates it.

21He who pursues righteousness and kindness

Will find life, righteousness and honour.

22The wise man can ascend into a city of warriors,

And shatter its great confidence.

23He who guards his mouth and his tongue

Guards himself from adversities.

24As for the arrogant and haughty man,

His name is Mocker;

He deals in insolent presumption.

25The inclination of the lazy man will kill him,

For his hands refuse to work.

26All day long he craves what his heart desires,

But a just man gives and does not spare.

27The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination

– All the more so

When he brings it in deceit.

28A false witness will perish,

But a man who listens

Will speak steadfast words.

29The wicked man puts on a bold front,

But the upright man prepares his ways.

30There is no wisdom and there is no expertise,

And there is no counsel

Which can prevail against the Lord.

31The horse may be prepared for the day of war,

But salvation belongs to the Lord.

Proverbs Chapter 22 

1A good reputation is preferable to great wealth;

Good grace is preferable to silver and gold.

2Rich and poor meet each other;

The maker of all of them is the Lord.

3The prudent man sees evil and hides,

But the gullible cross over to it,

And pay the penalty.

4It is by meekness and fear of the Lord

That riches and honour and life are obtained.

5Thorns and snares lie on the way of the perverse;

He who guards his life

Distances himself from them.

6Initiate a youth along his way,

Then even when he grows old,

He will not depart from it.

7The rich man will rule over the poor,

And he who borrows is servant to the man who lends.

8He who sows injustice

Will reap iniquity,

And his offensive regime

Will come to an end.

9He who is generous will be blessed,

For he gives some of his bread to the poor.

10Drive out the mocker,

And contention will depart,

And strife and shame will cease.

11As for him who loves the pure in heart,

His lips are graceful;

The king is his friend.

12The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,

But he has overthrown the words of the treacherous man.

13The lazy man says,

There is a lion in the open;

I will be killed on the streets.”

14The mouths of the foreign women are a deep pit;

He with whom the Lord is angry

Will fall there.

15Foolishness is bound to the heart of a boy,

But the rod of correction will put him at a distance from it.

16He who oppresses the poor to enrich himself

And he who gives to the rich man

Will surely be in need.

17Incline your ear

And hear the words of the wise,

And direct your heart to my knowledge.

18For it is pleasant if you keep them inwardly;

Together they are ready to be on your lips

19So that your trust should be in the Lord.

Today it is to you that I have made it known

To your very self.

20 Have I not written thirty times to you

With pieces of advice and knowledge?

21– To make known to you the veracity of truthful sayings

So that it is with truthful sayings that you can answer

Those who send for you.

22Do not rob a poor man,

For he is poor,

And do not tread a needy man down at the gate.

23For the Lord will defend their interest,

And he will despoil the livelihood

Of those who despoiled them.

24Do not associate with a bad-tempered man,

And you shall not go with a man prone to fury,

25In case you learn his ways,

And you pick up a snare for your life.

26Do not be among those who strike a deal

– Among those who are surety for debts.

27If you do not have the means to pay,

Why let anyone take your bed from under you?

28Do not move an age-old boundary marker

Which your fathers put in place.

29Have you seen a man going about his work efficiently?

He will stand before kings;

He will not stand before the low-bred.

Reference(s) in Chapter 22: v.9 ↔ 2 Corinthians 9:7.

Proverbs Chapter 23 

1When you sit down to dine with a ruler,

Be well aware of who it is before you,

2And put a knife to your throat

If you have a keen appetite.

3Do not be desirous of his delicacies,

For they are beguiling food.

4Do not exhaust yourself to become rich;

Cease from your own understanding.

5Do you fix your eye on a thing,

Then it is gone?

For it easily gives itself wings,

And like an eagle, it flies off into the sky.

6Do not eat food from a malevolent person,

And do not be desirous of his delicacies.

7For as he assesses a matter inwardly,

So he is.

“Eat and drink”,

He will say to you,

But his heart will not be with you.

8The morsel which you have eaten,

You will vomit out,

And you will spoil your pleasant conversation.

9Do not speak to the ears of a fool,

For he will despise the insightfulness of your words.

10Do not move an age-old boundary marker,

And do not go into the fields of orphans,

11For their redeemer is strong;

He will defend their case against you.

12Dispose your heart to instruction,

And your ears to learned sayings.

13Do not withhold correction from a youth;

When you beat him with a rod,

He will not die.

14You may be beating him with a rod,

But you will be saving him from the grave.

15My son, if your heart becomes wise,

My heart will rejoice – it really will –

16And my kidneys will exult,

As your lips speak upright words.

17Do not let your heart be envious of sinners,

But rather let it be zealous of fear of the Lord

All day long.

18For there is a final state,

And your hope will not be cut off.

19Do hear, my son, and become wise,

And direct your heart on the way.

20Do not be among those who become drunk on wine,

Or who take to guzzling meat.

21For the drunkard and guzzler will be dispossessed,

And slumber will clothe them with rags.

22Listen to your father

Who begot you,

And do not despise your mother

When she is old.

23Acquire truth,

And do not sell it,

As with wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24The father of a righteous son will greatly rejoice,

And he who begets a wise son

Will delight in him.

25Your father and your mother will take delight,

And she who bore you will rejoice.

26My son, give your heart to me,

And may your eyes welcome my ways.

27For a prostitute is a deep abyss,

And a foreign woman is a narrow pit.

28Indeed she lies in wait like a predator

And adds to the traitors among men.

29Who has “woe”,

Who has “alas” on his lips?

Who has contentions,

Who has a grievance,

Who has gratuitous wounds?

Who has reddened eyes?

30It is those who linger at wine

– Those who come to sample blended liquor.

31Do not care for wine

– When it exhibits its red colour,

When it gives its sparkle in a goblet,

And when it flows smoothly.

32Its effect is that it bites like a serpent

And puts one in torment like a viper.

33Your eyes will see women who are strangers,

And your heart will speak subversive things,

34And you will be like one who lies at the bottom of the sea,

Or one who lies at the top of a mast.

35“They beat me,

But I did not feel pain;

They struck me,

But I was not conscious of it.

When will I wake up?

I will seek this pleasure yet again.”

Proverbs Chapter 24 

1Do not be envious of evil men,

And do not long to be with them.

2For their heart meditates on violence,

And their lips speak of ill-treatment.

3A house is built with skill,

And it is established with expertise,

4And rooms are filled with knowledge

And all kinds of precious and delightful belongings.

5A wise man disposes over strength,

And a knowledgeable man increases his power,

6For it is with strategy that you can wage a war,

And success comes through taking much counsel.

7Wisdom to a fool is too lofty;

At the gate he does not open his mouth.

8As for him who plots doing evil,

They will call him a schemer.

9The scheming of a fool is a sin,

And a mocker is an abomination to men.

10If you flag on an adverse day,

Your strength is feeble.

11If you refrain from delivering those

Who are being taken away to death,

Or who are on the verge of being killed,

12If you say,

“Look, we did not know this”,

Does not he who examines hearts discern the matter?

And will he who guards your life not know,

And will he not requite a man according to his deed?

13My son, eat honey,

Because it is good,

And honey from the honeycomb,

Which is sweet on your palate.

14So get to know wisdom.

It is for your life if you have found it,

And it has an effect,

And your hope will not be dashed.

15Do not wickedly hold an ambush at the dwelling of a righteous man,

And do not lay his place of rest waste.

16For a righteous man may fall seven times

And get up again,

But the wicked will stumble into trouble.

17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,

And do not let your heart exult at his stumbling,

18Lest the Lord sees,

And it is wrong in his sight,

And he turns his anger from him against you.

19Do not be infuriated at evildoers;

Do not be envious of the wicked,

20For the evil man will not have any posterity

– The lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.

21My son, fear the Lord and the king;

Do not involve yourself with the fickle,

22For suddenly their downfall arises,

And who knows

The demise of them both?

23These things too belong to the wise.

It is not right to show partiality in judgment,

24Saying to the wicked man,

“You are righteous.”

Peoples will vilify him;

Nations will be indignant at him.

25But to those who rebuke a man showing partiality,

It will be a delight,

And a good blessing will come on them.

26May one compliment the lips

When a man replies with straightforward words.

27Prepare your exterior work,

And make it ready for yourself on your site,

Then afterwards you can build your house.

28Do not be a gratuitous witness against your neighbour,

And would you deceive with your lips?

29Do not say,

“As he has done to me,

So I will do to him.

I will requite the man according to his deed.”

30I passed by the field of a lazy man,

And by the vineyard of a weak-minded person,

31And what I saw was

That thistles had overgrown it all,

And that its surface was covered in nettles,

And that the stone wall was dilapidated.

32So I took note and laid it to heart;

I looked and received instruction.

33A little more sleep,

A little more slumbering,

A little more folding the arms to lie down,

34And along will come your impoverishment

And your penury,

Like a man with a shield.

Reference(s) in Chapter 24: v.29 ↔ Romans 12:19.

Proverbs Chapter 25 

1These too are Solomon's proverbs which Hezekiah king of Judah's men transcribed.

2It is God's glory to conceal a matter,

And the glory of kings to investigate a matter.

3Heaven for height

And the earth for depth,

But there is no searching the heart of kings.

4Remove the dross from the silver,

And let the refiner's silverware be produced.

5Remove the wicked man from the king's presence,

And his throne will be established in righteousness.

6Do not vaunt yourself in the presence of the king,

And do not stand in the place of high-ranking men,

7For it is better that someone says to you,

“Come up here”,

Than that he humiliates you in the presence of a noble

Whom your eyes have seen.

8Do not go out to litigate precipitously,

In case of what you might need to do as a consequence of it

When your neighbour puts you to shame.

9Contend your case with your neighbour,

But do not divulge a secret to another person,

10In case one who is out to discredit you hears,

And the consequences of your slander don't go away.

11A word spoken in season

Is like golden apple-shaped beads in silver showpieces.

12To a hearing ear,

A wise reprover is like a golden earring

Or an ornament of fine gold.

13A faithful messenger is to those who send him

Like the cooling effect of snow on a day in the harvest season,

And he refreshes the spirit of his masters.

14A man who boasts in a dishonest gift

Is like mists and wind, but no rain.

15A senior official is persuaded by much persistence,

And a gentle tongue can break bones.

16If you find honey

Only eat what is sufficient for you,

Lest you become satiated with it

And vomit it out.

17Make yourself scarce in your neighbour's house

Lest he has enough of you,

And takes a disliking to you.

18A man who testifies against his neighbour with a false testimony

Is a club and a sword and a sharp arrow.

19Putting trust in a traitor

In a time of tribulation

Is like a bad tooth

Or a sprained foot.

20He who removes a person's garment on a cold day

Is like vinegar on soda,

Or one who sings songs to a grieving heart.

21If he who hates you is hungry,

Give him food;

And if he is thirsty,

Give him water to drink,

22For then you are heaping burning coals on his head,

And the Lord will repay you.

23A northern wind brings forth rain,

And a resentful face an uncommunicative tongue.

24It is better to live in the corner of a roof,

Than in a mansion,

But with a contentious wife.

25As cold water is to a weary person,

So is a good report from a distant land.

26A righteous man tottering before a wicked one

Is like a turbid spring and a sullied water-source.

27It is not good to eat much honey,

But investigation of what has glory

Is itself glory.

28A man who has no restraint of his spirit

Is like a breached city which has no wall.

Reference(s) in Chapter 25: v.21 ↔ Romans 12:20 ● v.22 ↔ Romans 12:19, Romans 12:20.

Proverbs Chapter 26 

1As snow in summer

And as rain in the harvest,

So it is not becoming

For a fool to have honour.

2As a bird takes flight,

As a swallow flies away,

So shall a gratuitous curse

Not come to pass.

3A whip for the horse,

A bridle for the donkey,

And a rod for the back of fools.

4Do not answer a fool according to his own foolishness,

In case you yourself come to resemble him.

5Do answer a fool according to his own foolishness,

So that he does not become wise in his own eyes.

6He who sends a message by the agency of a fool

Cuts off the feet and drinks injury.

7You could amputate the legs of a lame man

And a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

8As a grain of grit in a heap of boulders,

So is he who gives a fool honour.

9A thorn gets stuck in the hand of a drunkard,

And a proverb in the mouths of fools.

10A great man produces all kinds of things,

But he who hires a fool

Also hires those who are remiss.

11Like a dog which returns to its own vomit,

Is a fool who repeats his stupidity.

12Have you seen a man wise in his own eyes?

A fool has more hope than him.

13A lazy man says,

There is a lion in the road

– A fierce lion among the streets.”

14A door turns on its hinge,

And a lazy man on his bed.

15A lazy man dips his hand in the bowl,

But can't be bothered to bring it back to his mouth.

16A lazy man is wise in his own eyes

More so than seven men can give a reason for.

17He who crosses over and interferes in a dispute

Which doesn't belong to him,

Is like one who seizes a dog's ears.

18Like a madman who shoots darts, arrows and death,

19So is a man who deceives his neighbour and says,

I was only jesting, wasn't I?”

20When there are no more logs,

The fire goes out,

And when there is no gossipmonger,

Contention abates.

21Coal for the embers,

And wood for the fire,

And a contentious man

To incite an argument.

22The words of a gossipmonger are like delicacies,

Which descend into the inner parts of the belly.

23Ardent lips but an evil heart

Are like silver dross overlaid on a shard.

24He who hates

Puts up a pretence with his lips

And harbours deceit inwardly.

25When he sounds gracious,

Do not believe him,

For there are seven abominations in his heart.

26Hatred is concealed by deception,

But his evil will be discovered in the convocation.

27He who digs a pit will fall into it,

And as for him who rolls a stone,

It will come back upon him.

28A lying tongue hates those whom it has oppressed,

And a flattering mouth brings about ruin.

Reference(s) in Chapter 26: v.11 ↔ 2 Peter 2:22.

Proverbs Chapter 27 

1Do not boast about tomorrow,

For you do not know what the day will bring.

2Let an outsider praise you,

And not your own mouth

– A foreigner,

And not your own lips.

3There is the weight of a stone

And the burden of sand,

But a fool's anger is more burdensome than either of them.

4There are cruelty and fury,

And the eruption of anger,

But who can stand

In the face of envy?

5Open reproof is better

Than secret love.

6Wounds from a friend

Are bearable,

But the kisses of one who hates

Are glib.

7One with a satisfied appetite will trample a honeycomb under foot,

But to one with a ravenous appetite,

Even anything bitter is sweet.

8As a bird which flies away from its nest,

So is a man who migrates from his place.

9Oil and incense please the heart,

As does a friend's generosity

With vitally important advice.

10Do not forsake your own friend,

Or a friend of your father,

And do not enter your brother's house in the event of your downfall.

A nearby neighbour

Is better than a distant brother.

11My son, become wise and please my heart

So that I can answer him who reproaches me.

12A prudent man sees evil and hides,

But the gullible cross over to it

And pay the penalty.

13“Take his clothing,

For he became security to a stranger,

And bind him up,

For pledging to a foreign lady.”

14As for him who rises early in the morning

And blesses his neighbour with a loud voice,

It will be considered a curse to him.

15The steady dripping on a day of persistent rain

Is what a contentious wife is comparable to.

16He who would restrain her

Might as well restrain the wind,

And call for ointment to soothe his right hand.

17Iron is sharpened by iron,

And a man sharpens the intellect of his neighbour.

18He who keeps a fig tree

Will eat of its fruit,

And he who heeds his master

Will be honoured.

19Just as water reflects a face back to a face,

So a man's heart reflects the man.

20The grave and destruction are never satisfied,

And never satisfied are the eyes of man.

21The crucible is for silver,

And the furnace for gold,

But a man is assessed

According to how he is commended.

22Even if you were to grind the fool in a mortar

Among the crushed grain, with a pestle,

His stupidity would not depart from him.

23Make a point of knowing the condition of your sheep,

And pay attention to the flocks,

24For riches do not endure for ever

Nor does a crown from generation to generation.

25The hay is taken away,

The fresh grass appears,

And the vegetation of the mountains is gathered.

26Lambs are for your clothing,

And goats pay for the price of their field,

27And you will have sufficient goats' milk for your own food,

And for the food of your household

And sustenance for your maidservants.

Proverbs Chapter 28 

1The wicked flee when there is no pursuer,

But the righteous have confidence like a lion.

2For the misrule of a country,

It has many rulers,

But with a man who understands and is knowledgeable,

Its basis will last long.

3An impoverished man who oppresses the poor

Is like sweeping rain

And no food.

4Those who forsake the law

Praise the wicked man,

But those who keep the law

Are offended by them.

5Evil men do not understand justice,

But those who seek the Lord

Will understand everything.

6An impoverished man who walks in his integrity

Is better than one who perverts his ways,

But who is rich.

7He who keeps the law

Is an understanding son,

But he who associates with the debauched

Puts his father to shame.

8He who increases his wealth by charging interest,

And by exacting a financial return,

Accumulates it

For him who will be gracious to the poor.

9As for him who turns a deaf ear to the law,

His prayer is an abomination in addition.

10He who leads the upright astray into a bad way

Will fall into his own pit,

Whereas those with integrity

Will inherit what is good.

11A rich man is wise in his own eyes,

But a poor man who has understanding

Will examine him.

12When the righteous rejoice,

There is great glory,

But when the wicked rise,

A man will be in hiding.

13He who covers up his transgressions

Will not be successful,

But he who confesses them and renounces them

Will be shown mercy.

14Happy is the man who always fears,

But he who hardens his heart

Will land in trouble.

15An evil ruler over a powerless people

Is a growling lion and a prowling bear.

16A leader who lacks understanding

And a great oppressor

What of him?

But he who hates plunder

Will prolong his days.

17A man under pressure by having shed the blood of a person

Will flee until he goes to the grave.

May he not be given support.

18He who walks with integrity

Will be saved,

But he who is perverse in his ways

Will fall on one of them.

19He who cultivates his land

Will have plenty of food,

But he who pursues vain things

Will have plenty of scarcity.

20A faithful man will have many blessings,

But he who hastens to enrich himself

Will not be held guiltless.

21It is not good to show partiality,

Yet for a piece of bread

A man will transgress.

22A man with a covetous eye hastens to riches,

But he does not know

That scarcity will come upon him.

23He who reproves a man

Will find more goodwill afterwards

Than he who flatters with his tongue.

24As for him who robs his father and his mother,

Saying that it isn't wrong,

He is an accomplice

To a ruinous man.

25He of an overbearing manner

Arouses strife,

But he who trusts in the Lord

Will be richly satisfied.

26He who trusts his own heart

Is a fool,

But he who walks in wisdom

Will be delivered.

27He who gives to the poor

Does not suffer lack,

But he who turns his eyes away

Incurs an abundance of curses.

28When the wicked rise up,

A man will go into hiding,

But when they perish

The righteous will be numerous.

Proverbs Chapter 29 

1A man who has been reproved many times

Becomes stiff-necked

And will suddenly suffer a downfall

With no remedy.

2When the righteous have power,

The people are joyful,

But when a wicked man rules,

The people sigh.

3A man who loves wisdom

Pleases his father,

But he who associates with prostitutes

Dissipates wealth.

4A king reigning judiciously

Establishes a country,

But a man open to bribes

Demolishes it.

5A man who flatters his neighbour

Spreads a net at his steps.

6An evil man is a snare with his transgression,

But a righteous man shouts for joy

And rejoices.

7A righteous man recognizes the legal rights of the poor,

But a wicked man does not care to acknowledge them.

8Scornful men incite a town,

But the wise avert anger.

9As for a wise man litigating with a fool,

Whether he rages or laughs,

There is no rest.

10Bloodthirsty men hate an integrous man,

But the upright seek to preserve his life.

11A fool gives vent to all his temperament,

But a wise man keeps it quiet in the background.

12If a ruler heeds lying words,

All his servants will be recruited from the wicked.

13When a poor man and a violent man meet,

The Lord enlightens the eyes of both of them.

14If a king judges the poor truthfully,

His throne will be established in perpetuity.

15The rod and reproof yield wisdom,

But a child excused

Brings shame on his mother.

16When the wicked increase,

Transgression increases too,

But the righteous will see their downfall.

17Correct your son,

And he will give you rest,

And he will give your being great pleasure.

18When there is no vision,

The people will behave wildly,

But as for him who keeps the law,

Blessed is he.

19A servant will not be corrected by words;

Even if he understands,

There will not be a response.

20Have you seen a man

Who was rash with his words?

There is more hope for a fool than him.

21When one spoils one's servant from his youth,

The result of it will be ingratitude.

22A bad-tempered man stirs up strife,

And a man prone to fury

Is in great transgression.

23A man's pride will bring him low,

But he of humble spirit will acquire honour.

24He who shares spoil with a thief

Hates himself;

He hears an oath,

But he does not tell anyone.

25A man's disquiet constitutes a snare,

But he who trusts in the Lord

Will be placed in security.

26Many seek an audience with a ruler,

But a man's justice will come from the Lord.

27An iniquitous man is an abomination to the righteous,

Whereas he who is upright in his way

Is an abomination to the wicked man.

Proverbs Chapter 30 

1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh. The burden which the man spoke to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal.

2Now I am more unrefined than any individual,

And I do not have a man's erudition,

3And I have not learned wisdom,

But I do have knowledge of holy things.

4Who has ascended to heaven and descended?

Who gathers the wind in his cupped hands?

Who has bound up the waters in a garment?

Who established all the ends of the earth?

What is his name,

And what is his son's name,

If you know?

5Every saying of God has been refined;

It is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

6Do not add to his words,

Lest he reprove you,

And you are proved false.

7I have asked two things from you;

Do not withhold them from me

Before I die.

8Keep falsity and lying words away from me,

Do not give me poverty or riches;

Feed me on the food appointed for me,

9Lest I should become excessively provided for,

And disavow, and say,

“Who is the Lord?”

And lest I should become impoverished and steal,

And use the name of my God irreverently.

10Do not speak slanderously of a servant to his master,

Lest he should curse you,

And you incur guilt.

11A generation curses their father

And does not bless their mother.

12A generation is pure in its own eyes,

But it is not washed clean of its excrement.

13How a generation's eyes are haughty

And its eyelids lifted up!

14– A generation whose teeth are swords

And whose incisors are knives

For devouring the poor of the land

And the needy among mankind.

15A leech had two daughters,

Who said, “Give, give.”

When there were three of them,

They were not satisfied,

And when they were four, they did not say,

That is plenty.”

16They are the grave,

A closed womb,

Land not satisfied with water,

And a fire which does not say,

That is plenty.”

17As for an eye which mocks his father

And scorns obedience to his mother,

The ravens of the brook will peck at it,

And the young of the eagle will consume it.

18There are three things too wonderful for me,

And four which I do not comprehend:

19The way of the eagle in the sky,

The way of the serpent on a rock,

The way of a ship in the middle of the sea

And the way of a man with a maiden.

20Such is the way of an adulterous woman;

She eats and wipes her mouth,

And says,

“I haven't done anything wrong.”

21At three things the earth is agitated,

And four it is not able to bear:

22A servant who reigns,

And a fool when he has had his fill of food,

23A detestable woman if she marries,

And a maidservant who dispossesses her mistress.

24There are four creatures

Which are small on the earth,

But they are wise,

Most wise:

25The ants are not a strong people,

But in summer they make provision for their food;

26The rock hyraxes which are not a powerful people,

But they make their home in a rock;

27The locust which does not have a king,

Yet they go out in a pincer movement;

28The lizard which holds on with its arms

And is found in royal palaces.

29There are three creatures

Which are good in their motion,

And four which are good in their movement:

30The lion is mighty among animals

– It does not back away from anything;

31The zebra girded around the loins,

And the he-goat,

And the king against whom there is no insurrection.

32If you have acted foolishly in exalting yourself,

Or if you have been devious,

Put your hand to your mouth.

33For the churning of milk produces butter,

But the churning of wrath produces bloodshed,

And the churning of anger produces contention.

Reference(s) in Chapter 30: v.6 ↔ Revelation 22:18.

Proverbs Chapter 31 

1The words of Lemuel the king – the burden which his mother taught him.

2What, my son?

And what, O son of my womb?

And what, O son of my vows?

3Do not give your strength to women,

Or engage on ways

Liable to wipe out kings.

4It is not fitting for kings, Lemuel,

It is not fitting for kings to drink wine,

Nor for princes to drink any strong liquor,

5Lest he should drink and forget what is decreed,

And he subverts the justice of any of the afflicted.

6Give strong liquor to him who is perishing,

And wine to the inwardly bitter.

7Let him drink and forget his poverty,

And no longer remember his sorrow.

8Open your mouth to the mute

And for the justice of all those passing away.

9Open your mouth,

Judge righteously,

And defend the poor and needy.

10Who can find a virtuous wife,

Whose value is far above red corals?

11Her husband's heart will put trust in her,

And gain will not be lacking.

12She will bestow good on him, and not evil,

All the days of her life.

13She asks for wool and flax,

And works with her hands with pleasure.

14She is like a merchant's ships;

She brings her food in from a long way off.

15And she arises while it is still night

And gives food to her household

And instructions to her maidservants.

16She considers a field

And acquires it;

By the fruitful work of her hands

A vineyard is planted.

17She girds her loins with strength

And puts energy into her arms.

18She verifies that her merchandise is good,

And her lamp does not go out at night.

19She applies her arm to the distaff,

And her hand holds the spindle.

20Her hand distributes to the poor,

And she extends her arms to the needy.

21She does not fear snow in her house,

For all her household are clothed in scarlet.

22She makes herself drapery;

Fine linen and purple are her attire.

23Her husband is known at the gates

When he sits with the elders of the land.

24She makes linen and sells it,

And she supplies the merchant with girdles.

25Strength and dignity are her attire,

And she will laugh on the last day.

26She opens her mouth with wisdom,

And the law of kindness is on her tongue.

27She watches the proceedings of her household closely,

And she does not eat the bread of laziness.

28Her sons arise and call her blessed,

As does her husband,

And he praises her.

29Many daughters have conducted themselves virtuously,

But you have surpassed them all.

30Elegance is a delusion,

And beauty is a vain thing,

But it is a woman who fears the Lord

Who will be praised.

31Give her the fruit of her hands,

And may her deeds occasion her praise at the gates.

Job  

Job Chapter 1 

1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. And that man was integrous and upright, who feared God and departed from evil. 2And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3And his possessions consisted of seven thousand sheep and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and he had a very great body of servants. And this man was greater than all other men of the east. 4And his sons organized a feast at home, each on his own day, and they sent messengers and invited their three sisters to come and eat and drink with them. 5And it came to pass, when the days of the feast came round, that Job sent instructions and sanctified them, and he rose early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of all of them, for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their heart.” Job did this every day. 6Now the day came when the sons of God came to stand before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” And Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, for there is no-one like him on the earth – an integrous and upright man fearing God and departing from evil.” 9Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Is it for nothing that Job fears God? 10Have you not hedged him in with his household, and everything he has, all around? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11But now, just put out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will certainly curse you to your face.” 12Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, everything he has is in your hand, only do not put your hand out to him.” And Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. 13And the day came, while his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine at the house of their firstborn brother, 14when a messenger came to Job, who said, “The oxen were ploughing, and the she-asses were feeding next to them, 15when the Sabaeans attacked them and took them and struck the servant-lads with the blade of the sword, and only I escaped to tell you.” 16While this man was still speaking, another came and said, “A very great fire fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servant-lads, and it consumed them, and only I escaped to tell you.” 17While this man was still speaking, another came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three contingents, and they raided the camels and took them, and they struck the servant-lads with the blade of the sword, and only I escaped to tell you.” 18While this man was still speaking, another came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their firstborn brother, 19when a great wind came from across the desert and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the lads, and they died, and only I have escaped to tell you.” 20Then Job rose and tore his coat and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshipped, 21and he said,

“Naked I came out of my mother's womb,

And naked I will return there.

The Lord has given,

And the Lord has taken;

Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

22Despite all this, Job did not sin, and he did not charge God with foolishness.

Job Chapter 2 

1And the day came when the sons of God came to stand before the Lord, and Satan came too among them to stand before the Lord. 2And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” And Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth and walking up and down on it.” 3Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, for there is no-one like him on the earth, an integrous and upright man, fearing God and departing from evil, and still maintaining his integrity? But you have moved me against him, to swallow him up for no reason.” 4At this Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin, and everything a man has, he will give for his life. 5But just put out your hand and strike his bones and his flesh, and he will certainly curse you to your face.” 6Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but guard his life.” 7And Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and he struck Job with sore ulcers, from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8And Job took an earthenware shard with which to scrape himself, and he sat in ashes. 9And his wife said to him, “Do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse God and die.” 10And he said to her, “You are talking the way one of the irreverent women would. Shall we receive good from God, and not also receive evil?” Despite all this, Job did not sin with his lips. 11Then when three of Job's friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came, each one from his place: Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. And they agreed together to go and console him and comfort him. 12And they lifted up their eyes from a distance, and they did not recognize him, and they raised their voices and wept, and each one tore his coat, and they sprinkled dust on their heads, throwing it towards the sky. 13And they sat with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, and no-one said anything to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

Job Chapter 3 

1After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day. 2And Job began to speak and said,

3“May the day on which I was born perish,

And the night when it was said,

‘A man has been fathered.’

4May that day be darkness,

May God not care for it above,

And may no light shine on it.

5May darkness and the shadow of death stain it,

May a cloud rest on it;

Let daytime darkenings overwhelm it.

6May gloom take that night,

May it not be included in the days of the year;

May it not enter into the number of the months.

7Behold, may that night be barren;

May no rejoicing enter into it.

8May those who curse a day denounce it

– Those who are prepared to arouse Leviathan.

9May its twilight stars be darkened;

May it wait for light and there not be any,

And may it not see the aura of dawn.

10For it did not shut the gates of my mother's womb,

Nor did it hide sorrow from my eyes.

11Why did I not die in the womb?

Why did I not come out of the belly and expire?

12Why did knees prepare for me?

And why were there breasts for me to suck?

13For then I would now be lying down and be undisturbed;

For then I would be asleep and at rest,

14With kings and counsellors of the earth

Who built monuments now ruins for themselves,

15Or with princes who had gold,

Who filled their houses with silver,

16Or as a miscarriage that needs to be buried,

So that I would not now exist,

Like infants who never saw light.

17There, the wicked cease raging,

And there, those wearied by effort find rest,

18Together with prisoners who are at ease;

They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.

19Whether small or great, there he is,

And the servant, free from his master.

20Why does he give light to the wretched,

And life to those who are melancholic?

21– Who are waiting for death

But it does not come?

– Who search for it more earnestly than for hidden treasures?

22– Who are happy, exultant even,

As they rejoice when they find the grave?

23Why does he give light to a man whose way is hidden,

Around whom God has put a hedge?

24For my sighing comes to the forefront more than my bread,

And my groaning is uttered voluminously.

25For the thing which I greatly feared has befallen me,

And that which I was afraid of has come upon me.

26I am not in comfort

And not in quietude

And not at rest,

For trouble has come.”

Job Chapter 4 

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2“If we offer you some words,

Will you take offence?

For to withhold words

– Who can do it?

3Look, you have instructed many

And strengthened weak hands.

4Your words have lifted up him who was stumbling,

And you have strengthened failing knees.

5But now it has come upon you,

And you take offence;

It has touched you,

And you are agitated.

6Is not your godly fear your confidence?

And is not the integrity of your ways your hope?

7Remember, please, who being innocent ever perished?

And where were the innocent ever annihilated?

8According to what I have seen,

Those who plough falsehood and sow iniquity

Reap it again.

9By the breath of God they perish,

And by the blast of his nostrils they are destroyed.

10The roaring of the lion

And the sound of the fierce lion

And the teeth of the young lions

Are knocked out.

11The old lion perishes for want of prey,

And the whelps of the strong lion are scattered.

12And a word has come furtively to me,

And my ear has picked up a whisper of it,

13In the thoughts from the visions of the night,

When slumber falls on men.

14Dread came upon me, and trembling,

And filled the bulk of my bones with foreboding.

15And a spirit passed by my face,

And the hair on my flesh bristled up.

16It stood still,

But I could not recognize its appearance;

It was an image before my eyes.

There was silence,

Then I heard a voice, which said,

17Can man be more righteous than God?

Or can a man be more pure than his maker?’

18Behold, he does not put trust in his servants,

And he charges his angels with folly.

19How much less does he trust dwellers in houses of mortar,

Whose foundation is in the dust?

They could be crushed more easily than a moth.

20From morning to evening they could be pounded

Without anyone ever caring

That they had perished.

21Would their illustriousness not be removed?

They would die,

And not in wisdom.

Job Chapter 5 

1Call now and see if there is anyone who answers you.

And to which of the holy ones will you turn?

2For wrath kills the foolish man,

And jealousy causes the simple-minded man to die.

3I have seen the foolish taking root,

But I suddenly realized how his home would be.

4His sons are far from salvation

And are crushed at the gate,

And there is no-one to deliver them,

5Whose harvest the hungry will eat,

Which they will take from among the thorns,

As destruction swallows up their wealth.

6Although sorrow does not come out of the soil,

And wretchedness does not sprout from the ground,

7Yet man is born to face toil,

As surely as sparks fly upward.

8But I would seek God,

And with God I would set out my case.

9He performs great deeds

Of which there is no searching out

– Wonders of which there is no limit.

10He provides rain on the surface of the earth,

And he sends water onto the surface of the open places.

11He sets the lowly on high,

So that those who mourn are exalted in salvation,

12Frustrating the thoughts of the crafty,

So that their hands cannot perform with competence,

13Taking the wise in their own cunning,

So that the counsel of the deceitful is forestalled.

14By day they meet with darkness,

And as at night, so they grope at noon.

15But he saves the poor from the sword

– From their blade –

And from the hand of the strong,

16So that the lowly have hope,

And injustice shuts its mouth.

17Behold, blessed is the man whom God reproves,

So do not reject the correction of the Almighty,

18For he causes pain,

But he binds up again;

He bruises,

But his hands heal again.

19He will deliver you from six adversities,

And in seven no harm will touch you.

20In famine he will save you from death,

And in war, from the power of the sword.

21You will be hidden from the scourge of slander,

And you will not fear devastation

If it comes.

22You will laugh at devastation and starvation,

And you will not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

23For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field,

And the wild beasts will be at peace with you.

24And you will know that your tent is at peace,

And when you check your tent,

You will not miss anything.

25And you will know that your seed is many,

And your offspring is as the grass of the earth.

26You will go to the grave in ripe old age,

Like the gathering in of a stack of corn in its season.

27Behold this account;

We have searched it out

– It is so.

Hear it and know it,

For your own sake.”

Reference(s) in Chapter 5: v.13 ↔ 1 Corinthians 3:19.

Job Chapter 6 

1Then Job answered and said,

2“If only my grief were thoroughly weighed

And my hardship were laid in the scales together with it.

3For now it is heavier than the sand of the sea,

Which is why my words are wild.

4For the Almighty's arrows are in me

– My spirit has to drink their payload;

The terrors of God are arrayed against me.

5Does the wild ass bray over grass,

Or does the ox low over its fodder?

6Is bland food eaten without salt,

Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

7I have no appetite for such things;

They are my uninviting food.

8If only my request might be considered,

And that God would grant my wish.

9If God were to be pleased to crush me,

To loosen his grip

And to cut me off,

10It would nevertheless be comfort to me,

And I would endure in writhing,

Which he would not spare,

For I have not concealed the holy one's words.

11What strength do I have,

That I should have hope?

And what is my final condition,

That I should prolong my life?

12Is my strength the strength of stones?

Is my flesh brazen?

13Is it not the case that I have no help in my own resources?

– And that competence has been driven away from me?

14To him who is in low spirits,

Kindness is due from his friend,

Even if he has abandoned fear of the Almighty.

15But my brothers have acted treacherously

Like a torrent,

Then like torrent tributaries,

They vanished.

16They are inhospitable, because of ice,

And in them snow is hidden.

17When they are exposed to scorching conditions,

They vanish;

In the heat,

They dry up on the spot.

18Their course is brought to a standstill;

They evaporate and are lost.

19The travelling companies of Tema looked on;

The caravans of Sheba put hope in them,

20But they were put to shame

For where each put his trust.

They arrived there

And were confounded.

21For now you are no comfort;

You see a terrible thing

And are afraid.

22Did I say, ‘Give me support’?

Or, ‘Offer me some of your wealth’?

23Or, ‘Deliver me from the clutches of adversity’?

Or, ‘Redeem me from the grip of fierce men’?

24Teach me,

And I will be silent,

And cause me to understand

In what way I have erred.

25How forcible words of uprightness are,

And how strongly reproving your reproof is!

26Do you think you have reproved my words?

Or scattered to the wind the words of one in despair?

27Indeed, you cast down orphans

And undermine your neighbour.

28So now, be willing to turn to me,

And it will be evident to you

If I lie.

29Reconsider, I pray,

Let there be no more injustice.

And reconsider also

Whether I am right about this.

30Is there any injustice in my tongue?

Can my palate not discern perverse things?”

Job Chapter 7 

1“Does man not have warfare here on earth?

And are not his days like the days of a hired labourer?

2As a servant pants for shade,

And as a hired labourer awaits the wages of his work,

3So I am made to endure months of calamity,

And nights of sorrow are appointed to me.

4Whenever I lie down, I say,

‘When will it be time for me to get up,

And the night be over?’

For I am full of restlessness

Until the morning twilight.

5My flesh is clothed in worms and clods of earth;

My skin breaks up and wastes away.

6My days pass more swiftly than a weaver's shuttle,

And they are spent without any hope.

7Remember that my life is but wind;

My eye shall not see goodness again.

8The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more,

But your eyes will be on me,

Though I will be no more.

9As the cloud dissipates and vanishes,

So he who goes down to the grave

Does not ascend again.

10He does not return again to his house,

And his home place will not welcome him again.

11But I too will not hold back my mouth,

I will speak in the distress of my spirit;

I will lament in the bitterness of my feelings.

12Am I the sea, or a sea-monster,

So that you should set a watch over me?

13For I have said,

‘My bed will comfort me;

My couch will ease my complaint’,

14But you terrify me in dreams

And frighten me with visions.

15My being would prefer suffocation;

It would prefer death to my intact body.

16I reject life;

I will not live on.

Leave me,

For my days are pointless.

17What is man,

That you should make him great?

– Or that you should set your heart on him?

18But you visit him every morning

And test him every moment.

19How long will you ignore me

And persist with me

Until I swallow my spittle?

20I have sinned

– What can I do to you, O guardian of man?

Why have you made me an object of confrontation with you,

So that I am a burden to you?

21And why do you not pardon my transgression

And forgive my iniquity?

For now I shall lie down on the dust,

And you will seek me diligently,

But I will not be there.”

Job Chapter 8 

1Then Bildad the Shuhite began to speak and said,

2“How long will you declaim these things?

And the words of your mouth are a great wind.

3Does God pervert justice?

Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

4What if your sons sinned against him,

And he has cast them out for their transgressions?

5If you would seek God diligently,

And make supplication to the Almighty,

6If you were pure and upright,

Then he would now bestir himself for you

And keep your righteous dwelling place safe.

7And however much your beginning may have been a small matter,

Yet your final situation would become very great.

8For inquire, I pray you, of a former generation,

And establish it by investigation of their fathers.

9For we are of yesterday,

And we do not know much at all,

For our days are just a shadow on the earth.

10Will they not teach you

And speak to you

And bring out words from their heart?

11Do papyrus plants grow without a swamp?

Does bulrush grow without water?

12While it is still in tender greenness,

It is not plucked away.

But it dries up quicker than any other kind of grass.

13So are the paths of all who forget God,

And the hope of the profane comes to nothing.

14Their hope is cut off,

And their object of trust turns out to be a spider's cobweb.

15When he leans on his house,

It will not stand;

He will hold it fast,

But it will not stand firm.

16As a tree which is moist in the sun,

Whose young shoot sprouts in its garden,

17Whose roots are intertwined at the water-source,

Which looks down on a house of stone,

18If anyone uproots it from its place,

The place will disown the tree, and say,

‘I do not care for you.’

19Behold, that would be the end of its joyful course,

And other plants would grow from its soil.

20Behold, God does not reject those of integrity,

And he does not hold the hand of evildoers.

21If you would seek God diligently,

God would not rest

Until he fills your mouth with laughter,

And your lips with a shout for joy.

22Those who hate you would be clothed in shame,

And the tent of the wicked would no longer exist.”

Job Chapter 9 

1Then Job replied and said,

2“Indeed I know it is so,

But how can a man be just with God?

3If he were to be pleased to contend with him,

The man could not answer one question out of a thousand.

4Who, however wise of heart and mighty in strength,

Ever hardened himself against him

And came off well?

