May God be gracious to us and bless us

Portion for reading : Psalms 67-69

May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us, Selah

that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.

May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.

As smoke is blown away by the wind,
may you blow them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.

But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.

God sets the lonely in families,
he leads forth the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

the earth shook,
the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.

Even while you sleep among the campfires,
the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
its feathers with shining gold."

The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains;
rugged are the mountains of Bashan.

The chariots of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.

When you ascended on high,
you led captives in your train;
you received gifts from men,
even from the rebellious—
that you, O LORD God, might dwell there.

Your procession has come into view, O God,
the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.

Praise God in the great congregation;
praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel.

Summon your power, O God;
show us your strength, O God, as you have done before.

You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God!

Save me, O God,
for the waters have come up to my neck.

I sink in the miry depths,
where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
the floods engulf me.

I am worn out calling for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
looking for my God.

Those who hate me without reason
outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,
those who seek to destroy me.
I am forced to restore
what I did not steal.

You know my folly, O God;
my guilt is not hidden from you.

May those who hope in you
not be disgraced because of me,
O Lord, the LORD Almighty;
may those who seek you
not be put to shame because of me,
O God of Israel.

But I pray to you, O LORD,
in the time of your favor;
in your great love, O God,
answer me with your sure salvation.

Come near and rescue me;
redeem me because of my foes.

You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed;
all my enemies are before you.

Scorn has broken my heart
and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
for comforters, but I found none.

Pour out your wrath on them;
let your fierce anger overtake them.

May their place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

for God will save Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Then people will settle there and possess it;

the children of his servants will inherit it,
and those who love his name will dwell there.

Souce : Biblegateway.com, Picture : wallpaperdave.com

Praise be to God

Portion for reading : Psalms 64-66

Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint;
protect my life from the threat of the enemy.

They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim their words like deadly arrows.

They encourage each other in evil plans,
they talk about hiding their snares;
they say, "Who will see them?"

He will turn their own tongues against them
and bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD
and take refuge in him;
let all the upright in heart praise him!

Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.

Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.

You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness,
O God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,

You drench its furrows
and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers
and bless its crops.

You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.

The grasslands of the desert overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.

Shout with joy to God, all the earth!

All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing praise to your name." Selah

He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.

He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him. Selah

You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;

but God has surely listened
and heard my voice in prayer.

Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!

Source : BibleGateway.com / Picture Source - imagesource.allposters.com

Find Rest O My Soul In God Alone

Portion for reading : Psalms 61-63

Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.

From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.

I long to dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah

May he be enthroned in God's presence forever;
appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.

My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse. Selah

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge. Selah

O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.

I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.

Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.

My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

They who seek my life will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.

But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God's name will praise him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Source : BibleGateway.com, Picture Source - Click

Deliver me from my enemies, O God

Portion For Reading Psalm 58-60
Psalm 58
Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge uprightly among men?

No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—
whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.

Then men will say,
"Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth."

Psalm 59
Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
protect me from those who rise up against me.

See how they lie in wait for me!
Fierce men conspire against me
for no offense or sin of mine, O LORD.

See what they spew from their mouths—
they spew out swords from their lips,
and they say, "Who can hear us?"

But you, O LORD, laugh at them;
you scoff at all those nations.

O my Strength, I watch for you;
you, O God, are my fortress, 10 my loving God.
God will go before me
and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

But do not kill them, O Lord our shield,
or my people will forget.
In your might make them wander about,
and bring them down.

But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.

O my Strength, I sing praise to you;
you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.

Psalm 60

You have rejected us, O God, and burst forth upon us;
you have been angry-now restore us!

You have shaken the land and torn it open;
mend its fractures, for it is quaking.

Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.

God has spoken from his sanctuary:
"In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
and measure off the Valley of Succoth

Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?

Is it not you, O God, you who have rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies?

Give us aid against the enemy,
for the help of man is worthless.

With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.

Source:biblegateway.com

picture from atpm.com

But I call to God,and the LORD saves me.

Portion for reading Psalms 55-57

Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea;

hear me and answer me.
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught

My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death assail me.

Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.

I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest-

I would flee far away
and stay in the desert; Selah

Day and night they prowl about on its walls;
malice and abuse are within it.

Destructive forces are at work in the city;
threats and lies never leave its streets.

If an enemy were insulting me,
I could endure it;
if a foe were raising himself against me,
I could hide from him.

But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend,

with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
as we walked with the throng at the house of God.

But I call to God,
and the LORD saves me.

Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall.

But you, O God, will bring down the wicked
into the pit of corruption;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
will not live out half their days.
But as for me, I trust in you.

Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me;
all day long they press their attack.

When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.

In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?

All day long they twist my words;
they are always plotting to harm me.

They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps,
eager to take my life.

On no account let them escape;
in your anger, O God, bring down the nations.

In God, whose word I praise,
in the LORD, whose word I praise-

in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

I am under vows to you, O God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.

For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me,
for in you my soul takes refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.

I am in the midst of lions;
I lie among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

They spread a net for my feet—
I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah

My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

Source : BibleGateway.com

I Will Praise You O LORD

Portion for reading Psalms 52-54

Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man?
Why do you boast all day long,
you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?

Your tongue plots destruction;
it is like a sharpened razor,
you who practice deceit.

You love evil rather than good,
falsehood rather than speaking the truth. Selah

You love every harmful word,
O you deceitful tongue!

Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent;
he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

The righteous will see and fear;
they will laugh at him, saying,

"Here now is the man
who did not make God his stronghold
but trusted in his great wealth
and grew strong by destroying others!"

But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God's unfailing love
for ever and ever.

The fool says in his heart,
"There is no God."
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
there is no one who does good.

God looks down from heaven
on the sons of men
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.

Everyone has turned away,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Save me, O God, by your name;
vindicate me by your might.

Hear my prayer, O God;
listen to the words of my mouth.

Strangers are attacking me;
ruthless men seek my life—
men without regard for God. Selah

Surely God is my help;
the Lord is the one who sustains me.

For he has delivered me from all my troubles,
and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

Source : BibleGateway.com

Pure Heart And A Steadfast Spirit

Portions for reading Psalms 49-51

Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who live in this world,

both low and high,
rich and poor alike:

My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the utterance from my heart will give understanding.

Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me-

those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?

No man can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for him-

the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough-

that he should live on forever
and not see decay.

But man, despite his riches, does not endure;
he is like the beasts that perish.

This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Selah

But God will redeem my life from the grave;
he will surely take me to himself. Selah

Do not be overawed when a man grows rich,
when the splendor of his house increases;

The Mighty One, God, the LORD,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to the place where it set.

Our God comes and will not be silent;
a fire devours before him,
and around him a tempest rages.

He summons the heavens above,
and the earth, that he may judge his people:

"Gather to me my consecrated ones,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice."

"Hear, O my people, and I will speak,
O Israel, and I will testify against you:
I am God, your God.

I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices
or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.

If I were hungry I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.

Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?

Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
fulfill your vows to the Most High,

and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

You hate my instruction
and cast my words behind you.

"Consider this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue:

He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me,
and he prepares the way
so that I may show him the salvation of God."

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.

Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.

In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.

Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Source : BibleGateway.com

God is our refuge and strength

Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.

Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

Psalm 47
Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.

How awesome is the LORD Most High,
the great King over all the earth!

He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.

God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.

The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings [d] of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.

Psalm 48
Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise,
in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

God is in her citadels;
he has shown himself to be her fortress.

consider well her ramparts,
view her citadels,
that you may tell of them to the next generation.

For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end.

Source:biblegateway

Vindicate me, O God

Portion for Reading Psalms 43-45

Psalm 43
Vindicate me, O God,
and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.

You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?

Send forth your light and your truth,
let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

Psalm 44
We have heard with our ears, O God;
our fathers have told us
what you did in their days,
in days long ago.

With your hand you drove out the nations
and planted our fathers;
you crushed the peoples
and made our fathers flourish.

but you give us victory over our enemies,
you put our adversaries to shame.

In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise your name forever.
Selah

But now you have rejected and humbled us;
you no longer go out with our armies.

You gave us up to be devoured like sheep
and have scattered us among the nations.

My disgrace is before me all day long,
and my face is covered with shame

All this happened to us,
though we had not forgotten you
or been false to your covenant.

Our hearts had not turned back;
our feet had not strayed from your path.

If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,

would not God have discovered it,
since he knows the secrets of the heart?

Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.

Why do you hide your face
and forget our misery and oppression?

We are brought down to the dust;
our bodies cling to the ground.

Rise up and help us;
redeem us because of your unfailing love.

