Psalms and Proverbs in a Month – read today’s “Psalms and Proverbs in a Month” excerpt

reading plan entry for day #19

Psalm 88 ()

A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Suffering of Affliction.” A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite.

[1] Yahweh, the God of my salvation,
I have cried day and night before you.
[2] Let my prayer enter into your presence.
Turn your ear to my cry.
[3] For my soul is full of troubles.
My life draws near to Sheol.
[4] I am counted among those who go down into the pit.
I am like a man who has no help,
[5] set apart among the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more.
They are cut off from your hand.
[6] You have laid me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
[7] Your wrath lies heavily on me.
You have afflicted me with all your waves.
Selah.

[8] You have taken my friends from me.
You have made me an abomination to them.
I am confined, and I can’t escape.
[9] My eyes are dim from grief.
I have called on you daily, Yahweh.
I have spread out my hands to you.
[10] Do you show wonders to the dead?
Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you?
Selah.

[11] Is your loving kindness declared in the grave?
Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
[12] Are your wonders made known in the dark?
Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
[13] But to you, Yahweh, I have cried.
In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
[14] Yahweh, why do you reject my soul?
Why do you hide your face from me?
[15] I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up.
While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
[16] Your fierce wrath has gone over me.
Your terrors have cut me off.
[17] They came around me like water all day long.
They completely engulfed me.
[18] You have put lover and friend far from me,
and my friends into darkness.

Psalm 88:3 Sheol is the place of the dead.

Psalm 89 ()

A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite.

[1] I will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever.
With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
[2] I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever.
You established the heavens.
Your faithfulness is in them.”

[3] “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David, my servant,
[4] ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
and build up your throne to all generations.’ ”
Selah.

[5] The heavens will praise your wonders, Yahweh,
your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
[6] For who in the skies can be compared to Yahweh?
Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Yahweh,
[7] a very awesome God in the council of the holy ones,
to be feared above all those who are around him?
[8] Yahweh, God of Armies, who is a mighty one, like you?
Yah, your faithfulness is around you.
[9] You rule the pride of the sea.
When its waves rise up, you calm them.
[10] You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain.
You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
[11] The heavens are yours.
The earth also is yours,
the world and its fullness.
You have founded them.
[12] You have created the north and the south.
Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.
[13] You have a mighty arm.
Your hand is strong, and your right hand is exalted.
[14] Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Loving kindness and truth go before your face.
[15] Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you.
They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.
[16] In your name they rejoice all day.
In your righteousness, they are exalted.
[17] For you are the glory of their strength.
In your favor, our horn will be exalted.
[18] For our shield belongs to Yahweh,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.

[19] Then you spoke in vision to your saints,
and said, “I have given strength to the warrior.
I have exalted a young man from the people.
[20] I have found David, my servant.
I have anointed him with my holy oil,
[21] with whom my hand shall be established.
My arm will also strengthen him.
[22] No enemy will tax him.
No wicked man will oppress him.
[23] I will beat down his adversaries before him,
and strike those who hate him.
[24] But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him.
In my name, his horn will be exalted.
[25] I will set his hand also on the sea,
and his right hand on the rivers.
[26] He will call to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, and the rock of my salvation!’
[27] I will also appoint him my firstborn,
the highest of the kings of the earth.
[28] I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more.
My covenant will stand firm with him.
[29] I will also make his offspring endure forever,
and his throne as the days of heaven.
[30] If his children forsake my law,
and don’t walk in my ordinances;
[31] if they break my statutes,
and don’t keep my commandments;
[32] then I will punish their sin with the rod,
and their iniquity with stripes.
[33] But I will not completely take my loving kindness from him,
nor allow my faithfulness to fail.
[34] I will not break my covenant,
nor alter what my lips have uttered.
[35] Once I have sworn by my holiness,
I will not lie to David.
[36] His offspring will endure forever,
his throne like the sun before me.
[37] It will be established forever like the moon,
the faithful witness in the sky.”
Selah.

[38] But you have rejected and spurned.
You have been angry with your anointed.
[39] You have renounced the covenant of your servant.
You have defiled his crown in the dust.
[40] You have broken down all his hedges.
You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
[41] All who pass by the way rob him.
He has become a reproach to his neighbors.
[42] You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries.
You have made all of his enemies rejoice.
[43] Yes, you turn back the edge of his sword,
and haven’t supported him in battle.
[44] You have ended his splendor,
and thrown his throne down to the ground.
[45] You have shortened the days of his youth.
You have covered him with shame.
Selah.

[46] How long, Yahweh?
Will you hide yourself forever?
Will your wrath burn like fire?
[47] Remember how short my time is,
for what vanity you have created all the children of men!
[48] What man is he who shall live and not see death,
who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?
Selah.

[49] Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses,
which you swore to David in your faithfulness?
[50] Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants,
how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples,
[51] With which your enemies have mocked, Yahweh,
with which they have mocked the footsteps of your anointed one.

[52] Blessed be Yahweh forever more.
Amen, and Amen.

Psalm 89:48 Sheol is the place of the dead.

Proverbs 19 ()

[1] Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
[2] It isn’t good to have zeal without knowledge,
nor being hasty with one’s feet and missing the way.
[3] The foolishness of man subverts his way;
his heart rages against Yahweh.
[4] Wealth adds many friends,
but the poor is separated from his friend.
[5] A false witness shall not be unpunished.
He who pours out lies shall not go free.
[6] Many will entreat the favor of a ruler,
and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
[7] All the relatives of the poor shun him;
how much more do his friends avoid him!
He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone.
[8] He who gets wisdom loves his own soul.
He who keeps understanding shall find good.
[9] A false witness shall not be unpunished.
He who utters lies shall perish.
[10] Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool,
much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
[11] The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger.
It is his glory to overlook an offense.
[12] The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
[13] A foolish son is the calamity of his father.
A wife’s quarrels are a continual dripping.
[14] House and riches are an inheritance from fathers,
but a prudent wife is from Yahweh.
[15] Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep.
The idle soul shall suffer hunger.
[16] He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die.
[17] He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh;
he will reward him.
[18] Discipline your son, for there is hope;
don’t be a willing party to his death.
[19] A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty,
for if you rescue him, you must do it again.
[20] Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
that you may be wise in your latter end.
[21] There are many plans in a man’s heart,
but Yahweh’s counsel will prevail.
[22] That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness.
A poor man is better than a liar.
[23] The fear of Yahweh leads to life, then contentment;
he rests and will not be touched by trouble.
[24] The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
[25] Flog a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
[26] He who robs his father and drives away his mother
is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.
[27] If you stop listening to instruction, my son,
you will stray from the words of knowledge.
[28] A corrupt witness mocks justice,
and the mouth of the wicked gulps down iniquity.
[29] Penalties are prepared for scoffers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.