Bible in 90 Days
Praise the Lord’s Wonderful Works. Vanity of Idols.
135 [a](A)Praise [b]the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
Praise Him, O (B)servants of the Lord,
2 You who stand in the house of the Lord,
In the (C)courts of the house of our God!
3 [c]Praise [d]the Lord, for (D)the Lord is good;
(E)Sing praises to His name, (F)for it is lovely.
4 For [e]the Lord has (G)chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His [f](H)own possession.
5 For I know that (I)the Lord is great
And that our Lord is (J)above all gods.
6 (K)Whatever the Lord pleases, He does,
In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
7 [g]He (L)causes the [h]vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
Who (M)makes lightnings for the rain,
Who (N)brings forth the wind from His treasuries.
8 [i]He (O)smote the firstborn of Egypt,
[j]Both of man and beast.
9 [k]He sent (P)signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt,
Upon (Q)Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 [l](R)He (S)smote many nations
And slew mighty kings,
11 (T)Sihon, king of the Amorites,
And (U)Og, king of Bashan,
And (V)all the kingdoms of Canaan;
12 And He (W)gave their land as a heritage,
A heritage to Israel His people.
13 Your (X)name, O Lord, is everlasting,
Your [m]remembrance, O Lord, [n]throughout all generations.
14 For the Lord will (Y)judge His people
And (Z)will have compassion on His servants.
15 The (AA)idols of the nations are but silver and gold,
The work of man’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
They have eyes, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear,
Nor is there any breath at all in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them,
Yes, everyone who trusts in them.
19 O house of (AB)Israel, bless the Lord;
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord;
20 O house of Levi, bless the Lord;
You (AC)who [o]revere the Lord, bless the Lord.
21 Blessed be the Lord (AD)from Zion,
Who (AE)dwells in Jerusalem.
[p]Praise [q]the Lord!
Thanks for the Lord’s Goodness to Israel.
136 (AF)Give thanks to the Lord, for (AG)He is good,
For (AH)His lovingkindness is everlasting.
2 Give thanks to the (AI)God of gods,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
3 Give thanks to the (AJ)Lord of lords,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
4 To Him who (AK)alone does great [r]wonders,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
5 To Him who (AL)made the heavens [s](AM)with skill,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
6 To Him who (AN)spread out the earth above the waters,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
7 To Him who (AO)made the great lights,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting:
8 The (AP)sun to rule [t]by day,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
9 The (AQ)moon and stars to rule [u]by night,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
10 To Him who (AR)smote [v]the Egyptians in their firstborn,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
11 And (AS)brought Israel out from their midst,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
12 With a (AT)strong hand and an (AU)outstretched arm,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
13 To Him who (AV)divided the [w]Red Sea [x]asunder,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
14 And (AW)made Israel pass through the midst of it,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
15 But (AX)He [y]overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the [z]Red Sea,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
16 To Him who (AY)led His people through the wilderness,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
17 To Him who (AZ)smote great kings,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
18 And (BA)slew [aa]mighty kings,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting:
19 (BB)Sihon, king of the Amorites,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
20 And (BC)Og, king of Bashan,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
21 And (BD)gave their land as a heritage,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
22 Even a heritage to Israel His (BE)servant,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
23 Who (BF)remembered us in our low estate,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
24 And has (BG)rescued us from our adversaries,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
25 Who (BH)gives food to all flesh,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
26 Give thanks to the (BI)God of heaven,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
An Experience of the Captivity.
137 By the (BJ)rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down and (BK)wept,
When we remembered Zion.
2 Upon the [ab](BL)willows in the midst of it
We (BM)hung our [ac]harps.
3 For there our captors [ad](BN)demanded of us [ae]songs,
And (BO)our tormentors mirth, saying,
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”
4 How can we sing (BP)the Lord’s song
In a foreign land?
5 If I (BQ)forget you, O Jerusalem,
May my right hand [af]forget her skill.
6 May my (BR)tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
If I do not remember you,
If I do not [ag](BS)exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O Lord, against the sons of (BT)Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, “Raze it, raze it
(BU)To its very foundation.”
8 O daughter of Babylon, you [ah](BV)devastated one,
How blessed will be the one who (BW)repays you
With [ai]the recompense with which you have repaid us.
9 How blessed will be the one who seizes and (BX)dashes your little ones
Against the rock.
Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Favor.