Source:biblegateway.com

& hikingthetrailoftruth.com

I waited patiently for the LORD

Portion for reading Psalms 40-42

Psalms 40

I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.

Blessed is the man
who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.

Many, O LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.

Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD;
may your love and your truth always protect me.

For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.

Be pleased, O LORD, to save me;
O LORD, come quickly to help me.

Yet I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, do not delay.

Psalms 41

Blessed is he who has regard for the weak;
the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.

The LORD will protect him and preserve his life;
he will bless him in the land
and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.

All my enemies whisper together against me;
they imagine the worst for me, saying,

"A vile disease has beset him;
he will never get up from the place where he lies."

I know that you are pleased with me,
for my enemy does not triumph over me.

In my integrity you uphold me
and set me in your presence forever.

Psalms 42

As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

My tears have been my food
day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among the festive throng.

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and 6 my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Source : BibleGateway.com

Trust in the LORD

Portions For Reading Psalms 37-39

Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;

for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.

For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.

But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace.

Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;

for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.

I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.

They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.

Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
there is a future for the man of peace.

The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

Source : BibleGateWay.com

I will extol the LORD at all times

Portion For Reading Psalms 34-36

Psalm 34
I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.

My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.

This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.

The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,

keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.

Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;

The LORD redeems his servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 35
Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.

May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back in dismay.

Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD
and delight in his salvation.

Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.

Psalm 36
An oracle is within my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before his eyes.

Even on his bed he plots evil;
he commits himself to a sinful course
and does not reject what is wrong.

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.

Continue your love to those who know you,
your righteousness to the upright in heart.

Source:biblegateway.org

In you O LORD I have taken refuge

Psalm 31

In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.

Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.

Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Free me from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.

Into your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.

Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and my body with grief.

My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,
and my bones grow weak.

Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
I am a dread to my friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.

I am forgotten by them as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.

Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.

Let me not be put to shame, O LORD,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and lie silent in the grave.

Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.

Psalm 32

Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer. Selah

Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD "—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin. Selah

Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him.

You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Psalms 33

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

Praise the LORD with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.

For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.

From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;

In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.

May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
even as we put our hope in you.

Source : BibleGateway.com

To you I call, O LORD my Rock

Portion For Reading Psalms 28-30
Psalm 28
To you I call, O LORD my Rock;
do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you remain silent,
I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.

Repay them for their deeds
and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done
and bring back upon them what they deserve.

The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.

The LORD is the strength of his people,
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.

Save your people and bless your inheritance;
be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Psalm 29
Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his [a] holiness.

Psalm 30
I will exalt you, O LORD,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

O LORD my God, I called to you for help
and you healed me.

O LORD, you brought me up from the grave [f] ;
you spared me from going down into the pit.

Sing to the LORD, you saints of his;
praise his holy name.

For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.

"What gain is there in my destruction, [h]
in my going down into the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?

Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me;
O LORD, be my help."

You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.

Source:biblegateway.com

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul

Portion For Reading Psalms 25-27

Psalm 25
To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;

in you I trust, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.

No one whose hope is in you
will ever be put to shame,
but they will be put to shame
who are treacherous without excuse.

Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;

guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you are good, O LORD.

Psalm 26
I love the house where you live, O LORD,
the place where your glory dwells.

Psalm 27
The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.

For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.

Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.

Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.

Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

Source:biblegateway.com

Picture: http://www.dcresource.com

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me

Psalm 22
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?

O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, and am not silent.

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the praise of Israel. [a]

But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.

All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads:

Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you
even at my mother's breast.

From birth I was cast upon you;
from my mother's womb you have been my God.

Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me [b] in the dust of death.

But you, O LORD, be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

Deliver my life from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.

Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save [d] me from the horns of the wild oxen.

From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you [e] will I fulfill my vows.

All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,

Psalm 23
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

Psalm 24
The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;

for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters.

Lift up your heads, O you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

Who is he, this King of glory?
The LORD Almighty—
he is the King of glory.
Selah

Source:biblegateway.com

The heavens declare the glory of God

Portion For Reading Psalms 19-21
Psalm 19:1,2,5-7,9,10,12-14
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.

The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.

Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.

Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 20
May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.

O LORD, save the king!
Answer [c] us when we call

Source:biblegateway.com

You are my Lord apart from you I have no good thing

Portion for Reading Psalms 16-18

Psalm 16 :1,2,4,5,8,9,10,11

Keep me safe, O God,
for in you I take refuge.

