Psalm 135 - Proverbs 6
New King James Version
Praise to God in Creation and Redemption
135 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
(A)Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord!
2 (B)You who stand in the house of the Lord,
In (C)the courts of the house of our God,
3 Praise the Lord, for (D)the Lord is good;
Sing praises to His name, (E)for it is pleasant.
4 For (F)the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His [a]special treasure.
5 For I know that (G)the Lord is great,
And our Lord is above all gods.
6 (H)Whatever the Lord pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places.
7 (I)He causes the [b]vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
(J)He makes lightning for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His (K)treasuries.
8 (L)He [c]destroyed the firstborn of Egypt,
[d]Both of man and beast.
9 (M)He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt,
(N)Upon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 (O)He defeated many nations
And slew mighty kings—
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
And (P)all the kingdoms of Canaan—
12 (Q)And gave their land as a [e]heritage,
A heritage to Israel His people.
13 (R)Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
Your fame, O Lord, throughout all generations.
14 (S)For the Lord will judge His people,
And He will have compassion on His servants.
15 (T)The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
19 (U)Bless the Lord, O house of Israel!
Bless the Lord, O house of Aaron!
20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord (V)out of Zion,
Who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!
Thanksgiving to God for His Enduring Mercy
136 Oh, (W)give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
(X)For His mercy endures forever.
2 Oh, give thanks to (Y)the God of gods!
For His mercy endures forever.
3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His mercy endures forever:
4 To Him (Z)who alone does great wonders,
For His mercy endures forever;
5 (AA)To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,
For His mercy endures forever;
6 (AB)To Him who laid out the earth above the waters,
For His mercy endures forever;
7 (AC)To Him who made great lights,
For His mercy endures forever—
8 (AD)The sun to rule by day,
For His mercy endures forever;
9 The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His mercy endures forever.
10 (AE)To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn,
For His mercy endures forever;
11 (AF)And brought out Israel from among them,
For His mercy endures forever;
12 (AG)With a strong hand, and with [f]an outstretched arm,
For His mercy endures forever;
13 (AH)To Him who divided the Red Sea in two,
For His mercy endures forever;
14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it,
For His mercy endures forever;
15 (AI)But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
For His mercy endures forever;
16 (AJ)To Him who led His people through the wilderness,
For His mercy endures forever;
17 (AK)To Him who struck down great kings,
For His mercy endures forever;
18 (AL)And slew famous kings,
For His mercy endures forever—
19 (AM)Sihon king of the Amorites,
For His mercy endures forever;
20 (AN)And Og king of Bashan,
For His mercy endures forever—
21 (AO)And gave their land as a [g]heritage,
For His mercy endures forever;
22 A heritage to Israel His servant,
For His mercy endures forever.
23 Who (AP)remembered us in our lowly state,
For His mercy endures forever;
24 And (AQ)rescued us from our enemies,
For His mercy endures forever;
25 (AR)Who gives food to all flesh,
For His mercy endures forever.
26 Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!
For His mercy endures forever.
Longing for Zion in a Foreign Land
137 By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down, yea, we wept
When we remembered Zion.
2 We hung our harps
Upon the willows in the midst of it.
3 For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song,
And those who (AS)plundered us requested mirth,
Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song
In a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
Let my right hand forget its skill!
6 If I do not remember you,
Let my (AT)tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—
If I do not exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O Lord, against (AU)the sons of Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, [h]“Raze it, raze it,
To its very foundation!”
8 O daughter of Babylon, (AV)who are to be destroyed,
Happy the one (AW)who repays you as you have served us!
9 Happy the one who takes and (AX)dashes
Your little ones against the rock!
The Lord’s Goodness to the Faithful
A Psalm of David.
138 I will praise You with my whole heart;
(AY)Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
2 (AZ)I will worship (BA)toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name
For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have (BB)magnified Your word above all Your name.
3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul.
4 (BC)All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord,
When they hear the words of Your mouth.
5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
For great is the glory of the Lord.
6 (BD)Though the Lord is on high,
Yet (BE)He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar.
7 (BF)Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
8 (BG)The Lord will [i]perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
(BH)Do not forsake the works of Your hands.
God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
139 O Lord, (BI)You have searched me and known me.
2 (BJ)You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You (BK)understand my thought afar off.
3 (BL)You [j]comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, (BM)You know it altogether.
5 You have [k]hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 (BN)Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
7 (BO)Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 (BP)If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
(BQ)If I make my bed in [l]hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall [m]fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
12 Indeed, (BR)the darkness [n]shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
13 For You formed my inward parts;
You [o]covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for [p]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 (BS)My [q]frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
17 (BT)How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
19 Oh, that You would (BU)slay the wicked, O God!
(BV)Depart from me, therefore, you [r]bloodthirsty men.
20 For they (BW)speak against You wickedly;
[s]Your enemies take Your name in vain.
21 (BX)Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with [t]perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.
23 (BY)Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And (BZ)lead me in the way everlasting.
Prayer for Deliverance from Evil Men
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
140 Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;
Preserve me from violent men,
2 Who plan evil things in their hearts;
(CA)They continually gather together for war.
3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent;
The (CB)poison of asps is under their lips. Selah
4 (CC)Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
Preserve me from violent men,
Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.
5 The proud have hidden a (CD)snare for me, and cords;
They have spread a net by the wayside;
They have set traps for me. Selah
6 I said to the Lord: “You are my God;
Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.
7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation,
You have [u]covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
Do not further his wicked scheme,
(CE)Lest they be exalted. Selah
9 “As for the head of those who surround me,
Let the evil of their lips cover them;
10 (CF)Let burning coals fall upon them;
Let them be cast into the fire,
Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
11 Let not a slanderer be established in the earth;
Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him.”
12 I know that the Lord will (CG)maintain
The cause of the afflicted,
And justice for the poor.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;
The upright shall dwell in Your presence.
Prayer for Safekeeping from Wickedness
A Psalm of David.
141 Lord, I cry out to You;
Make haste to me!
Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.
2 Let my prayer be set before You (CH)as incense,
(CI)The lifting up of my hands as (CJ)the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my (CK)mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice wicked works
With men who work iniquity;
(CL)And do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 (CM)Let the righteous strike me;
It shall be a kindness.
And let him rebuke me;
It shall be as excellent oil;
Let my head not refuse it.
For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.
6 Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the [v]cliff,
And they hear my words, for they are sweet.
7 Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave,
As when one plows and breaks up the earth.
8 But (CN)my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord;
In You I take refuge;
[w]Do not leave my soul destitute.
9 Keep me from (CO)the snares they have laid for me,
And from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
10 (CP)Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
While I escape safely.
A Plea for Relief from Persecutors
A (CQ)Contemplation[x] of David. A Prayer (CR)when he was in the cave.
142 I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
2 I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.
3 When my spirit [y]was (CS)overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly (CT)set a snare for me.
4 Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.
5 I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
6 [z]Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.
7 Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may (CU)praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me.”
An Earnest Appeal for Guidance and Deliverance
A Psalm of David.
143 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
Give ear to my supplications!
In Your faithfulness answer me,
And in Your righteousness.
2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
(CV)For in Your sight no one living is righteous.
3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in [aa]darkness,
Like those who have long been dead.
4 (CW)Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is distressed.
5 (CX)I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your works;
I [ab]muse on the work of Your hands.
6 I spread out my hands to You;
(CY)My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah
7 Answer me speedily, O Lord;
My spirit fails!
Do not hide Your face from me,
(CZ)Lest I [ac]be like those who [ad]go down into the pit.
8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness (DA)in the morning,
For in You do I trust;
(DB)Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For (DC)I lift up my soul to You.
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
[ae]In You I take shelter.
10 (DD)Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
(DE)Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in (DF)the land of uprightness.
11 (DG)Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake!
For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 In Your mercy (DH)cut[af] off my enemies,
And destroy all those who afflict my soul;
For I am Your servant.
