The Berean Pursuit
Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD,
but an accurate weight is His delight.
When pride comes, disgrace follows,
but with humility comes wisdom.
The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the perversity of the faithless destroys them.
Riches are worthless in the day of wrath,
but righteousness brings deliverance from death.
The righteousness of the blameless directs their path,
but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the faithless are trapped by their own desires.
When the wicked man dies, his hope perishes,
and the hope of his strength vanishes.
The righteous man is delivered from trouble;
in his place the wicked man goes in.
With his mouth the ungodly man destroys his neighbor,
but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.
When the righteous thrive, the city rejoices,
and when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
By the blessing of the upright a city is built up,
but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks judgment,
but a man of understanding remains silent.
A gossip reveals a secret,
but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
For lack of guidance, a nation falls,
but with many counselors comes deliverance.
He who puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer,
but the one who hates indebtedness is secure.
A gracious woman attains honor,
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
A kind man benefits himself,
but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.
The wicked man earns an empty wage,
but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.
Genuine righteousness leads to life,
but the pursuit of evil brings death.
The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD,
but the blameless in their walk are His delight.
Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished,
but the offspring of the righteous will escape.
Like a gold ring in a pig's snout
is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
The desire of the righteous leads only to good,
but the hope of the wicked brings wrath.
One gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds what is right, only to become poor.
A generous soul will prosper,
and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
The people will curse the hoarder of grain,
but blessing will crown the one who sells it.
He who searches out good finds favor,
but evil will come to him who seeks it.
He who trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will thrive like foliage.
He who brings trouble on his house will inherit the wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and he who wins souls is wise.
If the righteous receive their due on earth,
how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates correction is stupid.
The good man obtains favor from the LORD,
but the LORD condemns a man who devises evil.
A man cannot be established through wickedness,
but the righteous cannot be uprooted.
A wife of noble character is her husband's crown,
but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones.
The plans of the righteous are just,
but the counsel of the wicked leads to deceit.
The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the speech of the upright rescues them.
The wicked are overthrown and perish,
but the house of the righteous will stand.
A man is praised according to his wisdom,
but a twisted mind is despised.
Better to be lightly esteemed yet have a servant,
than to be self-important but lack food.
A righteous man regards the life of his animal,
but the tender mercies of the wicked are only cruelty.
The one who works his land will have plenty of food,
but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.
The wicked desire the plunder of evil men,
but the root of the righteous flourishes.
An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech,
but a righteous man escapes from trouble.
By fruitful speech a man is filled with good things,
and the work of his hands returns to him.
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
but a wise man listens to counsel.
A fool's anger is known at once,
but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
He who speaks the truth declares what is right,
but a false witness speaks deceit.
Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
Deceit is in the hearts of those who devise evil,
but the counselors of peace have joy.
No harm befalls the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with trouble.
Lying lips are detestable to the LORD,
but those who deal faithfully are His delight.
A shrewd man keeps his knowledge to himself,
but a foolish heart proclaims its folly.
The hand of the diligent will rule,
but laziness ends in forced labor.
Anxiety weighs down the heart of a man,
but a good word cheers it up.
A righteous man is cautious in friendship,
but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.
A lazy man does not roast his game,
but a diligent man prizes his possession.
There is life in the path of righteousness,
but another path leads to death.
A wise son heeds his father's discipline,
but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.
From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things,
but the desire of the faithless is violence.
He who guards his mouth protects his life,
but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.
The slacker craves yet has nothing,
but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied.
The righteous hate falsehood,
but the wicked bring shame and disgrace.
Righteousness guards the man of integrity,
but wickedness undermines the sinner.
One pretends to be rich, but has nothing;
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
Riches may ransom a man's life,
but a poor man hears no threat.
The light of the righteous shines brightly,
but the lamp of the wicked is extinguished.
Arrogance leads only to strife,
but wisdom is with the well-advised.
Dishonest wealth will dwindle,
but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
He who despises instruction will pay the penalty,
but the one who respects a command will be rewarded.
The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
turning one from the snares of death.
Good understanding wins favor,
but the way of the faithless is difficult.
Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
but a fool displays his folly.
A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
but a faithful envoy brings healing.
Poverty and shame come to him who ignores discipline,
but whoever heeds correction is honored.
Desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
but turning from evil is detestable to fools.
He who walks with the wise will become wise,
but the companion of fools will be destroyed.
Disaster pursues sinners,
but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children,
but the sinner's wealth is passed to the righteous.
Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor,
but without justice it is swept away.
He who spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.
A righteous man eats to his heart's content,
but the stomach of the wicked is empty.
For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. A Psalm of David.
O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
You have set Your glory
above the heavens.
From the mouths of children and infants
You have ordained praise
on account of Your adversaries,
to silence the enemy and avenger.
When I behold Your heavens,
the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which You have set in place-
what is man that You are mindful of him,
or the son of man that You care for him?
You made him a little lower than the angels;
You crowned him with glory and honor.
You made him ruler of the works of Your hands;
You have placed everything under his feet:
all sheep and oxen,
and even the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God. Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval. For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God's servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.
Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God's servants, who devote themselves to their work. Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.