A Psalm of David.
138 (BY)I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing praises to You before the (BZ)gods.
2 I will bow down (CA)toward Your holy temple
And (CB)give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your [aj]truth;
For You have (CC)magnified Your [ak]word [al]according to all Your name.
3 On the day I (CD)called, You answered me;
You made me bold with (CE)strength in my soul.
4 (CF)All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, O Lord,
When they have heard the words of Your mouth.
5 And they will (CG)sing of the ways of the Lord,
For (CH)great is the glory of the Lord.
6 For (CI)though the Lord is exalted,
Yet He (CJ)regards the lowly,
But the (CK)haughty He knows from afar.
7 Though I (CL)walk in the midst of trouble, You will [am](CM)revive me;
You will (CN)stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will (CO)save me.
8 The Lord will (CP)accomplish what concerns me;
Your (CQ)lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting;
(CR)Do not forsake the (CS)works of Your hands.
God’s Omnipresence and Omniscience.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
139 O Lord, You have (CT)searched me and known me.
2 You (CU)know [an]when I sit down and [ao]when I rise up;
You (CV)understand my thought from afar.
3 You [ap](CW)scrutinize my [aq]path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
4 [ar]Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You (CX)know it all.
5 You have (CY)enclosed me behind and before,
And (CZ)laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such (DA)knowledge is (DB)too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
7 (DC)Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 (DD)If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in [as]Sheol, behold, (DE)You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand will (DF)lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
11 If I say, “Surely the (DG)darkness will [at]overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
12 Even the (DH)darkness is not dark [au]to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
(DI)Darkness and light are alike to You.
13 For You (DJ)formed my [av]inward parts;
You (DK)wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, for [aw]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
(DL)Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My [ax](DM)frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the (DN)depths of the earth;
16 Your (DO)eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in (DP)Your book were all written
The (DQ)days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
17 How precious also are Your (DR)thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would (DS)outnumber the sand.
When (DT)I awake, I am still with You.
19 O that You would (DU)slay the wicked, O God;
(DV)Depart from me, therefore, (DW)men of bloodshed.
20 For they (DX)speak [ay]against You wickedly,
And Your enemies [az](DY)take Your name in vain.
21 Do I not (DZ)hate those who hate You, O Lord?
And do I not (EA)loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.
23 (EB)Search me, O God, and know my heart;
(EC)Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
24 And see if there be any [ba](ED)hurtful way in me,
And (EE)lead me in the (EF)everlasting way.
Prayer for Protection against the Wicked.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
140 (EG)Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men;
Preserve me from (EH)violent men
2 Who (EI)devise evil things in their hearts;
They (EJ)continually stir up wars.
3 They (EK)sharpen their tongues as a serpent;
(EL)Poison of a viper is under their lips. [bb]Selah.
4 (EM)Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
(EN)Preserve me from violent men
Who have [bc]purposed to [bd](EO)trip up my feet.
5 The proud have (EP)hidden a trap for me, and cords;
They have spread a (EQ)net by the [be]wayside;
They have set (ER)snares for me. Selah.
6 I (ES)said to the Lord, “You are my God;
(ET)Give ear, O Lord, to the (EU)voice of my supplications.
7 “O [bf]God the Lord, (EV)the strength of my salvation,
You have (EW)covered my head in the day of [bg]battle.
8 “Do not grant, O Lord, the (EX)desires of the wicked;
Do not promote (EY)his evil device, that they not be exalted. Selah.
9 “As for the head of those who surround me,
May the (EZ)mischief of their lips cover them.
10 “May (FA)burning coals fall upon them;
May they be (FB)cast into the fire,
Into [bh]deep pits from which they (FC)cannot rise.
11 “May a [bi]slanderer not be established in the earth;
(FD)May evil hunt the violent man [bj]speedily.”
12 I know that the Lord will (FE)maintain the cause of the afflicted
And (FF)justice for the poor.
13 Surely the (FG)righteous will give thanks to Your name;
The (FH)upright will dwell in Your presence.
An Evening Prayer for Sanctification and Protection.
A Psalm of David.
141 O Lord, I call upon You; (FI)hasten to me!
(FJ)Give ear to my voice when I call to You!
2 May my prayer be [bk]counted as (FK)incense before You;
The (FL)lifting up of my hands as the (FM)evening offering.
