Psalms and Proverbs in a Month – read today’s “Psalms and Proverbs in a Month” excerpt

This page updates daily, automatically switching between Bible reading plans for Psalms and Proverbs in a Month and Psalms in 30 Days, depending on the number of days in the current month.

reading plan entry for day #7

Psalm 35 ()

By David.

[1] Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me.
Fight against those who fight against me.
[2] Take hold of shield and buckler,
and stand up for my help.
[3] Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me.
Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.”
[4] Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor.
Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
[5] Let them be as chaff before the wind,
Yahweh’s angel driving them on.
[6] Let their way be dark and slippery,
Yahweh’s angel pursuing them.
[7] For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me.
Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.
[8] Let destruction come on him unawares.
Let his net that he has hidden catch himself.
Let him fall into that destruction.

[9] My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh.
It shall rejoice in his salvation.
[10] All my bones shall say, “Yahweh, 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?”
[11] Unrighteous witnesses rise up.
They ask me about things that I don’t know about.
[12] They reward me evil for good,
to the bereaving of my soul.

[13] But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.
I afflicted my soul with fasting.
My prayer returned into my own bosom.
[14] I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother.
I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.
[15] But 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.
[16] Like the profane mockers in feasts,
they gnashed their teeth at me.
[17] Lord, how long will you look on?
Rescue my soul from their destruction,
my precious life from the lions.
[18] I will give you thanks in the great assembly.
I will praise you among many people.
[19] Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me;
neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.
[20] For they don’t speak peace,
but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
[21] Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me.
They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!”
[22] You have seen it, Yahweh. Don’t keep silent.
Lord, don’t be far from me.
[23] Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God!
My Lord, contend for me!
[24] Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness.
Don’t let them gloat over me.
[25] Don’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!”
[26] Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity.
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.

[27] Let those who favor my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad.
Yes, let them say continually, “May Yahweh be magnified,
who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!”
[28] My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.

Psalm 36 ()

For the Chief Musician. By David, the servant of Yahweh.

[1] A revelation is within my heart about the disobedience of the wicked:
There is no fear of God before his eyes.
[2] For he flatters himself in his own eyes,
too much to detect and hate his sin.
[3] The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit.
He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
[4] He plots iniquity on his bed.
He sets himself in a way that is not good.
He doesn’t abhor evil.

[5] Your loving kindness, Yahweh, is in the heavens.
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
[6] Your righteousness is like the mountains of God.
Your judgments are like a great deep.
Yahweh, you preserve man and animal.
[7] How precious is your loving kindness, God!
The children of men take refuge under the shadow of your wings.
[8] They shall be abundantly satisfied with the abundance of your house.
You will make them drink of the river of your pleasures.
[9] For with you is the spring of life.
In your light we will see light.
[10] Oh continue your loving kindness to those who know you,
your righteousness to the upright in heart.
[11] Don’t let the foot of pride come against me.
Don’t let the hand of the wicked drive me away.
[12] There the workers of iniquity are fallen.
They are thrust down, and shall not be able to rise.

Psalm 37 ()

By David.

[1] Don’t fret because of evildoers,
neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.
[2] For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
and wither like the green herb.
[3] Trust in Yahweh, and do good.
Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.
[4] Also delight yourself in Yahweh,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
[5] Commit your way to Yahweh.
Trust also in him, and he will do this:
[6] he will make your righteousness shine out like light,
and your justice as the noon day sun.
[7] Rest in Yahweh, 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.
[8] Cease from anger, and forsake wrath.
Don’t fret; it leads only to evildoing.
[9] For evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for Yahweh shall inherit the land.
[10] For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more.
Yes, though you look for his place, he isn’t there.
[11] But the humble shall inherit the land,
and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
[12] The wicked plots against the just,
and gnashes at him with his teeth.
[13] The Lord will laugh at him,
for he sees that his day is coming.
[14] The 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.
[15] Their sword shall enter into their own heart.
Their bows shall be broken.
[16] Better is a little that the righteous has,
than the abundance of many wicked.
[17] For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
but Yahweh upholds the righteous.
[18] Yahweh knows the days of the perfect.
Their inheritance shall be forever.
[19] They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil.
In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

[20] But the wicked shall perish.
The enemies of Yahweh shall be like the beauty of the fields.
They will vanish—
vanish like smoke.
[21] The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back,
but the righteous give generously.
[22] For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land.
Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.
[23] A man’s steps are established by Yahweh.
He delights in his way.
[24] Though he stumble, he shall not fall,
for Yahweh holds him up with his hand.
[25] I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
nor his children begging for bread.
[26] All day long he deals graciously, and lends.
His offspring is blessed.
[27] Depart from evil, and do good.
Live securely forever.
[28] For Yahweh loves justice,
and doesn’t forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
[29] The righteous shall inherit the land,
and live in it forever.

[30] The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom.
His tongue speaks justice.
[31] The law of his God is in his heart.
None of his steps shall slide.
[32] The wicked watch the righteous,
and seek to kill him.
[33] Yahweh will not leave him in his hand,
nor condemn him when he is judged.
[34] Wait for Yahweh, and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land.
When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

[35] I have seen the wicked in great power,
spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.
[36] But he passed away, and behold, he was not.
Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.
[37] Mark the perfect man, and see the upright,
for there is a future for the man of peace.
[38] As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together.
The future of the wicked shall be cut off.
[39] But the salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh.
He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
[40] Yahweh helps them and rescues them.
He rescues them from the wicked and saves them,
because they have taken refuge in him.

Proverbs 7 ()

[1] My son, keep my words.
Lay up my commandments within you.
[2] Keep my commandments and live!
Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
[3] Bind them on your fingers.
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
[4] Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.”
Call understanding your relative,
[5] that they may keep you from the strange woman,
from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
[6] For at the window of my house,
I looked out through my lattice.
[7] I saw among the simple ones.
I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
[8] passing through the street near her corner,
he went the way to her house,
[9] in the twilight, in the evening of the day,
in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
[10] Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute,
and with crafty intent.
[11] She is loud and defiant.
Her feet don’t stay in her house.
[12] Now she is in the streets, now in the squares,
and lurking at every corner.
[13] So she caught him, and kissed him.
With an impudent face she said to him:
[14] “Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me.
Today I have paid my vows.
[15] Therefore I came out to meet you,
to diligently seek your face,
and I have found you.
[16] I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry,
with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
[17] I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
[18] Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning.
Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
[19] For my husband isn’t at home.
He has gone on a long journey.
[20] He has taken a bag of money with him.
He will come home at the full moon.”
[21] With persuasive words, she led him astray.
With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
[22] He followed her immediately,
as an ox goes to the slaughter,
as a fool stepping into a noose.
[23] Until an arrow strikes through his liver,
as a bird hurries to the snare,
and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.

[24] Now therefore, sons, listen to me.
Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
[25] Don’t let your heart turn to her ways.
Don’t go astray in her paths,
[26] for she has thrown down many wounded.
Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
[27] Her house is the way to Sheol,
going down to the rooms of death.

Proverbs 7:27 Sheol is the place of the dead.