JOB 25

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Bildad Says Man Is Inferior  25:1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

2 “Dominion and awe belong to Him

Who establishes peace in His heights.

3 “Is there any number to His troops?

And upon whom does His light not rise?

4 “How then can a man be just with God?

Or how can he be clean who is born of woman?

5 “If even the moon has no brightness

And the stars are not pure in His sight,

6 How much less man, that maggot,

And the son of man, that worm!”

JOB 26

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Job Rebukes Bildad  26:1 Then Job responded,

2 “What a help you are to the weak!

How you have saved the arm without strength!

3 “What counsel you have given to one without wisdom!

What helpful insight you have abundantly provided!

4 “To whom have you uttered words?

And whose spirit was expressed through you?

The Greatness of God5 “The departed spirits tremble

Under the waters and their inhabitants.

6 “Naked is Sheol before Him,

And Abaddon has no covering.

7 “He stretches out the north over empty space

And hangs the earth on nothing.

8 “He wraps up the waters in His clouds,

And the cloud does not burst under them.

9 “He obscures the face of the full moon

And spreads His cloud over it.

10 “He has inscribed a circle on the surface of the waters

At the boundary of light and darkness.

11 “The pillars of heaven tremble

And are amazed at His rebuke.

12 “He quieted the sea with His power,

And by His understanding He shattered Rahab.

13 “By His breath the heavens are cleared;

His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent.

14 “Behold, these are the fringes of His ways;

And how faint a word we hear of Him!

But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”

PROVERBS 15

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Contrast the Upright and the Wicked15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,

But a harsh word stirs up anger.

2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable,

But the mouth of fools spouts folly.

3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place,

Watching the evil and the good.

4 A soothing tongue is a tree of life,

But perversion in it crushes the spirit.

5 A fool rejects his father’s discipline,

But he who regards reproof is sensible.

6 Great wealth is in the house of the righteous,

But trouble is in the income of the wicked.

7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge,

But the hearts of fools are not so.

8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,

But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,

But He loves one who pursues righteousness.

10 Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way;

He who hates reproof will die.

11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD,

How much more the hearts of men!

12 A scoffer does not love one who reproves him,

He will not go to the wise.

13 A joyful heart makes a cheerful face,

But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.

14 The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,

But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.

15 All the days of the afflicted are bad,

But a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

16 Better is a little with the fear of the LORD

Than great treasure and turmoil with it.

17 Better is a dish of vegetables where love is

Than a fattened ox served with hatred.

18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,

But the slow to anger calms a dispute.

19 The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns,

But the path of the upright is a highway.

20 A wise son makes a father glad,

But a foolish man despises his mother.

21 Folly is joy to him who lacks sense,

But a man of understanding walks straight.

22 Without consultation, plans are frustrated,

But with many counselors they succeed.

23 A man has joy in an apt answer,

And how delightful is a timely word!

24 The path of life leads upward for the wise

That he may keep away from Sheol below.

25 The LORD will tear down the house of the proud,

But He will establish the boundary of the widow.

26 Evil plans are an abomination to the LORD,

But pleasant words are pure.

27 He who profits illicitly troubles his own house,

But he who hates bribes will live.

28 The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,

But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

29 The LORD is far from the wicked,

But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

30 Bright eyes gladden the heart;

Good news puts fat on the bones.

31 He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof

Will dwell among the wise.

32 He who neglects discipline despises himself,

But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding.

33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom,

And before honor comes humility.

PSALM 94

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The LORD Implored to Avenge His People.94:1 O LORD, God of vengeance,

God of vengeance, shine forth!

2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth,

Render recompense to the proud.

3 How long shall the wicked, O LORD,

How long shall the wicked exult?

4 They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly;

All who do wickedness vaunt themselves.

5 They crush Your people, O LORD,

And afflict Your heritage.

6 They slay the widow and the stranger

And murder the orphans.

7 They have said, “The LORD does not see,

Nor does the God of Jacob pay heed.”

8 Pay heed, you senseless among the people;

And when will you understand, stupid ones?

9 He who planted the ear, does He not hear?

He who formed the eye, does He not see?

10 He who chastens the nations, will He not rebuke,

Even He who teaches man knowledge?

11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man,

That they are a mere breath.

12 Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O LORD,

And whom You teach out of Your law;

13 That You may grant him relief from the days of adversity,

Until a pit is dug for the wicked.

14 For the LORD will not abandon His people,

Nor will He forsake His inheritance.

15 For judgment will again be righteous,

And all the upright in heart will follow it.

16 Who will stand up for me against evildoers?

Who will take his stand for me against those who do wickedness?

17 If the LORD had not been my help,

My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.

18 If I should say, “My foot has slipped,”

Your lovingkindness, O LORD, will hold me up.

19 When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,

Your consolations delight my soul.

20 Can a throne of destruction be allied with You,

One which devises mischief by decree?

21 They band themselves together against the life of the righteous

And condemn the innocent to death.

22 But the LORD has been my stronghold,

And my God the rock of my refuge.

23 He has brought back their wickedness upon them

And will destroy them in their evil;

The LORD our God will destroy them.