Riches

When I bring them into the land I swore to give their fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey, they will eat their fill and prosper. They will turn to other gods and worship them, despising me and breaking my covenant.

The LORD brings poverty and gives wealth; he humbles and he exalts.

The little that the righteous person has is better than the abundance of many wicked people.

For the choir director. A of David. When Doeg the Edomite went and reported to Saul, telling him, “David went to Ahimelech’s house.” [1] Why boast about evil, you hero! God’s faithful love is constant.

Like a sharpened razor, your tongue devises destruction, working treachery.

You love evil instead of good, lying instead of speaking truthfully. Selah

You love any words that destroy, you treacherous tongue!

This is why God will bring you down forever. He will take you, ripping you out of your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

The righteous will see and fear, and they will derisively say about that hero,

“Here is the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, taking refuge in his destructive behavior.”

For I envied the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

They have an easy time until they die, and their bodies are well fed.

They are not in trouble like others; they are not afflicted like most people.

Therefore, pride is their necklace, and violence covers them like a garment.

Their eyes bulge out from fatness; the imaginations of their hearts run wild.

They mock, and they speak maliciously; they arrogantly threaten oppression.

They set their mouths against heaven, and their tongues strut across the earth.

Therefore his people turn to them and drink in their overflowing words.

The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High know everything?”

Look at them — the wicked! They are always at ease, and they increase their wealth.

Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?

For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning.

If I had decided to say these things aloud, I would have betrayed your people.

When I tried to understand all this, it seemed hopeless

until I entered God’s sanctuary. Then I understood their destiny.

Indeed, you put them in slippery places; you make them fall into ruin.

How suddenly they become a desolation! They come to an end, swept away by terrors.

Like one waking from a dream, Lord, when arising, you will despise their image.

When I became embittered and my innermost being was wounded,

I was stupid and didn’t understand; I was an unthinking animal toward you.

Ill-gotten gains do not profit anyone, but righteousness rescues from death.

The LORD’s blessing enriches, and he adds no painful effort to it.

Anyone trusting in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage.

One person pretends to be rich but has nothing; another pretends to be poor but has abundant wealth.

Riches are a ransom for a person’s life, but a poor person hears no threat.

The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the foolishness of fools produces foolishness.

Better a little with righteousness than great income with injustice.

The poor person pleads, but the rich one answers roughly.

Making a fortune through a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a pursuit of death.

Don’t wear yourself out to get rich; because you know better, stop!

As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.

Know well the condition of your flock, and pay attention to your herds,

for wealth is not forever; not even a crown lasts for all time.

Whoever increases his wealth through excessive interest collects it for one who is kind to the poor.

A rich person is wise in his own eyes, but a poor one who has discernment sees through him.

A faithful person will have many blessings, but one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.

Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need.

Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you, saying, “Who is the LORD?” or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God.