O God, when you led your people out from Egypt, when you marched through the dry wasteland, Interlude the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain before you, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. You sent abundant rain, O God, to refresh the weary land. There your people finally settled, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, you provided for your needy people.
The Lord gives the word, and a great army brings the good news. Enemy kings and their armies flee, while the women of Israel divide the plunder. Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures - doves with wings of silver and feathers of gold. The Almighty scattered the enemy kings like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.
The mountains of Bashan are majestic, with many peaks stretching high into the sky. Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live, where the Lord himself will live forever?
Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots, the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary. When you ascended to the heights, you led a crowd of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who rebelled against you. Now the Lord God will live among us there.
We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.
People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives.
Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.
The Lord has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster.
The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished.
Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.
When people's lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.
Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest.
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.
The king speaks with divine wisdom; he must never judge unfairly.
The Lord demands accurate scales and balances; he sets the standards for fairness.
A king detests wrongdoing, for his rule is built on justice.
The king is pleased with words from righteous lips; he loves those who speak honestly.
The anger of the king is a deadly threat; the wise will try to appease it.
When the king smiles, there is life; his favor refreshes like a spring rain.
How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!
The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe.
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.
Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.
Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful.
The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.
Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it, but discipline is wasted on fools.
From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive.
Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.
It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on.
Scoundrels create trouble; their words are a destructive blaze.
A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.
Violent people mislead their companions, leading them down a harmful path.
With narrowed eyes, people plot evil; with a smirk, they plan their mischief.
Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life.
Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.
We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.
This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
I am writing to God's church in Corinth and to all of his holy people throughout Greece.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.
We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.