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First Reading: Job Chapter 10 and 11
Job 10
10:1 Job: I Would Plead with God
"My soul loathes my life;I will give free course to my complaint,I will
speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2 I will say to God, 'Do not condemn me;Show
me why You contend with me. 3 Does it seem good to You that You should oppress,That
You should despise the work of Your hands,And smile on the counsel of the wicked?
4 Do You have eyes of flesh?Or do You see as man sees? 5 Are Your days like
the days of a mortal man?Are Your years like the days of a mighty man, 6 That
You should seek for my iniquity And search out my sin, 7 Although You know that
I am not wicked,And there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?
8'Your hands have made me and fashioned me,An intricate unity;Yet You would
destroy me. 9 Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay.And will You
turn me into dust again? 10 Did You not pour me out like milk,And curdle me
like cheese, 11 Clothe me with skin and flesh,And knit me together with bones
and sinews? 12 You have granted me life and favor,And Your care has preserved
my spirit.
13'And these things You have hidden in Your heart;I know that this was with
You: 14 If I sin, then You mark me,And will not acquit me of my iniquity. 15
If I am wicked, woe to me;Even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head.I
am full of disgrace;See my misery! 16 If my head is exalted,You hunt me like
a fierce lion,And again You show Yourself awesome against me. 17 You renew Your
witnesses against me,And increase Your indignation toward me;Changes and war
are ever with me.
18'Why then have You brought me out of the womb?Oh, that I had perished and
no eye had seen me! 19 I would have been as though I had not been.I would have
been carried from the womb to the grave. 20 Are not my days few?Cease! Leave
me alone, that I may take a little comfort, 21 Before I go to the place from
which I shall not return,To the land of darkness and the shadow of death, 22
A land as dark as darkness itself,As the shadow of death, without any order,Where
even the light is like darkness.'"
Job 11
11:1 Zophar Urges Job to Repent
Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 "Should not the multitude of words be answered?And should a man full
of talk be vindicated? 3 Should your empty talk make men hold their peace?And
when you mock, should no one rebuke you? 4 For you have said,'My doctrine is
pure,And I am clean in your eyes.' 5 But oh, that God would speak,And open His
lips against you, 6 That He would show you the secrets of wisdom!For they would
double your prudence.Know therefore that God exacts from you Less than your
iniquity deserves.
7 "Can you search out the deep things of God?Can you find out the limits
of the Almighty? 8 They are higher than heaven — what can you do?Deeper
than Sheol — what can you know? 9 Their measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.
10 "If He passes by, imprisons, and gathers to judgment,Then who can hinder
Him? 11 For He knows deceitful men;He sees wickedness also.Will He not then
consider it? 12 For an empty-headed man will be wise,When a wild donkey's colt
is born a man.
13 "If you would prepare your heart,And stretch out your hands toward Him;
14 If iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away,And would not let
wickedness dwell in your tents; 15 Then surely you could lift up your face without
spot;Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear; 16 Because you would forget
your misery,And remember it as waters that have passed away, 17 And your life
would be brighter than noonday.Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.
18 And you would be secure, because there is hope;Yes, you would dig around
you, and take your rest in safety. 19 You would also lie down, and no one would
make you afraid;Yes, many would court your favor. 20 But the eyes of the wicked
will fail,And they shall not escape,And their hope — loss of life!"
Psalms 54
54:1 Answered Prayer for Deliverance from Adversaries
To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David
when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, "Is David not hiding with us?"
Save me, O God, by Your name,And vindicate me by Your strength. 2 Hear my prayer,
O God;Give ear to the words of my mouth. 3 For strangers have risen up against
me,And oppressors have sought after my life;They have not set God before them.Selah
4 Behold, God is my helper;The Lord is with those who uphold my life. 5 He will
repay my enemies for their evil.Cut them off in Your truth.
6 I will freely sacrifice to You;I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it is
good. 7 For He has delivered me out of all trouble;And my eye has seen its desire
upon my enemies.
Psalms 55
55:1 Trust in God Concerning the Treachery of Friends
To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David.
Give ear to my prayer, O God,And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.
2 Attend to me, and hear me;I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy,Because of the oppression of the wicked;For
they bring down trouble upon me,And in wrath they hate me.
4 My heart is severely pained within me,And the terrors of death have fallen
upon me. 5 Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,And horror has overwhelmed
me. 6 So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove!I would fly away and
be at rest. 7 Indeed, I would wander far off,And remain in the wilderness.Selah
8 I would hasten my escape From the windy storm and tempest."
9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues,For I have seen violence and strife
in the city. 10 Day and night they go around it on its walls;Iniquity and trouble
are also in the midst of it. 11 Destruction is in its midst;Oppression and deceit
do not depart from its streets.
12 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me;Then I could bear it.Nor is it one
who hates me who has exalted himself against me;Then I could hide from him.
13 But it was you, a man my equal,My companion and my acquaintance. 14 We took
sweet counsel together,And walked to the house of God in the throng.
15 Let death seize them;Let them go down alive into hell,For wickedness is in
their dwellings and among them.
16 As for me, I will call upon God,And the LORD shall save me. 17 Evening and
morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud,And He shall hear my voice. 18
He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,For there
were many against me. 19 God will hear, and afflict them,Even He who abides
from of old.SelahBecause they do not change,Therefore they do not fear God.
20 He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him;He has
broken his covenant. 21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter,But
war was in his heart;His words were softer than oil,Yet they were drawn swords.
22 Cast your burden on the LORD,And He shall sustain you;He shall never permit
the righteous to be moved.
23 But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction;Bloodthirsty
and deceitful men shall not live out half their days;But I will trust in You.
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
JOB
Part 4 of 4
The following is found in the book of Job:
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