5He removes mountains,

But they are unaware of it,

And he overturns them in his anger.

6He shakes the earth out of its place,

So that its pillars tremble.

7He commands the sun

And it does not rise,

And he sets a seal around the stars.

8He stretches out the heavens on his own,

And he treads on the heights of the sea.

9He made the Great Bear and Orion,

And the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.

10He performs great deeds

Which are beyond searching out,

And wonders which are without number.

11Behold, he passes me by,

But I do not see him.

He goes past,

But I do not perceive him.

12Behold, when he seizes something,

Who can make him return it?

Who can say to him,

‘What are you doing?’

13If God does not avert his anger,

Minions of pride must stoop before him.

14How much less can I answer him?

How could I choose my words in dispute with him?

15– When even if I were just,

I would not answer;

I would make my supplication to my judge.

16Even if I called him, and he answered me,

I would not believe that he had heard my voice.

17He could crush me with a storm

And multiply my wounds without a cause.

18He would not allow me to recover my breath,

For he would fill me with bitter things.

19If it is a matter of strength,

Behold, he is mighty.

And if of justice,

Who will appoint me a hearing?

20If I were to say, ‘I am justified’,

My mouth would be condemning me.

If I were to say, ‘I have integrity’,

It would convict me of perverseness.

21If I were to say, ‘I have integrity’,

I would not recognize myself;

I would loathe my life.

22It is all the same.

That is why I claim,

‘He makes an end of the integrous and wicked alike.’

23If a scourge suddenly kills,

It makes a mockery of the trial of the innocent.

24The earth has been delivered into the hand of the wicked one;

He has put a veil over the faces of its judges.

If it is not so,

Who, then, is he who is responsible?”

25“Now my days pass more swiftly than a runner.

They fly past;

They do not see goodness.

26They pass with the speed of papyrus boats,

As an eagle swoops after prey.

27If I were to say,

‘I will forget my complaint;

I will ignore my situation

And be cheerful’,

28I would be fearful with all my sorrows;

I would know

That you still wouldn't pronounce me innocent.

29Let me be considered wicked.

Why, then, do I go on struggling in vain?

30If I were to wash myself in snow

And purify my hands with soap,

31Then you would still plunge me into the pit,

And even my garments would abhor me.”

32“For he is not a man like me,

That I should be able to answer him, and say,

‘Let us go together to the court of justice.’

33There is no arbiter between us,

Who could put his hand on us both.

34Let him take away his rod from me,

And let him not frighten me with his terror.

35Then I would speak and not fear him,

But it is not so for me in my situation.

Job Chapter 10 

1My being is weary of my life.

I will consign my complaint to myself.

I will speak in the bitterness of my feelings.

2I will say to God,

‘Do not condemn me.

Tell me what you are contending with me about.

3Is it good in your sight that you should oppress?

– That you should reject the work of your hands?

– And that you should shine on the counsel of the wicked?

4Have you got eyes of flesh?

Do you see as man sees?

5Are your days like the days of mankind?

Are your years like the days of a man,

6When you seek my iniquity

And search for my sin?

7You know that I do not act wickedly,

But there is no-one to deliver me out of your hand.

8Your hands took pains to fashion me,

Yet all around, you swallow me up.

9Remember, I pray, that you fashioned me as with clay,

And that you will return me to the dust.

10Did you not pour me out like milk

And solidify me like cheese?

11You clothed me in skin and flesh

And wove me together with bones and sinews.

12You have granted me life and shown me kindness,

And your watchfulness has guarded my spirit,

13Yet you have hidden these things in your heart.

I know that this was your intention.

14If I were to sin,

You would observe me,

And you would not acquit me from my iniquity.

15If I have acted wickedly,

Woe is me.

If I have been righteous,

I will not lift my head.

I am full of ingloriousness;

Just look at my affliction.

16For it is increasing;

You hunt me like a fierce lion

And again use wondrous powers against me.

17You renew your testimonies against me

And increase your anger with me.

And a succession of forces is against me.

18And why did you bring me out of the womb?

I could have expired,

And no eye would have seen me.

19I would be as though I had not existed;

I would have been led from the womb to the grave.’

20Are not my days few?

If only he would desist and turn away from me,

Then I would be a little more cheerful

21Before I go (and do not return)

To the land of darkness and the shadow of death

22– A land of weariness like deep darkness,

And of the shadow of death,

Where no order reigns,

And where it shines deep darkness.”

Job Chapter 11 

1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

2“Shall a profusion of words not be answered?

And is a loquacious man necessarily right?

3Will your lies silence men?

Or will you mock,

With no-one putting you to shame?

4For you have said,

‘My doctrine is pure’,

And, ‘I have been clean in your eyes.’

5But if only God would speak

And open his lips with you

6And tell you the secrets of wisdom,

For they double the value of insight.

And know that God exacts retribution for your iniquity.

7Can you find God with an investigation?

Or can you find the Almighty with complete knowledge?

8What can you undertake concerning the heights of heaven?

What can you know about what is deeper than the underworld?

9Its dimensions are longer than the earth

And wider than the sea.

10If he passes by,

And confines and gathers people up,

Who can make him withdraw it?

11For he knows who the vain men are,

And he sees their wickedness

Although he does not appear attentive.

12But a witless man can become wise,

For a man is born like a wild ass.

13If you prepare your heart,

Then you can stretch out your hands to him.

14If there is vanity in your hands,

Remove it,

And do not let iniquity dwell in your tents.

15For then you will be able to hold your head high spotlessly,

And you will be steadfast,

And you will not need to fear.

16For then you will forget your sorrow

And remember it as you do water that passes by.

17A time will come brighter than noon.

You will soar;

You will be like the morning.

18You will trust,

For you will have hope,

And you will search matters out

And rest with confidence.

19And you will lie down

With nothing to cause alarm,

And many will seek your favour.

20But the eyes of the wicked will fail,

And flight will not be available to them,

And their hope will be as a puff of breath.”

Job Chapter 12 

1Then Job answered and said,

2“Truly, you constitute a people.

But your wisdom will die with you.

3But I also have intellect like you;

I am not inferior to you.

And who is not familiar with such things?

4I am an object of scorn to my neighbour

– One calling to God for him to answer him.

A just and integrous man is an object of scorn.

5A lamp is an object of contempt to the thoughts of him who is at ease,

Although it is prepared for those who are liable to stumble.

6The tents of the plunderers are at ease,

And those who provoke God have confidence

In what God brings in his hand.

7But ask, I pray, the beasts,

And each will teach you,

And the birds of the sky,

And they will inform you.

8Or speak to the earth

And it will teach you,

And the fish of the sea will recount it to you.

9Who does not know by means of all these

That the hand of the Lord has done this?

10– In whose hand the existence of every living being is,

And the spirit of all human flesh.

11Does not the ear discern the sense of words,

And the palate taste food?

12In the elderly is wisdom,

And in great age is understanding.

13With him there is wisdom and mastery;

He has counsel and understanding.

14Behold, he demolishes a building

So that it cannot be built up.

He shuts off a way to a man,

And it cannot be opened again.

15Behold, he shuts off water,

And it dries up,

And when he sends it again,

It overturns the earth.

16He has strength and insight;

He has dominion over him who goes astray

And him who leads astray.

17He leads counsellors stripped of honour,

And he makes a fool of judges.

18He dissolves the punishment inflicted by kings,

And he binds a girdle around their waist.

19He leads priests stripped of office,

And he overthrows the mighty.

20He removes the eloquence of the confident orator,

And he deposes the discernment of the elders.

21He pours contempt on dignitaries,

And he loosens the girdle of the mighty.

22He uncovers deep things from darkness,

And he brings the shadow of death into the light.

23He makes nations great

Then brings them to ruin;

He lets nations expand

Then leads them back.

24He removes reason from the chiefs of the various peoples of the earth

And causes them to wander in desolation,

Where there is no thoroughfare.

25They grope in the dark,

Where there is no light,

And he causes them to wander

Like a drunkard.

Reference(s) in Chapter 12: v.14 ↔ Revelation 3:7.

Job Chapter 13 

1Behold, my eye has seen everything;

My ear has heard it

And understood it.

2What you know,

I know too.

I am not inferior to you.

3But I would like to speak to the Almighty,

And I desire to reason with God.

4But you are fabricators of falsehood;

You are all physicians of no value.

5If only you would altogether keep silence;

For it would be wisdom to you.

6Hear, I pray, my reasoning,

And hearken to the contentions of my lips.

7Will you speak iniquitously to God ?

And speak deceitfully to him?

8Will you show partiality with him?

Or contend with God?

9Is it right that he should investigate you?

Or will you mock him as one mocks a man?

10He will certainly reprove you

If you secretly show partiality.

11Will not his exalted position alarm you

And his fear fall upon you?

12Your weighty sayings are proverbs of ashes;

Your defences are defences of clay.

13Stop talking to me,

And I will speak.

Then let come what may

Come on me.

14Why do I take my flesh in my teeth

And put my life in my hands?

15 Look, I do not expect him to kill me,

But I will contend for my ways before him.

16He is also my salvation,

For no profane person can come into his presence.

17Hear my words attentively,

And heed my arguments in your ears.

18Look, I pray, I have set out my case;

I know I shall be justified.”

19“Who is it who would contend with me?

For if I now keep silence,

I will expire.

20But avoid doing two things to me,

Then I need not be hidden from your presence.

21Remove your hand from me,

And do not alarm me with your foreboding.

22Then call, and I will answer,

Or I will speak, and you can answer me.

23How many iniquities and sins have I committed?

Make my transgression and my sin known to me.

24Why do you hide your face

And consider me to be your enemy?

25Will you put fear into a leaf

That is driven about?

Or will you pursue dry chaff?

26For you indict me with bitter things,

And you load on me the iniquities of my youth,

27Putting my feet in the stocks,

And watching all my paths closely,

And imprinting a mark on the soles of my feet,

28Each of which wastes away like rot,

As a moth eats a garment.

Job Chapter 14 

1Man, born of woman, is of few days,

And has his fill of trouble.

2He is as a flower that comes out

Then is cut off.

And he flees as a shadow

And does not stand in place.

3Nevertheless, you open your eyes on such a one

And bring me to judgment with you.

4Who can make a clean thing

From an unclean one?

– No-one.

5If his days are determined,

If the number of his months is your decision,

If you have appointed his limit,

Then he cannot exceed them.

6Regard him with favour,

Rather than being against him,

So that he may rest

– So that he may take pleasure in his day,

As a hired man does.

7For a tree has hope,

If it is cut down,

That it may sprout again

And that its sucker will not fail,

8Even if its root in the ground has grown old,

And its felled trunk dies on the ground.

9From the smell of water it blossoms

And produces a harvest like a new plant.

10But a man dies and loses vitality;

A human being expires,

Then where is he?

11As the water from the sea recedes,

And a river becomes desolate and dry,

12So a man lies down

And does not rise again

Until the heavens are no more.

They do not awaken,

And they do not rise from their sleep.

13If only you would hide me in the underworld

And conceal me until your anger abates

And appoint me a time

And then remember me.

14If a man dies,

Will he live again?

I will wait all the days of my struggle

For my revival to come.

15You will call,

And I will answer you.

You will yearn for the work of your hands.

16For now you can count my steps.

Are you not on guard concerning my sin?

17My transgression is sealed in a bag,

And you have sewn up my iniquity.

18But even a mountain can fall

And become waste,

And a rock can be removed from its place.

19Water wears down stones;

You sweep away with a flood the soil of the land,

And you destroy the hope of mortal man.

20You overpower him for perpetuity,

And he passes away.

You change his appearance

And dismiss him.

21His sons may acquire honour,

But he would not know,

Or they could be disparaged,

But he would not be aware of their situation.

22But meanwhile his flesh on him suffers pain,

And his inner self is in mourning.”

Job Chapter 15 

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2“Does a wise man answer with knowledge which is nothing but hot air?

– Or does he fill his belly with the east wind?

3Does one argue with a word that is of no avail?

– Or with speeches in which there is no benefit?

4But you would even nullify fear

And minimize the dignity of colloquy with God.

5For your mouth spells out your iniquity,

And you choose crafty language.

6Your mouth condemns you

– Not I;

And your lips testify against you.

7Are you the first man to be born?

Were you brought forth before the hills?

8Have you heard the secret counsel of God?

Do you reserve wisdom to yourself?

9What do you know

That we don't know?

What do you understand

That we are not aware of?

10Amongst us are the elderly and aged,

Older than your father in days.

11Are the consolations of God too small a matter for you?

And are you indifferent to the matter?

12How come your heart is carrying you away?

How come your eyes are winking?

13For you are turning your spirit against God

When you bring such words out of your mouth.

14What is man

That he should be pure,

And that he who is born of a woman

Should be just?

15Behold, he does not put trust in his holy ones,

And the heavens are not pure in his sight.

16How much less a man abhorred and corrupt

– A man who drinks iniquity like water.

17I will explain it to you;

Listen to me,

And I will declare

What I have seen

18Things which wise men have told of

And have not hidden,

Handed down from their forefathers.

19To them alone the land was given,

And no stranger crossed through their midst.

20A wicked person writhes in discomfort all his days,

And the number of years of a violent man is hidden.

21A fearful sound is in his ears;

In a peaceful time the plunderer will come upon him.

22He does not believe he will return from darkness,

And he expects

To be destined for the sword.

23He wanders around looking for where there is food;

He knows that the day of darkness is at hand.

24Adversity and distress terrify him;

They prevail over him like a king ready for battle.

25For he stretches out his hand against God,

And he behaves insolently against the Almighty.

26He runs headlong against him

With thick bosses on his shields.

27For he has covered his face with fatness

And put on flab around his waist.

28So he will dwell in desolate cities,

Where houses are uninhabitable

– Which are on the point of becoming heaps of ruins.