I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing."

The sorrows of those will increase
who run after other gods.
I will not pour out their libations of blood
or take up their names on my lips.

LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.

I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,

because you will not abandon me to the grave, [c]
nor will you let your Holy One [d] see decay.

You have made [e] known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 17:3,5,6,8,13,14
Though you probe my heart and examine me at night,
though you test me, you will find nothing;

I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.
My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.

I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.

Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings

Rise up, O LORD, confront them, bring them down;
rescue me from the wicked by your sword.

O LORD, by your hand save me from such men,
from men of this world whose reward is in this life.
You still the hunger of those you cherish;
their sons have plenty,
and they store up wealth for their children.

Psalm 18:1-6,16-18,23,24,47-50
I love you, O LORD, my strength.

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn [f] of my salvation, my stronghold.

I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.

The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

The cords of the grave [g] coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called to the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.

He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.

They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.

I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.

The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,

who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.

Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD;
I will sing praises to your name.

He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.

Source:Biblegateway.com

How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?

Portion For Reading Psalm 13-15

Psalms 13:1-6

How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;

my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.

I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.

Psalm 14 :1-3,5
The fool [a] says in his heart,
"There is no God."
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.

The LORD looks down from heaven
on the sons of men
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.

All have turned aside,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.

There they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.

Psalm 15:1-5
LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?

He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,

who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.

Source:biblegateway.com

Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?

Portion For Reading Psalms 10-12
Psalms 10
Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.

He says to himself, "Nothing will shake me;
I'll always be happy and never have trouble."

His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats;
trouble and evil are under his tongue.

He lies in wait near the villages;
from ambush he murders the innocent,
watching in secret for his victims.

He lies in wait like a lion in cover;
he lies in wait to catch the helpless;
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.

Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
"He won't call me to account"?

But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;
you consider it to take it in hand.
The victim commits himself to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.

Break the arm of the wicked and evil man;
call him to account for his wickedness
that would not be found out.

The LORD is King for ever and ever;
the nations will perish from his land.

You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,

defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

Psalm 11
In the LORD I take refuge.
How then can you say to me:
"Flee like a bird to your mountain.

For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows
at the upright in heart.

Psalm 12
Help, LORD, for the godly are no more;
the faithful have vanished from among men.

Everyone lies to his neighbor;
their flattering lips speak with deception.

May the LORD cut off all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue

that says, "We will triumph with our tongues;
we own our lips [e] —who is our master?"

"Because of the oppression of the weak
and the groaning of the needy,
I will now arise," says the LORD.
"I will protect them from those who malign them."

And the words of the LORD are flawless,
like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified seven times.

O LORD, you will keep us safe
and protect us from such people forever.

The wicked freely strut about
when what is vile is honored among men.

Source: SS/ Biblegateway.com

Individual Lament

Portion for Reading Psalms 7-9

1. Plea for deliverance from persecutors - individual lament (7:1-17)
1 O LORD my God, I take refuge in you;save and deliver me from all who pursue me,
2 or they will tear me like a lionand rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

Psalms 7:3,6,9,14-17

O LORD my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands- Arise, O LORD, in your anger;rise up against the rage of my enemies.Awake, my God; decree justice

O righteous God,who searches minds and hearts,bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.

He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment.

He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made.

The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his violence comes down on his own head.

I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

2. Praise of God's majesty and human worth - hymn (8:1-9)
Psalms 8:2-6

From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise [e]
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings [f]
and crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

3. Prayer for oppressed - individual lament (9:1-10:18)
Psalms 9:1,2,6,9,10,17-20

I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonders.

I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Endless ruin has overtaken the enemy,
you have uprooted their cities;
even the memory of them has perished.

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.

Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

The wicked return to the grave, [i]
all the nations that forget God.

But the needy will not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.

Arise, O LORD, let not man triumph;
let the nations be judged in your presence.

