Bible Society of South Africa

To The Word – Day 128

Psalms 22–24, Proverbs 9

Bible text(s)

Psalms 22

A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise

1My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

I have cried desperately for help,

but still it does not come.

2During the day I call to you, my God,

but you do not answer;

I call at night,

but get no rest.

3But you are enthroned as the Holy One,

the one whom Israel praises.

4Our ancestors put their trust in you;

they trusted you, and you saved them.

5They called to you and escaped from danger;

they trusted you and were not disappointed.

6But I am no longer a human being; I am a worm,

despised and scorned by everyone!

7All who see me jeer at me;

they stick out their tongues and shake their heads.

8“You relied on the LORD,” they say.

“Why doesn't he save you?

If the LORD likes you,

why doesn't he help you?”

9It was you who brought me safely through birth,

and when I was a baby, you kept me safe.

10I have relied on you since the day I was born,

and you have always been my God.

11Do not stay away from me!

Trouble is near,

and there is no one to help.

12Many enemies surround me like bulls;

they are all round me,

like fierce bulls from the land of Bashan.

13They open their mouths like lions,

roaring and tearing at me.

14My strength is gone,

gone like water spilt on the ground.

All my bones are out of joint;

my heart is like melted wax.

15My throat is as dry as dust,

and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

You have left me for dead in the dust.

16An evil gang is round me;

like a pack of dogs they close in on me;

they tear at my hands and feet.

17All my bones can be seen.

My enemies look at me and stare.

18They gamble for my clothes

and divide them among themselves.

19O LORD, don't stay away from me!

Come quickly to my rescue!

20Save me from the sword;

save my life from these dogs.

21Rescue me from these lions;

I am helpless before these wild bulls.

22I will tell my people what you have done;

I will praise you in their assembly:

23“Praise him, you servants of the LORD!

Honour him, you descendants of Jacob!

Worship him, you people of Israel!

24He does not neglect the poor or ignore their suffering;

he does not turn away from them,

but answers when they call for help.”

25In the full assembly I will praise you for what you have done;

in the presence of those who worship you

I will offer the sacrifices I promised.

26The poor will eat as much as they want;

those who come to the LORD will praise him.

May they prosper for ever!

27All nations will remember the LORD.

From every part of the world they will turn to him;

all races will worship him.

28The LORD is king,

and he rules the nations.

29All proud people will bow down to him;

all mortals will bow down before him.

30Future generations will serve him;

they will speak of the Lord to the coming generation.

31People not yet born will be told:

“The Lord saved his people.”

Psalms 23

The LORD our Shepherd

1The LORD is my shepherd;

I have everything I need.

2He lets me rest in fields of green grass

and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water.

3He gives me new strength.

He guides me in the right paths,

as he has promised.

4Even if I go through the deepest darkness,

I will not be afraid, LORD,

for you are with me.

Your shepherd's rod and staff protect me.

5You prepare a banquet for me,

where all my enemies can see me;

you welcome me as an honoured guest

and fill my cup to the brim.

6I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life;

and your house will be my home as long as I live.

Psalms 24

The Great King

1The world and all that is in it belong to the LORD;

the earth and all who live on it are his.

2He built it on the deep waters beneath the earth

and laid its foundations in the ocean depths.

3Who has the right to go up the LORD's hill?

Who may enter his holy Temple?

4Those who are pure in act and in thought,

who do not worship idols

or make false promises.

5The LORD will bless them and save them;

God will declare them innocent.

6Such are the people who come to God,

who come into the presence of the God of Jacob.

7Fling wide the gates,

open the ancient doors,

and the great king will come in.

8Who is this great king?

He is the LORD, strong and mighty,

the LORD, victorious in battle.

9Fling wide the gates,

open the ancient doors,

and the great king will come in.

10Who is this great king?

The triumphant LORD — he is the great king!

Proverbs 9

Wisdom and Stupidity

1Wisdom has built her house and made seven pillars for it. 2She has had an animal killed for a feast, mixed spices in the wine, and laid the table. 3She has sent her servant women to call out from the highest place in the town: 4“Come in, ignorant people!” And to the foolish she says, 5“Come, eat my food and drink the wine that I have mixed. 6Leave the company of ignorant people, and live. Follow the way of knowledge.”

7If you correct conceited people, you will only be insulted. If you reprimand evil people, you will only get hurt. 8Never correct conceited people; they will hate you for it. But if you correct the wise, they will respect you. 9Anything you say to the wise will make them wiser. Whatever you tell the righteous will add to their knowledge.

10To be wise you must first have reverence for the LORD. If you know the Holy One, you have understanding. 11Wisdom will add years to your life. 12You are the one who will profit if you have wisdom, and if you reject it, you are the one who will suffer.

13Stupidity is like a loud, ignorant, shameless woman. 14She sits at the door of her house or on a seat in the highest part of the town, 15and calls out to people passing by, who are minding their own business: 16“Come in, ignorant people!” To the foolish she says, 17“Stolen water is sweeter. Stolen bread tastes better.” 18Her victims do not know that the people die who go to her house, that those who have already entered are now deep in the world of the dead.

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