A Song to the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People
A Psalm of David.
144 Blessed be the Lord my Rock,
(DI)Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
2 My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues [ag]my people under me.
3 (DJ)Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
4 (DK)Man is like a breath;
(DL)His days are like a passing shadow.
5 (DM)Bow down Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
(DN)Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6 (DO)Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
7 Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,
8 Whose mouth (DP)speaks [ah]lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9 I will (DQ)sing a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 The One who gives [ai]salvation to kings,
(DR)Who delivers David His servant
From the deadly sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood—
12 That our sons may be (DS)as plants grown up in their youth;
That our daughters may be as [aj]pillars,
Sculptured in palace style;
13 That our barns may be full,
Supplying all kinds of produce;
That our sheep may bring forth thousands
And ten thousands in our fields;
14 That our oxen may be well laden;
That there be no [ak]breaking in or going out;
That there be no outcry in our streets.
15 (DT)Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!
A Song of God’s Majesty and Love
(DU)A Praise of David.
145 I will [al]extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
3 (DV)Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And (DW)His greatness is [am]unsearchable.
4 (DX)One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
5 [an]I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And [ao]on Your wondrous works.
6 Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
7 They shall [ap]utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.
8 (DY)The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
9 (DZ)The Lord is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.
10 (EA)All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,
And Your saints shall bless You.
11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
12 To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
13 (EB)Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all [aq]generations.
14 The Lord upholds all who fall,
And (EC)raises up all who are bowed down.
15 (ED)The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And (EE)You give them their food in due season.
16 You open Your hand
(EF)And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
18 (EG)The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him (EH)in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
20 (EI)The Lord preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.
The Happiness of Those Whose Help Is the Lord
146 Praise[ar] the Lord!
(EJ)Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 (EK)While I live I will praise the Lord;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3 (EL)Do not put your trust in princes,
Nor in [as]a son of man, in whom there is no [at]help.
4 (EM)His spirit departs, he returns to his earth;
In that very day (EN)his plans perish.
5 (EO)Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 (EP)Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,
7 (EQ)Who executes justice for the oppressed,
(ER)Who gives food to the hungry.
(ES)The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners.
8 (ET)The Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
(EU)The Lord raises those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous.
9 (EV)The Lord watches over the strangers;
He relieves the fatherless and widow;
(EW)But the way of the wicked He [au]turns upside down.
10 (EX)The Lord shall reign forever—
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
Praise to God for His Word and Providence
147 Praise[av] the Lord!
For (EY)it is good to sing praises to our God;
(EZ)For it is pleasant, and (FA)praise is beautiful.
2 The Lord (FB)builds up Jerusalem;
(FC)He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 (FD)He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their [aw]wounds.
4 (FE)He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by name.
5 (FF)Great is our Lord, and (FG)mighty in power;
(FH)His understanding is infinite.
6 (FI)The Lord lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Sing praises on the harp to our God,
8 (FJ)Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who prepares rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
9 (FK)He gives to the beast its food,
And (FL)to the young ravens that cry.
10 (FM)He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
He has blessed your children within you.
14 (FN)He makes peace in your borders,
And (FO)fills you with [ax]the finest wheat.
15 (FP)He sends out His command to the earth;
His word runs very swiftly.
16 (FQ)He gives snow like wool;
He scatters the frost like ashes;
17 He casts out His hail like [ay]morsels;
Who can stand before His cold?
18 (FR)He sends out His word and melts them;
He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19 (FS)He declares His word to Jacob,
(FT)His statutes and His judgments to Israel.
20 (FU)He has not dealt thus with any nation;
And as for His judgments, they have not known them.
[az]Praise the Lord!
Praise to the Lord from Creation
148 Praise[ba] the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
2 Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!
3 Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all you stars of light!
4 Praise Him, (FV)you heavens of heavens,
And (FW)you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For (FX)He commanded and they were created.