Strike them with terror, O LORD;
let the nations know they are but men.
Selah

Source:http://religion.ucumberlands.edu

THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS MAN

Portion For Reading Psalms 1-6

I. THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS MAN (1:1-3)

A. HIS CHARACTER (1-2)
1. Described from a negative point of view
a. Walks not in the counsel of the ungodly
b. Nor stands in the path of sinners - Pro 4:14-15
c. Nor sits in the seat of the scornful - Psa 26:4-5

Psalms 1:1,2
Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

B. HIS PROSPERITY (3)
1. Like a tree planted by rivers of water - Psa 92:12-15; Jer 17:
7-8
a. That brings forth fruit in its season
b. Whose leaf shall not wither
2. Whatever he does shall prosper - Josh 1:7-8

Psalms 1:3
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Psalms 4:2-8
How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame [i] ?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods [j] ?
Selah

Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;
the LORD will hear when I call to him.

In your anger do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
Selah

Offer right sacrifices
and trust in the LORD.

Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?"
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.

You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.

I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety

Psalms 6:9-10
The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
the LORD accepts my prayer.

All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed;
they will turn back in sudden disgrace.

Source:ccel.org

JOB RESTORED, COMFORTED, AND BLESSED

Portion For Reading JOb 38-42

I. GOD'S FIRST DISCOURSE (38:1-40:5)
A. INTRODUCTORY REBUKE AND CHALLENGE (38:1-3)
1. The Lord answers Job (38:1)
a. Job finally gets his audience with God
b. The Lord speaks to Job out of the whirlwind

2. The Lord's rebuke and challenge (38:2-3)
a. Rebuking Job for darkening counsel by words without
knowledge
b. Challenging Job to answer the questions God will ask of him

Job 38:2,3

"Who is this that darkens my counsel
with words without knowledge?

Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.

B. QUESTIONS POSED TO JOB (38:4-39:30)
1. Questions concerning the Creation (38:4-15)
a. Related to the earth
b. Related to the sea
c. Related to the morning and dawn

JOb 38:4-15

"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.

Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?

On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone-

while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels [a] shouted for joy?

"Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,

when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,

when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,

when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt'?

"Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place,

that it might take the earth by the edges
and shake the wicked out of it?

The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;
its features stand out like those of a garment.

The wicked are denied their light,
and their upraised arm is broken.

II. GOD'S SECOND DISCOURSE (40:6-42:6)

A. ANOTHER CHALLENGE TO JOB (40:6-7)
1. As the Lord continues to answer Job out of the whirlwind
2. Job challenged to answer the questions God will ask him
6 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm:

JOb 40-6,7

"Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.

B. MORE QUESTIONS POSED TO JOB (40:8-41:34)
1. Concerning his effort to justify himself while condemning God
(40:8-14)
a. Will Job annul God's judgment?
b. Will he condemn God that he may be justified?
c. Does Job have the power of God?
d. Let Job adorn himself with majesty and glory, humble the
proud, and God will confess that Job can save himself

Job 40:8-14

"Would you discredit my justice?
Would you condemn me to justify yourself?

Do you have an arm like God's,
and can your voice thunder like his?

Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.

Unleash the fury of your wrath,
look at every proud man and bring him low,

look at every proud man and humble him,
crush the wicked where they stand.

Bury them all in the dust together;
shroud their faces in the grave.

Then I myself will admit to you
that your own right hand can save you

I. JOB'S FRIENDS REBUKED (42:7-9)

A. GOD REBUKES ELIPHAZ & HIS TWO COMPANIONS (42:7)
1. God's wrath was aroused against them for their "folly" (cf.
42:8)
2. They had not spoken what is right about God, unlike Job
3. In what way, for hadn't Job accused God of injustice?
a. Perhaps in regards to the debate over the cause of
suffering
1) They had argued that suffering is always sent by God in
response to sin
2) Job had denied that; in this he was right and they were
wrong
b. Or in that Job had repented, whereas the three friends had
not yet done so

B. THE THREE FRIENDS RESTORED (42:8-9)
1. God instructs them to offer seven bulls and seven rams, and
have Job pray for them
2. This they did, for the Lord had accepted Job

II. JOB RESTORED, COMFORTED, AND BLESSED (42:10-17)

A. RESTORED BY GOD (42:10)
1. Upon praying for his friends, the Lord restores what he lost
2. The Lord restored twice as much as he had lost

B. COMFORTED BY HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS (42:11)
1. His brothers, sisters, and former acquaintances come to eat
with him and comfort him
a. Note that it says "for all the adversity the LORD had
brought upon him"
b. While Satan was the instigator of Job's suffering, the LORD
bore ultimate responsibility by allowing Satan to test Job
2. They each bring a piece of silver and ring of gold

C. BLESSED BY GOD (42:12-17)
1. Job's latter days blessed more than his beginning
2. His livestock is doubled (14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000
yoke of oxen, 1,000 female donkeys)
3. He is blessed with 7 sons and 3 beautiful daughters, the
latter to whom he provided an inheritance along with their
brothers
4. He lived 140 years, saw descendants to the fourth generation,
and died full of days

JOb 42-12-16
The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.

