Psalm 112:1-9

New International Version

Psalm 112^[a]

¹Praise the Lord.^[b]^(A)

Blessed are those^(B) who fear the Lord,^(C)
who find great delight^(D) in his commands.

²Their children^(E) will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
³Wealth and riches^(F) are in their houses,
    and their righteousness endures^(G) forever.
⁴Even in darkness light dawns^(H) for the upright,
    for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.^(I)
⁵Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,^(J)
    who conduct their affairs with justice.

⁶Surely the righteous will never be shaken;^(K)
    they will be remembered^(L) forever.
⁷They will have no fear of bad news;
    their hearts are steadfast,^(M) trusting in the Lord.^(N)
⁸Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;^(O)
    in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.^(P)
⁹They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,^(Q)
    their righteousness endures^(R) forever;
    their horn^[c] will be lifted^(S) high in honor.

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Footnotes

Psalm 112:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 112:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
Psalm 112:9 Horn here symbolizes dignity.

Isaiah 29:1-12

New International Version

Woe to David’s City

29 Woe^(A) to you, Ariel, Ariel,^(B)
    the city^(C) where David settled!
Add year to year
    and let your cycle of festivals^(D) go on.
²Yet I will besiege Ariel;^(E)
    she will mourn and lament,^(F)
    she will be to me like an altar hearth.^[a]^(G)
³I will encamp against you on all sides;
    I will encircle^(H) you with towers
    and set up my siege works^(I) against you.
⁴Brought low, you will speak from the ground;
    your speech will mumble^(J) out of the dust.^(K)
Your voice will come ghostlike^(L) from the earth;
    out of the dust your speech will whisper.^(M)

⁵But your many enemies will become like fine dust,^(N)
    the ruthless^(O) hordes like blown chaff.^(P)
Suddenly,^(Q) in an instant,
⁶    the Lord Almighty will come^(R)
with thunder^(S) and earthquake^(T) and great noise,
    with windstorm and tempest^(U) and flames of a devouring fire.^(V)
⁷Then the hordes of all the nations^(W) that fight against Ariel,^(X)
    that attack her and her fortress and besiege her,
will be as it is with a dream,^(Y)
    with a vision in the night—
⁸as when a hungry person dreams of eating,
    but awakens^(Z) hungry still;
as when a thirsty person dreams of drinking,
    but awakens faint and thirsty still.^(AA)
So will it be with the hordes of all the nations
    that fight against Mount Zion.^(AB)

⁹Be stunned and amazed,^(AC)
    blind yourselves and be sightless;^(AD)
be drunk,^(AE) but not from wine,^(AF)
    stagger,^(AG) but not from beer.
¹⁰The Lord has brought over you a deep sleep:^(AH)
    He has sealed your eyes^(AI) (the prophets);^(AJ)
    he has covered your heads (the seers).^(AK)

¹¹For you this whole vision^(AL) is nothing but words sealed^(AM) in a scroll. And if you give the scroll to someone who can read, and say, “Read this, please,” they will answer, “I can’t; it is sealed.” ¹²Or if you give the scroll to someone who cannot read, and say, “Read this, please,” they will answer, “I don’t know how to read.”

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Footnotes

Isaiah 29:2 The Hebrew for altar hearth sounds like the Hebrew for Ariel.

James 3:13-18

New International Version

Two Kinds of Wisdom

¹³Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it^(A) by their good life, by deeds^(B) done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition^(C) in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.^(D) ¹⁵Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven^(E) but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.^(F) ¹⁶For where you have envy and selfish ambition,^(G) there you find disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷But the wisdom that comes from heaven^(H) is first of all pure; then peace-loving,^(I) considerate, submissive, full of mercy^(J) and good fruit, impartial and sincere.^(K) ¹⁸Peacemakers^(L) who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.^(M)