#i have NO clue why i dragged poor vex into this but the more i think about it the more i need to change his goddamn name

[jupiter-reimagined]

... this was supposed to be a cute au for them being royalty. how the fuck did one end up as a fish, the other went from an ox to a lion and my cringefail scientist son is also there now along with a robot he made cuz he wanted to spy on the fish and ox-lion and their freaky ass looking kid, but in the previous timeline the robot was made by the ox and was there as a protector for the freaky kid.

do i keep their weird ass magical powers? hm. does vast *deserve* timetravel... no. no he doesnt cuz then vex is gonna turn into a fucking disney villain aAA

gonna have to remove the goddamn library of babel concept as well. o7 you nerd but i dont have the brainpower to remember the loops i jumped trough to make it make sense

sarah and ben can die tho. or can they. hm.

[innocent-cat]

More x Percy requests? You got it. Give us reader being protective of Percy. Maybe someone is gonna try and ransom him to Cassandra but reader goes freaking feral, tearing through people to protect him/save him.

You have no clue how much i love you/p

Percy x Protective!Reader

Warnings - Kidnapping, murder, ransom, graphic, cussing duh, beating, starvation.

"Unplanned plans are always better plans.", Percival De rolo x Reader

.·:*¨༺༻¨*:·..·:*¨༺༻¨*:·..·:*¨༺༻

Vox Machina was called by Cassandra to Whitestone on some kind of fucking emergency. You couldn't figure out what could be more important than finding your missing member, though. He just fucking packed it up and left in the night? Seriously? Dramatic. Wont be saving him ANY time soon.

You were in disbelief that the rest of your ragtag team decided that searching for him was futile, and that he was 'probably on his own self fulfilling adventure to find himself..' Stupid Everlight dwarfs. Bite sized. I should have punted her.

Whatever. You were on your way to Whitestone now, walking through Keyleth's tree portal she thought she totally couldn't use, but spoiler alert, she totally fucking can.

You avoided conversation and eye contact with the rest of Vox Machina, not wanting to have to deal with any unnecessary arguments through them trying to tell me how I should just 'Let Percy pick his own path'

Yeah right. That asshole should have told me he was leaving, and he WOULD have. prick. lame.

You kicked a rock as you strode through Whitestone, approaching the now obviously repaired castle. You think about how Percy would be proud of his sister if he had stuck with us. pf. asshole.

Now losing focus in your thoughts, you miss your rock, and keep walking. Poor guy. He's lonely now and stuff. Almost like how Percy was kicking the rock that was Vox Machina and then just LEFT in the MIDDLE of the NIGHT, telling NOBODY? asshole.

Taking a seat at the map board at the top of the castle, you lean back in your chair, legs crossed, listening to Cassandra to figure out what kind of stupid mission Pike or Scanlan would drag you on next because they need something out of it, or its finallyyy morally correct. News flash, if you're a religious Everlight follower, maybe think twice before joining a band of rag tags with two raging pick pocketing twins?

oof. okay. that was harsh. Sorry Pike. Still love you. Just mad. XX.

You let out a deep breath, tuning in on Cassandra again, picking at your nails, filing them.

"Percy is being held for ransom for five million gold or he's hung."

Your eyes snap up towards her, in both shock, fear, and rage. Who the fuck would do that to him and more importantly why?

"Do you know by who? Or where?" You shoot out towards her without delay in your thoughts or deciding what words to pick for phrasing.

You lean forward, posture stiffening, waiting for her answer.

Her finger pointed, and darted quickly onto the target of interest. Cliffkeep. Neverfields. Why didn't I just guess they were in the below freezing ice cube area in the mountains hard to climb?

You sigh, knowing Vox Machina is gonna argue for a solid minute before someone says 'Wow. guys. we need to.'

You look around the room. Nobody is arguing, but nobody is saying we need to go. The eyes were on you. You raise an eyebrow to Vex, half expecting an explanation and half expecting an unnecessary retort.

She clears her throat.

"We'll get him back. No Ransom paid."

Cassandra looks at you, face full of gratefulness and appreciation for pushing Vox Machina, to rescue her older brother.

"Right. Chop chop, everyone up, we should have been on our way to Neverfield since 5 minutes ago." Vex ushers to Vox Machina, pushing them to pack their things up, and get ready to tread the mountain.

What would you do without little ol' Vexxy?

probably die.

Not like your life was priority right now. You needed to get Percy and make sure he's safe. You didn't even want to think about it, but every step you took, you felt woozy, and dizzy. You felt like you were gonna hurl, and cry your eyes out just thinking of Percy being dead.

(skipping part of the travel cus im not writing alat, they're at Lyregorn)

You hugged your sides as they world swayed, trying to breath deeply through stuttered breathing. You brushed your hands rapidly against your arms. It was cold. Real cold. What about Percy? Everlight forbid you ever freeze to death before you manage to reach him and say sorry for ANYTHING you can. Anything.

You reach for your staff in your belt pocket. It proved handy for healing, and defending yourself. The staff woven in old and wise hazelnut wood, carved at the tip like a moon, was covered in moss. It didn't leave when you healed, or defended yourself, so you figured it was best to leave the moss alone.

However, regardless of your weapon of choice, you decided your pocket knife and a small gift from Percy would do the trick when invading the group of bandits stealthily, praying that none of Vox Machina are too loud for this plan to work.

The gift from Percy? A pistol. He said it's loud, so you opted it out as best for emergencies. You'd have to find him one way or another.

You fidgeted with the pistol, loading it and unloading it, pretending to shoot it at walls, then finally tucked it away when you realized Vox Machina was stopped at a tall, peeled, wooden fence.

"Well shit, now what?" Pike groaned, obviously tired from the venture to take back the demonic gunslinger.

"Jump the wall, obviously." Vex tutted, walking towards the wall, likely waiting for a boost.

"Guys. We literally have magic. 'scanlan's handdd!'" Scanlan's giant, purple hand appears attempting to get Vex to step on it.

"No you moron, your singing will get us caught faster that a rat to a trap of cheese."

"Not to be mean, but she's right Scanlan. You kinda sound like a dying bird in peril when you're trying to be quiet." You swiftly retorted, backing up Vex's point of being noticed.

"What if we go under?" Keyleth suggested, making a show of her rooted vines.

"Well, unless we have someone who memorizes this bandit camp entirely, I don't think that'd be a good idea." You pat Keyleth's back, letting empathy shine through.

"You know what? fuck it. boost me up. no plan." You pointed to Vex, and she shrugged, getting ready to boost you.

"Vex what the hell? they're gonna get themself AND Percy killed!"

clambering onto her hand and then her shoulders, you hoist yourself over the wall, dropping down and landing on your knees, hoping it'd break the fall. It still hurt. Like. A lot. Good think you're a cleric then.

Healing yourself, you cant help but be nosy on the argument Vex and Pike are having about you over the wall.

"Why wouldn't you wait for a plan Vex??" Pike frustratedly berated Vex about her choices.

"Im not too worried. Their best plan always lands on no plan."

Letting out a laugh, you finish healing your lil' knees so they don't give out when you run.

You pull out your pocket knife, sheathing it, crouched. You enter the building you thankfully landed next to that covered you so no one really saw you jump it.

Okay. Maybe your best plan really is no plan. But thats okay.

Jesus christ you were in a bandit camp, ready to kill anyone you needed to, just to get to Percy? and then what? Die?

creak.

With the creak in the wood, you hid behind a counter. It was only one man. alright then. As long as he doesn't yell, you'd think about letting him live. Not really though. Fuck that guy.

Crouching towards him, you spring on him. Your pocket knife against his neck, and your other hand keeping his head angled up.

"Not a fucking word unless I tell you to speak."

You applied pressure to his neck with the blade slowly sliding, drawing blood.

"Where is Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo the.. third..?" You questioned. Three people were named that? weird.

"We don't HAVE a Percival here. We don't even kidnap man."

you paused for a moment, buying his lie, then repositioning.

"Then tell me. Who is the man with the five million gold ransom on his head. You tell me, and I might let you live with no tongue."

"We- we got him in the bakery. t-top. floor. left of the flour."

You quickly slit his neck open, the cut deep, long, and accurate.

"What a fuckin' sell out."

Crouching, you take the scarf off his face, just small enough to cover your mouth. They likely used poison mist, so, if you were gonna at least try to protect yourself, why not think just a little?

You stand up, turning to your right to look at the bar pin board. A map? of the camp? Maybe just a little weird. But were you ready to die stupid for that man? Any day of the week.

You crouch again, slowly moving from house to house. The camp got quieter with each house ran through, but, one of the residents said something the rest of them didn't.

"No- Please! I have a wife! I swear- he's- he's in the attic of the bounty tavern!"

"What? Say that again."

"Attic of the bounty tavern- I swear!"

Two places to look. A game of elimination? You prefer starting with the bakery, as, you are one house away anyway.

"Tell me why all your friends say the bakery and not the tavern."

"Beca-because they're all liars man! thats what we're told to say! not the tavern! He's really in there! Theres even an easier way in that through the front door!"

You grip his hair and tug it backwards, the knife ride riding against his neck as he struggles against it.

"Speak."

"Through the bakeries roof, you can jump from roof to roof in order to get there. I swear to you. Please. let me see my family."

You tugged his hair, and slid the knife against his neck.

"Stay still and this wont be nearly as bad as I was to the rest of your friends."

You open his jaw, grip his tongue, and cut it out. You look at the pale, slimy item. You tuck it into your leather pouch on your waist. Percy's reaction to it would be priceless.

"You're welcome." You pat his back, and move to the bakery. If Percy wasn't there, there would be the benefit of getting to him there. really makes you wonder how the rest of the group are doing. Probably arguing.

//

"D'you think they're dead yet?" Vex concerns, turning to the wall.

"I'd give them about 10 more minutes until they open those gates holding Percy like a fucking princess in their arms before we go in after them." Vax retorts, more than confident you're getting ready to do something loud and stupid.

//

"Percy? Are you there? Hello? are you in a flour bag?" You giggle to yourself about the suggestion, but pause. Creepy.

After cutting the bags opening and confirming no Percy, you go for one lass call. "Percy? You sure you don't wanna come out? It's just me, your favorite cleric ever.."

Oohmp!

You're tackled onto the floor by tongue guy. Maybe you shouldn't have let him go back to his kids.

Struggling against his force, you grab your knife out, and stab him in the skull. He collapses on top of you.

"Oh. Okay gross ew get off of me."