And he also had seven sons and three daughters.

The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch.

Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.

And so he died, old and full of years.

Source:ccel.org

GOD IS JUST

Portion For Reading Job 35-37
A. GOD IS JUST
1. Elihu condemns Job's reasoning (35:1-16)
a. He reproves Job for thinking righteousness does not profit
one
b. He claims that God is too great to be manipulated by man's
little deeds
c. He contends that God may not respond to cries for help
because of man's pride
d. He counsels Job to be patient and wait for God's justice,
for Job has been speaking prematurely and foolishly

Job 35:1-16
"Do you think this is just?
You say, 'I will be cleared by God. [a] '

Yet you ask him, 'What profit is it to me, [b]
and what do I gain by not sinning?'

"I would like to reply to you
and to your friends with you.

Look up at the heavens and see;
gaze at the clouds so high above you.

If you sin, how does that affect him?
If your sins are many, what does that do to him?

If you are righteous, what do you give to him,
or what does he receive from your hand?

Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself,
and your righteousness only the sons of men.

"Men cry out under a load of oppression;
they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.

But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker,
who gives songs in the night,

who teaches more to us than to [c] the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than [d] the birds of the air?'

He does not answer when men cry out
because of the arrogance of the wicked.

Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
the Almighty pays no attention to it.

How much less, then, will he listen
when you say that you do not see him,
that your case is before him
and you must wait for him,

and further, that his anger never punishes
and he does not take the least notice of wickedness. [e]

So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;
without knowledge he multiplies words."

2. Elihu proclaims God's goodness (36:1-23)
a. Asking Job to bear with him as he ascribes righteousness to
God
b. Claiming that God may use affliction to draw the righteous
to Himself
c. Job needs to take heed, for he has begun to act like the
hypocrites

Job 36:2-23
"Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
that there is more to be said in God's behalf.

I get my knowledge from afar;
I will ascribe justice to my Maker.

Be assured that my words are not false;
one perfect in knowledge is with you.

"God is mighty, but does not despise men;
he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.

He does not keep the wicked alive
but gives the afflicted their rights.

He does not take his eyes off the righteous;
he enthrones them with kings
and exalts them forever.

But if men are bound in chains,
held fast by cords of affliction,

he tells them what they have done—
that they have sinned arrogantly.

He makes them listen to correction
and commands them to repent of their evil.

If they obey and serve him,
they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity
and their years in contentment.

But if they do not listen,
they will perish by the sword [f]
and die without knowledge.

"The godless in heart harbor resentment;
even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.

They die in their youth,
among male prostitutes of the shrines.

But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering;
he speaks to them in their affliction.

"He is wooing you from the jaws of distress
to a spacious place free from restriction,
to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.

But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;
judgment and justice have taken hold of you.

Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
do not let a large bribe turn you aside.

Would your wealth
or even all your mighty efforts
sustain you so you would not be in distress?

Do not long for the night,
to drag people away from their homes. [g]

Beware of turning to evil,
which you seem to prefer to affliction.

"God is exalted in his power.
Who is a teacher like him?

Who has prescribed his ways for him,
or said to him, 'You have done wrong'?

3. Elihu proclaims God's majesty (36:24-37:24)
a. God's greatness is beyond comprehension, as seen in the rain cycle
b. God's greatness is seen in the thunder, snow, and rain
c. In view of such greatness, what can man teach God?


JOb 37:2-17
Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice,
to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.

God's voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.

He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,'
and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'

So that all men he has made may know his work,
he stops every man from his labor. [k]

The animals take cover;
they remain in their dens.

The tempest comes out from its chamber,
the cold from the driving winds.

The breath of God produces ice,
and the broad waters become frozen.

He loads the clouds with moisture;
he scatters his lightning through them.

At his direction they swirl around
over the face of the whole earth
to do whatever he commands them.

He brings the clouds to punish men,
or to water his earth [l] and show his love.

"Listen to this, Job;
stop and consider God's wonders.