3 Set a (FN)guard, O Lord, [bl]over my mouth;
Keep watch over the (FO)door of my lips.
4 (FP)Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice deeds [bm]of wickedness
With men who (FQ)do iniquity;
And (FR)do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the (FS)righteous smite me [bn]in kindness and reprove me;
It is (FT)oil upon the head;
Do not let my head refuse it,
[bo]For still my prayer (FU)is [bp]against their wicked deeds.
6 Their judges are (FV)thrown down by the sides of the rock,
And they hear my words, for they are pleasant.
7 As when one (FW)plows and breaks open the earth,
Our (FX)bones have been scattered at the (FY)mouth of [bq]Sheol.
8 For my (FZ)eyes are toward You, O [br]God, the Lord;
In You I (GA)take refuge; (GB)do not [bs]leave me defenseless.
9 Keep me from the [bt](GC)jaws of the trap which they have set for me,
And from the (GD)snares of those who do iniquity.
10 Let the wicked (GE)fall into their own nets,
While I pass by [bu](GF)safely.
Prayer for Help in Trouble.
[bv]Maskil of David, when he was [bw]in the cave. A Prayer.
142 I (GG)cry aloud with my voice to the Lord;
I (GH)make supplication with my voice to the Lord.
2 I (GI)pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare my (GJ)trouble before Him.
3 When (GK)my spirit [bx]was overwhelmed within me,
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have (GL)hidden a trap for me.
4 Look to the right and see;
For there is (GM)no one who regards me;
[by]There is no (GN)escape for me;
(GO)No one cares for my soul.
5 I cried out to You, O Lord;
I said, “You are (GP)my refuge,
My (GQ)portion in the (GR)land of the living.
6 “(GS)Give heed to my cry,
For I am (GT)brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are too (GU)strong for me.
7 “(GV)Bring my soul out of prison,
So that I may give thanks to Your name;
The righteous will surround me,
For You will (GW)deal bountifully with me.”
Prayer for Deliverance and Guidance.
A Psalm of David.
143 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
(GX)Give ear to my supplications!
Answer me in Your (GY)faithfulness, in Your (GZ)righteousness!
2 And (HA)do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight (HB)no man living is righteous.
3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life (HC)to the ground;
He (HD)has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.
4 Therefore (HE)my spirit [bz]is overwhelmed within me;
My heart is [ca](HF)appalled within me.
5 I (HG)remember the days of old;
I (HH)meditate on all Your doings;
I (HI)muse on the work of Your hands.
6 I (HJ)stretch out my hands to You;
My (HK)soul longs for You, as a [cb]parched land. [cc]Selah.
7 (HL)Answer me quickly, O Lord, my (HM)spirit fails;
(HN)Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will become like (HO)those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear Your (HP)lovingkindness (HQ)in the morning;
For I trust (HR)in You;
Teach me the (HS)way in which I should walk;
For to You I (HT)lift up my soul.
9 (HU)Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
[cd]I take refuge in You.
10 (HV)Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let (HW)Your good Spirit (HX)lead me on level [ce]ground.
11 (HY)For the sake of Your name, O Lord, (HZ)revive me.
(IA)In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And in Your lovingkindness, [cf](IB)cut off my enemies
And (IC)destroy all those who afflict my soul,
For (ID)I am Your servant.
Prayer for Rescue and Prosperity.
A Psalm of David.
144 Blessed be the Lord, (IE)my rock,
Who (IF)trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle;
2 My lovingkindness and (IG)my fortress,
My (IH)stronghold and my deliverer,
My (II)shield and He in whom I take refuge,
Who (IJ)subdues [cg]my people under me.
3 O Lord, (IK)what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You think of him?
4 (IL)Man is like a mere breath;
His (IM)days are like a passing shadow.
5 (IN)Bow Your heavens, O Lord, and (IO)come down;
(IP)Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
6 Flash forth (IQ)lightning and scatter them;
Send out Your (IR)arrows and confuse them.
7 Stretch forth Your hand (IS)from on high;
Rescue me and (IT)deliver me out of great waters,
Out of the hand of (IU)aliens
8 Whose mouths (IV)speak deceit,
And whose (IW)right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9 I will sing a (IX)new song to You, O God;
Upon a (IY)harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 Who (IZ)gives salvation to kings,
Who (JA)rescues David His servant from the evil sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me out of the hand of (JB)aliens,
Whose mouth (JC)speaks deceit
And whose (JD)right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
12 Let our sons in their youth be as (JE)grown-up plants,
And our daughters as (JF)corner pillars [ch]fashioned as for a palace;
13 Let our (JG)garners be full, furnishing every kind of produce,
And our flocks bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our [ci]fields;
14 Let our (JH)cattle [cj]bear
Without [ck](JI)mishap and without [cl](JJ)loss,
Let there be no (JK)outcry in our streets!
