JOB 29

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Job’s Summary Defense  29:1 And Job again took up his discourse, and said:
2

“Oh, that I were as in the months of old,

as in the days when God watched over me, 3

when his lamp shone upon my head,

and by his light I walked through darkness, 4

as I was in my prime,

when the friendship of God was upon my tent, 5

when the Almighty was yet with me,

when my children were all around me, 6

when my steps were washed with butter,

and the rock poured out for me streams of oil! 7

When I went out to the gate of the city,

when I prepared my seat in the square, 8

the young men saw me and withdrew,

and the aged rose and stood; 9

the princes refrained from talking

and laid their hand on their mouth; 10

the voice of the nobles was hushed,

and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. 11

When the ear heard, it called me blessed,

and when the eye saw, it approved, 12

because I delivered the poor who cried for help,

and the fatherless who had none to help him. 13

The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me,

and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. 14

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;

my justice was like a robe and a turban. 15

I was eyes to the blind

and feet to the lame. 16

I was a father to the needy,

and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know. 17

I broke the fangs of the unrighteous

and made him drop his prey from his teeth. 18

Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest,

and I shall multiply my days as the sand, 19

my roots spread out to the waters,

with the dew all night on my branches, 20

my glory fresh with me,

and my bow ever new in my hand.’
21

“Men listened to me and waited

and kept silence for my counsel. 22

After I spoke they did not speak again,

and my word dropped upon them. 23

They waited for me as for the rain,

and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain. 24

I smiled on them when they had no confidence,

and the light of my face they did not cast down. 25

I chose their way and sat as chief,

and I lived like a king among his troops,

like one who comforts mourners.

PSALM 41

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O Lord, Be Gracious to MeTo the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
41:1

Blessed is the one who considers the poor!

In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him; 2

the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;

he is called blessed in the land;

you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. 3

The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;

in his illness you restore him to full health.
4

As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;

heal me, for I have sinned against you!” 5

My enemies say of me in malice,

“When will he die, and his name perish?” 6

And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,

while his heart gathers iniquity;

when he goes out, he tells it abroad. 7

All who hate me whisper together about me;

they imagine the worst for me.
8

They say, “A deadly thing is poured out on him;

he will not rise again from where he lies.” 9

Even my close friend in whom I trusted,

who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. 10

But you, O Lord, be gracious to me,

and raise me up, that I may repay them!
11

By this I know that you delight in me:

my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. 12

But you have upheld me because of my integrity,

and set me in your presence forever.
13

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting!Amen and Amen.

PSALM 42

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Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul?To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.
42:1

As a deer pants for flowing streams,

so pants my soul for you, O God. 2

My soul thirsts for God,

for the living God.

When shall I come and appear before God? 3

My tears have been my food

day and night,

while they say to me all the day long,

“Where is your God?” 4

These things I remember,

as I pour out my soul:

how I would go with the throng

and lead them in procession to the house of God

with glad shouts and songs of praise,

a multitude keeping festival.
5

Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my salvation
6

and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;

therefore I remember you

from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,

from Mount Mizar. 7

Deep calls to deep

at the roar of your waterfalls;

all your breakers and your waves

have gone over me. 8

By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,

and at night his song is with me,

a prayer to the God of my life. 9

I say to God, my rock:

“Why have you forgotten me?

Why do I go mourning

because of the oppression of the enemy?” 10

As with a deadly wound in my bones,

my adversaries taunt me,

while they say to me all the day long,

“Where is your God?”
11

Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my salvation and my God.

PROVERBS 9

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The Way of Wisdom9:1

Wisdom has built her house;

she has hewn her seven pillars. 2

She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;

she has also set her table. 3

She has sent out her young women to call

from the highest places in the town, 4

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

To him who lacks sense she says, 5

“Come, eat of my bread

and drink of the wine I have mixed. 6

Leave your simple ways, and live,

and walk in the way of insight.”
7

Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,

and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. 8

Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;

reprove a wise man, and he will love you. 9

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;

teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. 10

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. 11

For by me your days will be multiplied,

and years will be added to your life. 12

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;

if you scoff, you alone will bear it. The Way of Folly13

The woman Folly is loud;

she is seductive and knows nothing. 14

She sits at the door of her house;

she takes a seat on the highest places of the town, 15

calling to those who pass by,

who are going straight on their way, 16

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

And to him who lacks sense she says, 17

“Stolen water is sweet,

and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” 18

But he does not know that the dead are there,

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.