Psalm 107b
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. For he commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distresses. He makes the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he brings them unto their desired haven.
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
He turns rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. He turns the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. And there he makes the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; and sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffers not their cattle to decrease. Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. He pours contempt upon princes, and causes them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. Yet sets he the poor on high from affliction, and makes him families like a flock. The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the LORD.
Amos 3-4
Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you,
O children of Israel,
against the whole family
which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,
You only have I known of all the families of the earth:
therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey?
will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?
Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him?
shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?
Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid?
shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing,
but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
The lion hath roared, who will not fear?
the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
Publish in the palaces at Ashdod,
and in the palaces in the land of Egypt,
and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria,
and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof,
and the oppressed in the midst thereof.
For they know not to do right, saith the LORD,
who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;
An adversary there shall be even round about the land;
and he shall bring down thy strength from thee,
and thy palaces shall be spoiled.
Thus saith the LORD;
As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs,
or a piece of an ear;
so shall the children of Israel be taken out
that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed,
and in Damascus in a couch.
Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob,
saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts,
That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him
I will also visit the altars of Bethel:
and the horns of the altar shall be cut off,
and fall to the ground.
And I will smite the winter house with the summer house;
and the houses of ivory shall perish,
and the great houses shall have an end,
saith the LORD.
Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan,
that are in the mountain of Samaria,
which oppress the poor, which crush the needy,
which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.
The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness,
that, lo, the days shall come upon you,
that he will take you away with hooks,
and your posterity with fishhooks.
And ye shall go out at the breaches,
every cow at that which is before her;
and ye shall cast them into the palace,
saith the LORD.
Come to Bethel, and transgress;
at Gilgal multiply transgression;
and bring your sacrifices every morning,
and your tithes after three years:
And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven,
and proclaim and publish the free offerings:
for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel,
saith the Lord GOD.
And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities,
and want of bread in all your places:
yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
And also I have withholden the rain from you,
when there were yet three months to the harvest:
and I caused it to rain upon one city,
and caused it not to rain upon another city:
one piece was rained upon,
and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.
So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water;
but they were not satisfied:
yet have ye not returned unto me,
saith the LORD.
I have smitten you with blasting and mildew:
when your gardens and your vineyards
and your fig trees and your olive trees increased,
the palmerworm devoured them:
yet have ye not returned unto me,
saith the LORD.
I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt:
your young men have I slain with the sword,
and have taken away your horses;
and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils:
yet have ye not returned unto me,
saith the LORD.
I have overthrown some of you,
as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning:
yet have ye not returned unto me,
saith the LORD.
Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel:
and because I will do this unto thee,
prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.
For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind,
and declareth unto man what is his thought,
that maketh the morning darkness,
and treadeth upon the high places of the earth,
The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.
Proverbs 7
My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: that they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flatters with her words.
For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, and beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: and, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: now is she without, now in the streets, and lies in wait at every corner.) So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: he has taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goes after her straightway, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare, and knows not that it is for his life.
Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thy heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she has cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
You Think Too Much! 