15 How blessed are the people who are so situated;
How (JL)blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!
The Lord Extolled for His Goodness.
A Psalm of Praise, of David.
145 I will (JM)extol You, (JN)my God, O King,
And I will (JO)bless Your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless You,
And I will (JP)praise Your name forever and ever.
3 (JQ)Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised,
And His (JR)greatness is unsearchable.
4 One (JS)generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
5 On the (JT)glorious [cm]splendor of Your majesty
And (JU)on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
6 Men shall speak of the [cn]power of Your (JV)awesome acts,
And I will (JW)tell of Your greatness.
7 They shall [co]eagerly utter the memory of Your (JX)abundant goodness
And will (JY)shout joyfully of Your righteousness.
8 The Lord is (JZ)gracious and merciful;
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
9 The Lord is (KA)good to all,
And His (KB)mercies are over all His works.
10 (KC)All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord,
And Your (KD)godly ones shall bless You.
11 They shall speak of the (KE)glory of Your kingdom
And talk of Your power;
12 To (KF)make known to the sons of men [cp]Your mighty acts
And the (KG)glory of the majesty of [cq]Your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is [cr]an (KH)everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
14 The Lord (KI)sustains all who fall
And (KJ)raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all [cs]look to You,
And You (KK)give them their food in due time.
16 You (KL)open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is (KM)righteous in all His ways
And kind in all His deeds.
18 The Lord is (KN)near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him (KO)in truth.
19 He will (KP)fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also (KQ)hear their cry and will save them.
20 The Lord (KR)keeps all who love Him,
But all the (KS)wicked He will destroy.
21 My (KT)mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
And (KU)all flesh will (KV)bless His holy name forever and ever.
The Lord an Abundant Helper.
146 [ct]Praise [cu]the Lord!
(KW)Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord (KX)while I live;
I will (KY)sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3 (KZ)Do not trust in princes,
In [cv]mortal (LA)man, in whom there is (LB)no salvation.
4 His (LC)spirit departs, he (LD)returns to [cw]the earth;
In that very day his (LE)thoughts perish.
5 How (LF)blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose (LG)hope is in the Lord his God,
6 Who (LH)made heaven and earth,
The (LI)sea and all that is in them;
Who (LJ)keeps [cx]faith forever;
7 Who (LK)executes justice for the oppressed;
Who (LL)gives food to the hungry.
The Lord (LM)sets the prisoners free.
8 The Lord (LN)opens the eyes of the blind;
The Lord (LO)raises up those who are bowed down;
The Lord (LP)loves the righteous;
9 The Lord [cy](LQ)protects the [cz]strangers;
He [da](LR)supports the fatherless and the widow,
But He [db]thwarts (LS)the way of the wicked.
10 The Lord will (LT)reign forever,
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
[dc]Praise [dd]the Lord!
Praise for Jerusalem’s Restoration and Prosperity.
147 [de]Praise [df]the Lord!
For (LU)it is good to sing praises to our God;
For [dg]it is pleasant and praise is (LV)becoming.
2 The Lord (LW)builds up Jerusalem;
He (LX)gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the (LY)brokenhearted
And (LZ)binds up their [dh]wounds.
4 He (MA)counts the number of the stars;
He [di](MB)gives names to all of them.
5 (MC)Great is our Lord and abundant in strength;
His (MD)understanding is [dj]infinite.
6 The Lord [dk](ME)supports the afflicted;
He brings down the wicked to the ground.
7 (MF)Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Sing praises to our God on the lyre,
8 Who (MG)covers the heavens with clouds,
Who (MH)provides rain for the earth,
Who (MI)makes grass to [dl]grow on the mountains.
9 He (MJ)gives to the beast its food,
And to the (MK)young ravens which cry.
10 He does not delight in the strength of the (ML)horse;
He (MM)does not take pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord (MN)favors those who fear Him,
(MO)Those who wait for His lovingkindness.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For He has strengthened the (MP)bars of your gates;
He has (MQ)blessed your sons within you.
