Sing to the Lord a New Song

149 (A)Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord (B)a new song,
    his praise in (C)the assembly of the godly!
Let Israel (D)be glad in (E)his Maker;
    let the children of Zion rejoice in their (F)King!
Let them praise his name with (G)dancing,
    making melody to him with (H)tambourine and (I)lyre!
For the Lord (J)takes pleasure in his people;
    he (K)adorns the humble with salvation.
Let the godly exult in glory;
    let them (L)sing for joy on their (M)beds.
Let (N)the high praises of God be in their throats
    and (O)two-edged swords in their hands,
to execute vengeance on the nations
    and punishments on the peoples,
to bind their kings with (P)chains
    and their nobles with fetters of iron,
to execute on them the judgment (Q)written!
    (R)This is honor for all his godly ones.
(S)Praise the Lord!

Let Everything Praise the Lord

150 (T)Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his (U)sanctuary;
    praise him in (V)his mighty heavens![a]
Praise him for his (W)mighty deeds;
    praise him according to his excellent (X)greatness!

Praise him with (Y)trumpet sound;
    praise him with (Z)lute and (AA)harp!
Praise him with (AB)tambourine and (AC)dance;
    praise him with (AD)strings and (AE)pipe!
Praise him with sounding (AF)cymbals;
    praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let (AG)everything that has breath praise the Lord!
(AH)Praise the Lord!

The Beginning of Knowledge

(AI)The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

To know wisdom and instruction,
    to understand words of insight,
to receive instruction in wise dealing,
    in (AJ)righteousness, justice, and equity;
to give prudence to (AK)the simple,
    knowledge and (AL)discretion to the youth—
Let the wise hear and (AM)increase in learning,
    and the one who understands obtain guidance,
to understand a proverb and a saying,
    (AN)the words of the wise and their (AO)riddles.

(AP)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
    fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The Enticement of Sinners

(AQ)Hear, my son, your father's instruction,
    and forsake not your mother's teaching,
for they are (AR)a graceful garland for your head
    and (AS)pendants for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners (AT)entice you,
    do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us, (AU)let us lie in wait for blood;
    (AV)let us ambush the innocent without reason;
12 like Sheol let us (AW)swallow them alive,
    and whole, like (AX)those who go down to the pit;
13 we shall find all precious goods,
    we shall fill our houses with plunder;
14 throw in your lot among us;
    we will all have one purse”—
15 my son, (AY)do not walk in the way with them;
    (AZ)hold back your foot from their paths,
16 for (BA)their feet run to evil,
    and they make haste to shed blood.
17 (BB)For in vain is a net spread
    in the sight of any bird,
18 but these men (BC)lie in wait for their own blood;
    they (BD)set an ambush for their own lives.
19 (BE)Such are the ways of everyone who is (BF)greedy for unjust gain;
    (BG)it takes away the life of its possessors.

The Call of Wisdom

20 (BH)Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
    in the markets she raises her voice;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
    at (BI)the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O (BJ)simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will (BK)scoffers delight in their scoffing
    and fools (BL)hate knowledge?
23 If you turn at my reproof,[b]
behold, I will (BM)pour out my spirit to you;
    I will make my words known to you.
24 (BN)Because I have called and (BO)you refused to listen,
    have (BP)stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have (BQ)ignored all my counsel
    and (BR)would have none of my reproof,
26 I also (BS)will laugh at your calamity;
    I will mock when (BT)terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like (BU)a storm
    and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 (BV)Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
    they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they (BW)hated knowledge
    and (BX)did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 (BY)would have none of my counsel
    and (BZ)despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat (CA)the fruit of their way,
    and have (CB)their fill of their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by (CC)their turning away,
    and (CD)the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but (CE)whoever listens to me will dwell secure
    and will be (CF)at ease, without dread of disaster.”

