Day 192 of 364

^148:1Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens! Praise him in the heights! ^148:2Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all his army! ^148:3Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you shining stars! ^148:4Praise him, you heavens of heavens, you waters that are above the heavens. ^148:5Let them praise the LORD’s name, for he commanded, and they were created. ^148:6He has also established them forever and ever. He has made a decree which will not pass away. ^148:7Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures, and all depths, ^148:8lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy wind, fulfilling his word, ^148:9mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, ^148:10wild animals and all livestock, small creatures and flying birds, ^148:11kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of the earth, ^148:12both young men and maidens, old men and children. ^148:13Let them praise the LORD’s name, for his name alone is exalted. His glory is above the earth and the heavens. ^148:14He has lifted up the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints, even of the children of Israel, a people near to him. Praise the LORD! ^149:1Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. ^149:2Let Israel rejoice in him who made them. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. ^149:3Let them praise his name in the dance! Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp! ^149:4For the LORD takes pleasure in his people. He crowns the humble with salvation. ^149:5Let the saints rejoice in honor. Let them sing for joy on their beds. ^149:6May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand, ^149:7to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; ^149:8to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; ^149:9to execute on them the written judgment. All his saints have this honor. Praise the LORD! ^150:1Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary! Praise him in his heavens for his acts of power! ^150:2Praise him for his mighty acts! Praise him according to his excellent greatness! ^150:3Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet! Praise him with harp and lyre! ^150:4Praise him with tambourine and dancing! Praise him with stringed instruments and flute! ^150:5Praise him with loud cymbals! Praise him with resounding cymbals! ^150:6Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!

^1:1The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel: ^1:2to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding; ^1:3to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; ^1:4to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man— ^1:5that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel; ^1:6to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise. ^1:7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction. ^1:8My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching; ^1:9for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck. ^1:10My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent. ^1:11If they say, “Come with us. Let’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause. ^1:12Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit. ^1:13We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder. ^1:14You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse”— ^1:15my son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path, ^1:16for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood. ^1:17For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird; ^1:18but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives. ^1:19So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners. ^1:20Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares. ^1:21She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words: ^1:22“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge? ^1:23Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you. ^1:24Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention; ^1:25but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof; ^1:26I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you, ^1:27when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you. ^1:28Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me, ^1:29because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of the LORD. ^1:30They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof. ^1:31Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes. ^1:32For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them. ^1:33But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.” ^2:1My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, ^2:2so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; ^2:3yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; ^2:4if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; ^2:5then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. ^2:6For the LORD gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. ^2:7He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, ^2:8that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. ^2:9Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. ^2:10For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. ^2:11Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, ^2:12to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, ^2:13who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, ^2:14who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, ^2:15who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, ^2:16to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, ^2:17who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; ^2:18for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. ^2:19None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. ^2:20Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. ^2:21For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. ^2:22But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it.