Day 74 of 365

¹ O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

² Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

³ Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

⁴ Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.

⁵ A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.

⁶ But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers.

⁷ They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.

⁸ They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

⁹ We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

¹⁰ O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

¹¹ Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

¹² For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

¹³ Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.

¹⁴ Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

¹⁵ Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers.

¹⁶ The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

¹⁷ Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

¹⁸ Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.

¹⁹ O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.

²⁰ Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

²¹ O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.

²² Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.

²³ Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

¹ Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.

² A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.

³ A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

⁴ A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

⁵ The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.

⁶ The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

⁷ The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

⁸ A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.

⁹ He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.

¹⁰ A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

¹¹ He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.

¹² The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.

¹³ The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

¹⁴ A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him.

¹⁵ The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

¹⁶ A fool’s wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.

¹⁷ He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.

¹⁸ There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

¹⁹ The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

²⁰ Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.

²¹ There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.

²² Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.

²³ A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.

²⁴ The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

²⁵ Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

²⁶ The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.

²⁷ The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.

²⁸ In the way of righteousness is life: and in the pathway thereof there is no death.