The Value of Wisdom

(CG)My son, (CH)if you receive my words
    and treasure up my commandments with you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight
    and raise your voice (CI)for understanding,
if you seek it like (CJ)silver
    and search for it as for (CK)hidden treasures,
then (CL)you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
For (CM)the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is (CN)a shield to those who (CO)walk in integrity,
guarding the paths of justice
    and (CP)watching over the way of his (CQ)saints.
(CR)Then you will understand (CS)righteousness and justice
    and equity, every good path;
10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 (CT)discretion will (CU)watch over you,
    understanding will guard you,
12 delivering you from the way of evil,
    from men of perverted speech,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness
    to (CV)walk in the ways of darkness,
14 who (CW)rejoice in doing evil
    and (CX)delight in the perverseness of evil,
15 men whose (CY)paths are crooked,
    (CZ)and who are (DA)devious in their ways.

16 So (DB)you will be delivered from the forbidden[c] woman,
    from (DC)the adulteress[d] with (DD)her smooth words,
17 who forsakes (DE)the companion of her youth
    and forgets (DF)the covenant of her God;
18 (DG)for her house sinks down to death,
    and her paths to the departed;[e]
19 none who go to her come back,
    nor do they regain the paths of life.

20 So you will walk in the way of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright (DH)will inhabit the land,
    and those with integrity will remain in it,
22 but the wicked will be (DI)cut off from the land,
    and the treacherous will be (DJ)rooted out of it.

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 150:1 Hebrew expanse (compare Genesis 1:6–8)
  2. Proverbs 1:23 Or Will you turn away at my reproof?
  3. Proverbs 2:16 Hebrew strange
  4. Proverbs 2:16 Hebrew foreign woman
  5. Proverbs 2:18 Hebrew to the Rephaim

Psalm 149

Praise the Lord.[a](A)

Sing to the Lord a new song,(B)
    his praise in the assembly(C) of his faithful people.

Let Israel rejoice(D) in their Maker;(E)
    let the people of Zion be glad in their King.(F)
Let them praise his name with dancing(G)
    and make music to him with timbrel and harp.(H)
For the Lord takes delight(I) in his people;
    he crowns the humble with victory.(J)
Let his faithful people rejoice(K) in this honor
    and sing for joy on their beds.(L)

May the praise of God be in their mouths(M)
    and a double-edged(N) sword in their hands,(O)
to inflict vengeance(P) on the nations
    and punishment(Q) on the peoples,
to bind their kings with fetters,(R)
    their nobles with shackles of iron,(S)
to carry out the sentence written against them—(T)
    this is the glory of all his faithful people.(U)

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord.[b](V)

Praise God in his sanctuary;(W)
    praise him in his mighty heavens.(X)
Praise him for his acts of power;(Y)
    praise him for his surpassing greatness.(Z)
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,(AA)
    praise him with the harp and lyre,(AB)
praise him with timbrel and dancing,(AC)
    praise him with the strings(AD) and pipe,(AE)
praise him with the clash of cymbals,(AF)
    praise him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything(AG) that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

Purpose and Theme

The proverbs(AH) of Solomon(AI) son of David, king of Israel:(AJ)

for gaining wisdom and instruction;
    for understanding words of insight;
for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
    doing what is right and just and fair;
for giving prudence to those who are simple,[c](AK)
    knowledge and discretion(AL) to the young—
let the wise listen and add to their learning,(AM)
    and let the discerning get guidance—
for understanding proverbs and parables,(AN)
    the sayings and riddles(AO) of the wise.[d](AP)

The fear of the Lord(AQ) is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools[e] despise wisdom(AR) and instruction.(AS)

Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom

Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

Listen, my son,(AT) to your father’s(AU) instruction
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(AV)
They are a garland to grace your head
    and a chain to adorn your neck.(AW)

10 My son, if sinful men entice(AX) you,
    do not give in(AY) to them.(AZ)
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
    let’s lie in wait(BA) for innocent blood,
    let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12 let’s swallow(BB) them alive, like the grave,
    and whole, like those who go down to the pit;(BC)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
    and fill our houses with plunder;
14 cast lots with us;
    we will all share the loot(BD)”—
15 my son, do not go along with them,
    do not set foot(BE) on their paths;(BF)
16 for their feet rush into evil,(BG)
    they are swift to shed blood.(BH)
17 How useless to spread a net
    where every bird can see it!
18 These men lie in wait(BI) for their own blood;
    they ambush only themselves!(BJ)
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
    it takes away the life of those who get it.(BK)

Wisdom’s Rebuke

20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(BL)
    she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall[f] she cries out,
    at the city gate she makes her speech:

22 “How long will you who are simple(BM) love your simple ways?
    How long will mockers delight in mockery
    and fools hate(BN) knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
    Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
    I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse(BO) to listen when I call(BP)
    and no one pays attention(BQ) when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
    and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh(BR) when disaster(BS) strikes you;
    I will mock(BT) when calamity overtakes you(BU)
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
    when disaster(BV) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
    when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;(BW)
    they will look for me but will not find me,(BX)
29 since they hated knowledge
    and did not choose to fear the Lord.(BY)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
    and spurned my rebuke,(BZ)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
    and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.(CA)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(CB)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety(CC)
    and be at ease, without fear of harm.”(CD)

Moral Benefits of Wisdom

My son,(CE) if you accept my words
    and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
    and applying your heart to understanding(CF)
indeed, if you call out for insight(CG)
    and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure,(CH)
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.(CI)
For the Lord gives wisdom;(CJ)
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.(CK)
He holds success in store for the upright,
    he is a shield(CL) to those whose walk is blameless,(CM)
for he guards the course of the just
    and protects the way of his faithful ones.(CN)

Then you will understand(CO) what is right and just
    and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,(CP)
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
    and understanding will guard you.(CQ)

12 Wisdom will save(CR) you from the ways of wicked men,
    from men whose words are perverse,
13 who have left the straight paths
    to walk in dark ways,(CS)
14 who delight in doing wrong
    and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,(CT)
15 whose paths are crooked(CU)
    and who are devious in their ways.(CV)

16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,(CW)
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth
    and ignored the covenant she made before God.[g](CX)
18 Surely her house leads down to death
    and her paths to the spirits of the dead.(CY)
19 None who go to her return
    or attain the paths of life.(CZ)

20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,(DA)
    and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked(DB) will be cut off from the land,(DC)
    and the unfaithful will be torn from it.(DD)

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 149:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 9
  2. Psalm 150:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 6
  3. Proverbs 1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs denotes a person who is gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil.
  4. Proverbs 1:6 Or understanding a proverb, namely, a parable, / and the sayings of the wise, their riddles
  5. Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.
  6. Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners
  7. Proverbs 2:17 Or covenant of her God

Some Will Depart from the Faith

Now (A)the Spirit expressly says that (B)in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to (C)deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of (D)liars whose consciences are seared, (E)who forbid marriage and (F)require abstinence from foods (G)that God created (H)to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For (I)everything created by God is good, and (J)nothing is to be rejected if it is (K)received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy (L)by the word of God and prayer.

A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

(M)If you put these things before the brothers,[a] you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have (N)followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, (O)silly myths. Rather (P)train yourself for godliness; for while (Q)bodily training is of some value, godliness (R)is of value in every way, as (S)it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is (T)trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive,[b] because we have our hope set on the living God, (U)who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

11 Command and teach (V)these things. 12 (W)Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers (X)an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 (Y)Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you (Z)by prophecy when the council of elders (AA)laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them,[c] so that (AB)all may see your progress. 16 (AC)Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save (AD)both yourself and (AE)your hearers.

Notas al pie

  1. 1 Timothy 4:6 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters
  2. 1 Timothy 4:10 Some manuscripts and suffer reproach
  3. 1 Timothy 4:15 Greek be in them

The Spirit(A) clearly says that in later times(B) some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits(C) and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.(D) They forbid people to marry(E) and order them to abstain from certain foods,(F) which God created(G) to be received with thanksgiving(H) by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good,(I) and nothing is to be rejected(J) if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God(K) and prayer.

If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,[a] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith(L) and of the good teaching that you have followed.(M) Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales;(N) rather, train yourself to be godly.(O) For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,(P) holding promise for both the present life(Q) and the life to come.(R) This is a trustworthy saying(S) that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God,(T) who is the Savior of all people,(U) and especially of those who believe.

11 Command and teach these things.(V) 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you(W) because you are young, but set an example(X) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith(Y) and in purity. 13 Until I come,(Z) devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture,(AA) to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy(AB) when the body of elders(AC) laid their hands on you.(AD)

15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save(AE) both yourself and your hearers.

Notas al pie

  1. 1 Timothy 4:6 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.