6 (FY)He also established them forever and ever;
He made a decree which shall not pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
(FZ)You great sea creatures and all the depths;
8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
9 (GA)Mountains and all hills;
Fruitful trees and all cedars;
10 Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and flying fowl;
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all judges of the earth;
12 Both young men and maidens;
Old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For His (GB)name alone is exalted;
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
14 And He (GC)has exalted the [bb]horn of His people,
The praise of (GD)all His saints—
Of the children of Israel,
(GE)A people near to Him.
[bc]Praise the Lord!
Praise to God for His Salvation and Judgment
149 Praise[bd] the Lord!
(GF)Sing to the Lord a new song,
And His praise in the assembly of saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
Let the children of Zion be joyful in their (GG)King.
3 (GH)Let them praise His name with the dance;
Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.
4 For (GI)the Lord takes pleasure in His people;
(GJ)He will beautify the [be]humble with salvation.
5 Let the saints be joyful in glory;
Let them (GK)sing aloud on their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And (GL)a two-edged sword in their hand,
7 To execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishments on the peoples;
8 To bind their kings with chains,
And their nobles with fetters of iron;
9 (GM)To execute on them the written judgment—
(GN)This honor have all His saints.
[bf]Praise the Lord!
Let All Things Praise the Lord
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty [bh]firmament!
2 Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent (GP)greatness!
3 Praise Him with the sound of the [bi]trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
5 Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
[bj]Praise the Lord!
The Beginning of Knowledge
1 The (GQ)proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
To [bk]perceive the words of understanding,
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom,
Justice, judgment, and equity;
4 To give prudence to the (GR)simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion—
5 (GS)A wise man will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will [bl]attain wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their (GT)riddles.
7 (GU)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Shun Evil Counsel
8 (GV)My son, hear the instruction of your father,
And do not forsake the law of your mother;
9 For they will be a (GW)graceful ornament on your head,
And chains about your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
(GX)Do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us,
Let us (GY)lie in wait to shed blood;
Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
12 Let us swallow them alive like [bm]Sheol,
And whole, (GZ)like those who go down to the Pit;
13 We shall find all kinds of precious [bn]possessions,
We shall fill our houses with [bo]spoil;
14 Cast in your lot among us,
Let us all have one purse”—
15 My son, (HA)do not walk in the way with them,
(HB)Keep your foot from their path;
16 (HC)For their feet run to evil,
And they make haste to shed blood.
17 Surely, in [bp]vain the net is spread
In the sight of any [bq]bird;
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood,
They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 (HD)So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain;
It takes away the life of its owners.
The Call of Wisdom
20 (HE)Wisdom calls aloud [br]outside;
She raises her voice in the open squares.
21 She cries out in the [bs]chief concourses,
At the openings of the gates in the city
She speaks her words:
22 “How long, you [bt]simple ones, will you love [bu]simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
23 Turn at my rebuke;
Surely (HF)I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 (HG)Because I have called and you refused,
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25 Because you (HH)disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
26 (HI)I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
27 When (HJ)your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Then(HK) they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
29 Because they (HL)hated knowledge
And did not (HM)choose the fear of the Lord,
30 (HN)They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
31 Therefore (HO)they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
32 For the [bv]turning away of the simple will slay them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell (HP)safely,
And (HQ)will be [bw]secure, without fear of evil.”
The Value of Wisdom
2 My son, if you receive my words,
And (HR)treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 (HS)If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 (HT)Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.
6 (HU)For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
(HV)He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
8 He guards the paths of justice,
And (HW)preserves the way of His saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
Equity and every good path.
10 When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11 Discretion will preserve you;
(HX)Understanding will keep you,
12 To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things,
13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness
To (HY)walk in the ways of darkness;
14 (HZ)Who rejoice in doing evil,
And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15 (IA)Whose ways are crooked,
And who are devious in their paths;
16 To deliver you from (IB)the immoral woman,
(IC)From the seductress who flatters with her words,
17 Who forsakes the companion of her youth,
And forgets the covenant of her God.