29He will not become rich,

And his wealth will not endure.

So riches of such will not increase on earth.

30He does not depart from darkness.

A flame dries up his sucker,

And by the breath of his mouth he is removed.

31Let him who has been deceived not trust in vanity,

For vanity will be his recompense.

32His time will be fulfilled before it is due,

And his branch will not be green.

33He will be as a vine that shakes off its unripened grapes

And as an olive tree that casts off its blossom,

34For the congregation of the profane is fruitless,

And fire will consume the tents of the corrupt.

35They conceive sorrow

And give birth to worthlessness,

And their inner workings prepare deceit.”

Job Chapter 16 

1Then Job answered and said,

2“I have heard many arguments like these;

You are all wearisome comforters.

3Is there an end to vain words?

Or what has stimulated you to answer like that?

4I too could speak like you,

If only your well-being was in place of my predicament.

I could heap up words against you,

And I could shake my head at you.

5Or I could strengthen you with my speech,

Or the utterance of my lips could give you relief.

6But when I speak,

My pain is not relieved,

And if I forbear,

In what way does my pain go away?”

7“But even now it is distressing me.

You have desolated all my family circle.

8And you have made my face wrinkly;

It is a witness.

And the fact that I have become very lean

Testifies to my face.”

9In his wrath he tears me to pieces

And persecutes me.

He gnashes his teeth against me;

My adversary sharpens his eyes against me.

10People gape at me with their mouths;

They strike my cheek in reproach.

They act completely wantonly.

11God has delivered me to the evil one,

And he has thrown me into the hands of the wicked.

12I was at ease,

But he shook me to pieces,

And he took me by the scruff of the neck

And dashed me to smithereens

And set me up as his target.

13His archers surround me;

He cleaves my kidneys apart

And does not spare.

He sheds my gall on the ground.

14He breaks me with rupture upon rupture;

He runs at me like a warrior.

15I have sewn sackcloth around my skin;

I have to roll my dignity in the dust.

16My face has become inflamed with weeping,

And the shadow of death is on my eyelids,

17Not for any violence on my hands,

And my prayer was pure.

18O earth, do not cover my blood,

And let there be no room for my cry.

19Even now, behold, my witness is in the heavens,

And he who testifies for me is in the high places.

20Those who mock me are my friends;

My eye sheds tears to God

21That someone would plead on behalf of man with God,

As a son of Adam pleads on behalf of his friend.

22For when a few years have come,

I shall go the way

From which I will not return.”

Job Chapter 17 

1“My spirit is broken,

My days are extinguished;

The graves await me.

2There are certainly mockers all around me,

And my eye has to endure their provocation.

3Arrange an agreement, I pray;

Pledge yourself on my behalf.

Who else is there

Who will shake hands with me?

4For you have hidden understanding from their heart;

It being so, you will not exalt them.”

5“When a person betrays his friends for a share of spoils,

Even his sons' eyes fail in astonishment.

6But he has made me a byword of various nations,

And I have become one who is spat on.

7And my eye has grown dim with grief,

And all my limbs are as a shadow.

8The upright will be astonished at this,

And the innocent man will be stirred up against the profane.

9But the righteous will hold to his way,

And he who is of clean hands will increase in strength.

10But to all of them I say,

‘Return, and come, I pray,

For I do not find a single wise man among you.’

11My days are passing;

My plans are dashed,

As are the thoughts of my heart.

12They appoint me night for day;

The light is short-lived because of darkness.

13If I have a hope,

The underworld is my home.

In darkness I will spread my bed.

14I call out to bodily decay,

‘You are my father’,

And to the worm,

You are my mother and my sister.’

15So where then is my hope?

And as for my hope, who will see it?

16You will descend by the litter-poles of the underworld

When with you I find rest in the dust.”

Job Chapter 18 

1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

2“How long will it be

Before you make an end of such words?

First gain understanding,

And afterwards, we will speak.

3Why are we counted as cattle?

Why are we defiled in your eyes?

4You are the one who tears himself apart in his anger.

Should the earth be forsaken for your sake?

– Or a rock be removed from its place?

5Truly, the light of the wicked will be extinguished,

And no flame of such a one's fire will shine.

6Light will become darkness in his tent,

And his lamp will be extinguished over him.

7His iniquitous steps will be repressed,

And his own counsel will cast him down.

8For he is hurled into a net by his own feet,

And he will walk into an entanglement.

9A snare will seize him by the heel;

A noose around him will hold him fast.

10The tripwire for him is hidden on the ground,

As is a trap for him on the pathway.

11Terrors frighten him round about

And chase him around at his feet.

12Let his strength be exhausted

And destruction be prepared at his side.

13It will consume the fabric of his skin;

The firstborn of death will consume his members.

14His confidence will be plucked away from his tent,

And you will march him up to the king of terrors.

15Terror will dwell in his tent

Without him being able to do anything about it.

Sulphur will be scattered on his home.

16His roots will dry up below,

And his branches will be cut off above.

17The memory of him will perish from the land,

And he will have no reputation abroad.

18He will be driven from light to darkness;

He will be chased out of the world.

19He will have no posterity or progeny among his people,

And no survivor in his dwellings.

20Those who come afterwards

Will be astonished at his fate,

Just as those who come before it

Will have taken fright at it.

21But these are the dwellings of the unjust,

And this is the place of him

Who does not know God.”

Job Chapter 19 

1Then Job answered and said,

2“How long will you afflict my being

And crush me with your words?

3You have put me to shame these ten times

And are still not ashamed

That you alienate me like this.

4But even if it were true that I have erred,

My sense of error would remain with me.

5If you really will act proudly against me,

And argue against me on the grounds of my reproachful state,

6Know that God has overthrown me

And has cast his net around me.

7Behold, I call out,

It is wrong’,

But I am not answered.

I cry out,

But there is no process of judgment.

8He has fenced in my way

So that I cannot pass across,

And he has put darkness on my paths.

9He has stripped me of my honour,

And he has removed the crown from my head.

10He has demolished me all around,

And I have melted,

And he has removed my hope like a tree.

11And he has kindled his wrath against me,

And he has considered me as one of his adversaries.

12His troops come together

And raise up their highway against me

And encamp around my tent.

13He has removed my brothers from me,

And my acquaintances are thoroughly estranged from me.

14My relatives have disowned me,

And my colleagues have forgotten me.

15Those who dwell in my house and my handmaids

Consider me a stranger;

I have become a foreigner in their sight.

16I call my servant,

But he does not answer;

I implore him with my instructions.

17My breath is loathsome to my wife,

And I am abominable to the sons of my loins.

18Even young children reject me;

When I appear,

They jeer at me.

19All the members of my secret counsel abhor me,

And they whom I loved have turned against me.

20My bones cleave to my skin and flesh,

And I survive by the skin of my teeth.

21Have pity on me,

Have pity on me, my friends,

For the hand of God has struck me.

22Why do you persecute me like God,

And why are you not satisfied with the state of my flesh?

23If only my words could be written down now;

If only they could be inscribed in a book.

24If only they could be engraved in rock in perpetuity,

With an iron stylus, and lead filled.

25But I know that my redeemer lives,

And that in the end time he will appear on earth,

26And that after my skin has been destroyed like this,

I will in my flesh yet behold God,

27Whom I shall behold for myself,

And my eyes will see one

Who is not a stranger,

For whom my heart pines deeply.

28For will you say,

‘Why did we persecute him?’

Is the root of the matter to be found in me?

29Fear the sword,

For the punishments of the sword are full of fury,

In order that you may know that there is justice.”

Job Chapter 20 

1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

2“This is why my thoughts prompt me to answer,

And why I am hasty in doing so.

3I hear correction of my supposedly shameful stance,

And my discerning spirit gives me an answer.

4Do you not know this,

Known of olden time,

Since man was placed on the earth,

5That the rejoicing of the wicked is of short duration,

And the happiness of the profane is but for a moment?

6Even if his exaltation goes up to heaven,

And his head reaches to the clouds,

7He will perish in perpetuity like his dung.

Those who have seen him will say,

‘Where is he?’

8He will fly away like a dream

And will not be found,

And he will be driven away like a nightly vision.

9An eye may have seen him,

But it will do so no more,

And his home place will no longer welcome him.

10His sons will satisfy the poor,

And his own hands will repay his wealth.

11While his bones are still full of youthful vigour,

Each will lie down in the dust with him.

12Although wickedness is sweet in the mouth,

And he keeps it hidden under his tongue,

13Keeping it and not letting it go,

And retaining it in his mouth,

14His food will change in his bowels;

There will be adders' venom in his innards.

15He has swallowed down riches

And will vomit them up again;

God will drive them out of his stomach.

16He will suck adders' poison;

The tongue of the viper will kill him.

17May he not see streams

– The rivers and brooks of honey and butter.

18He will repay what is owed for his toil

And will not swallow it up.

According to his wealth, his debt of restitution will be,

And he will not rejoice in it,

19Because he crushed and abandoned the poor;

He seized a house

Which he did not build,

20And because he was never content inwardly,

Nor did he ever let a desirable object escape him.

21There is nothing that escapes his voracity,

Which is why his well-being will not last.

22In satisfying his greed,

He enters into straits.

Every distressing force shall come upon him.

23When he is about to fill his belly,

God will send his furious anger on him,

And he will rain it on him during his meal.

24He may flee from iron weaponry,

But the copper bow will pierce him through.

25And if one extract the arrow,

And it comes out of his back,

Or the blade comes out from his entrails,

Then terrors still await him.

26All darkness is reserved for his hidden treasures;

A fire not blown with bellows will devour him.

Any survivor in his tent will fare badly.

27The heavens will reveal his iniquity,

And the earth will rise up against him.

28The produce of his household will be taken away,

And various things will be poured out

On the day of his wrath.

29This is the fate of the wicked man from God,

And his appointed inheritance from God.”

Job Chapter 21 

1Then Job answered and said,

2“Listen carefully to my words,

And let this be your consolation.

3Bear with me, and I will speak,

And after my words, you can mock.

4Is my complaint made to man?

And if so, why should I not be impatient?

5Turn towards me and be astonished,

And put your hand over your mouth.

6If I remember it,

I am terrified,

And fear takes hold of my body.

7Why do the wicked live

And grow old,

And even increase their power?

8Their seed is established with them in their presence,

And their progeny in their sight.

9Their houses are free of fear,

But there is no rule of God over them.

10His ox procreates

And is not infertile;

His cow calves

And does not miscarry.

11They let their little ones frolic like lambs,

And their children dance around.

12They lift up their spirits with drum and harp,

And they rejoice to the sound of the flute.

13They spend their days in well-being,

But in a moment they descend to the underworld.

14Yet they say to God,

‘Depart from us’,

And, ‘We do not take pleasure in knowledge of your ways.

15Who is the Almighty,

That we should serve him,

And in what way are we profited,

That we entreat him?’

16Behold, their well-being is not under their control.

The conduct of the wicked is far from me.

17But you say,

‘How often the lamp of the wicked is extinguished,

And how often their downfall comes upon them!

He apportions them agony in his anger.

18They will be as straw in the wind,

And as chaff which the storm carries away.

19God reserves his punishment for the man's iniquity for his sons;

He retributes him,

And he knows it.

20His eyes will see his demise,

And he will drink from the wrath of the Almighty.

21For what pleasure does he leave in his house after him

When the number of his months is cut in half?’

22Can anyone teach God knowledge?

Or will he judge those on high?

23One dies in the prime of his strength

When he is entirely at ease and comfortable.

24His bottles are full of milk,

And the marrow of his bones is well-nourished.

25Another dies with bitter feelings

And does not partake of the goodness.

26Together in the dust they lie

And the worm covers them both.

27Behold, I know your thoughts

And your devices,

Which do violence to me.

28For you say,

‘Where is the noble's house?’

And, ‘Where is the tent of the dwellings of the wicked?’

29Have you not asked the passers-by?

Do you not recognize their writing?

30They say,

‘For the wicked man is reserved to the day of calamity;

They will be led to the day of wrath.’

31Who will tell him his way to his face?

And who will repay him for what he has done?

32So he will be led to the burial places,

And he will take his place in his sepulchral mound.

33The covering of turf from the brook will be sweet to him.

And every man after him will face the same fate,

As have countless before him,

34So how can you comfort me with vanity,

And with answers in which treachery remains?”

Job Chapter 22 

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2“Is a man profitable to God?

For a prudent man is profitable to himself.

3Is it a matter of delight to the Almighty

If you are righteous?

Or is it gain to him

That you act with integrity in your ways?

4Will he contend with you for fear of you?

Will he enter with you into a judicial process?

5Is not your wickedness great?

And is there no end to your iniquities?

6– Whether you bind your brothers by a pledge gratuitously,

Or strip off the clothes of those you leave naked,

7Or you don't give the weary water to drink,

Or you withhold bread from the hungry?

8Or you may be of those who say,

‘The earth belongs to the powerful man’,

And, ‘Let him who is of elevated station dwell in it.’

9You may have sent away widows empty-handed

And stood by when the arms of orphans were crushed.

10That is why there are snares all around you,

And fear suddenly grips you,

11Or darkness so that you can't see anything,

Or a flood of water which will cover you.

12Is not God in the height of the heavens?

For see how high the foremost stars are.

13And you may have said,

‘What does God know?

Can he judge through dark clouds?

14Thick clouds are his secret covering,

And he cannot see,

And he walks round in the circuit of heaven.’

15Have you observed the age-old path

Which vain men have trodden?

16They become wrinkly before their time;

A river is spilled over their foundation.

17They say to God,

‘Depart from us’,

And ask how the Almighty can profit them.

18Yet he filled their houses with good things.

