Proverbs 19-21; Psalms 4 - Prayer Tents

19Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and a fool.H2896H7326H1980H8537H6141H8193H3684 2Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.H5315H1847H2896H213H7272H2398 3People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.H200H120H5557H1870H3820H2196H3068 4Wealth makes many “friends”; poverty drives them all away.H1952H3254H7227H7453H1800H6504H7453 5A false witness will not go unpunished, nor will a liar escape.H8267H5707H5352H6315H3577H4422 6Many seek favors from a ruler; everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!H7227H2470H6440H5081H7453H376H4976 7The relatives of the poor despise them; how much more will their friends avoid them! Though the poor plead with them, their friends are gone.H251H7326H8130H4828H7368H7291H561 8To acquire wisdom is to love oneself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.H7069H3820H157H5315H8104H8394H4672H2896 9A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed.H8267H5707H5352H6315H3577H6 10It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury or for a slave to rule over princes!H8588H5000H3684H5650H4910H8269 11Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.H7922H120H748H639H8597H5674H6588 12The king’s anger is like a lion’s roar, but his favor is like dew on the grass.H4428H2197H5099H3715H7522H2919H6212 13A foolish child is a calamity to a father; a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.H3684H1121H1942H1H4079H802H2956H1812 14Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.H1004H1952H5159H1H7919H802H3068 15Lazy people sleep soundly, but idleness leaves them hungry.H6103H5307H8639H7423H5315H7456 16Keep the commandments and keep your life; despising them leads to death.H8104H4687H8104H5315H959H1870H4191 17If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and he will repay you!H2603H1800H3867H3068H1576H7999 18Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise you will ruin their lives.H3256H1121H3426H8615H5315H5375H4191 19Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty. If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again.H1419H1632H2534H5375H6066H5337H3254 20Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.H8085H6098H6901H4148H2449H319 21You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.H7227H4284H376H3820H6098H3068H6965 22Loyalty makes a person attractive. It is better to be poor than dishonest.H8378H120H2617H7326H2896H376H3577 23Fear of the Lord leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm.H3374H3068H2416H3885H7649H6485H7451 24Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their mouth.H6102H2934H3027H6747H7725H6310H7725 25If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser.H5221H3887H6612H6191H3198H995H995H1847 26Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother are an embarrassment and a public disgrace.H7703H1H1272H517H1121H954H2659 27If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will turn your back on knowledge.H2308H1121H8085H4148H7686H561H1847 28A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice; the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.H1100H5707H3887H4941H6310H7563H1104H205 29Punishment is made for mockers, and the backs of fools are made to be beaten.H8201H3559H3887H4112H1460H3684

20Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.H3196H3887H7941H1993H7686H2449 2The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar; to rouse his anger is to risk your life.H367H4428H5099H3715H5674H2398H5315 3Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.H3519H376H7674H7379H191H1566 4Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.H6102H2790H2779H7592H7592H7105 5Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out.H6098H3820H376H6013H4325H376H8394H1802 6Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?H7230H120H7121H376H2617H529H376H4672 7The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.H6662H1980H8537H1121H835H310 8When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence, distinguishing the bad from the good.H4428H3427H3678H1779H2219H7451H5869 9Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin”?H559H3820H2135H2891H2403 10False weights and unequal measures—the Lord detests double standards of every kind.H68H68H374H374H8147H1571H8441H3068 11Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.H5288H5234H4611H6467H2134H3477 12Ears to hear and eyes to see—both are gifts from the Lord.H8085H241H7200H5869H3068H6213H8147 13If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!H157H8142H3423H6491H5869H7646H3899 14The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,” then brags about getting a bargain!H7451H7451H559H7069H235H1984 15Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies.H3426H2091H7230H6443H8193H1847H3366H3627 16Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt. Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.H3947H899H6148H2114H2254H5237 17Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth.H3899H8267H6156H376H310H6310H4390H2687 18Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.H4284H3559H6098H8458H6213H4421 19A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.H1980H7400H1540H5475H6148H6601H8193 20If you insult your father or mother, your light will be snuffed out in total darkness.H7043H1H517H5216H1846H380H380H2822 21An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.H5159H926H973H7223H319H1288 22Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.H559H7999H7451H6960H3068H3467 23The Lord detests double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales.H68H68H8441H3068H4820H3976H2896 24The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?H1397H4703H3068H120H995H1870 25Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God and only later counting the cost.H4170H120H3216H6944H310H5088H1239 26A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat, then runs his threshing wheel over them.H2450H4428H2219H7563H7725H212 27The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive.H5397H120H5216H3068H2664H2315H990 28Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love.H2617H571H5341H4428H3678H5582H2617 29The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.H8597H970H3581H1926H2205H7872 30Physical punishment cleanses away evil; such discipline purifies the heart.H2250H6482H8562H7451H4347H2315H990