18 For (ID)her house [bx]leads down to death,
And her paths to the dead;
19 None who go to her return,
Nor do they [by]regain the paths of life—
20 So you may walk in the way of goodness,
And keep to the paths of righteousness.
21 For the upright will dwell in the (IE)land,
And the blameless will remain in it;
22 But the wicked will be [bz]cut off from the [ca]earth,
And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.
Guidance for the Young
3 My son, do not forget my law,
(IF)But let your heart keep my commands;
2 For length of days and long life
And (IG)peace they will add to you.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
(IH)Bind them around your neck,
(II)Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4 (IJ)And so find favor and [cb]high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
5 (IK)Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
(IL)And lean not on your own understanding;
6 (IM)In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall [cc]direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own (IN)eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your [cd]flesh,
And (IO)strength[ce] to your bones.
9 (IP)Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10 (IQ)So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 (IR)My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction;
12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
(IS)Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
13 (IT)Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding;
14 (IU)For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies,
And (IV)all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 (IW)Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honor.
17 (IX)Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
18 She is (IY)a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who [cf]retain her.
19 (IZ)The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding He established the heavens;
20 By His knowledge the depths were (JA)broken up,
And clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes—
Keep sound wisdom and discretion;
22 So they will be life to your soul
And grace to your neck.
23 (JB)Then you will walk safely in your way,
And your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
25 (JC)Do not be afraid of sudden terror,
Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;
26 For the Lord will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.
27 (JD)Do not withhold good from [cg]those to whom it is due,
When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
28 (JE)Do not say to your neighbor,
“Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.
29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor,
For he dwells by you for safety’s sake.
30 (JF)Do not strive with a man without cause,
If he has done you no harm.
31 (JG)Do not envy the oppressor,
And choose none of his ways;
32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord,
(JH)But His secret counsel is with the upright.
33 (JI)The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,
But (JJ)He blesses the home of the just.
34 (JK)Surely He scorns the scornful,
But gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise shall inherit glory,
But shame shall be the legacy of fools.
Security in Wisdom
4 Hear, (JL)my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;
2 For I give you good doctrine:
Do not forsake my law.
3 When I was my father’s son,
(JM)Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 (JN)He also taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words;
(JO)Keep my commands, and live.
5 (JP)Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
(JQ)Love her, and she will keep you.
7 (JR)Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
8 (JS)Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head (JT)an ornament of grace;
A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
(JU)And the years of your life will be many.
11 I have (JV)taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
12 When you walk, (JW)your steps will not be hindered,
(JX)And when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.
14 (JY)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not walk in the way of evil.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
16 (JZ)For they do not sleep unless they have done evil;
And their sleep is [ch]taken away unless they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.
18 (KA)But the path of the just (KB)is like the shining [ci]sun,
That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
19 (KC)The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of (KD)life.
24 Put away from you a [cj]deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
26 Ponder the path of your (KE)feet,
And let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.
The Peril of Adultery
5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
[ck]Lend your ear to my understanding,
2 That you may [cl]preserve discretion,
And your lips (KF)may keep knowledge.
3 (KG)For the lips of [cm]an immoral woman drip honey,
And her mouth is (KH)smoother than oil;
4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death,
(KI)Her steps lay hold of [cn]hell.
6 Lest you ponder her path of life—
Her ways are unstable;
You do not know them.
7 Therefore hear me now, my children,
And do not depart from the words of my mouth.
8 Remove your way far from her,
And do not go near the door of her house,
9 Lest you give your [co]honor to others,
And your years to the cruel one;
10 Lest aliens be filled with your [cp]wealth,
And your labors go to the house of a foreigner;
11 And you mourn at last,
When your flesh and your body are consumed,
12 And say:
“How I have hated instruction,
And my heart despised correction!
13 I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers,
Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!
14 I was on the verge of total ruin,
In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”
15 Drink water from your own cistern,
And running water from your own well.
16 Should your fountains be dispersed abroad,
[cq]Streams of water in the streets?
