Day 177 of 365

¹ The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

² When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

³ Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

⁴ One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

⁵ For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

⁶ And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

⁷ Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

⁸ When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

⁹ Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

¹⁰ When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

¹¹ Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

¹² Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

¹³ I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

¹⁴ Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

¹ A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

² The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

³ A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

⁴ By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

⁵ Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

⁷ The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

⁸ He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

⁹ He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

¹⁰ Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

¹¹ He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

¹² The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

¹³ The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

¹⁴ The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

¹⁵ Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

¹⁶ He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

¹⁷ Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

¹⁸ For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

¹⁹ That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

²⁰ Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

²¹ That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

²² Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

²³ For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

²⁴ Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

²⁵ Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

²⁶ Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.

²⁷ If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

²⁸ Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

²⁹ Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.