JOB 39

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God Speaks of Nature and Its Beings39:1 “Do you know the time the mountain goats give birth?

Do you observe the calving of the deer?

2 “Can you count the months they fulfill,

Or do you know the time they give birth?

3 “They kneel down, they bring forth their young,

They get rid of their labor pains.

4 “Their offspring become strong, they grow up in the open field;

They leave and do not return to them.

5 “Who sent out the wild donkey free?

And who loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,

6 To whom I gave the wilderness for a home

And the salt land for his dwelling place?

7 “He scorns the tumult of the city,

The shoutings of the driver he does not hear.

8 “He explores the mountains for his pasture

And searches after every green thing.

9 “Will the wild ox consent to serve you,

Or will he spend the night at your manger?

10 “Can you bind the wild ox in a furrow with ropes,

Or will he harrow the valleys after you?

11 “Will you trust him because his strength is great

And leave your labor to him?

12 “Will you have faith in him that he will return your grain

And gather it from your threshing floor?

13 “The ostriches’ wings flap joyously

With the pinion and plumage of love,

14 For she abandons her eggs to the earth

And warms them in the dust,

15 And she forgets that a foot may crush them,

Or that a wild beast may trample them.

16 “She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers;

Though her labor be in vain, she is unconcerned;

17 Because God has made her forget wisdom,

And has not given her a share of understanding.

18 “When she lifts herself on high,

She laughs at the horse and his rider.

19 “Do you give the horse his might?

Do you clothe his neck with a mane?

20 “Do you make him leap like the locust?

His majestic snorting is terrible.

21 “He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength;

He goes out to meet the weapons.

22 “He laughs at fear and is not dismayed;

And he does not turn back from the sword.

23 “The quiver rattles against him,

The flashing spear and javelin.

24 “With shaking and rage he races over the ground,

And he does not stand still at the voice of the trumpet.

25 “As often as the trumpet sounds he says, ‘Aha!’

And he scents the battle from afar,

And the thunder of the captains and the war cry.

26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars,

Stretching his wings toward the south?

27 “Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up

And makes his nest on high?

28 “On the cliff he dwells and lodges,

Upon the rocky crag, an inaccessible place.

29 “From there he spies out food;

His eyes see it from afar.

30 “His young ones also suck up blood;

And where the slain are, there is he.”

JOB 40

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Job: What Can I Say?  40:1 Then the LORD said to Job,

2 “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?

Let him who reproves God answer it.”

    3 Then Job answered the LORD and said,

4 “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?

I lay my hand on my mouth.

5 “Once I have spoken, and I will not answer;

Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”

God Questions Job    6 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm and said,

7 “Now gird up your loins like a man;

I will ask you, and you instruct Me.

8 “Will you really annul My judgment?

Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?

9 “Or do you have an arm like God,

And can you thunder with a voice like His?

10 “Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity,

And clothe yourself with honor and majesty.

11 “Pour out the overflowings of your anger,

And look on everyone who is proud, and make him low.

12 “Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him,

And tread down the wicked where they stand.

13 “Hide them in the dust together;

Bind them in the hidden place.

14 “Then I will also confess to you,

That your own right hand can save you.

God’s Power Shown in Creatures15 “Behold now, Behemoth, which I made as well as you;

He eats grass like an ox.

16 “Behold now, his strength in his loins

And his power in the muscles of his belly.

17 “He bends his tail like a cedar;

The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

18 “His bones are tubes of bronze;

His limbs are like bars of iron.

19 “He is the first of the ways of God;

Let his maker bring near his sword.

20 “Surely the mountains bring him food,

And all the beasts of the field play there.

21 “Under the lotus plants he lies down,

In the covert of the reeds and the marsh.

22 “The lotus plants cover him with shade;

The willows of the brook surround him.

23 “If a river rages, he is not alarmed;

He is confident, though the Jordan rushes to his mouth.

24 “Can anyone capture him when he is on watch,

With barbs can anyone pierce his nose?

PROVERBS 21

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On Life and Conduct21:1 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;

He turns it wherever He wishes.

2 Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,

But the LORD weighs the hearts.

3 To do righteousness and justice

Is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice.

4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,

The lamp of the wicked, is sin.

5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage,

But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

6 The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue

Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.

7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,

Because they refuse to act with justice.

8 The way of a guilty man is crooked,

But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

9 It is better to live in a corner of a roof

Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;

His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

11 When the scoffer is punished, the naive becomes wise;

But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

12 The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,

Turning the wicked to ruin.

13 He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor

Will also cry himself and not be answered.

14 A gift in secret subdues anger,

And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.

15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,

But is terror to the workers of iniquity.

16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding

Will rest in the assembly of the dead.

17 He who loves pleasure will become a poor man;

He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,

And the treacherous is in the place of the upright.

19 It is better to live in a desert land

Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

20 There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,

But a foolish man swallows it up.

21 He who pursues righteousness and loyalty

Finds life, righteousness and honor.

22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty

And brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue,

Guards his soul from troubles.

24 “Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names,

Who acts with insolent pride.

25 The desire of the sluggard puts him to death,

For his hands refuse to work;

26 All day long he is craving,

While the righteous gives and does not hold back.

27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,

How much more when he brings it with evil intent!

28 A false witness will perish,

But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever.

29 A wicked man displays a bold face,

But as for the upright, he makes his way sure.

30 There is no wisdom and no understanding

And no counsel against the LORD.

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,

But victory belongs to the LORD.

PSALM 97

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The LORD’S Power and Dominion.97:1 The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;

Let the many islands be glad.

2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.

3 Fire goes before Him

And burns up His adversaries round about.

4 His lightnings lit up the world;

The earth saw and trembled.

5 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD,

At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

6 The heavens declare His righteousness,

And all the peoples have seen His glory.

7 Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images,

Who boast themselves of idols;

Worship Him, all you gods.

8 Zion heard this and was glad,

And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced

Because of Your judgments, O LORD.

9 For You are the LORD Most High over all the earth;

You are exalted far above all gods.

10 Hate evil, you who love the LORD,

Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;

He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

11 Light is sown like seed for the righteous

And gladness for the upright in heart.

12 Be glad in the LORD, you righteous ones,

And give thanks to His holy name.