Day 9 of 31

¹An oracle is within my heart about the disobedience of the wicked: "There is no fear of God before his eyes."

²For he flatters himself in his own eyes, too much to detect and hate his sin.

³The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. He has ceased to be wise and to do good.

⁴He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He doesn't abhor evil.

⁵Your loving kindness, Lord, is in the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

⁶Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgments are like a great deep. Lord, you preserve man and animal.

⁷How precious is your loving kindness, God! The children of men take refuge under the shadow of your wings.

⁸They shall be abundantly satisfied with the abundance of your house. You will make them drink of the river of your pleasures.

⁹For with you is the spring of life. In your light shall we see light.

¹⁰Oh continue your loving kindness to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.

¹¹Do not let the foot of pride come against me. Do not let the hand of the wicked drive me away.

¹²There the workers of iniquity are fallen. They are thrust down, and shall not be able to rise.

¹ALEPH Do not fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.

²For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb.

³Trust in the Lord, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.

⁴Also delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in him, and he will do this:

⁶he will make your righteousness go forth as the light, and your justice as the noon day sun.

⁷Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.

⁸Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing.

⁹For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

¹⁰For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he isn't there.

¹¹But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

¹²The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.

¹³The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming.

¹⁴The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to kill those who are upright in the way.

¹⁵Their sword shall enter into their own heart. Their bows shall be broken.

¹⁶Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked.

¹⁷For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.

¹⁸The Lord knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever.

¹⁹They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

²⁰But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of the Lord shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish- vanish like smoke.

²¹The wicked borrow, and do not pay back, but the righteous give generously.

²²For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.

²³A man's goings are established by the Lord. He delights in his way.

²⁴Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for the Lord holds him up with his hand.

²⁵I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread.

²⁶All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His seed is blessed.

²⁷Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever.

²⁸For the Lord loves justice, and doesn't forsake his holy ones. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

²⁹The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever.

³⁰The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice.

³¹The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide.

³²The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to kill him.

³³The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

³⁴Wait for the Lord, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

³⁵I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.

³⁶But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.

³⁷Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.

³⁸As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

³⁹But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

⁴⁰The Lord helps them, and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, Because they have taken refuge in him.

¹Lord, do not rebuke me in your wrath, neither chasten me in your hot displeasure.

²For your arrows have pierced me, your hand presses hard on me.

³There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation, neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.

⁴For my iniquities have gone over my head. As a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

⁵My wounds are loathsome and corrupt, because of my foolishness.

⁶I am pained and bowed down greatly. I go mourning all day long.

⁷For my waist is filled with burning. There is no soundness in my flesh.

⁸I am faint and severely bruised. I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart.

⁹Lord, all my desire is before you. My groaning is not hidden from you.

¹⁰My heart throbs. My strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me.

¹¹My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague. My kinsmen stand far away.

¹²They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all day long.

¹³But I, as a deaf man, do not hear. I am as a mute man who doesn't open his mouth.

¹⁴Yes, I am as a man who doesn't hear, in whose mouth are no reproofs.

¹⁵For in you, Lord, do I hope. You will answer, Lord my God.

¹⁶For I said, "Do not let them gloat over me, or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips."

¹⁷For I am ready to fall. My pain is continually before me.

¹⁸For I will declare my iniquity. I will be sorry for my sin.

¹⁹But my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous.

²⁰They who also render evil for good are adversaries to me, because I follow what is good.

²¹Do not forsake me, Lord. My God, do not be far from me.

²²Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation.

¹Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars.

²She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has also set her table.

³She has sent out her maidens. She cries from the highest places of the city:

⁴"Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

⁵"Come, eat some of my bread, Drink some of the wine which I have mixed!

⁶Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding."

⁷He who corrects a mocker invites insult. He who reproves a wicked man invites abuse.

⁸Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

⁹Instruct a wise man, and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

¹⁰The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

¹¹For by me your days will be multiplied. The years of your life will be increased.

¹²If you are wise, you are wise for yourself. If you mock, you alone will bear it.

¹³The foolish woman is loud, Undisciplined, and knows nothing.

¹⁴She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,

¹⁵To call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,

¹⁶"Whoever is simple, let him turn in here." as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

¹⁷"Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant."

¹⁸But he doesn't know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.