21The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases.H4428H3820H3027H3068H6388H4325H5186H2654 2People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.H1870H376H3477H5869H3068H8505H3826 3The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.H6213H6666H4941H977H3068H2077 4Haughty eyes, a proud heart, and evil actions are all sin.H7312H5869H7342H3820H5215H7563H2403 5Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.H4284H2742H4195H213H4270 6Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.H6467H214H8267H3956H1892H5086H1245H4194 7The violence of the wicked sweeps them away, because they refuse to do what is just.H7701H7563H1641H3985H6213H4941 8The guilty walk a crooked path; the innocent travel a straight road.H1870H376H2019H2054H2134H6467H3477 9It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.H2896H3427H6438H1406H4079H4066H802H2267H1004 10Evil people desire evil; their neighbors get no mercy from them.H5315H7563H183H7451H7453H2603H5869 11If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded become wise; if you instruct the wise, they will be all the wiser.H3887H6064H6612H2449H2450H7919H3947H1847 12The Righteous One knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked; he will bring disaster on them.H6662H7919H1004H7563H5557H7563H7451 13Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.H331H241H2201H1800H7121H6030 14A secret gift calms anger; a bribe under the table pacifies fury.H4976H5643H3711H639H7810H2436H5794H2534 15Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.H8057H6662H6213H4941H4288H6466H205 16The person who strays from common sense will end up in the company of the dead.H120H8582H1870H7919H5117H6951H7496 17Those who love pleasure become poor; those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.H157H8057H4270H376H157H3196H8081H6238 18The wicked are punished in place of the godly, and traitors in place of the honest.H7563H3724H6662H898H3477 19It’s better to live alone in the desert than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.H2896H3427H776H4057H4079H4066H3708H802 20The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get.H214H2530H8081H5116H2450H3684H120H1104 21Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor.H7291H6666H2617H4672H2416H6666H3519 22The wise conquer the city of the strong and level the fortress in which they trust.H2450H5927H5892H1368H3381H5797H4009 23Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.H8104H6310H3956H8104H5315H6869 24Mockers are proud and haughty; they act with boundless arrogance.H2086H3093H3887H8034H6213H2087H5678 25Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin, for their hands refuse to work.H8378H6102H4191H3027H3985H6213 26Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give!H183H8378H3117H6662H5414H2820 27The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable, especially when it is offered with wrong motives.H2077H7563H8441H935H2154 28A false witness will be cut off, but a credible witness will be allowed to speak.H3577H5707H6H376H8085H1696H5331 29The wicked bluff their way through, but the virtuous think before they act.H7563H376H5810H6440H3477H995H3559H1870 30No human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the Lord.H2451H8394H6098H3068 31The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.H5483H3559H3117H4421H8668H3068

4[For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.] Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.H5329H5058H4210H1732H6030H7121H430H6664H7337H6862H2603H8085H8605 2How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies? InterludeH1121H376H5704H3519H3639H157H7385H1245H3577H5542 3You can be sure of this. The LORD set apart the godly for himself. The LORD will answer when I call to him.H3045H3068H6395H2623H3068H8085H7121 4Don't sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. InterludeH7264H2398H559H3824H4904H1826H5542 5Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the LORD.H2076H2077H6664H982H3068 6Many people say, "Who will show us better times?" Let your face smile on us, LORD.H7227H559H7200H2896H3068H5375H216H6440 7You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.H5414H8057H3820H6256H1715H8492H7231 8In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.H3162H7901H7965H3462H3068H910H3427H983