So the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

19The righteous will see their downfall and rejoice,

And the innocent man will mock them

20And say,

‘Our adversary will certainly be obliterated,

And fire will consume their remnant.’

21Become familiar, I pray, with him,

And be at peace with them,

And your future will be good.

22Receive, I pray, the law from what he says,

And put his declarations in your heart.

23If you return to the Almighty,

You will be built up.

So remove iniquity from your tent,

24And cast your fine gold on the dust,

And your Ophir gold on a torrent boulder,

25And the Almighty will be your fine gold

And your silver treasure.

26For then you will delight in the Almighty,

And you will lift up your face to God.

27You will entreat him,

And he will hear you,

And you will fulfil your vows.

28And you will make a declaration

Which will hold good for you,

And light will shine on your ways.

29When others are brought low,

You will say,

Such is the consequence of pride,

But he saves the humble.’

30He delivers the estate of the innocent,

And deliverance comes through the cleanness of your hands.”

Job Chapter 23 

1Then Job answered and said,

2“Today, too, my complaint is bitter;

My vitality has become listless with all my sighing.

3If only I knew where I could find him,

I would go to his judgment seat.

4I would set out my case before him

And fill my mouth with arguments.

5I would acknowledge the words

Which he would answer me,

And I would understand

What he would say to me.

6Would he contend with me with great power?

No; he would certainly consider me.

7There, the upright disputes with him,

And I would be delivered in perpetuity from my judge.

8If I go forwards,

He is not there,

And if backwards,

I do not discern him,

9Or to the left where he is at work,

I do not behold him;

If he envelops himself on the right,

I do not see him.

10However, he knows the way I take.

When he examines me,

I will come out as gold.

11My foot takes hold of his step;

I keep his way

And do not turn aside.

12As for his commandment which he has uttered,

I have not drawn back from what was appointed me.

I have treasured up the words which he has pronounced.

13But he is of one mind,

And who can make him go back on it?

His will desires a thing,

And he performs it.

14For he will carry out

What has been appointed for me,

And many such things

He has in store.

15That is why I will fear his presence.

When I consider the matter,

I am fearful of him.

16But God makes my heart faint,

And the Almighty causes me alarm,

17For I have not been cut off in the face of darkness,

Nor has he put a covering of gloom over my face.

Job Chapter 24 

1Why, seeing that the times are not hidden from the Almighty,

And they are known,

Do they not see his dealings?

2They move boundaries,

And they snatch away a flock

And pasture it.

3They drive away an orphan's donkey;

They take away a widow's ox as security.

4They turn the poor aside from the way;

The poor of the earth are driven into hiding together.

5See how as wild asses in the desert they go out

In their business of diligently seeking food.

An arid tract is feeding ground

For each and for their young.

6In the field they reap their food,

And they glean the vineyard of a wicked man.

7They spend the night naked for lack of clothing,

And they have no covering in the cold.

8They become wet with mountain rainstorms,

And for lack of shelter they embrace a rock.

9They tear away the orphan for gain,

And they enslave the poor with debt.

10They cause him to go naked for lack of clothing,

And they take away the sheaf from the hungry.

11Within their walls they press out new oil;

They tread the wine vats,

Yet are thirsty.

12From the city, men groan,

And the inward being of the wounded cries out,

Yet God does not impute them their depravity.

13These people are those who rebel against the light;

They do not recognize his ways,

And they do not remain in his paths.

14At first light the murderer rises

And kills the poor and needy,

And at night he is a thief.

15The eye of the adulterer observes darkness,

Saying, ‘No eye shall behold me’,

And he puts a covering on his face.

16He breaks into houses in the darkness,

Which in the daytime they mark out for themselves.

They do not know the light.

17For the morning for them is altogether the shadow of death,

For each knows the terrors of the shadow of death,

18Which is swift upon the surface of the water;

Their portion is cursed upon the earth.

He will not return to the way of the vineyards.

19As drought and heat snatch away the snowy waters,

So the grave snatches those who have sinned.

20The womb will disown him;

The worm will feed sweetly on him.

He will no longer be remembered,

And iniquity will be shivered like a tree.

21He devours the barren,

Who has not given birth,

And to the widow he does not do good.

22He drags away the mighty by his strength;

He rises,

And no-one is sure of his life.

23God grants him security,

And he relies on it,

But his eyes are on their ways.

24They are exalted for a little while,

Then they are gone,

And they waste away.

Like all others, they are gathered into the grave.

And like the top of a stem of corn,

They are cut off.

25And if it is not so, who will convict me of falsehood

And make my speech null and void?”

Job Chapter 25 

1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

2“Dominion and fear are with him

The one who makes peace in his high places.

3Do his troops have a number?

And upon whom does his light not rise?

4And how can man be justified with God?

And how can he who is born of a woman be pure?

5Behold, even the moon

(But it does not shine,)

And the stars

Are not pure in his sight.

6How much less man,

Destined for worms,

And the son of Adam,

Destined for maggots.”

Job Chapter 26 

1Then Job answered and said,

2“How have you have helped him

Who is without power,

And saved him

Whose arm is without strength?

3How have you given counsel to him

Who is without wisdom?

And how have you taught insight

To the multitude?

4To whom have you declared words,

And whose inspiration came from you?

5Do the Rephaim give birth under the water,

Or do those who lie there with them?

6The grave is naked before him,

And there is no covering for the place of destruction.

7He stretches out the north over desolation,

And hangs the earth on nothing,

8Binding up waters on his thick clouds,

While the cloud below them is not laid open.

9He takes hold of the front of his throne

And spreads his cloud on it.

10He circumscribes a bound round the surface of the water

At the terminator between light and dark.

11The pillars of heaven are shaken

And are astonished at his rebuke.

12By his power the sea roars,

And by his understanding

He dashes pride.

13By his spirit the heavens are beautifully made;

His hand formed the constellation of the fleeing serpent.

14Behold, these are the outlines of his ways,

For only a whisper of the matter is heard,

But who can understand the thunder of his power?”

Job Chapter 27 

1Then Job went further in expounding his argument and said,

2As God lives,

Who has taken my justice away,

And the Almighty,

Who has embittered my feelings,

3As long as my breath is in me,

And the spirit of God is in my nostrils,

4My lips shall certainly not speak wickedness,

And my tongue shall certainly not utter deceit.

5Far be it from me to justify you.

I will not renounce my integrity

Before I expire.

6I have held on to my righteousness,

And I will not relent on it.

My heart shall not reproach me

In all my days.

7Let my enemy be declared wicked,

And my opponent unjust.

8For what is the hope of the profane

If he has made unjust gain,

If God is indifferent to his life?

9Will God hear his cry

When adversity comes upon him?

10Will he delight in the Almighty?

Will he call on God at all times?”

11“I will teach you by the hand of God;

I will not hide that which is with the Almighty.

12Behold, all of you have seen it.

Why then do you act so very vainly?

13This is the portion of the wicked man with God,

And the inheritance which tyrants receive from the Almighty.

14If his sons become numerous,

They will be destined for the sword,

And his offspring will not be satisfied with bread.

15Those who survive him will be buried in death,

And his widowed daughters-in-law will not weep.

16If he heaps up silver like dust

And prepares luxury clothing like clay,

17He may prepare it,

But the righteous man will wear it,

And the innocent will divide the silver.

18He builds a house like the moth,

And as a booth which a guard makes.

19The rich man lies down

But is not reunited with his forefathers;

He opens his eyes,

And his wealth has gone.

20Every terror will overtake him like water;

At night a whirlwind will steal him away.

21The east wind will bear him away,

And away he will go,

And a storm will sweep him from his place.

22For he will cast terrors on him,

And he will not spare.

He will certainly want to flee from his hand.

23He will clap his hands at him

And hiss him away from his place.

Job Chapter 28 

1Now for silver there is a vein,

And there is a place where they refine gold.

2Iron is obtained from ore,

And mineral is cast into copper.

3The miner discounts darkness,

And in every direction he searches for minerals,

In thick darkness and the shadow of death.

4He sinks a shaft with a migrant workforce,

Who do not use their feet.

They are lowered down;

They move about unnaturally.

5As for the land, from it comes bread,

But underneath it,

It is like fire swirling around.

6Amongst its stones is a place of sapphire;

It includes gold-bearing ore.

7This is a path which the bird of prey does not know,

And the eye of the kite has not seen.

8The lion's whelps have not trodden it,

And the fierce lion has not passed along it.

9At the flint he applies his hand;

He overturns mountains at their roots.

10He cuts out galleries in the rocks,

And his eye sees every kind of precious gemstone.

11He blocks underground rivers from gushing,

And he brings a hidden thing to light.

12But from where is wisdom obtained?

And where is the place of understanding?

13Man does not know its value,

Nor is it found in the land of the living.

14The ocean says,

‘It is not in me’,

And the sea says,

It is not with me.’

15Gold cannot be given in exchange for it,

And silver cannot be weighed out as its price.

16It cannot be piled in the scales against fine gold from Ophir

Or valuable onyx or sapphire.

17Gold and crystal cannot match its value,

Nor is its exchange value an object of purified gold.

18Precious gems and crystal are not worth a mention,

But the acquisition of wisdom is worth more than red corals.

19Ethiopian topaz cannot match its value,

Nor can it be piled in the scales against pure gold.

20But as for wisdom – where does it come from?

And where is the place of understanding?

21Well, it is concealed from the eyes of every living being,

And it is hidden from the birds of the sky.

22Destruction and death say,

‘We have heard of its reputation with our ears.’

23God understands its way,

And he knows its place.

24For he looks to the ends of the earth;

He sees what is under all the heavens.

25It was to give weight to the wind

When he weighed water accurately,

26And when he issued a statute to the rain,

And a way for lightning and thunderclaps.

27Then he saw it

And declared it.

He established it

And searched it out.

28And he said to man,

‘Behold, the fear of the Lord* is wisdom,

And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”

Job Chapter 29 

1Then Job again delivered a discourse on his part and said,

2“If only I were as in months past,

As in the days when God protected me,

3When he shone his light on my head,

When I walked by his light in darkness,

4When I was in my autumnal days,

With the secret counsel of God in my tent,

5When the Almighty was still with me,

When my children were round about me,

6When my steps were washed with buttermilk

And the rock poured out streams of oil for me,

7When I went out to the gate of the city,

And when I prepared my seat in the street.

8Young men would see me and make way for me,

And old men would rise and stand.

9Princes would hold back their words

And put their hand to their mouth.

10The voice of the governors would be hushed,

And their tongue would cleave to their palate.

11For the ear that heard me would bless me,

And the eye that saw me would bear witness to me.

12For I delivered the poor who cried out,

And the orphan who had no-one to help him.

13The blessing for him who was dying would fall to me,

And I would cause the heart of the widow to rejoice.

14I put on righteousness,

And it clothed me;

My justice was as a coat and turban.

15I was eyes to the blind,

And I was feet to the lame.

16I was a father to the poor,

And if there was a dispute

Which I did not know the details of,

I would investigate it.

17And I broke the incisors of the unjust,

And I plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

18And I said,

‘I will expire when my home does,

And multiply my days like the sand.’

19My root spread out to the water,

And dew lodged on my branch.

20The honour I had was fresh,

And my bow in my hand was full of vitality.

21Men would listen to me and wait;

They would be silent for my advice.

22After my words they did not differ with me,

And my words condensed on them.

23And they waited for me as for rain,

And they would open their mouth as for the latter rain.

24They had the certainty that I would not laugh at them,

And they would never depress my cheerfulness.

25I chose their course of action for them,

And I sat as chief,

And I dwelt like a king among his troops,

And as one who comforts those who mourn.

Job Chapter 30 

1But now those who are younger than me in days laugh at me,

Whose fathers I would have declined to appoint in charge of my sheepdogs.

2Moreover, what use would their strong hands have been to me,

Considering they lacked maturity?

3Through want and hunger they were unproductive;

They were gnawing scraps in a drought-plagued land

Which was in former time desolate and desolated.

4They would pluck mallow among the shrubs,

And their food was the root of broom.

5They were driven out of the community;

People sounded an alarm at them as at a thief,

6So that they lived in dangerous gullies

In holes in the ground and in rocks.

7They brayed among the shrubs;

They gathered together under the thorn bushes.

8They are the sons of the foolish

– Verily, the sons of those of no repute.

They were forcibly driven from the land.

9And now I have become their song,

And I have become their byword.

10They abhor me;

They keep their distance from me,

And they do not refrain from spitting in my face.

11For he has loosed my cord and oppressed me,

And they have behaved in an unbridled way towards me.

12On the right, a rabble rises up;

They trip up my feet

And set up against me their destructive ways.

13They ravage my path,

They take advantage of my plight;

They do it gratuitously.

14As through a wide breach they come;

Accompanied by destruction, they roll on.

15Terrors are turned on me,

Which pursue my dignity like the wind,

And my salvation has passed away like a cloud.

16And now my heart is poured out on me;

Days of affliction have taken their hold on me.

17At night my bones give me shooting pain;

My gnawing nerves do not rest.

18With great tightness my covering of skin is like a disguise;

Like the collar of my tunic, it girds me.

19He has cast me into the mire,

And I have become like dust and ashes.”

20“I cry out to you,

But you do not answer me.

I endure the time

For you to attend to me.

21You have become fierce to me;

You persecute me with your strong hand.

22You bear me away,

You cause me to ride on the wind;

You dissolve my wealth.

23For I know that you will return me to death,

And to the house appointed for all the living.”

24“But he does not stretch out his hand to a mound of stones,

Even at their cry in one's demise.

25I most certainly wept for him who was in difficult times;

My inner being mourned for the needy.

26For I waited for good,

But evil came,

And I expected light,

But thick darkness arrived.

27My inward parts are agitated,

And they will not be silent;

The days of affliction are in front of me.

