Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
    Let the light of your face shine on us.(A)

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19 Restore us, Lord God Almighty;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.

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135 Make your face shine(A) on your servant
    and teach me your decrees.(B)

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Restore us, God Almighty;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.(A)

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15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
    who walk(A) in the light(B) of your presence, Lord.

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Psalm 67[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.

May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face shine on us—[b](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 67:1 In Hebrew texts 67:1-7 is numbered 67:2-8.
  2. Psalm 67:1 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.

16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
    when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing(A) with them when they die,
    their splendor will not descend with them.(B)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—(C)
    and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,(D)
    who will never again see the light(E) of life.

20 People who have wealth but lack understanding(F)
    are like the beasts that perish.(G)

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Warning to Rich Oppressors

Now listen,(A) you rich people,(B) weep and wail(C) because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.(D) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.(E) Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers(F) who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries(G) of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.(H) You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves(I) in the day of slaughter.[a](J)

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Footnotes

  1. James 5:5 Or yourselves as in a day of feasting

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.(A)

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I tried cheering myself with wine,(A) and embracing folly(B)—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself(C) and planted vineyards.(D) I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves(E) who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold(F) for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.(G) I acquired male and female singers,(H) and a harem[a] as well—the delights of a man’s heart. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem(I) before me.(J) In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
    I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
    and this was the reward for all my toil.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
    and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;(K)
    nothing was gained under the sun.(L)

Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless

12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,
    and also madness and folly.(M)
What more can the king’s successor do
    than what has already been done?(N)
13 I saw that wisdom(O) is better than folly,(P)
    just as light is better than darkness.
14 The wise have eyes in their heads,
    while the fool walks in the darkness;
but I came to realize
    that the same fate overtakes them both.(Q)

15 Then I said to myself,

“The fate of the fool will overtake me also.
    What then do I gain by being wise?”(R)
I said to myself,
    “This too is meaningless.”
16 For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered;(S)
    the days have already come when both have been forgotten.(T)
Like the fool, the wise too must die!(U)

Toil Is Meaningless

17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.(V) 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.(W) 19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish?(X) Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun?(Y) 23 All their days their work is grief and pain;(Z) even at night their minds do not rest.(AA) This too is meaningless.

24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink(AB) and find satisfaction in their own toil.(AC) This too, I see, is from the hand of God,(AD) 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?(AE) 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom,(AF) knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth(AG) to hand it over to the one who pleases God.(AH) This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 2:8 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.

Psalm 80[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” Of Asaph. A psalm.

Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead Joseph like a flock.(A)
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,(B)
    shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.(C)
Awaken(D) your might;
    come and save us.(E)

Restore(F) us,(G) O God;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 80:1 In Hebrew texts 80:1-19 is numbered 80:2-20.

It was not by their sword(A) that they won the land,
    nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand,(B) your arm,(C)
    and the light(D) of your face, for you loved(E) them.

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“Surely everyone goes around(A) like a mere phantom;(B)
    in vain they rush about,(C) heaping up wealth(D)
    without knowing whose it will finally be.(E)

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Surely you have granted him unending blessings
    and made him glad with the joy(A) of your presence.(B)

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Boasting About Tomorrow

13 Now listen,(A) you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”(B)

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19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

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Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?(A)
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,(B)
    and you will delight in the richest(C) of fare.

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Why, my soul, are you downcast?(A)
    Why so disturbed(B) within me?
Put your hope in God,(C)
    for I will yet praise(D) him,
    my Savior(E) and my God.(F)

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