Daily Wisdom Plan

¹A Psalm of Asaph. [1] Truly God is good to Israel, To such as are pure in heart.

²But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped.

³For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

⁴For there are no pangs in their death, But their strength is firm.

⁵They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like other men.

⁶Therefore pride serves as their necklace; Violence covers them like a garment.

⁷Their eyes bulge with abundance; They have more than heart could wish.

⁸They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression; They speak loftily.

⁹They set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue walks through the earth.

¹⁰Therefore his people return here, And waters of a full cup are drained by them.

¹¹And they say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?”

¹²Behold, these are the ungodly, Who are always at ease; They increase in riches.

¹³Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, And washed my hands in innocence.

¹⁴For all day long I have been plagued, And chastened every morning.

¹⁵If I had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.

¹⁶When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me—

¹⁷Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end.

¹⁸Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction.

¹⁹Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.

²⁰As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, You shall despise their image.

²¹Thus my heart was grieved, And I was vexed in my mind.

²²I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.

²³Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand.

²⁴You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.

²⁵Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.

²⁶My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

²⁷For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.

²⁸But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, That I may declare all Your works.

¹A Contemplation of Asaph. [1] O God, why have You cast us off forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?

²Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old, The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed— This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.

³Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations. The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.

⁴Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place; They set up their banners for signs.

⁵They seem like men who lift up Axes among the thick trees.

⁶And now they break down its carved work, all at once, With axes and hammers.

⁷They have set fire to Your sanctuary; They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.

⁸They said in their hearts, “Let us destroy them altogether.” They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.

⁹We do not see our signs; There is no longer any prophet; Nor is there any among us who knows how long.

¹⁰O God, how long will the adversary reproach? Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?

¹¹Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand? Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.

¹²For God is my King from of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.

¹³You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.

¹⁴You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

¹⁵You broke open the fountain and the flood; You dried up mighty rivers.

¹⁶The day is Yours, the night also is Yours; You have prepared the light and the sun.

¹⁷You have set all the borders of the earth; You have made summer and winter.

¹⁸Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD, And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.

¹⁹Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast! Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.

²⁰Have respect to the covenant; For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.

²¹Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise Your name.

²²Arise, O God, plead Your own cause; Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.

²³Do not forget the voice of Your enemies; The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.

¹To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Psalm of Asaph. A Song. [1] We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.

²“When I choose the proper time, I will judge uprightly.

³The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved; I set up its pillars firmly. Selah

⁴“I said to the boastful, ‘Do not deal boastfully,’ And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn.

⁵Do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck.’ ”

⁶For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south.

⁷But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.

⁸For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, And the wine is red; It is fully mixed, and He pours it out; Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth Drain and drink down.

⁹But I will declare forever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

¹⁰“All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off, But the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.”