28I go about downcast,

With no bright spirit.

I stand,

And in the convocation I cry for help.

29I have become a brother to jackals,

And a neighbour to ostriches.

30My skin has turned black on me

As my bones burn as from dry heat.

31And my harp has become a lamentation,

And my flute the sound of those weeping.

Job Chapter 31 

1I have made a covenant concerning my eyes;

Now why should I pay attention to a virgin?

2And what is one's portion from God above,

And one's inheritance from the Almighty in the heights?

3Is it not calamity to the unjust man,

And alienation to the perpetrators of iniquity?

4Does he not see my ways

And count all my steps?

5And know whether I have walked with vanity,

And whether my foot has hastened to deceit?

6Let him weigh me with just balances

So that God may know my integrity

7– Whether my step has turned aside from the way,

And whether my heart has followed my eyes,

And whether any spot has cleaved to my hands.

8If so, then let me sow,

And another eat,

And let my offspring be eradicated.

9If my heart has been seduced by a woman,

Or if I have lain in wait at the door of my neighbour,

10Then let my wife grind flour for another,

And let other servants bow to her as mistress.

11For such behaviour would be depravity,

And that is a judicial offence.

12For such a fire would consume me to destruction,

And it would root out all my produce.

13If I have rejected the justice of my manservant or my maidservant

In their dispute with me,

14Then what should I do if God rises up,

And if he deals with the case?

What should I answer him?

15Did not he who made me in the womb

Also make the other?

Did not he form us

In one kind of womb?

16I have certainly not withheld my support from the poor,

Or caused the eye of the widow to languish,

17Nor eaten my morsel on my own,

With the orphan not partaking of it.

18For from my youth the orphan grew up while I was as a father,

And from my mother's womb I guided the widow.

19If I saw anyone perishing for want of clothing,

Or if the poor had no covering,

20His loins certainly were grateful to me

As he warmed himself in fleece from my lambs.

21If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan

When I saw at the gate a need for my help,

22May my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade,

And my arm be broken from the arm socket.

23For fear was upon me

Of a downfall from God,

For I cannot prevail against his exalted position.

24If I have made gold my hope

And said to fine gold,

You are my ground of reliance’;

25If I have delighted because my wealth was great,

Or because my hand had found abundance,

26Or if I saw sunlight when it shone,

Or the moon making its course in honour,

27And my heart was deceived in secret,

And my hand kissed my mouth,

28This too would have been a judicial offence,

For I would have acted falsely towards God above,

29Or if I have rejoiced

At the demise of him who hates me,

And I have been uplifted

When evil befell him.

30I have not allowed the roof of my mouth to sin

By asking for a curse on his life.

31It is the men of my household who certainly said,

‘If only we had a part of his flesh;

We are not satisfied.’

32The foreigner has not had to lodge out in the open;

I have opened my doors to the traveller.

33If I have covered my transgressions like Adam,

By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

34Then may I fear a great multitude,

And the contempt of families intimidating me,

So that I become silent

And do not go out of doors.

35If only I had someone who would listen to me.

If only the Almighty would answer me with a written charge for me,

And the one who is contending with me

Would write out the case against me in a book.

36I would certainly bear it on my shoulder

And bind it to myself like crowns.

37I would declare the number of my steps;

Like a prince I would approach him.

38If my ground cries out against me,

And if its furrows weep together,

39If I have eaten the produce of it without paying,

If I have caused the inner selves of those entitled to it to gasp,

40Then let thistles come up instead of wheat,

And weeds instead of barley.

The words of Job are complete.”

Job Chapter 32 

1Then these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was kindled against Job. His anger was kindled because he justified himself rather than God. 3And his anger was kindled against his three friends, because they did not find an answer, and they condemned God. 4Now Elihu had waited for Job in his discourse, because they were older than him in days. 5When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, his anger was kindled. 6And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said,

“I am young in days,

But you are aged,

So I was diffident and fearful about declaring my opinion to you.

7I said to myself,

‘Let days speak,

And let years of life make wisdom known.’

8Surely there is a spirit in man,

But it is the breath of the Almighty

Which enlightens them.

9It is not the great who are wise,

Or elders who understand justice.

10So I said,

‘Listen to me;

I also will give my opinion.’

11Behold, I have waited for your discourse;

I gave ear to your expositions

Until you had searched out all your arguments.

12So I gave heed to you,

But look, Job does not have anyone who has convicted him among you,

Giving a proper answer to his words.

13I speak lest you should say,

‘We have found wisdom;

It is God who is demolishing him,

Not man.’

14He did not marshal his arguments against me,

And neither shall I answer him with your orations.”

15“They were confounded

And they did not answer any more.

Words failed them.

16And I waited,

But they did not speak,

For they stood,

Without answering any more.”

17“I too will answer my part;

I too will declare my opinion.

18For I am full of words;

The spirit of my inmost part constrains me.

19Behold, my belly is like unopened wine;

Like new leather bottles,

It is on the point of bursting.

20I will speak

And it will give me relief;

I will open my lips

And answer.

21Let me not, I pray, show partiality,

And let me not call any man by a title.

22For I do not know how to call by titles.

If I did,

My maker would soon take me away.

Job Chapter 33 

1And so Job, please listen to my address,

And give ear to all my words.

2Behold, I pray, I have opened my mouth;

My tongue has spoken in my oral cavity.

3My words are from the uprightness of my heart,

And my lips speak knowledge clearly.

4The spirit of God made me,

And the breath of the Almighty gave me life.

5If you can, answer me,

Set out your arguments before me;

Take your stand.

6You see, I am here,

As you asked,

On behalf of God.

I too was formed from clay.

7Behold, the shock of me need not frighten you,

Nor will my demands weigh down on you.

8You certainly spoke in my ears,

And I heard the sound of your words,

When, Job, you said,

9‘I am pure, without transgression;

I am faultless,

And there is no iniquity in me.

10See how he finds a pretext against me;

He considers me as his enemy.

11He places my feet in fetters;

He watches all my paths.’

12Behold, in this argumentation you are not just,

I answer you,

For God is greater than man.

13Why do you strive against him,

In that he does not answer you

Concerning any of his affairs?

14For on one occasion God may speak,

And on a second occasion he may not attend to the matter.

15In a dream, a nightly vision,

When sleep falls on men,

In slumber on the bed,

16He then opens up the ears of men,

And in correcting them,

He seals them,

17To remove man from his dealings

And to put pride out of sight of men.

18He spares his body from the pit,

And his life from the piercing of a missile.

19He is corrected with pain on his bed,

And with mighty conflict in his bones,

20So that his condition in life makes him lose appetite for food,

And it makes his being reject exquisite fare.

21His flesh is consumed so as not to be visible,

And his bones stick out, which previously would not be seen.

22And his being draws nearer to the pit,

And his life to the killers.

23If there is an interpreting angel by his side

– One out of a thousand –

To declare to a man whether he is upright,

24Then he will be merciful to him and will say,

‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;

I have found a ransom.’

25His flesh will be made fresher than that of his youth;

He will return to the days of his young adulthood.

26He will make supplication to God,

And he will accept him,

And he will see his face with a shout for joy,

And he will render to man his righteousness.

27He will look upon man,

And if a man says,

‘I have sinned and perverted what is upright,

And it did not satisfy me’,

28He will deliver his being from passing into the pit,

And his life will see light.

29See how God performs all these things,

Twice or three times with man,

30To bring back his life from the pit,

And to be enlightened in the light of life.

31Hearken, Job,

And listen to me;

Be silent,

And I will speak.

32If you have words,

Answer me.

Speak,

For I wish to justify you.

33If not, listen to me;

Be silent,

And I will teach you wisdom.”

Job Chapter 34 

1Furthermore Elihu continued speaking and said,

2You who are wise,

Hear my words,

And you who are knowledgeable,

Give ear to me.

3For the ear puts words to the test,

As the palate tastes that which is to be eaten.

4Let us choose justice for ourselves;

Let us find out among ourselves what is good.

5For Job has said,

‘I am just,

But God has taken away my justice.

6Do I lie concerning my justice?

The arrow with which I have been struck is grievous,

Though I am without transgression.’

7What man is like Job?

He drinks mockery like water,

8And he travels in the company of perpetrators of iniquity,

And he walks with wicked men.

9For he has said,

‘It does not profit a man

To take delight in God.’

10Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding.

Far be God from wickedness,

And the Almighty from iniquity.

11For he repays a man his work,

And according to the way of a man,

So he requites him.

12It is indeed certain that God does not act wickedly,

And that the Almighty does not pervert justice.

13Who gave him charge over the earth?

And who appointed him over the whole world?

14If he were to consider only himself,

And to gather to himself his spirit and his breath,

15All flesh would expire together,

And man would return to dust.

16Now if you have understanding,

Listen to this.

Give ear to the sound of my words.

17Can one who hates justice make binding laws?

Or will you condemn the great just one?

18Is it fitting to say to a king,

You are useless’,

Or to princes,

You are wicked’?

19How much less to him who does not show partiality to nobles,

And who does not favour the opulent above the poor?

For all of them are the work of his hands.

20In a moment, they die,

And in the middle of the night a people is shaken,

And they pass away.

A mighty people is removed,

But not by hand.

21For his eyes are on the ways of man,

And he sees all his steps.

22There is no darkness,

And there is no shadow of death,

For the perpetrators of iniquity to hide there.

23For he no longer makes charges against man

For him to enter into a judicial process with God;

24He breaks the mighty in an unsearchable way

And sets up others in their place.

25So then, he recognizes their works

And overturns them at night,

And they are broken in pieces.

26He strikes them on account of their wicked deeds

In a place where people can see it,

27Because they turned away from following him,

And they did not prudently attend to any of his ways,

28So bringing the cry of the poor to him,

So that he heard the cry of the needy.

29When he imposes quietness,

Who can act wickedly?

And when he hides his face,

Who can see him?

And whether it is against a people or whether against a man,

It is the same.

30He acts so that the profane man cannot reign,

Giving protection from snares targeting the people.

31For does one say to God,

‘I have suffered punishment;

I will no longer act perversely.

32Teach me what I do not see;

If I have committed iniquity,

I will do so no more.’

33Should he repay you for it on your terms,

And say,

It does not matter if you reject one thing or choose another,

And I have no say?

So say what you know.’

34Let men of understanding speak to me,

And let the wise man listen to me.

35Job has not spoken knowledgeably,

And his words were not prudent.

36My desire is that Job should be tested to the limit,

Because his answers were in line with those of iniquitous men.

37For he has added transgression to his sin;

He has clapped his hands in our company

And spoken at length against God.”

Job Chapter 35 

1Furthermore Elihu continued speaking and said,

2“Did you think it was justice when you said,

‘My righteousness is greater than that of God’?

3For you asked what benefit you had,

And you said,

‘What advantage is there to me in desisting from my sin?’

4I will reply to you with words

And to your companions with you.

5Look at the heavens and see,

And behold the clouds which are higher than you.

6If you sin,

What impact do you have on him?

And if your transgressions are many,

What effect do you have on him?

7If you are righteous,

What will you give him?

Or what will he accept from your hand?

8Your wicked deed is one thing to a man like yourself,

As is your righteousness to a son of Adam.

9Men may cry out on account of a multitude of oppressions;

They may shout out because of the power of the mighty,

10But no-one says,

‘Where is God my maker,

Who gives songs in dark times,

11Who is our teacher of things beyond the cattle of the earth,

And who makes us wise in matters deeper than the birds of the sky?’

12There, they cry out,

But he does not answer them,

Because of the pride of evil men.

13Surely God does not hearken to vanity,

And the Almighty does not see it favourably.

14How much less when you would say to him,

‘You do not see it favourably.’

When judgment is taking place before him,

Wait for him.

15And now, you say that it is not in anger

That he visits men,

And that he does not acknowledge great excess.

16So Job has opened his mouth in vain,

And he has uttered many words without knowledge.”

Job Chapter 36 

1Then Elihu continued and said,

2“Stay around me a little while,

And I will declare more to you,

For God still has words to come.

3I will take the sum of my knowledge

Which comes from afar

And ascribe righteousness to my maker.

4For truly, my words are not false;

He who is omniscient is with you.

5Behold, God is mighty,

And he does not reject anyone;

He is mighty in depth of character.

6He does not preserve the wicked man alive,

But gives justice to the poor.

7He will not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,

For he seats them with kings on the throne,

And he accommodates them in perpetuity,

And they are exalted.

8And if any are bound in fetters,

If they are taken by the cords of affliction,

9Then he tells them their work,

Including their transgressions,

When they behaved insolently.

10And he opens their ears to correction,

And tells them that they must renounce iniquity.

11If they hearken and serve him,

They will complete their days in prosperity,

And their years in pleasantness.

12But if they do not hearken,

They will perish by the missile,

And they will expire in ignorance.

13And the profane-minded lay up wrath;

They cannot cry out,

For he binds them.

14They die in youth,

And their life ends among male prostitutes.

15He delivers the afflicted in his affliction,

And he opens their ears in their oppression.

16And indeed he would draw you away from the jaws of straitness

To a broad place

So that there is no distress in the vicinity,

And that which is set on your table

Would be full of fatness.

17But you are full of judgment belonging to the wicked;

Judgment and justice are taking hold of you.

18When there is fury,

Beware lest he draw you away at a stroke,

To where no great ransom can lead you back.

19Will he respect your riches,

You who are not in straitness?

No, nor will he respect any exercise of power.

20Do not desire the night,

When whole peoples are upheaved on the spot.

21Beware and do not turn to iniquity,

For you have chosen this way

Rather than the way of affliction.

22You see how God exalts by his power.

Who is a teacher like him?

23Who appointed him his way?

And who can say,

‘You have committed iniquity’?