Do you know how God controls the clouds
and makes his lightning flash?

Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
those wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge?

You who swelter in your clothes
when the land lies hushed under the south wind,

Source:ccel.org

FOR WISDOM IS NOT LIMITED TO THE AGED

Portion For Reading JOb 32-34

A. FOR WISDOM IS NOT LIMITED TO THE AGED (32:6-14)
1. But aged men are not always wise (32:8-9)
a. The breath of the Almighty (i.e., the Spirit) also gives
man understanding
b. Age alone does not guarantee wisdom and understanding of
justice

Job 32:8

But it is the spirit [b] in a man,
the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.

2. Therefore he will declare his own opinion (32:10-14)
a. For he has carefully listened to their reasoning
b. Yet they have not convinced Job or answered his words

JOb 32:11-12
I waited while you spoke,
I listened to your reasoning;
while you were searching for words,

I gave you my full attention.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
none of you has answered his arguments.

B. FOR HE BELIEVES HE CAN HELP JOB (33:1-7)
1. He speaks pure knowledge from an upright heart (33:1-3)
a. He pleads with Job to listen to what he says
b. His words are sincere, and his knowledge is pure

JOb 33:1-3

"But now, Job, listen to my words;
pay attention to everything I say.

I am about to open my mouth;
my words are on the tip of my tongue.

My words come from an upright heart;
my lips sincerely speak what I know.

2. He can be as Job's spokesman before God (33:4-7; cf. 13:20-22)
a. He was created by the Spirit of God, let Job see if he can
answer him
b. Job does not need to fear him, for he too has been formed
out of clay

Job 33:4-6

The Spirit of God has made me;
the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Answer me then, if you can;
prepare yourself and confront me.


I am just like you before God;
I too have been taken from clay.

II. ELIHU'S RESPONSE TO JOB (33:8-37:24)
A. GOD IS GRACIOUS (33:8-33)
1. Job, you are wrong in charging God as your enemy (33:8-13)
a. Elihu has heard Job profess his innocence while counting
God as his enemy
b. This is not right, for God is greater than man and not
accountable to man

JOb 33:8-13

"But you have said in my hearing—
I heard the very words-

'I am pure and without sin;
I am clean and free from guilt.

Yet God has found fault with me;
he considers me his enemy.

He fastens my feet in shackles;
he keeps close watch on all my paths.'

"But I tell you, in this you are not right,
for God is greater than man.

Why do you complain to him
that he answers none of man's words [d] ?

2. God uses various ways to speak to man (33:14-28)
a. Even though man may not heed what God is saying
b. Such as dreams or visions, to turn man back
c. Such as chastening him with pain
d. Such as special messengers
1) Sent to deliver him from the Pit
2) Sent to restore him back to God

JOb 33:14-28

For God does speak—now one way, now another—
though man may not perceive it.

In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men
as they slumber in their beds,

he may speak in their ears
and terrify them with warnings,

to turn man from wrongdoing
and keep him from pride,

to preserve his soul from the pit, [e]
his life from perishing by the sword. [f]

Or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain
with constant distress in his bones,

so that his very being finds food repulsive
and his soul loathes the choicest meal.

His flesh wastes away to nothing,
and his bones, once hidden, now stick out.

His soul draws near to the pit, [g]
and his life to the messengers of death. [h]

"Yet if there is an angel on his side
as a mediator, one out of a thousand,
to tell a man what is right for him,

to be gracious to him and say,
'Spare him from going down to the pit [i] ;
I have found a ransom for him'-

then his flesh is renewed like a child's;
it is restored as in the days of his youth.

He prays to God and finds favor with him,
he sees God's face and shouts for joy;
he is restored by God to his righteous state.

Then he comes to men and says,
'I sinned, and perverted what was right,
but I did not get what I deserved.

He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, [j]
and I will live to enjoy the light.'

3. God's purpose is disciplinary, not simply punitive (33:29-33)
a. Done to direct man away from the Pit
b. Done to enlighten man with the light of life
c. Therefore Job should listen to one as Elihu to teach him
wisdom

JOb 33:29-30

"God does all these things to a man—
twice, even three times-

to turn back his soul from the pit, [k]
that the light of life may shine on him.