14 He (MR)makes [dm]peace in your borders;
He (MS)satisfies you with (MT)the [dn]finest of the wheat.
15 He sends forth His (MU)command to the earth;
His (MV)word runs very swiftly.
16 He gives (MW)snow like wool;
He scatters the (MX)frost like ashes.
17 He casts forth His (MY)ice as fragments;
Who can stand before His (MZ)cold?
18 He (NA)sends forth His word and melts them;
He (NB)causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow.
19 He (NC)declares His words to Jacob,
His (ND)statutes and His ordinances to Israel.
20 He (NE)has not dealt thus with any nation;
And as for His ordinances, they have (NF)not known them.
[do]Praise [dp]the Lord!
The Whole Creation Invoked to Praise the Lord.
148 [dq]Praise [dr]the Lord!
Praise the Lord (NG)from the heavens;
Praise Him (NH)in the heights!
2 Praise Him, (NI)all His angels;
Praise Him, (NJ)all His hosts!
3 Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all stars of light!
4 Praise Him, [ds](NK)highest heavens,
And the (NL)waters that are above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For (NM)He commanded and they were created.
6 He has also (NN)established them forever and ever;
He has made a (NO)decree which will not pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
(NP)Sea monsters and all (NQ)deeps;
8 (NR)Fire and hail, (NS)snow and (NT)clouds;
(NU)Stormy wind, (NV)fulfilling His word;
9 (NW)Mountains and all hills;
Fruit (NX)trees and all cedars;
10 (NY)Beasts and all cattle;
(NZ)Creeping things and winged fowl;
11 (OA)Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all judges of the earth;
12 Both young men and virgins;
Old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For His (OB)name alone is exalted;
His (OC)glory is above earth and heaven.
14 And He has (OD)lifted up a horn for His people,
(OE)Praise for all His godly ones;
Even for the sons of Israel, a people (OF)near to Him.
[dt]Praise [du]the Lord!
Israel Invoked to Praise the Lord.
149 [dv]Praise [dw]the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a (OG)new song,
And His praise (OH)in the congregation of the godly ones.
2 Let Israel be glad in (OI)his Maker;
Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their (OJ)King.
3 Let them praise His name with (OK)dancing;
Let them sing praises to Him with (OL)timbrel and lyre.
4 For the Lord (OM)takes pleasure in His people;
He will (ON)beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.
5 Let the (OO)godly ones exult in glory;
Let them (OP)sing for joy on their beds.
6 Let the (OQ)high praises of God be in their [dx]mouth,
And a (OR)two-edged (OS)sword in their hand,
7 To (OT)execute vengeance on the nations
And punishment on the peoples,
8 To bind their kings (OU)with chains
And their (OV)nobles with fetters of iron,
9 To (OW)execute on them the judgment written;
This is an (OX)honor for all His godly ones.
[dy]Praise [dz]the Lord!
A Psalm of Praise.
150 [ea]Praise [eb]the Lord!
Praise God in His (OY)sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty [ec](OZ)expanse.
2 Praise Him for His (PA)mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent (PB)greatness.
3 Praise Him with (PC)trumpet sound;
Praise Him with (PD)harp and lyre.
4 Praise Him with (PE)timbrel and dancing;
Praise Him with (PF)stringed instruments and (PG)pipe.
5 Praise Him with loud (PH)cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let (PI)everything that has breath praise [ed]the Lord.
[ee]Praise [ef]the Lord!
The Usefulness of Proverbs
1 The (PJ)proverbs of Solomon (PK)the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know (PL)wisdom and instruction,
To discern the sayings of (PM)understanding,
3 To (PN)receive instruction in wise behavior,
(PO)Righteousness, justice and equity;
4 To give (PP)prudence to the [eg]naive,
To the youth (PQ)knowledge and discretion,
5 A wise man will hear and (PR)increase in learning,
And a (PS)man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and a figure,
The words of the wise and their (PT)riddles.
7 (PU)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Enticement of Sinners
8 (PV)Hear, my son, your father’s instruction
And (PW)do not forsake your mother’s teaching;
9 Indeed, they are a (PX)graceful wreath to your head
And [eh](PY)ornaments about your neck.
10 My son, if sinners (PZ)entice you,
(QA)Do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us,
Let us (QB)lie in wait for blood,
Let us (QC)ambush the innocent without cause;
12 Let us (QD)swallow them alive like Sheol,
Even whole, as those who (QE)go down to the pit;
13 We will find all kinds of precious wealth,
We will fill our houses with spoil;
14 Throw in your lot [ei]with us,
We shall all have one purse,”
15 My son, (QF)do not walk in the way with them.
(QG)Keep your feet from their path,
16 For (QH)their feet run to evil
And they hasten to shed blood.
17 Indeed, it is [ej]useless to spread the baited net
In the sight of any [ek]bird;
18 But they (QI)lie in wait for their own blood;
They ambush their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who (QJ)gains by violence;
It takes away the life of its possessors.
Wisdom Warns
20 (QK)Wisdom shouts in the street,
She [el]lifts her voice in the square;
21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
22 “How long, O [em](QL)naive ones, will you love [en]being simple-minded?
And (QM)scoffers delight themselves in scoffing
And fools (QN)hate knowledge?
23 “Turn to my reproof,
Behold, I will (QO)pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 “Because (QP)I called and you (QQ)refused,
I (QR)stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
25 And you (QS)neglected all my counsel
And did not (QT)want my reproof;
26 I will also (QU)laugh at your (QV)calamity;
I will mock when your (QW)dread comes,
27 When your dread comes like a storm
And your calamity comes like a (QX)whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Then they will (QY)call on me, but I will not answer;
They will (QZ)seek me diligently but they will not find me,
29 Because they (RA)hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord.
30 “They (RB)would not accept my counsel,
They spurned all my reproof.
31 “So they shall (RC)eat of the fruit of their own way
And be (RD)satiated with their own devices.
32 “For the (RE)waywardness of the [eo]naive will kill them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 “But (RF)he who listens to me shall [ep]live securely
And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”
The Pursuit of Wisdom Brings Security
2 My son, if you will (RG)receive my words
And (RH)treasure my commandments within you,
2 (RI)Make your ear attentive to wisdom,
Incline your heart to understanding;
3 For if you cry for discernment,
[eq]Lift your voice for understanding;
4 If you seek her as (RJ)silver
And search for her as for (RK)hidden treasures;
5 Then you will discern the (RL)fear of the Lord
And discover the knowledge of God.
6 For (RM)the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a (RN)shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 Guarding the paths of justice,
And He (RO)preserves the way of His godly ones.
9 Then you will discern (RP)righteousness and justice
And equity and every (RQ)good course.
10 For (RR)wisdom will enter your heart
And (RS)knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 Discretion will (RT)guard you,
Understanding will watch over you,
12 To (RU)deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks (RV)perverse things;
13 From those who (RW)leave the paths of uprightness
To walk in the (RX)ways of darkness;
14 Who (RY)delight in doing evil
And rejoice in the perversity of evil;
15 Whose paths are (RZ)crooked,
And who are devious in their ways;
16 To (SA)deliver you from the strange woman,
From the [er](SB)adulteress who flatters with her words;
17 That leaves the (SC)companion of her youth
And forgets the (SD)covenant of her God;
18 For (SE)her house [es]sinks down to death
And her tracks lead to the [et]dead;
19 None (SF)who go to her return again,
Nor do they reach the (SG)paths of life.
20 So you will (SH)walk in the way of good men
And keep to the (SI)paths of the righteous.
21 For (SJ)the upright will [eu]live in the land
And (SK)the blameless will remain in it;
22 But (SL)the wicked will be cut off from the land
And (SM)the treacherous will be (SN)uprooted from it.
The Rewards of Wisdom
3 My son, (SO)do not forget my [ev]teaching,
But let your heart (SP)keep my commandments;
2 For (SQ)length of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you.
3 Do not let (SR)kindness and truth leave you;
(SS)Bind them around your neck,
(ST)Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will (SU)find favor and (SV)good [ew]repute
In the sight of God and man.
5 (SW)Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And (SX)do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways (SY)acknowledge Him,
And He will (SZ)make your paths straight.
7 (TA)Do not be wise in your own eyes;
(TB)Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 It will be (TC)healing to your [ex]body
And (TD)refreshment to your bones.
9 (TE)Honor the Lord from your wealth
And from the (TF)first of all your produce;
10 So your (TG)barns will be filled with plenty
And your (TH)vats will overflow with new wine.