24Remember this when you extol his work,

Which men gaze upon.

25All men have seen it;

Mortal man beholds it from afar.

26Behold, God is exalted,

And we do not know the number of his years,

And there is no way of searching them out.

27For he draws off particles of water

Which condense as rain in his mist

28And distil as fine clouds;

They precipitate on man abundantly.

29Can anyone really understand the spreading out of clouds

Or the rumblings of his abode?

30Behold, he spreads his light out over it

And covers the sea bed.

31Yet by these weather phenomena he judges nations

And gives food abundantly.

32With his hands he grasps the lightning

And commands it where to strike.

33Its noise warns of it;

Cattle do so too,

Of what is arising.

Job Chapter 37 

1Moreover, at this my heart trembles,

And it is unsettled.

2Listen diligently to the raging of his voice,

And the rumbling which proceeds from his mouth.

3He directs it under all the heavens,

And his light extends to the extremities of the earth.

4After it, the sound roars.

He causes thunder with his majestic sound,

And no-one can trace these things

When his voice is heard.

5God thunders with his voice wondrously,

Performing great deeds

Which we do not know about.

6For to the snow he says,

‘Be on the earth’,

And similarly to the showery rain

And to his strong heavy downpours.

7He puts an end to the work of every man,

So that all men may know of his workmanship.

8Then the wild animal comes to its lair,

And dwells in its den.

9From the south comes the whirlwind,

And from the north comes the cold.

10From God's breath, he makes ice,

And the expanse of water is changed to solid.

11Also with moisture he gives the thick cloud a payload,

But his sunlight dissipates a dense haze.

12Each turns round and round

According to his direction for them to act.

They do everything he commands them

On the face of the inhabited regions on earth.

13He brings it about,

Whether as chastisement

Or for his land

Or as mercy.

14Hearken to this, Job;

Stand still and contemplate God's wonders.

15Do you know how God directs them

Or causes his lightning to flash?

16Do you know about the technicalities of the cloud?

Or the wondrous works of the omniscient one?

17Or how it is that your clothing is warm

When he quietens the land with wind from the south?

18Can you stretch out the skies with him,

Firmly, like a cast mirror?

19Teach us what we should say to him,

For we cannot marshal our arguments,

Because we are in darkness.

20Does it need to be reported to him

When I speak?

If a man speaks perniciously,

Will it not follow that he will be swallowed up?

21And now men do not see the light.

It is bright in the upper sky

When the wind has passed through and cleaned it.

22Golden light comes from the north;

Upon God is awesome splendour.

23We cannot find the Almighty.

He is great in power and justice,

And abundant in righteousness.

He does not afflict.

24Therefore men fear him;

None of the wise in heart can see him.”

Job Chapter 38 

1Then the Lord answered Job from a whirlwind and said,

2“Who is this who darkens counsel

With words without knowledge?

3Gird up your waist like a man,

And I will question you,

And you can answer me.

4Where were you when I founded the earth?

Declare it, if you have understanding.

5Who sets its dimensions?

Tell me, if you know.

Or who stretched out a measuring line over it?

6On what are its foundations sunk?

Or who laid its cornerstone?

7– When the morning stars sang out together,

And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8– And when he enclosed the sea with doors,

When it broke out?

When it came out of the womb?

9– When I appointed the cloud to be its clothing,

And the dark cloud to be its swaddling clothes?

10– And when I imposed my limit on it

And appointed bolts and doors?

11– And said,

‘You come this far and no further’,

And there the rising up of your waves was blocked?

12Have you in all your days ever commanded the morning?

Or have you informed the dawn of its place?

13Do you know how to take hold of the extremities of the earth

So that the wicked are shaken out of it?

14Or how the earth is changed like clay under a seal?

Or how morning and dawn stand out as an adornment?

15– And how their light is withheld from the wicked,

And an uplifted arm is broken?

16Have you been to the founts of the sea?

Or have you walked about in the deep for investigations?

17Have the gates of death been revealed to you?

Or have you seen the portals of the shadow of death?

18Do you have understanding of the wide places of the earth?

Tell me, if you know all this.

19Where is the way to where light dwells?

And as for darkness, where is its place?

20Did you take it to its boundary,

And do you understand the paths to its abode?

21Do you know this?

For if you did,

You would have to have been born at that time,

And your days would be very many.

22Have you been to the treasuries of snow?

Or have you seen the repositories of hail,

23Which I have reserved for the time of adversity

– For the day of battle and war?

24In what way does light divide itself?

In what way does the east wind spread out over the earth?

25Who cut out a channel for a deluge?

– Or a route for lightning in a thunderstorm?

26– To cause it to rain on an earth where no man is,

On a desert in which no person lives?

27– To satiate desolate ground and desolated tracts

So as to cause the growth of sprouting grass?

28Does rain have a father?

Or who begot the dewdrops?

29Out of whose womb does ice come?

And who gives birth to heaven's hoarfrost?

30Like a stone, the water becomes hidden,

And the surface of the deep solidifies.

31Can you bind the delights of the Pleiades?

Or can you loose the cords of Orion?

32Can you bring out each sign of the zodiac in its season?

Or can you guide Arcturus with his sons?

33Do you know the physical laws of the sky?

Can you appoint their dominion over the earth?

34Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

Commanding them that plenteous water should cover you?

35Can you send lightning strikes,

So that they go and say to you,

‘Here we are’?

36Who put wisdom in the inward parts?

Or who gave understanding to the mind?

37Who can count the clouds in wisdom?

And who can stop up heaven's bottles?

38– When dust is cast into a solid,

And clods of earth cleave together?

39Can you hunt for prey for the lion?

And can you feed the lion cubs?

40For they crouch in their den;

They lie in wait in the thicket.

41Who prepares feed for the raven?

– When its young cry out to God?

When they are perishing for lack of food?

Job Chapter 39 

1Do you know the time

When the mountain goats give birth?

Or do you keep watch over the time

When the hinds calve?

2Can you count the months for which they gestate?

And do you know the time when they give birth?

3They crouch,

They deliver their young;

They cast off their labour pangs.

4Their young grow strong;

They grow up in the open field.

They go out

And do not return.

5Who set the wild ass free?

And who loosed the bonds of the wild donkey?

6– Whose home territory I appointed to be the arid tracts,

And whose dwelling places to be salt land?

7He derides the urban crowd

And does not hear the clamour of the taskmaster.

8The forageable area of the mountains is his pasture,

And he searches for every green plant.

9Does the buffalo love to work for you?

And does it lodge in your stall?

10Can you bind the buffalo to his harness

For ploughing a furrow?

Or will he harrow the valleys behind you?

11Do you put your trust in him?

For his strength is great.

And do you leave your toil to him?

12Will you put your trust in him,

That he will make a return on your seed,

And gather it in your threshing hall?

13Are you responsible for it when the wing of the ostrich is celebrated,

Or the wing feather of the stork and its plumage?

14For she commits her eggs to the ground

And hatches them on soil,

15And she forgets that a foot may crush them,

And that a wild animal may trample on them.

16She treats her young harshly,

As if not her own.

Her labour is in vain and without fear.

17For God causes her to forget wisdom,

And he has not apportioned her with understanding.

18In due time she rises on high

And looks down on the horse and on its rider.

19Did you give the horse his strength?

Did you clothe his neck with a mane?

20Did you give him the ability to jump like a locust?

The dignity of his snorting is awesome.

21He paws in the valley

And rejoices in his strength

And engages in battle.

22He derides fear

And is not afraid

And does not turn back from the sword.

23Alongside him the quiver rattles,

And the blade of the spear and the lance.

24With noise and raging, he stamps the earth

And does not stand in place when the sound of the ramshorn is heard.

25Whenever the ramshorn is heard,

He says, ‘Aha!’,

And smells war from a distance

– The thunder of generals and the sound of alarm.

26Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars

And stretches its wings to the south?

27Or is it according to your command that the eagle soars,

And that it makes its nest high up?

28It dwells and lodges on a rock,

On a crag and citadel.

29For there it seeks prey;

Its eyes see it from a distance.

30And its young suck up blood,

And wherever the slain are,

There it is.”

Job Chapter 40 

1And the Lord answered Job further and said,

2“Will he who contends with the Almighty

Instruct him?

Let the reprover of God answer it.”

3Then Job answered the Lord and said,

4“Behold, I am base.

How can I answer you?

I put my hand to my mouth.

5I spoke once,

But I cannot answer for it,

And a second time,

But I will not do so any more.”

6Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind and said,

7“Gird up your waist like a man.

I will ask you,

And you can answer me.

8Will you declare my judgment void?

Will you condemn me,

So that you are righteous?

9Now do you have an arm like God,

And can you thunder with a voice like his?

10Kindly deck yourself with excellence and majesty,

And clothe yourself with glory and splendour.

11Distribute the outbursts of your anger,

And see everyone who is proud,

And bring him low.

12See everyone who is proud,

And bring him down,

And tread on the wicked on the spot.

13Hide them in the dust together;

Bind them in a hidden place.

14Then I myself will confess to you,

That your right hand can save you.

15Behold, please, Behemoth,

Which I made with you.

It eats grass like an ox.

16Look at its strength in its loins,

And its might in the muscles of its rump.

17It swings its tail like a cedar,

And its fearful sinews are interwoven.

18Its bones are tubes of copper,

And its frame is like bars of iron.

19It is the pre-eminence of God's ways;

Only he who made it

Can bring his sword against it.

20For the mountains yield produce for it,

Where all the wild beasts play.

21It lies under lotus bushes,

Secretly, in reeds and swamp land.

22The lotus bushes cover it with their shade;

The willows of the brook surround it.

23What if the river bears down on it?

It is not alarmed.

It is confident,

Even when the Jordan gushes into its mouth.

24Can anyone capture it by its eyes?

Can anyone hook its nose with snares?

25Can you haul in Leviathan with a hook?

Or can you tie his tongue down with a cord?

26Can you place a cauldron over his snout?

Or can you bore through his jaw with a hook?

27Will he make many supplications to you?

Or will he speak to you softly?

28Will he make a covenant with you?

Or can you domesticate him?

29Can you play with him, as with a bird?

Or cage him for your maidservants?

30Or will wholesalers buy him up,

And divide him among retailers?

31Can you fill his skin with spears?

– Or his head with fishing harpoons?

32Put your hand on him.

Remember that it will be battle,

And you will not do it again.

Job Chapter 41 

1See how one's hope is proved false.

Is it not so, that even at the sight of him

One loses heart?

2No-one is so bold that he dares awaken him,

So who is it who can stand before me.

3Who existed before me?

Tell me, and I will pay what is due.

Everything under the whole of heaven is mine.

4I will not be silent about his limbs,

For his figure is a matter of might and gracefulness.

5Who has uncovered his outer clothing?

Who can approach his double row of teeth?

6Who can open the gates of his face?

The surroundings of his teeth are terrifying.

7The central ridges of his scales are his pride.

Each one is closed making a tight seal.

8One is so close to another

That no air can come between them.

9One cleaves to the one next to it;

They interlock and do not come apart.

10His sneezings cause light to flash,

And his eyes are like the eyelids of dawn.

11From his mouth flames go out;

Sparks of fire are released.

12Smoke is emitted from his nostrils,

Like a fanned brazier and a cauldron.

13His breath kindles coals,

And flame is emitted from his mouth.

14His neck is a source of strength,

And faint-heartedness beats a hasty retreat at his advance.

15Even the softer parts of his flesh cleave to him tightly

And are firm on him so as not to shake.

16His heart is firm like stone

And is as hard as a lower millstone.

17The mighty are afraid of him being roused;

They are at their wits' end because of his ravaging.

18The sword of anyone who engages him will not hold out,

Nor spear, nor projectile, nor coat of mail.

19He regards iron as straw,

And copper as rotten wood.

20The arrow does not cause him to flee,

And stones of the sling are regarded as stubble by him.

21He considers a club as stubble,

And he laughs at the rattling of lances.

22He has sharp points under him;

He splays sharp appendages in the mire.

23He makes the deep boil like a pot;

He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

24He causes a path to light up behind him,

So that one would think the deep had acquired silver hair.

25There is not the like of him on the earth,

Who is made without fear.

26He looks dauntlessly on every high thing;

He is king of all proud creatures.”

Reference(s) in Chapter 41: v.3 ↔ Romans 11:35.

Job Chapter 42 

1Then Job answered the Lord and said,

2“I know that you can do everything,

And no plan of action is inaccessible to you.

3You asked,

‘Who is this who hides counsel

Without knowledge?’

Because I gave an exposition,

But I do not have understanding.

These things are too wondrous for me,

And I do not know about them.

4Hear me, I pray,

And I will speak.

You said,

‘I will ask you,

And you can answer me.’

5I heard you by hearing of the ear,

But now my eye has seen you.

6For this reason I despise myself,

And I repent in dust and ashes.”

7And it came to pass, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger is kindled against you, and against your two companions, for you have not spoken what is right about me, like my servant Job. 8And now, take for yourselves seven bulls, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer them as a burnt offering for yourselves, and my servant Job will pray for you. For contrariwise I will accept him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, for you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.” 9So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite departed and acted according to what the Lord had told them, and the Lord restored Job. 10And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friend, and the Lord restored everything of Job's – double. 11And all his brothers and all his sisters and all his previous acquaintances came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house, and they consoled him and comforted him over all the calamity that the Lord had brought on him, and each gave him one kesitah coin, and each gave one golden earring. 12And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his former days, and he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand she-asses. 13And he had seven sons and three daughters. 14And he called one Jemima, and the second one Keziah, and he called the third Keren-Happuch. 15And no women were found as beautiful as Job's daughters in all the land, and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. 16And after this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and he saw his sons and his grandsons, to four generations. 17And Job died old and full of days.