Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 125
A song for those journeying to worship.
1 All who have faith in the Eternal stand as Mount Zion:
unmoved, enduring, eternal.
2 Just as the mountains around Jerusalem embrace her,
the Eternal, too, wraps around those who belong to Him—
for this moment and for every moment to come.
3 For wickedness will not get the upper hand;
it shall not rule the land where righteous people live
Lest good people go bad
and do what is wrong.
4 Be good, Eternal One, to those who are good,
to those who are filled with integrity.
5 The Eternal will send all the wicked away
along with those who pervert what’s good and twist it in their own crooked way.
May peace be with Israel.
1 I, Solomon, David’s son and Israel’s king, pass on to you these proverbs—a treasury of wisdom—
2 So that you would recognize wisdom and value discipline;
that you would understand insightful teaching
3 And receive wise guidance to live a disciplined life;
that you would seek justice and have the ability to choose what is right and fair.
4 These proverbs teach the naive how to become clever;
they instruct the young in how to grow in knowledge and live with discretion.
5 The wise will pay attention to these words and will grow in learning,
and the discerning will receive divine guidance,
6 And they will be able to interpret the meaning of a proverb and a puzzle,
the twists and turns in the words of the wise and their riddles.
A strategic translation decision has been made to respect the historical situation of this book. In its original context, Proverbs is practical wisdom passed down from parents (especially fathers, see chapters 1–9) to young men who are preparing to enter a life of adult responsibilities: family, business, community leadership, and so on. Because of this relational aspect, we have retained masculine references when appropriate and have used more inclusive language when that was the intention of the original author. It is our greatest hope that God will use this work to remind fathers of the profound place they have in nurturing, instructing, and guiding the next generation.
7 Let us begin. The worship of the Eternal One, the one True God, is the first step toward knowledge.
Fools, however, do not fear God and cannot stand wisdom or guidance.
8 So, my son, pay attention to your father’s guidance,
and do not ignore what your mother taught you—
9 Wear their wisdom as a badge of honor and maturity,
as fine jewelry around your neck.
10 My son, should your less honorable peers pressure you to do what is wrong,
you should be strong enough not to go along.
11 If they should say,
Evildoers: Come on! Everyone, hide and let’s wait to see whom we can beat to a pulp.
We’re going to jump some unsuspecting chumps for no reason at all.
12 We’ll have our way with them, and when we’re through, there will be nothing left,
as if their bodies were swallowed whole by the grave’s dark pit.
13 We’ll take whatever we want—all their wealth and their fancy clothes—
and when we’re through, we’ll have piles of their treasure for our own.
14 You have to join us; forget about God.
We’re going to rake in the goods, and we’ll share all we take!
15 My son, do not join them;
keep well away from their violent, destructive paths.
16 For they run right away, every time, to do wrong,
and they are thirsty for blood.
17 You see, it makes no sense to bait the net and set the trap
while the bird is watching,
18 But these hiding in the shadows and waiting to spill innocent blood
are really just hastening their own destruction!
By giving in to their sinful desires,
they set themselves up to be ambushed.
19 This is what happens to everyone who tries to profit by violence;
violence will eventually rob them of their very lives.
Paul sounds a sober warning. God’s wrath is here; it is not some far-off future event. Paul says that God’s wrath is already at work in the world in what is effectively God’s “hands-off” policy. God, he says, steps aside and gives us over to idolatry, sexual sins, and depraved minds. Human sin and depravity are both its cause and effect. You see, we are not only punished for our sins, but we are punished by our sins. If God’s salvation consists essentially of His presence with us, then His wrath consists of His absence or separation from us. The bad news is this: God’s wrath is real. Without the good news of Jesus, no hope exists.
2 So you can see there are no excuses for any of us. If your eyes shift their focus from yourselves to others—to judge how they are doing—you have already condemned yourselves! You don’t realize that you are pointing your fingers at others for the exact things you do as well. 2 There’s no doubt that the judgment of God will justly fall upon hypocrites who practice such things. 3 Here’s what is happening: you attack and criticize others and then turn around to commit the same offenses yourselves! Do you think you will somehow dodge God’s judgment? 4 Do you take the kindness of God for granted? Do you see His patience and tolerance as signs that He is a pushover when it comes to sin? How could you not know that His kindness is guiding our hearts to turn away from distractions and habitual sin to walk a new path?[a]
5 But because your heart is obstinate and shameless, you’re storing up wrath that will count against you. On the day of His choosing, God’s wrath and judgment will be unleashed to make things right. 6 As it goes, everyone will receive what his actions in life have cultivated. 7 Whoever has labored diligently and patiently to do what is right—seeking glory, honor, and immortality—God will grant him endless joy in life eternal. 8 But selfish individuals who make trouble, resist the truth, or sell out to wickedness will meet a very different fate—they will find fury and indignation as the fruit of living in the wrong. 9 Suffering and pain await everyone whose life is marked by evil living (first for the Jew, and next for the non-Jew). 10 But if you do what is right, you will receive glory, admiration, and peace (again, first for the Jew, then for the non-Jew). 11 God has no favorites.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.