Day 170 of 364

^35:1By David. Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me. ^35:2Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. ^35:3Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.” ^35:4Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded. ^35:5Let them be as chaff before the wind, the LORD’s angel driving them on. ^35:6Let their way be dark and slippery, the LORD’s angel pursuing them. ^35:7For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul. ^35:8Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction. ^35:9My soul shall be joyful in the LORD. It shall rejoice in his salvation. ^35:10All my bones shall say, “LORD, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?” ^35:11Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don’t know about. ^35:12They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul. ^35:13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom. ^35:14I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother. ^35:15But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it. They tore at me, and didn’t cease. ^35:16Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me. ^35:17Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions. ^35:18I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people. ^35:19Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes. ^35:20For they don’t speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land. ^35:21Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!” ^35:22You have seen it, LORD. Don’t keep silent. Lord, don’t be far from me. ^35:23Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me! ^35:24Vindicate me, LORD my God, according to your righteousness. Don’t let them gloat over me. ^35:25Don’t let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!” Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up!” ^35:26Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me. ^35:27Let those who favor my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad. Yes, let them say continually, “May the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!” ^35:28My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long. ^36:1For the Chief Musician. By David, the servant of the LORD. A revelation is within my heart about the disobedience of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. ^36:2For he flatters himself in his own eyes, too much to detect and hate his sin. ^36:3The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. He has ceased to be wise and to do good. ^36:4He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He doesn’t abhor evil. ^36:5Your loving kindness, LORD, is in the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. ^36:6Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgments are like a great deep. LORD, you preserve man and animal. ^36:7How precious is your loving kindness, God! The children of men take refuge under the shadow of your wings. ^36:8They shall be abundantly satisfied with the abundance of your house. You will make them drink of the river of your pleasures. ^36:9For with you is the spring of life. In your light we will see light. ^36:10Oh continue your loving kindness to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart. ^36:11Don’t let the foot of pride come against me. Don’t let the hand of the wicked drive me away. ^36:12There the workers of iniquity are fallen. They are thrust down, and shall not be able to rise. ^37:1By David. Don’t fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness. ^37:2For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb. ^37:3Trust in the LORD, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture. ^37:4Also delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. ^37:5Commit your way to the LORD. Trust also in him, and he will do this: ^37:6he will make your righteousness shine out like light, and your justice as the noon day sun. ^37:7Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen. ^37:8Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Don’t fret; it leads only to evildoing. ^37:9For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land. ^37:10For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he isn’t there. ^37:11But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. ^37:12The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. ^37:13The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming. ^37:14The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to kill those who are upright on the path. ^37:15Their sword shall enter into their own heart. Their bows shall be broken. ^37:16Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked. ^37:17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. ^37:18The LORD knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever. ^37:19They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they shall be satisfied. ^37:20But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of the LORD shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish— vanish like smoke. ^37:21The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously. ^37:22For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off. ^37:23A man’s steps are established by the LORD. He delights in his way. ^37:24Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for the LORD holds him up with his hand. ^37:25I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread. ^37:26All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His offspring is blessed. ^37:27Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever. ^37:28For the LORD loves justice, and doesn’t forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. ^37:29The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever. ^37:30The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice. ^37:31The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide. ^37:32The wicked watch the righteous, and seek to kill him. ^37:33The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. ^37:34Wait for the LORD, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. ^37:35I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil. ^37:36But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found. ^37:37Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. ^37:38As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off. ^37:39But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble. ^37:40The LORD helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they have taken refuge in him.