JOSHUA 23

« Joshua 22 | Joshua 23 | Joshua 24 »

Joshua’s Charge to Israel’s Leaders  23:1 A long time afterward, when the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, 2 Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers, and said to them, “I am now old and well advanced in years. 3 And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the Lord your God who has fought for you. 4 Behold, I have allotted to you as an inheritance for your tribes those nations that remain, along with all the nations that I have already cut off, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west. 5 The Lord your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight. And you shall possess their land, just as the Lord your God promised you. 6 Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, 7 that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, 8 but you shall cling to the Lord your God just as you have done to this day. 9 For the Lord has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. 10 One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. 11 Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God. 12 For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, 13 know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the Lord your God has given you.
    14 “And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. 15 But just as all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the Lord your God has given you, 16 if you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you.”

PSALM 86

« Psalm 85 | Psalm 86 | Psalm 87 »

Great Is Your Steadfast LoveA Prayer of David.
86:1

Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy. 2

Preserve my life, for I am godly;

save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. 3

Be gracious to me, O Lord,

for to you do I cry all the day. 4

Gladden the soul of your servant,

for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,

abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. 6

Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;

listen to my plea for grace. 7

In the day of my trouble I call upon you,

for you answer me.
8

There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,

nor are there any works like yours. 9

All the nations you have made shall come

and worship before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name. 10

For you are great and do wondrous things;

you alone are God. 11

Teach me your way, O Lord,

that I may walk in your truth;

unite my heart to fear your name. 12

I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,

and I will glorify your name forever. 13

For great is your steadfast love toward me;

you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
14

O God, insolent men have risen up against me;

a band of ruthless men seeks my life,

and they do not set you before them. 15

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 16

Turn to me and be gracious to me;

give your strength to your servant,

and save the son of your maidservant. 17

Show me a sign of your favor,

that those who hate me may see and be put to shame

because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

PSALM 87

« Psalm 86 | Psalm 87 | Psalm 88 »

Glorious Things of You Are SpokenA Psalm of the Sons of Korah. A Song.
87:1

On the holy mount stands the city he founded; 2

the Lord loves the gates of Zion

more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. 3

Glorious things of you are spoken,

O city of God. Selah
4

Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;

behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush—

“This one was born there,” they say. 5

And of Zion it shall be said,

“This one and that one were born in her”;

for the Most High himself will establish her. 6

The Lord records as he registers the peoples,

“This one was born there.” Selah
7

Singers and dancers alike say,

“All my springs are in you.”

PROVERBS 31

« Proverbs 30 | Proverbs 31 | Ecclesiastes 1 »

The Words of King Lemuel  31:1 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
2

What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb?

What are you doing, son of my vows? 3

Do not give your strength to women,

your ways to those who destroy kings. 4

It is not for kings, O Lemuel,

it is not for kings to drink wine,

or for rulers to take strong drink, 5

lest they drink and forget what has been decreed

and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. 6

Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,

and wine to those in bitter distress; 7

let them drink and forget their poverty

and remember their misery no more. 8

Open your mouth for the mute,

for the rights of all who are destitute. 9

Open your mouth, judge righteously,

defend the rights of the poor and needy. The Woman Who Fears the Lord10

An excellent wife who can find?

She is far more precious than jewels. 11

The heart of her husband trusts in her,

and he will have no lack of gain. 12

She does him good, and not harm,

all the days of her life. 13

She seeks wool and flax,

and works with willing hands. 14

She is like the ships of the merchant;

she brings her food from afar. 15

She rises while it is yet night

and provides food for her household

and portions for her maidens. 16

She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. 17

She dresses herself with strength

and makes her arms strong. 18

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night. 19

She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her hands hold the spindle. 20

She opens her hand to the poor

and reaches out her hands to the needy. 21

She is not afraid of snow for her household,

for all her household are clothed in scarlet. 22

She makes bed coverings for herself;

her clothing is fine linen and purple. 23

Her husband is known in the gates

when he sits among the elders of the land. 24

She makes linen garments and sells them;

she delivers sashes to the merchant. 25

Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come. 26

She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. 27

She looks well to the ways of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28

Her children rise up and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her: 29

“Many women have done excellently,

but you surpass them all.” 30

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 31

Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates.