57

Happy is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of

the wicked,

Nor stood in the way of sinners,

Nor sat in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord;

And in His law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water,

That bringeth forth its fruit in its season,

And whose leaf doth not wither;

And in whatsoever he doeth he shall prosper.

Not so the wicked;

But they are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord regardeth the way of the righteous;
But the way of the wicked shall perish.

Psalm 1

58

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. Lord, how many are mine adversaries become?

Many are they that rise up against me.

Many there are that say of my soul:

"There is no salvation for him in God.' But Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me;

Selah

My glory, and the lifter up of my head.

With my voice I call unto the Lord,

And He answereth me out of His holy mountain. Selah

I lay me down, and I sleep;

I awake, for the Lord sustaineth me.

I am not afraid of ten thousands of people,

That have set themselves against me round about.
Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God;

For Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek,

Thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked.

Salvation belongeth unto the Lord;

Thy blessing be upon Thy people.

Selah

Psalm 3

59

Lord, who shall sojourn in Thy tabernacle?

Who shall dwell upon Thy holy mountain?

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, And speaketh truth in his heart;

That hath no slander upon his tongue,

Nor doeth evil to his fellow,

Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour;

In whose eyes a vile person is despised,

But he honoureth them that fear the Lord;

He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not;

He that putteth not out his money on interest,

Nor taketh a bribe against the innocent.

He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Psalm 15: 1-5

60

Happy is every one that feareth the Lord,

That walketh in His ways.

When thou eatest the labour of thy hands,

Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine, in the innermost parts of thy house;

Thy children like olive plants, round about thy table. Behold, surely thus shall the man be blessed

That feareth the Lord.

The Lord bless thee out of Zion;

And see thou the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life;

And see thy children's children.

Peace be upon Israel!

Psalm 128

GUIDANCE

61

My son, forget not my teaching;

But let thy heart keep my commandments;
For length of days, and years of life,
And peace, will they add to thee.

Let not kindness and truth forsake thee;
Bind them about thy neck,

Write them upon the table of thy heart;
So shalt thou find grace and good favour
In the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all thy heart,

And lean not upon thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge Him,

And He will direct thy paths.

Be not wise in thine own eyes;

Fear the Lord, and depart from evil;
It shall be health to thy navel,

And marrow to thy bones.

Honour the Lord with thy substance,
And with the first-fruits of all thine increase;
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,

And thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord,
Neither spurn thou His correction;

For whom the Lord loveth He correcteth,

Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom.,

And the man that obtaineth understanding.

For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise

of silver,

And the gain thereof than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies;

And all the things thou canst desire are not to be com

pared unto her.

Length of days is in her right hand;

In her left hand are riches and honour.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

And all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her,

And happy is every one that holdeth her fast.

Proverbs 3: 1-18

62

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding He established the heavens.
By His knowledge the depths were broken up,
And the skies drop down the dew.

My son, let not them depart from thine eyes;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion;

So shall they be life unto thy soul,

And grace to thy neck.

Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely,

And thou shalt not dash thy foot.

When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid;

Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Be not afraid of sudden terror,

Neither of the destruction of the wicked, when it cometh; For the Lord will be thy confidence,

And will keep thy foot from being caught.

Withhold not good from him to whom it is due,

When it is in the power of thy hand to do it.

Say not unto thy neighbour: "Go, and come again,
And to-morrow I will give'; when thou hast it by thee.
Devise not evil against thy neighbour,

Seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
Strive not with a man without cause,

If he have done thee no harm.

Envy thou not the man of violence,
And choose none of his ways.

For the perverse is an abomination to the Lord;
But His counsel is with the upright.