Day 55 of 365

¹ Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.

² Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;

³ Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

⁴ My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

⁵ Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

⁶ And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.

⁷ Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.

⁸ I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.

⁹ Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰ Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.

¹¹ Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.

¹² For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

¹³ But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.

¹⁴ We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

¹⁵ Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

¹⁶ As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

¹⁷ Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

¹⁸ He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.

¹⁹ God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

²⁰ He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.

²¹ The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

²² Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

²³ But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.

¹ Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

² For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

³ Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

⁴ And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

⁵ A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

⁶ For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

⁷ Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

⁸ He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

⁹ The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

¹⁰ If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

¹¹ If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

¹² If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

¹³ My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

¹⁴ So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

¹⁵ Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

¹⁶ For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

¹⁷ Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

¹⁸ Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

¹⁹ Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;

²⁰ For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

²¹ My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

²² For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

²³ These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

²⁴ He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

²⁵ But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

²⁶ Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

²⁷ Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

²⁸ Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

²⁹ Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

³⁰ I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

³¹ And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

³² Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

³³ Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

³⁴ So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.