11 (TI)My son, do not reject the [ey]discipline of the Lord
Or loathe His reproof,
12 For (TJ)whom the Lord loves He reproves,
Even (TK)as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
13 (TL)How blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who gains understanding.
14 For her (TM)profit is better than the profit of silver
And her gain better than fine gold.
15 She is (TN)more precious than [ez]jewels;
And nothing you desire compares with her.
16 [fa](TO)Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are (TP)riches and honor.
17 Her (TQ)ways are pleasant ways
And all her paths are (TR)peace.
18 She is a (TS)tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who hold her fast.
19 The Lord (TT)by wisdom founded the earth,
By understanding He (TU)established the heavens.
20 By His knowledge the (TV)deeps were broken up
And the (TW)skies drip with dew.
21 My son, (TX)let them not [fb]vanish from your sight;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 So they will be (TY)life to your soul
And (TZ)adornment to your neck.
23 Then you will (UA)walk in your way securely
And your foot will not (UB)stumble.
24 When you (UC)lie down, you will not be afraid;
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 (UD)Do not be afraid of sudden fear
Nor of the [fc](UE)onslaught of the wicked when it comes;
26 For the Lord will be [fd]your confidence
And will (UF)keep your foot from being caught.
27 (UG)Do not withhold good from [fe]those to whom it is due,
When it is in your power to do it.
28 (UH)Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.
29 (UI)Do not devise harm against your neighbor,
While he lives securely beside you.
30 (UJ)Do not contend with a man without cause,
If he has done you no harm.
31 (UK)Do not envy a man of violence
And do not choose any of his ways.
32 For the (UL)devious are an abomination to the Lord;
But [ff]He is (UM)intimate with the upright.
33 The (UN)curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,
But He (UO)blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Though (UP)He scoffs at the scoffers,
Yet (UQ)He gives grace to the afflicted.
35 (UR)The wise will inherit honor,
But fools [fg]display dishonor.
A Father’s Instruction
4 Hear, O sons, the (US)instruction of a father,
And (UT)give attention that you may [fh]gain understanding,
2 For I give you [fi]sound (UU)teaching;
(UV)Do not abandon my [fj]instruction.
3 When I was a son to my father,
(UW)Tender and (UX)the only son in the sight of my mother,
4 Then he (UY)taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart (UZ)hold fast my words;
(VA)Keep my commandments and live;
5 (VB)Acquire wisdom! (VC)Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 “Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;
(VD)Love her, and she will watch over you.
7 “(VE)The [fk]beginning of wisdom is: (VF)Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, get understanding.
8 “(VG)Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
9 “She will place (VH)on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10 Hear, my son, and (VI)accept my sayings
And the (VJ)years of your life will be many.
11 I have (VK)directed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.
12 When you walk, your (VL)steps will not be impeded;
And if you run, you (VM)will not stumble.
13 (VN)Take hold of instruction; do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your (VO)life.
14 (VP)Do not enter the path of the wicked
And do not proceed in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not pass by it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they (VQ)cannot sleep unless they do evil;
And [fl]they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
17 For they (VR)eat the bread of wickedness
And drink the wine of violence.
18 But the (VS)path of the righteous is like the (VT)light of dawn,
That (VU)shines brighter and brighter until the (VV)full day.
19 The (VW)way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know over what they [fm](VX)stumble.
20 My son, (VY)give attention to my words;
(VZ)Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 (WA)Do not let them depart from your sight;
(WB)Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are (WC)life to those who find them
And (WD)health to all [fn]their body.
23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For (WE)from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you a (WF)deceitful mouth
And (WG)put devious [fo]speech far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your [fp]gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
26 (WH)Watch the path of your feet
And all your (WI)ways will be established.
27 (WJ)Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
(WK)Turn your foot from evil.
Pitfalls of Immorality
5 My son, (WL)give attention to my wisdom,
(WM)Incline your ear to my understanding;
2 That you may (WN)observe discretion
And your (WO)lips may reserve knowledge.
3 For the lips of an [fq](WP)adulteress (WQ)drip honey
And (WR)smoother than oil is her [fr]speech;
4 But in the end she is (WS)bitter as wormwood,
(WT)Sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet (WU)go down to death,
Her steps take hold of Sheol.
6 [fs]She does not ponder the (WV)path of life;
Her ways are (WW)unstable, she (WX)does not know it.