You push the now deceased man off of your body, yanking back out your knife. Gross. You slit his throat nice n' deep just in case he wants to come back for round three, which you most definitely did NOT want. people were strangely strong when they weren't surprised.

Healing yourself with your Hazel staff, you bind bandages onto a different wound, attempting not to use all of your magic in one go.

You really hoped the tongue guy was telling the truth. You cant just come back empty handed to Vox Machina. Especially not Vex after she was scolded by Pike. If I wrong her, she'll never let me be dumb again, which is going surprisingly well. like. super well. not finding Percy well, but, not dying well.

Yeesh. If I were that guy-you jump from the bakery roof to the next roof, traveling to the bounty tavern-You so would have called for backup. Okay maybe he couldn't talk, but he could still scream, you know? I wonder how the kids are.

//

"Keyleth do NOT put that ice lizard ANYWHERE near me or I swear to Everlight you will be bound to the other side permanently."

"He doesn't bite Pike! just one head scratch for him. please. He looks so sad right now because of you neglecting him" Keyleth frowned at Pike, begging for her to pet her lizard friend.

"Keyleth please put the lizard down and let 'Doctor Icethron' get back to work." Vex sighed out.

"5 more minutes till we go in Vex. they'll be more than fine."

//

Making the last jump to the tavern was less than easy. You may or may not have fell and totally ate the floor with all your jaw put into it. You'd have to look into that later. Percy is most definitely gonna need healing. Using your knife, you dug a hole into the Hay roof of the tavern. Thats. Surprisingly inconvenient for a camp of bandits? No fire hazard? Alright. Noted I guess.

Pulling the hay out of the way, you poke an eye through, checking to see if anyone was surrounding Percy. One person. A real twig of a guy. God that concerned you. Was Percy really in such a harsh condition he hadn't even decided to fight against him?

Oh. your poor baby.

You slip through the hay quietly and get the guy in a good position for your knife hold.

"Not a word. You speak if I ask you to, and if you do, you'll lose your tongue."

"Yeah right. You wouldn't do a thing to a fly would you, huh? Baby cleric trying to save their precious love?"

You scoffed, and tugged the tongue out of your pouch, tossing it to the floor in front of you. You'll tell Percy all about it later.

The Guy froze. Stiff as a board.

"Now. What did you do to him?"

"I didn-"

"You collectively. You are in the group of bandits. You are going to be held responsible for everyone's acts. Now, I'll ask again, and you'll answer me honestly this time. What. did. you. do?"

The man shudders under your grasp.

"Starved him. Beat him. threatened him."

"And why did you do such a thing? To him? What did he do?"

"We just wanted money. Thats all. Nothing more than that."

"So.. it was for shits and giggles?"

You tugged the man by his hair, knife applied to his throat.

"Speak."

"Yes."

You slit his throat slowly, deeper, and took a few stabs at him before watching him take his final breath.

You turn and fall to your knees next to Percy. You cut his hands and feet free. You pull him into your lap, stroking his hair, holding him. Picking him him bridal style, You glance down. You cant tell if he lost weight or if he's always just weighed two grapes total. You hoped for the latter. Poking your head from the attic, you notice there was no one. So you set Percy down, and heal him with almost all your remaining magic.

"You'll be feeling fine soon, alright? We're going back to Vox Machina. Our stupid band of ragtags? Pike, Scanlan, Keyleth, Vex and Vax? And Cassandra too. She's real worried about you. Sent us all here for you. Called us for an emergency. She cares for you dearly, and you can tell she feared for you. Let's visit her, yeah?"

Percy coughs, but shows a weak smile before letting it falter. Picking him up again, you jump down from the attic. You march through the front doors of the tavern, throwing a bit of fire with your Hazelnut staff onto the flammable hay roof.

Kicking the door open, you're greeted with Vox Machina ready for battle.

"Oh. Uh. Did I do something?"

"Oh my Everlight they really did carry him like a princess"

(A/N - eat up my percy lovers)

(P.S leopard, thank you for letting me write him RAH)

[dfroza]

Today’s reading from the ancient book of Proverbs and book of Psalms

for August 10 of 2021 with Proverbs 10 and Psalm 10, accompanied by Psalm 52 for the 52nd day of Astronomical Summer and Psalm 72 for day 222 of the year (now with the consummate book of 150 Psalms in its 2nd revolution this year)

[Proverbs 10]

The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son makes his father glad,

but a foolish one fills his mother with sorrow.

Riches gained through dishonest means will eventually vanish,

but doing what is right avoids a deadly consequence.

The Eternal does not allow the right-living to go hungry,

but He will frustrate the plans of the wicked.

A slack hand produces nothing but poverty,

but an industrious hand soon takes hold of riches.

A wise son stores up for the winter months while it is still summer,

but a shameful son lies around even during the harvest.

Blessings come to those who do what is right,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

The memory of one who lived with integrity brings joy,

but the legacy of a wrongdoer will rot away.

The wise at heart will gladly obey direction,

but one who fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The path of integrity is always safe,

but a person who follows a crooked way will be exposed.

Whoever winks his eye signals trouble,

and whoever fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

Hatred fuels dissension,

but love calms all rebellions.

Wisdom lives where insightful words are spoken,

but harsh punishment awaits the senseless.

The wise store up knowledge as a safeguard,

but the meaningless chatter of fools means that chaos is near.

The wealth of the rich is their powerful fortress;

the poverty of the poor reduces them to rubble.

The reward of those who do right is a satisfied life,

but the profits gained by those who do wrong is used to sin.

Those who accept instruction are travelers on the road to a meaningful life,

but those who refuse correction wander off and pave a path to ruin.

Lips that lie cover deep-seated hatred,

and whoever spreads a libelous rumor is acting as a fool.

The more you talk, the more likely you will cross the line and say the wrong thing;

but if you are wise, you’ll speak less and with restraint.

The speech of those who do right is of greater value than the finest silver,

but the thoughts of wrongdoers are worthless.

The right-living teach many,

but fools die with no clue how to live well.

The blessing of the Eternal is what makes someone rich,

and He doesn’t add pain to it.

Mischief is the sport of fools,

but wise actions bring joy to a person with insight.

Whatever wrongdoers fear the most will happen to them,

but those who do right will receive what they long for.

After the storm passes, the wrongdoers are blown away,

but those who do right are safe and sound on their firm foundations forever.

As vinegar vexes the teeth, and as smoke irritates the eyes,

so a slacker annoys his boss.

Reverence for the Eternal makes for a long and peaceful life,

but a wrongdoer will have years taken away.

The hope of those who do right is joy and celebration,

but the only prospect for those who do wrong is futility.

The way of the Eternal offers safety to those who love justice,

but it destroys those who perpetrate evil.

The right-living will never have their land taken away,

but wrongdoers will be uprooted.

Wisdom flows from the mouths of those who do right,

but tongues that twist the truth will be cut out.

The lips of the right-living understand what is proper,

but the mouths of wrongdoers twist and pervert the truth.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 10]

Why, O Eternal One, are You so far away?

Why can’t You be found during troubling times?

Mean and haughty people hunt down the poor.

May they get caught up in their own wicked schemes.

For the wicked celebrates the evil cravings of his heart

as the greedy curses and rejects the Eternal.

The arrogance of the wicked one keeps him from seeking the True God.

He truly thinks, “There is no God.”

His ways seem always to be successful;

Your judgments, too, seem far beyond him, out of his reach.

He looks down on all his enemies.

In his heart he has decided, “Nothing will faze me.

From generation to generation I will not face trouble.”

His mouth is full of curses, lies, and oppression.

Beneath his tongue lie trouble and wickedness.

He hides in the shadows of the villages,

waiting to ambush and kill the innocent in dark corners.

He eyes the weak and the poor.

Ominously, like a lion in its lair,

he lurks in secret to waylay those who are downtrodden.

When he catches them, he draws them in and drags them off with his net.

Quietly crouching, lying low,

ready to overwhelm the next by his strength,

The wicked thinks in his heart, “God has forgotten us!

He has covered His face and will never notice!”

Arise, O Eternal, my True God. Lift up Your hand.

Do not forget the downtrodden.

Why does the wicked revile the True God?

He has decided, “He will not hold me responsible.”

But wait! You have seen,

and You will consider the trouble and grief he caused.

You will impose consequences for his actions.

The helpless, the orphans, commit themselves to You,

and You have been their Helper.

Break the arm of the one guilty of doing evil;

investigate all his wicked acts;

hold him responsible for every last one of them.

The Eternal will reign as King forever.

The other nations will be swept off His land.

O Eternal One, You have heard the longings of the poor and lowly.

You will strengthen them; You who are of heaven will hear them,

Vindicating the orphan and the oppressed

so that men who are of the earth will terrify them no more.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 52]

The Fate of Cynics

For the Pure and Shining One

A song of instruction by King David composed when Doeg the Edomite betrayed David to Saul, saying, “David has come to the house of Ahimilech!”

You call yourself a mighty man, a big shot?

Why do you boast in the evil you have done?

Yet God’s loyal love will protect me and carry the day!

Listen, O deceiver, trickster of others:

Your words are wicked, harming and hurting all who hear them.

You love evil and hate what is good and right.

You would rather lie than tell the truth.

Pause in his presence

You love to distort, devour, and deceive,

using your sly tongue to spin the truth.

But the Almighty will strike you down forever!

He will pull you up by your roots

and drag you away to the darkness of death.

Pause in his presence

The godly will see all this and will be awestruck.

Then they will laugh at the wicked, saying,

“See what happens to those great in their own eyes

who don’t trust in the Most High to save them!

Look how they trusted only in their wealth

and made their living from wickedness.”

But I am like a flourishing olive tree, anointed in the house of God.

I trust in the unending love of God;

his passion toward me is forever and ever.

Because it is finished,

I will praise you forever and give you thanks.

Before all your godly lovers I will proclaim your beautiful name!

The Book of Psalms, Poem 52 (The Passion Translation)

with Psalm 52 mirrored in The Message:

[Psalm 52]

Why do you brag of evil, “Big Man”?

God’s mercy carries the day.

You scheme catastrophe;

your tongue cuts razor-sharp,

artisan in lies.

You love evil more than good,

you call black white.

You love malicious gossip,

you foul-mouth.

God will tear you limb from limb,

sweep you up and throw you out,

Pull you up by the roots

from the land of life.

Good people will watch and

worship. They’ll laugh in relief:

“Big Man bet on the wrong horse,

trusted in big money,

made his living from catastrophe.”