17 Let them be only your own,
And not for strangers with you.
18 Let your fountain be blessed,
And rejoice with (KJ)the wife of your youth.
19 (KK)As a loving deer and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
And always be [cr]enraptured with her love.
20 For why should you, my son, be enraptured by (KL)an immoral woman,
And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?
21 (KM)For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord,
And He [cs]ponders all his paths.
22 (KN)His own iniquities entrap the wicked man,
And he is caught in the cords of his sin.
23 (KO)He shall die for lack of instruction,
And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
Dangerous Promises
6 My son, (KP)if you become [ct]surety for your friend,
If you have [cu]shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 You are snared by the words of your mouth;
You are taken by the words of your mouth.
3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;
For you have come into the hand of your friend:
Go and humble yourself;
Plead with your friend.
4 (KQ)Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
And like a bird from the hand of the [cv]fowler.
The Folly of Indolence
6 (KR)Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having no [cw]captain,
Overseer or ruler,
8 Provides her [cx]supplies in the summer,
And gathers her food in the harvest.
9 (KS)How long will you [cy]slumber, O sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 (KT)So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.
The Wicked Man
12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;
13 (KU)He winks with his eyes,
He [cz]shuffles his feet,
He points with his fingers;
14 Perversity is in his heart,
(KV)He devises evil continually,
(KW)He sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity shall come (KX)suddenly;
Suddenly he shall (KY)be broken (KZ)without remedy.
16 These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to [da]Him:
17 (LA)A[db] proud look,
(LB)A lying tongue,
(LC)Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 (LD)A heart that devises wicked plans,
(LE)Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 (LF)A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who (LG)sows discord among brethren.
Beware of Adultery
20 (LH)My son, keep your father’s command,
And do not forsake the law of your mother.
21 (LI)Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
22 (LJ)When you roam, [dc]they will lead you;
When you sleep, (LK)they will keep you;
And when you awake, they will speak with you.
23 (LL)For the commandment is a lamp,
And the law a light;
Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
24 (LM)To keep you from the evil woman,
From the flattering tongue of a seductress.
25 (LN)Do not lust after her beauty in your heart,
Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
26 For (LO)by means of a harlot
A man is reduced to a crust of bread;
(LP)And [dd]an adulteress will (LQ)prey upon his precious life.
27 Can a man take fire to his bosom,
And his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one walk on hot coals,
And his feet not be seared?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
30 People do not despise a thief
If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.
31 Yet when he is found, (LR)he must restore sevenfold;
He may have to give up all the substance of his house.
32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman (LS)lacks understanding;
He who does so destroys his own soul.
33 Wounds and dishonor he will get,
And his reproach will not be wiped away.
34 For (LT)jealousy is a husband’s fury;
Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 He will [de]accept no recompense,
Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.
Notas al pie
- Psalm 135:4 precious possession
- Psalm 135:7 Water vapor
- Psalm 135:8 Lit. struck down
- Psalm 135:8 Lit. From man to beast
- Psalm 135:12 inheritance
- Psalm 136:12 Mighty power
- Psalm 136:21 inheritance
- Psalm 137:7 Lit. Make bare
- Psalm 138:8 complete
- Psalm 139:3 Lit. winnow
- Psalm 139:5 enclosed
- Psalm 139:8 Or Sheol
- Psalm 139:11 Vg., Symmachus cover
- Psalm 139:12 Lit. is not dark
- Psalm 139:13 wove
- Psalm 139:14 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. You are fearfully wonderful
- Psalm 139:15 Lit. bones were
- Psalm 139:19 Lit. men of bloodshed
- Psalm 139:20 LXX, Vg. They take Your cities in vain
- Psalm 139:22 complete
- Psalm 140:7 sheltered
- Psalm 141:6 rock
- Psalm 141:8 Lit. Do not make my soul bare
- Psalm 142:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 142:3 Lit. fainted
- Psalm 142:6 Give heed
- Psalm 143:3 dark places
- Psalm 143:5 ponder
- Psalm 143:7 become
- Psalm 143:7 Die
- Psalm 143:9 LXX, Vg. To You I flee
- Psalm 143:12 put an end to
- Psalm 144:2 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; Syr., Tg. the peoples (cf. 18:47)
- Psalm 144:8 empty or worthless
- Psalm 144:10 deliverance
- Psalm 144:12 corner pillars
- Psalm 144:14 Lit. breach
- Psalm 145:1 praise
- Psalm 145:3 Beyond our understanding
- Psalm 145:5 So with MT, Tg.; DSS, LXX, Syr., Vg. They
- Psalm 145:5 Lit. on the words of Your wondrous works
- Psalm 145:7 eagerly utter, lit. bubble forth
- Psalm 145:13 So with MT, Tg.; DSS, LXX, Syr., Vg. add The Lord is faithful in all His words, And holy in all His works
- Psalm 146:1 Heb. Hallelujah
- Psalm 146:3 A human being
- Psalm 146:3 salvation
- Psalm 146:9 Lit. makes crooked
- Psalm 147:1 Heb. Hallelujah
- Psalm 147:3 Lit. sorrows
- Psalm 147:14 Lit. fat of wheat
- Psalm 147:17 fragments of food
- Psalm 147:20 Heb. Hallelujah
- Psalm 148:1 Heb. Hallelujah
- Psalm 148:14 Strength or dominion
- Psalm 148:14 Heb. Hallelujah
- Psalm 149:1 Heb. Hallelujah
- Psalm 149:4 meek
- Psalm 149:9 Heb. Hallelujah
- Psalm 150:1 Heb. Hallelujah
- Psalm 150:1 expanse of heaven
- Psalm 150:3 cornet
- Psalm 150:6 Heb. Hallelujah
- Proverbs 1:2 understand or discern
- Proverbs 1:5 acquire
- Proverbs 1:12 Or the grave
- Proverbs 1:13 Lit. wealth
- Proverbs 1:13 plunder
- Proverbs 1:17 futility
- Proverbs 1:17 Lit. lord of the wing
- Proverbs 1:20 in the street
- Proverbs 1:21 LXX, Syr., Tg. top of the walls; Vg. the head of multitudes
- Proverbs 1:22 naive
- Proverbs 1:22 naivete
- Proverbs 1:32 waywardness
- Proverbs 1:33 at ease
- Proverbs 2:18 sinks
- Proverbs 2:19 Lit. reach
- Proverbs 2:22 destroyed
- Proverbs 2:22 land
- Proverbs 3:4 Lit. good understanding
- Proverbs 3:6 Or make smooth or straight
- Proverbs 3:8 Body, lit. navel
- Proverbs 3:8 Lit. drink
- Proverbs 3:18 hold her fast
- Proverbs 3:27 Lit. its owners
- Proverbs 4:16 Lit. robbed
- Proverbs 4:18 Lit. light
- Proverbs 4:24 devious
- Proverbs 5:1 Lit. Bow
- Proverbs 5:2 appreciate good judgment
- Proverbs 5:3 Lit. a strange
- Proverbs 5:5 Or Sheol
- Proverbs 5:9 vigor
- Proverbs 5:10 Lit. strength
- Proverbs 5:16 Channels
- Proverbs 5:19 Lit. intoxicated
- Proverbs 5:21 observes, lit. weighs
- Proverbs 6:1 guaranty or collateral
- Proverbs 6:1 Lit. struck
- Proverbs 6:5 One who catches birds in a trap or snare
- Proverbs 6:7 Lit. leader
- Proverbs 6:8 Lit. bread
- Proverbs 6:9 Lit. lie down
- Proverbs 6:13 gives signals, lit. scrapes
- Proverbs 6:16 Lit. His soul
- Proverbs 6:17 Lit. Haughty eyes
- Proverbs 6:22 Lit. it
- Proverbs 6:26 Wife of another, lit. a man’s wife
- Proverbs 6:35 Lit. lift up the face of any
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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