7 (WY)Now then, my sons, listen to me
And (WZ)do not depart from the words of my mouth.
8 (XA)Keep your way far from her
And do not go near the (XB)door of her house,
9 Or you will give your vigor to others
And your years to the cruel one;
10 And strangers will be filled with your strength
And your hard-earned goods will go to the house of an alien;
11 And you groan at your [ft]final end,
When your flesh and your body are consumed;
12 And you say, “How I have (XC)hated instruction!
And my heart (XD)spurned reproof!
13 “I have not listened to the voice of my (XE)teachers,
Nor inclined my ear to my instructors!
14 “I was almost in utter ruin
In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”
15 Drink water from your own cistern
And [fu]fresh water from your own well.
16 Should your (XF)springs be dispersed abroad,
Streams of water in the streets?
17 Let them be yours alone
And not for strangers with you.
18 Let your (XG)fountain be blessed,
And (XH)rejoice in the (XI)wife of your youth.
19 As a loving (XJ)hind and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
Be [fv]exhilarated always with her love.
20 For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an [fw](XK)adulteress
And embrace the bosom of a (XL)foreigner?
21 For the (XM)ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord,
And He (XN)watches all his paths.
22 His (XO)own iniquities will capture the wicked,
And he will be held with the cords of his sin.
23 He will (XP)die for lack of instruction,
And in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.
Parental Counsel
6 My son, if you have become (XQ)surety for your neighbor,
Have [fx]given a pledge for a stranger,
2 If you have been snared with the words of your mouth,
Have been caught with the words of your mouth,
3 Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself;
Since you have come into the [fy]hand of your neighbor,
Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor.
4 Give no (XR)sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids;
5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand
And like a (XS)bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the (XT)ant, O (XU)sluggard,
Observe her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having (XV)no chief,
Officer or ruler,
8 Prepares her food (XW)in the summer
And gathers her provision in the harvest.
9 How long will you lie down, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
10 “(XX)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to [fz]rest”—
11 (XY)Your poverty will come in like a [ga]vagabond
And your need like [gb]an armed man.
12 A (XZ)worthless person, a wicked man,
Is the one who walks with a (YA)perverse mouth,
13 Who (YB)winks with his eyes, who [gc]signals with his feet,
Who [gd]points with his fingers;
14 Who with (YC)perversity in his heart continually (YD)devises evil,
Who [ge](YE)spreads strife.
15 Therefore (YF)his calamity will come suddenly;
(YG)Instantly he will be broken and there will be (YH)no healing.
16 There are six things which the Lord hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination [gf]to Him:
17 (YI)Haughty eyes, a (YJ)lying tongue,
And hands that (YK)shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises (YL)wicked plans,
(YM)Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19 A (YN)false witness who utters lies,
And one who [gg](YO)spreads strife among brothers.
20 (YP)My son, observe the commandment of your father
And do not forsake the [gh]teaching of your mother;
21 (YQ)Bind them continually on your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
22 When you (YR)walk about, [gi]they will guide you;
When you sleep, [gj]they will watch over you;
And when you awake, [gk]they will talk to you.
23 For (YS)the commandment is a lamp and the [gl]teaching is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life
24 To (YT)keep you from the evil woman,
From the smooth tongue of the [gm]adulteress.
25 (YU)Do not desire her beauty in your heart,
Nor let her capture you with her (YV)eyelids.
26 For (YW)on account of a harlot one is reduced to a loaf of bread,
And [gn]an adulteress (YX)hunts for the precious life.
27 Can a man [go]take fire in his bosom
And his clothes not be burned?
28 Or can a man walk on hot coals
And his feet not be scorched?
29 So is the one who (YY)goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her (YZ)will not [gp]go unpunished.
30 [gq]Men do not despise a thief if he steals
To (ZA)satisfy [gr]himself when he is hungry;
31 But when he is found, he must (ZB)repay sevenfold;
He must give all the [gs]substance of his house.
32 The one who commits adultery with a woman is (ZC)lacking [gt]sense;
He who would (ZD)destroy [gu]himself does it.
33 Wounds and disgrace he will find,
And his reproach will not be blotted out.
34 For (ZE)jealousy [gv]enrages a man,
And he will not spare in the (ZF)day of vengeance.
35 He will not [gw]accept any ransom,
Nor will he be [gx]satisfied though you give many [gy]gifts.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.