Wednesday, April 14

4Who worked and performed these things? He called righteousness, He who calls it from generations of old. I, God, am the first, and into the future I Am.

5The Gentiles saw His righteousness and feared. The ends of the earth drew near and came together,

6each one judging for his neighbor, that he might help his brother. One will say,

7'The craftsman is strong, as is the metalworker who strikes with the hammer and forges at the same time.' Sometimes one will say, 'It is put together well, and they fastened it with nails. They arranged them, and they shall not be moved.'

8'But you, O Israel, are My servant, and Jacob, whom I chose, the seed of Abraham, whom I loved.

9I took you from the ends of the earth, and called you from its height. I said to you, 'You are My servant. I chose you, and have not forsaken you.

10Fear not, for I am with you. Do not go astray, for I am your God who strengthens you; and I will help and secure you with My righteous right hand.'

11Behold, all your adversaries shall be put to shame and disgraced. For they shall be as though they did not exist, and all who oppose you shall perish.

12You shall seek but not find the men who rage against you, for those who war against you shall be as though they did not exist.

13For I am your God who holds your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not.'

14O Jacob, O Israel, few in number, I will help you, and I will redeem you, O Israel,' says God.

1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am your God; be pleasing before Me and blameless.

2I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.'

3Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying,

4'As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.

5No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.

6I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.

7I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be your God and the God of your seed after you.

8Also I will give you and your seed after you the land you are occupying as a sojourner, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.'

9Then God said to Abraham, 'As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations.

20A longsuffering man will extinguish condemnations, But the ungodly man stirs up more.

21The ways of idle men are strewn with thorny plants, But the thorny plants of the courageous are worn smooth.

22A wise son gladdens a father, But a son without discernment treats his mother with contempt.

23The paths of one without understanding are in need of discernment, But a man with discernment walks uprightly.

24Those not honoring councils defer their deliberations, But counsel remains in the hearts of those who resolve to do it.

25The evil man will not obey counsel, Nor will he speak anything appropriate, even something for the common good.

26The thoughts of a wise man are his ways of life, That he might turn aside and be saved from Hades.

27The Lord will destroy the houses of the arrogant, But He will strengthen the boundary of a widow.

28The thinking of the unrighteous man is an abomination to the Lord, But the words of the holy are sacred.

29He who receives bribes utterly destroys himself, But he who hates the receiving of bribes saves himself.

30Sins are cleansed by almsgiving and faithfulness, And by the fear of the Lord every one turns aside from evil.

31The hearts of the righteous care about faithfulness, But the mouth of the ungodly answers evil things.

32The ways of righteous men are acceptable before the Lord, And through them even enemies become friends.

33God is far from the ungodly, But He hears the prayers of the righteous.

34Better is a small yield with the righteous Than abundant fruits with the unrighteous.

35Let the heart of a man think righteous things That he may make his steps straight under God.

36The eye that beholds good things gladdens the heart, But a good report enriches the bones.

37He who rejects instruction hates himself, But he who gives heed to reproofs loves his soul.

38The fear of God is instruction and wisdom, And the beginning of glory will respond to it.

1All the works of the humble are evident before the Lord, But the ungodly will be destroyed in the evil day.

2Every high-hearted man is unclean before the Lord, And he who joins hands with the unrighteous will not go unpunished.

3The beginning of a good way is to do righteous things, And this is more acceptable to God than to offer sacrifices.

4He who seeks the Lord will find knowledge with righteousness, And those who seek Him rightly will find peace.

5All the works of the Lord are with righteousness, But the ungodly man is kept for an evil day.

6There is an oracle on the lips of a king, And his mouth does not err in judgment.

7The weight of a scale is righteousness before the Lord, For His works are righteous standards.

8He who does evil things is an abomination to a king, For the throne of a ruler is prepared with righteousness.

9Righteous lips are acceptable to a king, And he loves upright words.