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 18

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Contrast the Upright and the Wicked18:1 He who separates himself seeks his own desire,

He quarrels against all sound wisdom.

2 A fool does not delight in understanding,

But only in revealing his own mind.

3 When a wicked man comes, contempt also comes,

And with dishonor comes scorn.

4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;

The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

5 To show partiality to the wicked is not good,

Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment.

6 A fool’s lips bring strife,

And his mouth calls for blows.

7 A fool’s mouth is his ruin,

And his lips are the snare of his soul.

8 The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,

And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.

9 He also who is slack in his work

Is brother to him who destroys.

10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower;

The righteous runs into it and is safe.

11 A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,

And like a high wall in his own imagination.

12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,

But humility goes before honor.

13 He who gives an answer before he hears,

It is folly and shame to him.

14 The spirit of a man can endure his sickness,

But as for a broken spirit who can bear it?

15 The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge,

And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

16 A man’s gift makes room for him

And brings him before great men.

17 The first to plead his case seems right,

Until another comes and examines him.

18 The cast lot puts an end to strife

And decides between the mighty ones.

19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city,

And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.

20 With the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;

He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

And those who love it will eat its fruit.

22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing

And obtains favor from the LORD.

23 The poor man utters supplications,

But the rich man answers roughly.

24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin,

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

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.