And I’m an olive tree,

growing green in God’s house.

I trusted in the generous mercy

of God then and now.

I thank you always

that you went into action.

And I’ll stay right here,

your good name my hope,

in company with your faithful friends.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 52 (The Message)

[Psalm 72]

A song of Solomon.

True God, bestow Your honest judgments upon the king

and anoint the king’s son with Your righteousness.

May he be honest and fair in his judgments over Your people

and offer justice to the burdened and suffering.

Under his reign, may this land of mountains and hills know peace

and experience justice for all the people.

May the king offer justice to the burdened and suffering,

rescue the poor and needy,

and demolish the oppressor!

[May the people fear You] for as long as the sun shines,

as long as the moon rises in the night sky, throughout the generations.

May the king be like the refreshing rains, which fall upon fields of freshly mown grass—

like showers that cool and nourish the earth.

May good and honest people flourish for as long as he reigns,

and may peace fill the land until the moon no longer rises.

May the king rule from one sea to the next,

and may his rule extend from the Euphrates River to the far reaches of the earth.

Let the desert wanderers bow down before him

and his enemies lay prostrate and taste the dirt.

Let the kings of Tarshish and the island kings

shower him with gifts

And the kings of Sheba and Seba bring him presents as well.

Let every king on earth bow down before him

and every nation be in his service.

For he will rescue the needy when they ask for help!

He will save the burdened and come to the aid of those who have no other help.

He offers compassion to the weak and the poor;

he will help and protect the lives of the needy!

He will liberate them from the fierce sting of persecution and violence;

in his eyes, their blood is precious.

May he live a long, long time

and the gold of Sheba be given to him.

May the people constantly lift up prayers for him,

and may they call upon God to bless him always.

Let grain grow plentifully in this land of promise,

let it sway in the breeze on the hilltops,

let it grow strong as do the cedars of Lebanon,

And may those who live in the city bloom and flourish

just as the grass of the fields and meadows.

May his name live on forever

and his reputation grow for as long as the sun gives light.

May people from all nations find in him a blessing;

may all peoples declare him blessed.

May the Eternal God, the God of Israel, be blessed,

for He alone works miracles and wonders!

May His glorious name be blessed forever

and the whole earth be filled with His eternal glory!

Amen. Amen.

The prayers of King David, Jesse’s son, are ended.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 72 (The Voice)

[dfroza]

Today’s reading from the ancient books of Proverbs and Psalms

for Saturday, October 10 of 2020 with Proverbs 10 and Psalm 10 accompanied by Psalm 19 for the 19th day of Autumn and Psalm 134 for day 284 of the year

[Proverbs 10]

The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son makes his father glad,

but a foolish one fills his mother with sorrow.

Riches gained through dishonest means will eventually vanish,

but doing what is right avoids a deadly consequence.

The Eternal does not allow the right-living to go hungry,

but He will frustrate the plans of the wicked.

A slack hand produces nothing but poverty,

but an industrious hand soon takes hold of riches.

A wise son stores up for the winter months while it is still summer,

but a shameful son lies around even during the harvest.

Blessings come to those who do what is right,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

The memory of one who lived with integrity brings joy,

but the legacy of a wrongdoer will rot away.

The wise at heart will gladly obey direction,

but one who fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The path of integrity is always safe,

but a person who follows a crooked way will be exposed.

Whoever winks his eye signals trouble,

and whoever fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

Hatred fuels dissension,

but love calms all rebellions.

Wisdom lives where insightful words are spoken,

but harsh punishment awaits the senseless.

The wise store up knowledge as a safeguard,

but the meaningless chatter of fools means that chaos is near.

The wealth of the rich is their powerful fortress;

the poverty of the poor reduces them to rubble.

The reward of those who do right is a satisfied life,

but the profits gained by those who do wrong is used to sin.

Those who accept instruction are travelers on the road to a meaningful life,

but those who refuse correction wander off and pave a path to ruin.

Lips that lie cover deep-seated hatred,

and whoever spreads a libelous rumor is acting as a fool.

The more you talk, the more likely you will cross the line and say the wrong thing;

but if you are wise, you’ll speak less and with restraint.

The speech of those who do right is of greater value than the finest silver,

but the thoughts of wrongdoers are worthless.

The right-living teach many,

but fools die with no clue how to live well.

The blessing of the Eternal is what makes someone rich,

and He doesn’t add pain to it.

Mischief is the sport of fools,

but wise actions bring joy to a person with insight.

Whatever wrongdoers fear the most will happen to them,

but those who do right will receive what they long for.

After the storm passes, the wrongdoers are blown away,

but those who do right are safe and sound on their firm foundations forever.

As vinegar vexes the teeth, and as smoke irritates the eyes,

so a slacker annoys his boss.

Reverence for the Eternal makes for a long and peaceful life,

but a wrongdoer will have years taken away.

The hope of those who do right is joy and celebration,

but the only prospect for those who do wrong is futility.

The way of the Eternal offers safety to those who love justice,

but it destroys those who perpetrate evil.

The right-living will never have their land taken away,

but wrongdoers will be uprooted.

Wisdom flows from the mouths of those who do right,

but tongues that twist the truth will be cut out.

The lips of the right-living understand what is proper,

but the mouths of wrongdoers twist and pervert the truth.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 10]

Why, O Eternal One, are You so far away?

Why can’t You be found during troubling times?

Mean and haughty people hunt down the poor.

May they get caught up in their own wicked schemes.

For the wicked celebrates the evil cravings of his heart

as the greedy curses and rejects the Eternal.

The arrogance of the wicked one keeps him from seeking the True God.

He truly thinks, “There is no God.”

His ways seem always to be successful;

Your judgments, too, seem far beyond him, out of his reach.

He looks down on all his enemies.

In his heart he has decided, “Nothing will faze me.

From generation to generation I will not face trouble.”

His mouth is full of curses, lies, and oppression.

Beneath his tongue lie trouble and wickedness.

He hides in the shadows of the villages,

waiting to ambush and kill the innocent in dark corners.

He eyes the weak and the poor.

Ominously, like a lion in its lair,

he lurks in secret to waylay those who are downtrodden.

When he catches them, he draws them in and drags them off with his net.

Quietly crouching, lying low,

ready to overwhelm the next by his strength,

The wicked thinks in his heart, “God has forgotten us!

He has covered His face and will never notice!”

Arise, O Eternal, my True God. Lift up Your hand.

Do not forget the downtrodden.

Why does the wicked revile the True God?

He has decided, “He will not hold me responsible.”

But wait! You have seen,

and You will consider the trouble and grief he caused.

You will impose consequences for his actions.

The helpless, the orphans, commit themselves to You,

and You have been their Helper.

Break the arm of the one guilty of doing evil;

investigate all his wicked acts;

hold him responsible for every last one of them.

The Eternal will reign as King forever.

The other nations will be swept off His land.

O Eternal One, You have heard the longings of the poor and lowly.

You will strengthen them; You who are of heaven will hear them,

Vindicating the orphan and the oppressed

so that men who are of the earth will terrify them no more.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 19]

For the worship leader. A song of David.

The celestial realms announce God’s glory;

the skies testify of His hands’ great work.

Each day pours out more of their sayings;

each night, more to hear and more to learn.

Inaudible words are their manner of speech,

and silence, their means to convey.

Yet from here to the ends of the earth, their voices have gone out;

the whole world can hear what they say.

God stretched out in these heavens a tent for the sun,

And the sun is like a groom

who, after leaving his room, arrives at the wedding in splendor;

He is the strong runner

who, favored to win in his race, is eager to face his challenge.

He rises at one end of the skies

and runs in an arc overhead;

nothing can hide from his heat, from the swelter of his daily tread.

The Eternal’s law is perfect,

turning lives around.

His words are reliable and true,

instilling wisdom to open minds.

The Eternal’s directions are correct,

giving satisfaction to the heart.

God’s commandments are clear,

lending clarity to the eyes.

The awe of the Eternal is clean,

sustaining for all of eternity.

The Eternal’s decisions are sound;

they are right through and through.

They are worth more than gold—

even more than abundant, pure gold.

They are sweeter to the tongue than honey

or the drippings of the honeycomb.

In addition to all that has been said,

Your servant will find, hidden in Your commandments, both a strong warning

and a great reward for keeping them.

Who could possibly know all that he has done wrong?

Forgive my hidden and unknown faults.

As I am Your servant, protect me from my bent toward pride,

and keep sin from ruling my life.

If You do this, I will be without blame,

innocent of the great breach.

May the words that come out of my mouth and the musings of my heart

meet with Your gracious approval,

O Eternal, my Rock,

O Eternal, my Redeemer.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 19 (The Voice)

[Psalm 134]

A song for those journeying to worship.

Praise the Eternal, all you who serve Him—

who stand ready to serve in the house of the Eternal through the night.

Lift up your hands toward His sanctuary,

and praise the Eternal.

May the Eternal grant you His blessing from Zion,

God, the weaver of heaven and earth.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 134 (The Voice)

[dfroza]

betrayed and arrested. even to be denied by a friend.

this is the True story that is read in Today’s chapters of the Scriptures beginning with these lines from the book of Mark in chapter 14:

The signal they had arranged was a kiss. “Watch to see whom I kiss; He’s the One,” Judas had told them. “Arrest Him, and take Him into secure custody.”

As soon as they arrived, Judas stepped forward.

Judas (kissing Jesus): My Teacher.

Immediately the soldiers grabbed Jesus and took Him into custody.

Now one of the disciples standing close by drew his sword and swung, cutting off the ear of a slave of Caiaphas, the high priest.

Jesus (calling out): Am I a thief or a bandit that you have to come armed with swords and clubs to capture Me? I sat teaching in the temple every day with you. You could have taken Me at any time, but you never did. Let the Scriptures be fulfilled.

When they saw the armed crowd take Jesus into custody, the disciples fled.

continued later in the chapter:

While Peter was waiting by the fire outside, one of the servant girls of the high priest saw him.

Servant Girl: You were one of those men with Jesus of Nazareth.

Peter: Woman, I don’t know what you’re talking about.

He left the fire, and as he went out into the gateway, [a cock crowed.]

The servant girl saw him again.

Servant Girl: Hey, this is one of them—one of those who followed Jesus.

Peter: No, I’m not one of them.

A little later, some of the other bystanders turned to Peter.

Bystander: Surely you’re one of them. You’re a Galilean. [We can tell by your accent.]

And then he swore an oath that if he wasn’t telling the truth that he would be cursed.

Peter: Listen, I don’t even know the man you’re talking about.

And as he said this, a cock crowed [a second time]; and Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the cock crows [twice], you will have denied Me three times.”

He began to weep.

The Book of Mark, Chapter 14:44-50, 66-72 (The Voice)

to be accompanied by Today’s Psalms that deal with much of the same in the injustices of this world and the hope of things being made right by Love (by God) at some point in time.

[Psalm 10]

Why, O Eternal One, are You so far away?

Why can’t You be found during troubling times?

Mean and haughty people hunt down the poor.

May they get caught up in their own wicked schemes.

For the wicked celebrates the evil cravings of his heart

as the greedy curses and rejects the Eternal.

The arrogance of the wicked one keeps him from seeking the True God.

He truly thinks, “There is no God.”

His ways seem always to be successful;

Your judgments, too, seem far beyond him, out of his reach.

He looks down on all his enemies.

In his heart he has decided, “Nothing will faze me.

From generation to generation I will not face trouble.”

His mouth is full of curses, lies, and oppression.

Beneath his tongue lie trouble and wickedness.

He hides in the shadows of the villages,

waiting to ambush and kill the innocent in dark corners.

He eyes the weak and the poor.

Ominously, like a lion in its lair,

he lurks in secret to waylay those who are downtrodden.

When he catches them, he draws them in and drags them off with his net.

Quietly crouching, lying low,

ready to overwhelm the next by his strength,

The wicked thinks in his heart, “God has forgotten us!

He has covered His face and will never notice!”

Arise, O Eternal, my True God. Lift up Your hand.

Do not forget the downtrodden.

Why does the wicked revile the True God?

He has decided, “He will not hold me responsible.”

But wait! You have seen,

and You will consider the trouble and grief he caused.

You will impose consequences for his actions.

The helpless, the orphans, commit themselves to You,

and You have been their Helper.

Break the arm of the one guilty of doing evil;

investigate all his wicked acts;

hold him responsible for every last one of them.

The Eternal will reign as King forever.

The other nations will be swept off His land.

O Eternal One, You have heard the longings of the poor and lowly.

You will strengthen them; You who are of heaven will hear them,

Vindicating the orphan and the oppressed

so that men who are of the earth will terrify them no more.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 49]

For the worship leader. A song of the sons of Korah.

Listen up, everyone!

All you who reside in this world, give an ear!

Everyone—rich and poor,

young and old, wise and foolish, humble and mighty—

My mouth will overflow with wisdom;

the reflections of my heart will guide you to understand the nature of life.

I will tune my ear to the words of a proverb;

to the sounds of a harp, I will reveal my riddle.

Why should I be afraid when dark evils swirl about me,

when I am walking among the sin of evildoers—

Those who depend on their own fortunes,

who boast about their earthly riches?

One person can’t grant salvation to another

or make a payment to the True God for another.

Redeeming a life is costly;

no premium is enough, ever enough,

That one’s body might live on forever

and never fear the grave’s decay.

Everyone knows that even the wisest ones die,

perishing together with the foolish and the stupid.

For all die—beggars and kings, fools and wise men.

Their wealth remains behind for others.

Although they wish to dwell in fine houses forever,

their graves are their real resting places.

Their homes are for all future generations,

yet for a while they have named lands after themselves.

[No one, regardless of how rich or important, can live forever;

he is] just like the animals that perish and decay.

This is the destiny of those foolish souls who have faith only in themselves;

this will be the end of those happy to follow in their ways.

[pause]

The fate of fools is the grave, and just like sheep,

death will feast on them.

The righteous will rule over them at dawn,

their bodies, their outward forms, rotting in the grave

far away from their great mansions.

But God will reach into the grave and save my life from its power.

He will fetch me and take me into His eternal house.

[pause]

Do not be afraid of the rich and powerful

as their prestige and honor grow,

For they cannot take anything with them when they die.

Their fame and glory will not follow them into the grave.

During their lives, they seek every blessing and advantage

because others praise you when you’ve done well.

But they will soon join their ancestors, for all of time,

among the tombs of the faithless—a place of no light.

Anyone who is rich or important without understanding

is just like the animals that perish and decay.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 49 (The Voice)

[Psalm 14]

A David Psalm

Bilious and bloated, they gas,

“God is gone.”

Their words are poison gas,

fouling the air; they poison

Rivers and skies;

thistles are their cash crop.

God sticks his head out of heaven.

He looks around.

He’s looking for someone not stupid—

one man, even, God-expectant,

just one God-ready woman.

He comes up empty. A string

of zeros. Useless, unshepherded

Sheep, taking turns pretending

to be Shepherd.

The ninety and nine

follow their fellow.

Don’t they know anything,

all these impostors?

Don’t they know

they can’t get away with this—

Treating people like a fast-food meal

over which they’re too busy to pray?

Night is coming for them, and nightmares,

for God takes the side of victims.

Do you think you can mess

with the dreams of the poor?

You can’t, for God

makes their dreams come true.

Is there anyone around to save Israel?

Yes. God is around; God turns life around.

Turned-around Jacob skips rope,

turned-around Israel sings laughter.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 14 (The Message)

to be concluded by wisdom in the Proverbs that leads the heart in truth:

Hatred fuels dissension,

but love calms all rebellions.

Wisdom lives where insightful words are spoken,

but harsh punishment awaits the senseless.

The wise store up knowledge as a safeguard,

but the meaningless chatter of fools means that chaos is near.

The wealth of the rich is their powerful fortress;

the poverty of the poor reduces them to rubble.

The reward of those who do right is a satisfied life,

but the profits gained by those who do wrong is used to sin.

Those who accept instruction are travelers on the road to a meaningful life,

but those who refuse correction wander off and pave a path to ruin.

Lips that lie cover deep-seated hatred,

and whoever spreads a libelous rumor is acting as a fool.

The more you talk, the more likely you will cross the line and say the wrong thing;

but if you are wise, you’ll speak less and with restraint.

The speech of those who do right is of greater value than the finest silver,

but the thoughts of wrongdoers are worthless.

The right-living teach many,

but fools die with no clue how to live well.

The blessing of the Eternal is what makes someone rich,

and He doesn’t add pain to it.

Mischief is the sport of fools,

but wise actions bring joy to a person with insight.

Whatever wrongdoers fear the most will happen to them,

but those who do right will receive what they long for.

After the storm passes, the wrongdoers are blown away,

but those who do right are safe and sound on their firm foundations forever.

As vinegar vexes the teeth, and as smoke irritates the eyes,

so a slacker annoys his boss.

Reverence for the Eternal makes for a long and peaceful life,

but a wrongdoer will have years taken away.

The hope of those who do right is joy and celebration,

but the only prospect for those who do wrong is futility.

The way of the Eternal offers safety to those who love justice,

but it destroys those who perpetrate evil.

The right-living will never have their land taken away,

but wrongdoers will be uprooted.

Wisdom flows from the mouths of those who do right,

but tongues that twist the truth will be cut out.

The lips of the right-living understand what is proper,

but the mouths of wrongdoers twist and pervert the truth.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 10:12-32 (The Voice)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for Sunday, november 10, the 49th day of Autumn and day 314 of the year:

[dfroza]

Today’s reading from the ancient book of Proverbs and book of Psalms

for may 10 of 2021 with Proverbs 10 and Psalm 10, accompanied by Psalm 52 for the 52nd day of Spring and Psalm 130 for day 130 of the year

[Proverbs 10]

The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son makes his father glad,

but a foolish one fills his mother with sorrow.

Riches gained through dishonest means will eventually vanish,

but doing what is right avoids a deadly consequence.

The Eternal does not allow the right-living to go hungry,

but He will frustrate the plans of the wicked.

A slack hand produces nothing but poverty,

but an industrious hand soon takes hold of riches.

A wise son stores up for the winter months while it is still summer,

but a shameful son lies around even during the harvest.

Blessings come to those who do what is right,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

The memory of one who lived with integrity brings joy,

but the legacy of a wrongdoer will rot away.

The wise at heart will gladly obey direction,

but one who fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The path of integrity is always safe,

but a person who follows a crooked way will be exposed.

Whoever winks his eye signals trouble,

and whoever fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

Hatred fuels dissension,

but love calms all rebellions.

Wisdom lives where insightful words are spoken,

but harsh punishment awaits the senseless.

The wise store up knowledge as a safeguard,

but the meaningless chatter of fools means that chaos is near.

The wealth of the rich is their powerful fortress;

the poverty of the poor reduces them to rubble.

The reward of those who do right is a satisfied life,

but the profits gained by those who do wrong is used to sin.

Those who accept instruction are travelers on the road to a meaningful life,

but those who refuse correction wander off and pave a path to ruin.

Lips that lie cover deep-seated hatred,

and whoever spreads a libelous rumor is acting as a fool.

The more you talk, the more likely you will cross the line and say the wrong thing;

but if you are wise, you’ll speak less and with restraint.

The speech of those who do right is of greater value than the finest silver,

but the thoughts of wrongdoers are worthless.

The right-living teach many,

but fools die with no clue how to live well.

The blessing of the Eternal is what makes someone rich,

and He doesn’t add pain to it.

Mischief is the sport of fools,

but wise actions bring joy to a person with insight.

Whatever wrongdoers fear the most will happen to them,

but those who do right will receive what they long for.

After the storm passes, the wrongdoers are blown away,

but those who do right are safe and sound on their firm foundations forever.

As vinegar vexes the teeth, and as smoke irritates the eyes,

so a slacker annoys his boss.

Reverence for the Eternal makes for a long and peaceful life,

but a wrongdoer will have years taken away.

The hope of those who do right is joy and celebration,

but the only prospect for those who do wrong is futility.

The way of the Eternal offers safety to those who love justice,

but it destroys those who perpetrate evil.

The right-living will never have their land taken away,

but wrongdoers will be uprooted.

Wisdom flows from the mouths of those who do right,

but tongues that twist the truth will be cut out.

The lips of the right-living understand what is proper,

but the mouths of wrongdoers twist and pervert the truth.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 10]

The Cry of the Oppressed

Lord, why do you seem so far away when evil is near?

Why have you hidden yourself when I need you the most?

The arrogant in their elitist pride persecute the poor and helpless.

May you pour out upon them

the very evil they’ve dreamed up against others!

How they brag and boast of their cravings, exalting the greedy.

They congratulate themselves as they despise you—

these arrogant ones, so smug and secure!

In their delusion the wicked boast, saying,

“God doesn’t care about what we do.

There’s nothing to worry about!”

So successful are they in their schemes

and prosperous in all their plans!

Your laws are far from them;

they scoff at their enemies.

They boast that neither God nor men will bring them down.

They sneer at all their enemies, saying in their hearts,

“We’ll have success in all we do

and never have to face trouble.”

Their mouths spew out cursing, lies, and threats.

Only trouble and turmoil come from all their plans.

Like beasts lurking in the shadows of the city,

they crouch silently in ambush, waiting for the innocent to pass by.

Pouncing on the poor, they catch them in their snare

to murder their prey in secret

as they plunder their helpless victims.

They crush the lowly as they fall beneath their brutal blows,

watching their victims collapse in defeat!

Then they say to themselves,

“The Lofty One is not watching while we do this.

He doesn’t even care! We can get away with it!”

Now arise, Yahweh-God! Crush them once and for all!

Don’t forget the helpless and oppressed.

How dare the wicked think they’ll reject God and escape judgment.

They say to themselves,

“God won’t hold me accountable.”

Lord, I know you see all that they’re doing,

noting their each and every deed.

You know the trouble and turmoil they’ve caused.

Now punish them thoroughly for all that they’ve done!

The poor and helpless ones trust in you, Lord,

for you are famous for being the helper of the fatherless.

I know you won’t let them down.

Break the power of the wicked and all their strong-arm tactics.

Search them out and destroy them

for the evil things they’ve done.

You, Yahweh, are King forever and ever!

All the nations will perish from your land.

Yahweh, you have heard the desires of the humble

and seen their hopes.

You will hear their cries and encourage their hearts.

The orphans and the oppressed will be terrified no longer,

for you will bring them justice, and no earth-dweller will trouble them again.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 10 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 52]

The Fate of Cynics

For the Pure and Shining One

A song of instruction by King David composed when Doeg the Edomite betrayed David to Saul, saying, “David has come to the house of Ahimilech!”

You call yourself a mighty man, a big shot?

Why do you boast in the evil you have done?

Yet God’s loyal love will protect me and carry the day!

Listen, O deceiver, trickster of others:

Your words are wicked, harming and hurting all who hear them.

You love evil and hate what is good and right.

You would rather lie than tell the truth.

Pause in his presence

You love to distort, devour, and deceive,

using your sly tongue to spin the truth.

But the Almighty will strike you down forever!

He will pull you up by your roots

and drag you away to the darkness of death.

Pause in his presence

The godly will see all this and will be awestruck.

Then they will laugh at the wicked, saying,

“See what happens to those great in their own eyes

who don’t trust in the Most High to save them!

Look how they trusted only in their wealth

and made their living from wickedness.”

But I am like a flourishing olive tree, anointed in the house of God.

I trust in the unending love of God;

his passion toward me is forever and ever.

Because it is finished,

I will praise you forever and give you thanks.

Before all your godly lovers I will proclaim your beautiful name!

The Book of Psalms, Poem 52 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 130]

A song for those journeying to worship.

From the depths of disaster I appeal to You, O Eternal One:

Lord, hear my cry!

Attune Your ears to my humble prayer!

If You, Eternal One, recorded each offense,

Lord, who on earth could stand innocent?

But with You forgiveness exists;

that’s why true respect of You might flow.

So I wait for the Eternal—my soul awaits rescue—

and I put my hope in His transforming word.

My soul waits for the Lord to break into the world

more than night watchmen expect the break of day,

even more than night watchmen expect the break of day.

O Israel, ground your hope in the Eternal.

For in the Eternal lives the most loyal love,

and with Him comes the most abundant redemption.

He will ransom Israel

from all the sinful acts that stole you away.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 130 (The Voice)

[dfroza]

Today’s reading from the ancient books of Proverbs and Psalms

for Saturday, April 10 of 2021 with Proverbs 10 and Psalm 10, accompanied by Psalm 22 for the 22nd day of Spring and Psalm 100 for day 100 of the year

[Proverbs 10]

The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son makes his father glad,

but a foolish one fills his mother with sorrow.

Riches gained through dishonest means will eventually vanish,

but doing what is right avoids a deadly consequence.

The Eternal does not allow the right-living to go hungry,

but He will frustrate the plans of the wicked.

A slack hand produces nothing but poverty,

but an industrious hand soon takes hold of riches.

A wise son stores up for the winter months while it is still summer,

but a shameful son lies around even during the harvest.

Blessings come to those who do what is right,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

The memory of one who lived with integrity brings joy,

but the legacy of a wrongdoer will rot away.

The wise at heart will gladly obey direction,

but one who fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The path of integrity is always safe,

but a person who follows a crooked way will be exposed.

Whoever winks his eye signals trouble,

and whoever fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

Hatred fuels dissension,

but love calms all rebellions.

Wisdom lives where insightful words are spoken,

but harsh punishment awaits the senseless.

The wise store up knowledge as a safeguard,

but the meaningless chatter of fools means that chaos is near.

The wealth of the rich is their powerful fortress;

the poverty of the poor reduces them to rubble.

The reward of those who do right is a satisfied life,

but the profits gained by those who do wrong is used to sin.

Those who accept instruction are travelers on the road to a meaningful life,

but those who refuse correction wander off and pave a path to ruin.

Lips that lie cover deep-seated hatred,

and whoever spreads a libelous rumor is acting as a fool.

The more you talk, the more likely you will cross the line and say the wrong thing;

but if you are wise, you’ll speak less and with restraint.

The speech of those who do right is of greater value than the finest silver,

but the thoughts of wrongdoers are worthless.

The right-living teach many,

but fools die with no clue how to live well.

The blessing of the Eternal is what makes someone rich,

and He doesn’t add pain to it.

Mischief is the sport of fools,

but wise actions bring joy to a person with insight.

Whatever wrongdoers fear the most will happen to them,

but those who do right will receive what they long for.

After the storm passes, the wrongdoers are blown away,

but those who do right are safe and sound on their firm foundations forever.

As vinegar vexes the teeth, and as smoke irritates the eyes,

so a slacker annoys his boss.

Reverence for the Eternal makes for a long and peaceful life,

but a wrongdoer will have years taken away.

The hope of those who do right is joy and celebration,

but the only prospect for those who do wrong is futility.

The way of the Eternal offers safety to those who love justice,

but it destroys those who perpetrate evil.

The right-living will never have their land taken away,

but wrongdoers will be uprooted.

Wisdom flows from the mouths of those who do right,

but tongues that twist the truth will be cut out.

The lips of the right-living understand what is proper,

but the mouths of wrongdoers twist and pervert the truth.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 10]

Why, O Eternal One, are You so far away?

Why can’t You be found during troubling times?

Mean and haughty people hunt down the poor.

May they get caught up in their own wicked schemes.

For the wicked celebrates the evil cravings of his heart

as the greedy curses and rejects the Eternal.

The arrogance of the wicked one keeps him from seeking the True God.

He truly thinks, “There is no God.”

His ways seem always to be successful;

Your judgments, too, seem far beyond him, out of his reach.

He looks down on all his enemies.

In his heart he has decided, “Nothing will faze me.

From generation to generation I will not face trouble.”

His mouth is full of curses, lies, and oppression.

Beneath his tongue lie trouble and wickedness.

He hides in the shadows of the villages,

waiting to ambush and kill the innocent in dark corners.

He eyes the weak and the poor.

Ominously, like a lion in its lair,

he lurks in secret to waylay those who are downtrodden.

When he catches them, he draws them in and drags them off with his net.

Quietly crouching, lying low,

ready to overwhelm the next by his strength,

The wicked thinks in his heart, “God has forgotten us!

He has covered His face and will never notice!”

Arise, O Eternal, my True God. Lift up Your hand.

Do not forget the downtrodden.

Why does the wicked revile the True God?

He has decided, “He will not hold me responsible.”

But wait! You have seen,

and You will consider the trouble and grief he caused.

You will impose consequences for his actions.

The helpless, the orphans, commit themselves to You,

and You have been their Helper.

Break the arm of the one guilty of doing evil;

investigate all his wicked acts;

hold him responsible for every last one of them.

The Eternal will reign as King forever.

The other nations will be swept off His land.

O Eternal One, You have heard the longings of the poor and lowly.

You will strengthen them; You who are of heaven will hear them,

Vindicating the orphan and the oppressed

so that men who are of the earth will terrify them no more.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 22]

For the worship leader. A song of David to the tune “Deer of the Dawn.”

My God, my God, why have You turned Your back on me?

Your ears are deaf to my groans.

O my God, I cry all day and You are silent;

my tears in the night bring no relief.

Still, You are holy;

You make Your home on the praises of Israel.

Our mothers and fathers trusted in You;

they trusted, and You rescued them.

They cried out to You for help and were spared;

they trusted in You and were vindicated.

But I am a worm and not a human being,

a disgrace and an object of scorn.

Everyone who sees me laughs at me;

they whisper to one another I’m a loser; they sneer and mock me, saying,

“He relies on the Eternal; let the Eternal rescue him

and keep him safe because He is happy with him.”

But You are the One who granted me life;

You endowed me with trust as I nursed at my mother’s breast.

I was dedicated to You at birth;

You’ve been my God from my mother’s womb.

Stay close to me—

trouble is at my door;

no one else can help me.

I’m surrounded by many tormenters;

like strong bulls of Bashan, they circle around me with their taunts.

They open their mouths wide at me

like ravenous, roaring lions.

My life is poured out like water,

and all my bones have slipped out of joint.

My heart melts like wax inside me.

My strength is gone, dried up like shards of pottery;

my dry tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;

You lay me in the dust of death.

A throng of evil ones has surrounded me

like a pack of wild dogs;

They pierced my hands and ripped a hole in my feet.

I count all my bones;

people gawk and stare at me.

They make a game out of dividing my clothes among themselves;

they cast lots for the clothes on my back.

But You, O Eternal, stay close;

O You, my help, hurry to my side.

Save my life from violence,

my sweet life from the teeth of the wild dog.

Rescue me from the mouth of the lion.

From the horns of the wild oxen, You responded to my plea.

I will speak Your Name to my brothers and sisters

when I praise You in the midst of the community.

You who revere the Eternal, praise Him—

descendants of Jacob, worship Him;

be struck with wonder before Him, all you children of Israel.

He’s not put off

by the suffering of the suffering one;

He doesn’t pretend He hasn’t seen him;

when he pleaded for help, He listened.

You stir my praise in the great assembly;

I will fulfill my vows before those who humble their hearts before Him.

Those who are suffering will eat and be nourished;

those who seek Him will praise the Eternal.

May your hearts beat strong forever!

Those from the farthest reaches of the earth will remember

and turn back to look for the Eternal;

All the families of the nations

will worship You.

The Eternal owns the world;

He exercises His gentle rule over all the nations.

All the wealthy of the world will eat and worship;

all those who fall in the dust will bow before Him,

even the life that is headed to the grave.

Our children will serve Him;

future generations will hear the story of how the Lord rescued us.

They will tell the generations to come

of the righteousness of the Lord,

of what He has done.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 22 (The Voice)

[Psalm 100]

A song of thanks.

Raise your voices;

make a beautiful noise to the Eternal, all the earth.

Serve the Eternal gladly;

enter into His presence singing songs of joy!

Know this: the Eternal One Himself is the True God.

He is the One who made us;

we have not made ourselves;

we are His people, like sheep grazing in His fields.

Go through His gates, giving thanks;

walk through His courts, giving praise.

Offer Him your gratitude and praise His holy name.

Because the Eternal is good,

His loyal love and mercy will never end,

and His truth will last throughout all generations.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 100 (The Voice)

[dfroza]

Today’s reading from the ancient books of Proverbs and Psalms

for Thursday, december 10 of 2020 with Proverbs 10 and Psalm 10, accompanied by Psalm 80 for the 80th day of Autumn, and Psalm 45 for day 345 of the year (now with the consummate book of 150 Psalms in its 3rd revolution this year)

[Proverbs 10]

The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son makes his father glad,

but a foolish one fills his mother with sorrow.

Riches gained through dishonest means will eventually vanish,

but doing what is right avoids a deadly consequence.

The Eternal does not allow the right-living to go hungry,

but He will frustrate the plans of the wicked.

A slack hand produces nothing but poverty,

but an industrious hand soon takes hold of riches.

A wise son stores up for the winter months while it is still summer,

but a shameful son lies around even during the harvest.

Blessings come to those who do what is right,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

The memory of one who lived with integrity brings joy,

but the legacy of a wrongdoer will rot away.

The wise at heart will gladly obey direction,

but one who fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The path of integrity is always safe,

but a person who follows a crooked way will be exposed.

Whoever winks his eye signals trouble,

and whoever fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

Hatred fuels dissension,

but love calms all rebellions.

Wisdom lives where insightful words are spoken,

but harsh punishment awaits the senseless.

The wise store up knowledge as a safeguard,

but the meaningless chatter of fools means that chaos is near.

The wealth of the rich is their powerful fortress;

the poverty of the poor reduces them to rubble.

The reward of those who do right is a satisfied life,

but the profits gained by those who do wrong is used to sin.

Those who accept instruction are travelers on the road to a meaningful life,

but those who refuse correction wander off and pave a path to ruin.

Lips that lie cover deep-seated hatred,

and whoever spreads a libelous rumor is acting as a fool.

The more you talk, the more likely you will cross the line and say the wrong thing;

but if you are wise, you’ll speak less and with restraint.

The speech of those who do right is of greater value than the finest silver,

but the thoughts of wrongdoers are worthless.

The right-living teach many,

but fools die with no clue how to live well.

The blessing of the Eternal is what makes someone rich,

and He doesn’t add pain to it.

Mischief is the sport of fools,

but wise actions bring joy to a person with insight.

Whatever wrongdoers fear the most will happen to them,

but those who do right will receive what they long for.

After the storm passes, the wrongdoers are blown away,

but those who do right are safe and sound on their firm foundations forever.

As vinegar vexes the teeth, and as smoke irritates the eyes,

so a slacker annoys his boss.

Reverence for the Eternal makes for a long and peaceful life,

but a wrongdoer will have years taken away.

The hope of those who do right is joy and celebration,

but the only prospect for those who do wrong is futility.

The way of the Eternal offers safety to those who love justice,

but it destroys those who perpetrate evil.

The right-living will never have their land taken away,

but wrongdoers will be uprooted.

Wisdom flows from the mouths of those who do right,

but tongues that twist the truth will be cut out.

The lips of the right-living understand what is proper,

but the mouths of wrongdoers twist and pervert the truth.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 10]

Why, O Eternal One, are You so far away?

Why can’t You be found during troubling times?

Mean and haughty people hunt down the poor.

May they get caught up in their own wicked schemes.

For the wicked celebrates the evil cravings of his heart

as the greedy curses and rejects the Eternal.

The arrogance of the wicked one keeps him from seeking the True God.

He truly thinks, “There is no God.”

His ways seem always to be successful;

Your judgments, too, seem far beyond him, out of his reach.

He looks down on all his enemies.

In his heart he has decided, “Nothing will faze me.

From generation to generation I will not face trouble.”

His mouth is full of curses, lies, and oppression.

Beneath his tongue lie trouble and wickedness.

He hides in the shadows of the villages,

waiting to ambush and kill the innocent in dark corners.

He eyes the weak and the poor.

Ominously, like a lion in its lair,

he lurks in secret to waylay those who are downtrodden.

When he catches them, he draws them in and drags them off with his net.

Quietly crouching, lying low,

ready to overwhelm the next by his strength,

The wicked thinks in his heart, “God has forgotten us!

He has covered His face and will never notice!”

Arise, O Eternal, my True God. Lift up Your hand.

Do not forget the downtrodden.

Why does the wicked revile the True God?

He has decided, “He will not hold me responsible.”

But wait! You have seen,

and You will consider the trouble and grief he caused.

You will impose consequences for his actions.

The helpless, the orphans, commit themselves to You,

and You have been their Helper.

Break the arm of the one guilty of doing evil;

investigate all his wicked acts;

hold him responsible for every last one of them.

The Eternal will reign as King forever.

The other nations will be swept off His land.

O Eternal One, You have heard the longings of the poor and lowly.

You will strengthen them; You who are of heaven will hear them,

Vindicating the orphan and the oppressed

so that men who are of the earth will terrify them no more.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 80]

For the worship leader. A song of Asaph to the tune “The Lilies.”

Turn Your ear toward us, Shepherd of Israel,

You who lead the children of Joseph like a flock.

You who sit enthroned above heaven’s winged creatures,

radiate Your light!

In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,

arouse Your strength and power,

and save us!

Bring us back to You, God.

Turn the light of Your face upon us so that we will be rescued from this sea of darkness.

O Eternal God, Commander of heaven’s armies,

how long will You remain angry at the prayers of Your sons and daughters?

You have given them tears for food;

You have given them an abundance of tears to drink.

You have made us a source of trouble for our neighbors—

our enemies laugh to each other behind our backs.

O God, Commander of heaven’s armies, bring us back to You.

Turn the light of Your face upon us so that we will be rescued from this sea of darkness.

You took us like a grapevine dug from the soil of Egypt;

You forced out the nations and transplanted it in Your land.

You groomed the ground around it,

planted it so it would root deep into the earth, and it covered all the land.

As it grew, the mountains were blanketed by its shadow;

the mighty cedars were covered by its branches.

The plant extended its branches to the Mediterranean Sea,

and spread its shoots all the way to the Euphrates River.

God, why have You pulled down the wall that protected it

so that everyone who wanders by can pick its sweet grapes?

The wild boar of the forest eats it all,

and the creatures of the field feast upon it.

O God, Commander of heaven’s armies, come back to us.

Gaze down from heaven and see what has happened.

Keep watch over this vine, and nourish it.

Look after the saplings which You planted with Your own right hand,

the child whom You have raised and nurtured for Yourself.

Your enemies have chopped it down and burned it with fire;

may they be destroyed by the sight of Your rebuke.

Let Your protective hand rest on the one who is at Your right hand,

the child of man whom You have raised and nurtured for Yourself.

Then we will not turn away from You.

Bring us back to life! And we will call out for You!

O Eternal God, Commander of heaven’s armies, bring us back to You.

Turn the light of Your face upon us so that we will be rescued from this sea of darkness.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 80 (The Voice)

[Psalm 45]

The Wedding Song

For the Pure and Shining One, by the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan

A contemplative song of instruction for the Loved One

To the melody of “Lilies”

My heart is on fire, boiling over with passion.

Bubbling up within me are these beautiful lyrics

as a lovely poem to be sung for the King.

Like a river bursting its banks, I’m overflowing with words,

spilling out into this sacred story.

[His Royal Majesty]

Beautiful! Beautiful! Beyond the sons of men!

Elegant grace pours out through every word you speak.

Truly God has anointed you, his favored one, for eternity!

Now strap your lightning-sword of judgment upon your side,

O mighty warrior, so majestic!

You are full of beauty and splendor as you go out to war!

In your glory and grandeur go forth in victory!

Through your faithfulness and meekness

the cause of truth and justice will stand.

Awe-inspiring miracles are accomplished by your power,

leaving everyone dazed and astonished!

Your wounding leaves men’s hearts defeated

as they fall before you broken.

Your glory-kingdom, O God, endures forever,

for you are enthroned to rule with a justice-scepter in your hand!

You are passionate for righteousness and you hate lawlessness.

This is why God, your God,

crowns you with bliss above your fellow kings.

He has anointed you, more than any other,

with his oil of fervent joy,

the very fragrance of heaven’s gladness.

Your royal robes release the scent of suffering love for your bride;

the odor of aromatic incense is upon you.

From the pure and shining place, lovely music

that makes you glad is played for your pleasure.

[Her Royal Majesty]

The daughters of kings, women of honor,

are maidens in your courts.

And standing beside you,

glistening in your pure and golden glory,

is the beautiful bride-to-be!

Now listen, daughter, pay attention, and forget about your past.

Put behind you every attachment to the familiar,

even those who once were close to you!

For your royal Bridegroom is ravished by your beautiful brightness.

Bow in reverence before him, for he is your Lord!

Wedding presents pour in from those of great wealth.

The royal friends of the Bridegroom shower you with gifts.

As the princess bride enters the palace,

how glorious she appears within the holy chamber,

robed with a wedding dress embroidered with pure gold!

Lovely and stunning she leads the procession with all her bridesmaids

as they come before you, her Bridegroom King.

What a grand, majestic entrance!

A joyful, glad procession as they enter the palace gates!

Your many sons will one day be kings, just like their Father.

They will sit on royal thrones all around the world.

I will make sure the fame of your name

is honored in every generation as all the people praise you,

giving you thanks forever and ever!

The Book of Psalms, Poem 45 (The Passion Translation)

[dfroza]

Today’s reading in the ancient book of Proverbs and Psalms

for friday, july 10 of 2020 with Proverbs 10 and Psalm 10 accompanied by Psalm 21 for the 21st day of Summer and Psalm 42 for day 192 of the year

[Proverbs 10]

The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son makes his father glad,

but a foolish one fills his mother with sorrow.

Riches gained through dishonest means will eventually vanish,

but doing what is right avoids a deadly consequence.

The Eternal does not allow the right-living to go hungry,

but He will frustrate the plans of the wicked.

A slack hand produces nothing but poverty,

but an industrious hand soon takes hold of riches.

A wise son stores up for the winter months while it is still summer,

but a shameful son lies around even during the harvest.

Blessings come to those who do what is right,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

The memory of one who lived with integrity brings joy,

but the legacy of a wrongdoer will rot away.

The wise at heart will gladly obey direction,

but one who fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The path of integrity is always safe,

but a person who follows a crooked way will be exposed.

Whoever winks his eye signals trouble,

and whoever fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

Hatred fuels dissension,

but love calms all rebellions.

Wisdom lives where insightful words are spoken,

but harsh punishment awaits the senseless.

The wise store up knowledge as a safeguard,

but the meaningless chatter of fools means that chaos is near.

The wealth of the rich is their powerful fortress;

the poverty of the poor reduces them to rubble.

The reward of those who do right is a satisfied life,

but the profits gained by those who do wrong is used to sin.

Those who accept instruction are travelers on the road to a meaningful life,

but those who refuse correction wander off and pave a path to ruin.

Lips that lie cover deep-seated hatred,

and whoever spreads a libelous rumor is acting as a fool.

The more you talk, the more likely you will cross the line and say the wrong thing;

but if you are wise, you’ll speak less and with restraint.

The speech of those who do right is of greater value than the finest silver,

but the thoughts of wrongdoers are worthless.

The right-living teach many,

but fools die with no clue how to live well.

The blessing of the Eternal is what makes someone rich,

and He doesn’t add pain to it.

Mischief is the sport of fools,

but wise actions bring joy to a person with insight.

Whatever wrongdoers fear the most will happen to them,

but those who do right will receive what they long for.

After the storm passes, the wrongdoers are blown away,

but those who do right are safe and sound on their firm foundations forever.

As vinegar vexes the teeth, and as smoke irritates the eyes,

so a slacker annoys his boss.

Reverence for the Eternal makes for a long and peaceful life,

but a wrongdoer will have years taken away.

The hope of those who do right is joy and celebration,

but the only prospect for those who do wrong is futility.

The way of the Eternal offers safety to those who love justice,

but it destroys those who perpetrate evil.

The right-living will never have their land taken away,

but wrongdoers will be uprooted.

Wisdom flows from the mouths of those who do right,

but tongues that twist the truth will be cut out.

The lips of the right-living understand what is proper,

but the mouths of wrongdoers twist and pervert the truth.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 10]

Why, O Eternal One, are You so far away?

Why can’t You be found during troubling times?

Mean and haughty people hunt down the poor.

May they get caught up in their own wicked schemes.

For the wicked celebrates the evil cravings of his heart

as the greedy curses and rejects the Eternal.

The arrogance of the wicked one keeps him from seeking the True God.

He truly thinks, “There is no God.”

His ways seem always to be successful;

Your judgments, too, seem far beyond him, out of his reach.

He looks down on all his enemies.

In his heart he has decided, “Nothing will faze me.

From generation to generation I will not face trouble.”

His mouth is full of curses, lies, and oppression.

Beneath his tongue lie trouble and wickedness.

He hides in the shadows of the villages,

waiting to ambush and kill the innocent in dark corners.

He eyes the weak and the poor.

Ominously, like a lion in its lair,

he lurks in secret to waylay those who are downtrodden.

When he catches them, he draws them in and drags them off with his net.

Quietly crouching, lying low,

ready to overwhelm the next by his strength,

The wicked thinks in his heart, “God has forgotten us!

He has covered His face and will never notice!”

Arise, O Eternal, my True God. Lift up Your hand.

Do not forget the downtrodden.

Why does the wicked revile the True God?

He has decided, “He will not hold me responsible.”

But wait! You have seen,

and You will consider the trouble and grief he caused.

You will impose consequences for his actions.

The helpless, the orphans, commit themselves to You,

and You have been their Helper.

Break the arm of the one guilty of doing evil;

investigate all his wicked acts;

hold him responsible for every last one of them.

The Eternal will reign as King forever.

The other nations will be swept off His land.

O Eternal One, You have heard the longings of the poor and lowly.

You will strengthen them; You who are of heaven will hear them,

Vindicating the orphan and the oppressed

so that men who are of the earth will terrify them no more.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 21]

Through Your Strength

For the end time, to the Pure and Shining One

King David’s poem of praise

Lord, because of your strength the king is strong.

Look how he rejoices in you!

He bursts out with a joyful song because of your victory!

For you have given him his heart’s desire,

anything and everything he asks for.

You haven’t withheld a thing from your betrothed one.

Pause in his presence

Rich blessings overflow with every encounter with you,

and you placed a royal crown of gold upon his head.

He wanted resurrection—you have given it to him and more!

The days of his blessing stretch on one after another, forever!

You have honored him and made him famous.

Glory garments are upon him,

and you surround him with splendor and majesty.

Your victory heaps blessing after blessing upon him.

What joy and bliss he tastes, rejoicing before your face!

For the king trusts endlessly in you,

and he will never stumble, never fall.

Your forever-love never fails and holds him firm.

Your almighty hands have captured your foes.

You uncovered all who hate you and you seized them.

When you appear before them,

unveiling the radiance of your face,

they will be consumed by the fierce fire of your presence.

Flames will swallow them up.

They and their descendants

will be destroyed by an unrelenting fire.

We will watch them fail,

for these are ones who plan their evil schemes against the Lord.

They will turn and run at the sight of your judgment-arrow

aimed straight at their hearts.

Rise up and put your might on display!

By your strength we will sing and praise your glorious power!

The Book of Psalms, Poem 21 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 42]

Book 2

The Exodus Psalms

Psalms of suffering and redemption

A Cry for Revival

For the Pure and Shining One

A contemplative poem for instruction, by the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan

I long to drink of you, O God,

drinking deeply from the streams of pleasure

flowing from your presence.

My longings overwhelm me for more of you!

My soul thirsts, pants, and longs for the living God.

I want to come and see the face of God.

Day and night my tears keep falling

and my heart keeps crying for your help

while my enemies mock me over and over, saying,

“Where is this God of yours? Why doesn’t he help you?”

So I speak over my heartbroken soul,

“Take courage. Remember when you used to be

right out front leading the procession of praise

when the great crowd of worshipers

gathered to go into the presence of the Lord?

You shouted with joy as the sound of passionate celebration

filled the air and the joyous multitude of lovers

honored the festival of the Lord!”

So then, my soul, why would you be depressed?

Why would you sink into despair?

Just keep hoping and waiting on God, your Savior.

For no matter what, I will still sing with praise,

for living before his face is my saving grace!

Here I am depressed and downcast.

Yet I will still remember you as I ponder the place

where your glory streams down from the mighty mountaintops, lofty and majestic—the mountains of your awesome presence.

My deep need calls out to the deep kindness of your love.

Your waterfall of weeping sent waves of sorrow

over my soul, carrying me away,

cascading over me like a thundering cataract.

Yet all day long God’s promises of love pour over me.

Through the night I sing his songs,

for my prayer to God has become my life.

I will say to God, “You are my mountain of strength;

how could you forget me?

Why must I suffer this vile oppression of my enemies—

these heartless tormentors who are out to kill me?”

Their wounding words pierce my heart

over and over while they say,

“Where is this God of yours?”

So I say to my soul,

“Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be disturbed.

For I know my God will break through for me.”

Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again.

Yes, living before his face is my saving grace!

The Book of Psalms, Poem 42 (The Passion Translation)

[dfroza]

Today’s reading in the ancient book of Proverbs and Psalms

for Wednesday, june 10 of 2020 with Proverbs 10 and Psalm 10 accompanied by Psalm 84 for the 84th day of Spring and Psalm 12 for day 162 of the year

[Proverbs 10]

The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son makes his father glad,

but a foolish one fills his mother with sorrow.

Riches gained through dishonest means will eventually vanish,

but doing what is right avoids a deadly consequence.

The Eternal does not allow the right-living to go hungry,

but He will frustrate the plans of the wicked.

A slack hand produces nothing but poverty,

but an industrious hand soon takes hold of riches.

A wise son stores up for the winter months while it is still summer,

but a shameful son lies around even during the harvest.

Blessings come to those who do what is right,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

The memory of one who lived with integrity brings joy,

but the legacy of a wrongdoer will rot away.

The wise at heart will gladly obey direction,

but one who fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The path of integrity is always safe,

but a person who follows a crooked way will be exposed.

Whoever winks his eye signals trouble,

and whoever fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

Hatred fuels dissension,

but love calms all rebellions.

Wisdom lives where insightful words are spoken,

but harsh punishment awaits the senseless.

The wise store up knowledge as a safeguard,

but the meaningless chatter of fools means that chaos is near.

The wealth of the rich is their powerful fortress;

the poverty of the poor reduces them to rubble.

The reward of those who do right is a satisfied life,

but the profits gained by those who do wrong is used to sin.

Those who accept instruction are travelers on the road to a meaningful life,

but those who refuse correction wander off and pave a path to ruin.

Lips that lie cover deep-seated hatred,

and whoever spreads a libelous rumor is acting as a fool.

The more you talk, the more likely you will cross the line and say the wrong thing;

but if you are wise, you’ll speak less and with restraint.

The speech of those who do right is of greater value than the finest silver,

but the thoughts of wrongdoers are worthless.

The right-living teach many,

but fools die with no clue how to live well.

The blessing of the Eternal is what makes someone rich,

and He doesn’t add pain to it.

Mischief is the sport of fools,

but wise actions bring joy to a person with insight.

Whatever wrongdoers fear the most will happen to them,

but those who do right will receive what they long for.

After the storm passes, the wrongdoers are blown away,

but those who do right are safe and sound on their firm foundations forever.

As vinegar vexes the teeth, and as smoke irritates the eyes,

so a slacker annoys his boss.

Reverence for the Eternal makes for a long and peaceful life,

but a wrongdoer will have years taken away.

The hope of those who do right is joy and celebration,

but the only prospect for those who do wrong is futility.

The way of the Eternal offers safety to those who love justice,

but it destroys those who perpetrate evil.

The right-living will never have their land taken away,

but wrongdoers will be uprooted.

Wisdom flows from the mouths of those who do right,

but tongues that twist the truth will be cut out.

The lips of the right-living understand what is proper,

but the mouths of wrongdoers twist and pervert the truth.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 10]

Why, O Eternal One, are You so far away?

Why can’t You be found during troubling times?

Mean and haughty people hunt down the poor.

May they get caught up in their own wicked schemes.

For the wicked celebrates the evil cravings of his heart

as the greedy curses and rejects the Eternal.

The arrogance of the wicked one keeps him from seeking the True God.

He truly thinks, “There is no God.”

His ways seem always to be successful;

Your judgments, too, seem far beyond him, out of his reach.

He looks down on all his enemies.

In his heart he has decided, “Nothing will faze me.

From generation to generation I will not face trouble.”

His mouth is full of curses, lies, and oppression.

Beneath his tongue lie trouble and wickedness.

He hides in the shadows of the villages,

waiting to ambush and kill the innocent in dark corners.

He eyes the weak and the poor.

Ominously, like a lion in its lair,

he lurks in secret to waylay those who are downtrodden.

When he catches them, he draws them in and drags them off with his net.

Quietly crouching, lying low,

ready to overwhelm the next by his strength,

The wicked thinks in his heart, “God has forgotten us!

He has covered His face and will never notice!”

Arise, O Eternal, my True God. Lift up Your hand.

Do not forget the downtrodden.

Why does the wicked revile the True God?

He has decided, “He will not hold me responsible.”

But wait! You have seen,

and You will consider the trouble and grief he caused.

You will impose consequences for his actions.

The helpless, the orphans, commit themselves to You,

and You have been their Helper.

Break the arm of the one guilty of doing evil;

investigate all his wicked acts;

hold him responsible for every last one of them.

The Eternal will reign as King forever.

The other nations will be swept off His land.

O Eternal One, You have heard the longings of the poor and lowly.

You will strengthen them; You who are of heaven will hear them,

Vindicating the orphan and the oppressed

so that men who are of the earth will terrify them no more.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 84]

A Korah Psalm

What a beautiful home, God-of-the-Angel-Armies!

I’ve always longed to live in a place like this,

Always dreamed of a room in your house,

where I could sing for joy to God-alive!

Birds find nooks and crannies in your house,

sparrows and swallows make nests there.

They lay their eggs and raise their young,

singing their songs in the place where we worship.

God-of-the-Angel-Armies! King! God!

How blessed they are to live and sing there!

And how blessed all those in whom you live,

whose lives become roads you travel;

They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks,

discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain!

God-traveled, these roads curve up the mountain, and

at the last turn—Zion! God in full view!

God-of-the-Angel-Armies, listen:

O God of Jacob, open your ears—I’m praying!

Look at our shields, glistening in the sun,

our faces, shining with your gracious anointing.

One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship,

beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches.

I’d rather scrub floors in the house of my God

than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin.

All sunshine and sovereign is God,

generous in gifts and glory.

He doesn’t scrimp with his traveling companions.

It’s smooth sailing all the way with God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 84 (The Message)

[Psalm 12]

A David Psalm

Quick, God, I need your helping hand!

The last decent person just went down,

All the friends I depended on gone.

Everyone talks in lie language;

Lies slide off their oily lips.

They doubletalk with forked tongues.

Slice their lips off their faces! Pull

The braggart tongues from their mouths!

I’m tired of hearing, “We can talk anyone into anything!

Our lips manage the world.”

Into the hovels of the poor,

Into the dark streets where the homeless groan, God speaks:

“I’ve had enough; I’m on my way

To heal the ache in the heart of the wretched.”

God’s words are pure words,

Pure silver words refined seven times

In the fires of his word-kiln,

Pure on earth as well as in heaven.

God, keep us safe from their lies,

From the wicked who stalk us with lies,

From the wicked who collect honors

For their wonderful lies.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 12 (The Message)

[dfroza]

Today’s reading in the ancient book of Proverbs and Psalms

for Sunday, may 10 of 2020 with Proverbs 10 and Psalm 10 accompanied by Psalm 53 for the 53rd day of Spring and Psalm 131 for day 131 of the year

[Psalm 10]

Why, O Eternal One, are You so far away?

Why can’t You be found during troubling times?

Mean and haughty people hunt down the poor.

May they get caught up in their own wicked schemes.

For the wicked celebrates the evil cravings of his heart

as the greedy curses and rejects the Eternal.

The arrogance of the wicked one keeps him from seeking the True God.

He truly thinks, “There is no God.”

His ways seem always to be successful;

Your judgments, too, seem far beyond him, out of his reach.

He looks down on all his enemies.

In his heart he has decided, “Nothing will faze me.

From generation to generation I will not face trouble.”

His mouth is full of curses, lies, and oppression.

Beneath his tongue lie trouble and wickedness.

He hides in the shadows of the villages,

waiting to ambush and kill the innocent in dark corners.

He eyes the weak and the poor.

Ominously, like a lion in its lair,

he lurks in secret to waylay those who are downtrodden.

When he catches them, he draws them in and drags them off with his net.

Quietly crouching, lying low,

ready to overwhelm the next by his strength,

The wicked thinks in his heart, “God has forgotten us!

He has covered His face and will never notice!”

Arise, O Eternal, my True God. Lift up Your hand.

Do not forget the downtrodden.

Why does the wicked revile the True God?

He has decided, “He will not hold me responsible.”

But wait! You have seen,

and You will consider the trouble and grief he caused.

You will impose consequences for his actions.

The helpless, the orphans, commit themselves to You,

and You have been their Helper.

Break the arm of the one guilty of doing evil;

investigate all his wicked acts;

hold him responsible for every last one of them.

The Eternal will reign as King forever.

The other nations will be swept off His land.

O Eternal One, You have heard the longings of the poor and lowly.

You will strengthen them; You who are of heaven will hear them,

Vindicating the orphan and the oppressed

so that men who are of the earth will terrify them no more.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 10 (The Voice)

[Psalm 53]

The Wickedness of the World

For the Pure and Shining One

A contemplative song of instruction to the tune of “The Dancings of Mourning”

Only the withering soul would say to himself,

“There’s no God for me!”

Anyone who thinks like that is corrupt and callous;

depraved and detestable, they are devoid of what is good.

The Lord looks down in love, bending over heaven’s balcony.

God looks over all of Adam’s sons and daughters,

looking to see if there are any who are wise with insight—

any who search for him, wanting to please him.

But no, all have wandered astray, walking stubbornly toward evil.

Not one is good; he can’t even find one!

Look how they live in luxury while exploiting my people.

Won’t these workers of wickedness ever learn!

They never even think of praying to God.

Soon, unheard-of terror will seize them while in their sins.

God himself will one day scatter the bones

of those who rose up against you.

Doomed and rejected, they will be put to shame,

for God has despised them.

Oh, I wish our time of rescue were already here.

Oh, that God would come forth now—

arising from the midst of his Zion-people

to save and restore his very own.

When God fully restores his people,

Jacob will rejoice and Israel will be filled with gladness!

The Book of Psalms, Poem 53 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 131]

My Heart Is Meek

A song of the stairway, by King David

Lord, my heart is meek before you.

I don’t consider myself better than others.

I’m content to not pursue matters that are over my head—

such as your complex mysteries and wonders—

that I’m not yet ready to understand.

I am humbled and quieted in your presence.

Like a contented child who rests on its mother’s lap,

I’m your resting child and my soul is content in you.

O people of God, your time has come to quietly trust,

waiting upon the Lord now and forever.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 131 (The Passion Translation)

[Proverbs 10]

The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son makes his father glad,

but a foolish one fills his mother with sorrow.

Riches gained through dishonest means will eventually vanish,

but doing what is right avoids a deadly consequence.

The Eternal does not allow the right-living to go hungry,

but He will frustrate the plans of the wicked.

A slack hand produces nothing but poverty,

but an industrious hand soon takes hold of riches.

A wise son stores up for the winter months while it is still summer,

but a shameful son lies around even during the harvest.

Blessings come to those who do what is right,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

The memory of one who lived with integrity brings joy,

but the legacy of a wrongdoer will rot away.

The wise at heart will gladly obey direction,

but one who fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The path of integrity is always safe,

but a person who follows a crooked way will be exposed.

Whoever winks his eye signals trouble,

and whoever fills the air with meaningless talk will fall into ruin.

The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,

but words spoken by the wicked cover up violent schemes.

Hatred fuels dissension,

but love calms all rebellions.

Wisdom lives where insightful words are spoken,

but harsh punishment awaits the senseless.

The wise store up knowledge as a safeguard,

but the meaningless chatter of fools means that chaos is near.

The wealth of the rich is their powerful fortress;

the poverty of the poor reduces them to rubble.

The reward of those who do right is a satisfied life,

but the profits gained by those who do wrong is used to sin.

Those who accept instruction are travelers on the road to a meaningful life,

but those who refuse correction wander off and pave a path to ruin.

Lips that lie cover deep-seated hatred,

and whoever spreads a libelous rumor is acting as a fool.

The more you talk, the more likely you will cross the line and say the wrong thing;

but if you are wise, you’ll speak less and with restraint.

The speech of those who do right is of greater value than the finest silver,

but the thoughts of wrongdoers are worthless.

The right-living teach many,

but fools die with no clue how to live well.

The blessing of the Eternal is what makes someone rich,

and He doesn’t add pain to it.

Mischief is the sport of fools,

but wise actions bring joy to a person with insight.

Whatever wrongdoers fear the most will happen to them,

but those who do right will receive what they long for.

After the storm passes, the wrongdoers are blown away,

but those who do right are safe and sound on their firm foundations forever.

As vinegar vexes the teeth, and as smoke irritates the eyes,

so a slacker annoys his boss.

Reverence for the Eternal makes for a long and peaceful life,

but a wrongdoer will have years taken away.

The hope of those who do right is joy and celebration,

but the only prospect for those who do wrong is futility.

The way of the Eternal offers safety to those who love justice,

but it destroys those who perpetrate evil.

The right-living will never have their land taken away,

but wrongdoers will be uprooted.

Wisdom flows from the mouths of those who do right,

but tongues that twist the truth will be cut out.

The lips of the right-living understand what is proper,

but the mouths of wrongdoers twist and pervert the truth.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 10 (The Voice)