Source:cceg.org

The True Source Of Wisdom

Portion For Reading Job 28-31

1.He gives a discourse on the true source of wisdom (28:1-28)
a. Precious minerals may found through diligent mining
b. But true wisdom and understanding comes only from God, who
has declared it unto man

Job 28:1-3,14,15,18-28

"There is a mine for silver
and a place where gold is refined.

Iron is taken from the earth,
and copper is smelted from ore.

Man puts an end to the darkness;
he searches the farthest recesses
for ore in the blackest darkness.

The deep says, 'It is not in me';
the sea says, 'It is not with me.'

It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
nor can its price be weighed in silver.

Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;
the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;
it cannot be bought with pure gold.

"Where then does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding dwell?

It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
concealed even from the birds of the air.

Destruction [c] and Death say,
'Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.'

God understands the way to it
and he alone knows where it dwells,

for he views the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.

When he established the force of the wind
and measured out the waters,

when he made a decree for the rain
and a path for the thunderstorm,

then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
he confirmed it and tested it.

And he said to man,
'The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
and to shun evil is understanding.' "

2. One last time, Job maintains his integrity (31:1-40)
a. He has made a covenant with his eyes, not to look upon a
young woman
1) For he knows the ultimate end of the wicked
2) For God does see and knows all that he does

b. He is willing to accept just punishment, if he has ever...
1) Been deceitful
2) Committed adultery
3) Mistreated his servants
4) Neglected the poor, widows, and fatherless
5) Put his trust in gold, or worshipped the heavenly bodies
6) Rejoiced over the demise of his enemies, or cursed them
7) Not cared for the stranger
8) Tried to hide his iniquity

c. He makes his final cry
1) That God would answer him and tell him what he has done
wrong
2) Willing to accept punishment if he has misappropriated
his land or stolen it from others

Job 31:1-8,14-16

"I made a covenant with my eyes
not to look lustfully at a girl.

For what is man's lot from God above,
his heritage from the Almighty on high?

Is it not ruin for the wicked,
disaster for those who do wrong?

Does he not see my ways
and count my every step?

"If I have walked in falsehood
or my foot has hurried after deceit-

let God weigh me in honest scales
and he will know that I am blameless-

if my steps have turned from the path,
if my heart has been led by my eyes,
or if my hands have been defiled,

then may others eat what I have sown,
and may my crops be uprooted

what will I do when God confronts me?
What will I answer when called to account?

Did not he who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?

"If I have denied the desires of the poor
or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,

Source:ccel.org

Job Continued His Discourse

Portion for Reading Job 25-27
A. JOB'S REPLY
1. As he continues his discourse, he maintains his integrity
(27:1-10)
a. Though God has taken away his justice, and made his soul
bitter
b. He will not speak wickedly, but he still claims innocence
c. He knows that there is no hope for the wicked or hypocrite

JOb 27:1-10
And Job continued his discourse:

"As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice,
the Almighty, who has made me taste bitterness of soul,

as long as I have life within me,
the breath of God in my nostrils,

my lips will not speak wickedness,
and my tongue will utter no deceit.

I will never admit you are in the right;
till I die, I will not deny my integrity.

I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it;
my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.

"May my enemies be like the wicked,
my adversaries like the unjust!

For what hope has the godless when he is cut off,
when God takes away his life?

Does God listen to his cry
when distress comes upon him?

Will he find delight in the Almighty?
Will he call upon God at all times?

2. He will teach his friends what God will do to the wicked
(27:11-23)
a. As a rebuke to his friends for what they have said to him
b. The families of the wicked will suffer the consequences
c. The wealth of the wicked will be consumed by others
d. God will eventually remove the wicked from his place

JOb 27:11-23
"I will teach you about the power of God;
the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal.

You have all seen this yourselves.
Why then this meaningless talk?

"Here is the fate God allots to the wicked,
the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:

However many his children, their fate is the sword;
his offspring will never have enough to eat.

The plague will bury those who survive him,
and their widows will not weep for them.

Though he heaps up silver like dust
and clothes like piles of clay,

what he lays up the righteous will wear,
and the innocent will divide his silver.

The house he builds is like a moth's cocoon,
like a hut made by a watchman.

He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;
when he opens his eyes, all is gone.

Terrors overtake him like a flood;
a tempest snatches him away in the night.

The east wind carries him off, and he is gone;
it sweeps him out of his place.

It hurls itself against him without mercy
as he flees headlong from its power.

It claps its hands in derision
and hisses him out of his place.

Source:ccel.org