2 Chronicles 19, Psalm 7, Proverbs 21 - ESV Online

2 CHRONICLES 19

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Jehoshaphat’s Reforms

  19:1 Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. 2 But Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the Lord. 3 Nevertheless, some good is found in you, for you destroyed the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.”
    4 Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem. And he went out again among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers. 5 He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, 6 and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. 7 Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”
    8 Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel, to give judgment for the Lord and to decide disputed cases. They had their seat at Jerusalem. 9 And he charged them: “Thus you shall do in the fear of the Lord, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart: 10 whenever a case comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities, concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statutes or rules, then you shall warn them, that they may not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not incur guilt. 11 And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters, and the Levites will serve you as officers. Deal courageously, and may the Lord be with the upright!”

PSALM 7

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In You Do I Take Refuge

A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.
7:1

O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge;

save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, 2

lest like a lion they tear my soul apart,

rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.
3

O Lord my God, if I have done this,

if there is wrong in my hands, 4

if I have repaid my friend with evil

or plundered my enemy without cause, 5

let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it,

and let him trample my life to the ground

and lay my glory in the dust. Selah
6

Arise, O Lord, in your anger;

lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;

awake for me; you have appointed a judgment. 7

Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you;

over it return on high.
8

The Lord judges the peoples;

judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness

and according to the integrity that is in me. 9

Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end,

and may you establish the righteous—

you who test the minds and hearts,

O righteous God! 10

My shield is with God,

who saves the upright in heart. 11

God is a righteous judge,

and a God who feels indignation every day.
12

If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword;

he has bent and readied his bow; 13

he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,

making his arrows fiery shafts. 14

Behold, the wicked man conceives evil

and is pregnant with mischief

and gives birth to lies. 15

He makes a pit, digging it out,

and falls into the hole that he has made. 16

His mischief returns upon his own head,

and on his own skull his violence descends.
17

I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,

and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

PROVERBS 21

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21:1

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;

he turns it wherever he will. 2

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,

but the Lord weighs the heart. 3

To do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. 4

Haughty eyes and a proud heart,

the lamp of the wicked, are sin. 5

The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,

but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. 6

The getting of treasures by a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death. 7

The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,

because they refuse to do what is just. 8

The way of the guilty is crooked,

but the conduct of the pure is upright. 9

It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife. 10

The soul of the wicked desires evil;

his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes. 11

When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;

when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge. 12

The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;

he throws the wicked down to ruin. 13

Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor

will himself call out and not be answered. 14

A gift in secret averts anger,

and a concealed bribe, strong wrath. 15

When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous

but terror to evildoers. 16

One who wanders from the way of good sense

will rest in the assembly of the dead. 17

Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;

he who loves wine and oil will not be rich. 18

The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,

and the traitor for the upright. 19

It is better to live in a desert land

than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman. 20

Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling,

but a foolish man devours it. 21

Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness

will find life, righteousness, and honor. 22

A wise man scales the city of the mighty

and brings down the stronghold in which they trust. 23

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue

keeps himself out of trouble. 24

“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man

who acts with arrogant pride. 25

The desire of the sluggard kills him,

for his hands refuse to labor. 26

All day long he craves and craves,

but 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 word of a man who hears will endure. 29

A wicked man puts on a bold face,

but the upright gives thought to his ways. 30

No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel

can avail against the Lord. 31

The horse is made ready for the day of battle,

but the victory belongs to the Lord.