The King’s Heart (Psalm 21:1–13)
1 UST Yahweh directs what kings think as{ a farmer directs} streams of water to make them go wherever he wants{ them to go}. BSB BSB: The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
2 UST People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh{ rightly} evaluates why they do those things. BSB BSB: All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
3 UST Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than sacrificing{ animals to him}. BSB BSB: To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 UST Being proud and arrogant guide what wicked people do like a lamp{ shows people where to go}; they are sinful. BSB BSB: Haughty eyes and a proud heart—the guides of the wicked—are sin.
5 UST What diligent people plan will certainly profit them, but all those who act too hastily will certainly become poor. BSB BSB: The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty.
6 UST When people gain wealth by speaking falsely, that wealth quickly vanishes like mist,{ and doing that} will kill them. BSB BSB: Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit.
7 UST When wicked people act violently, they cause others to punish them for it because they refuse to do what is right. BSB BSB: The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just.
8 UST Guilty people continually do what is wrong, but innocent people do what is right. BSB BSB: The way of a guilty man is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9 UST It is better to live{ alone} in a corner of a housetop than to live inside a house with a wife who always argues{ with you}. BSB BSB: Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
10 UST Wicked people strongly desire to do what is evil, they will not be merciful to the people around them. BSB BSB: The soul of the wicked man craves evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
11 UST If you punish people who ridicule others,{ then} naive people{ who see you do that} will become wise, and if you teach wise people, they will become{ even more} knowledgeable. BSB BSB: When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; and when a wise man is instructed, he acquires knowledge.
12 UST Righteous people are able to understand what the households of wicked people do; they let the evil things that wicked people do happen to them. BSB BSB: The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.
13 UST People who refuse to listen to poor people when they cry out{ for help} will also cry out{ for help themselves}, but no one will help them. BSB BSB: Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
14 UST Secretly giving something to an angry person will stop him from being angry. Indeed, secretly bribing a furious person will calm him down. BSB BSB: A gift in secret soothes anger, and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath.
15 UST Righteous people are glad when people judge justly, but judging justly terrifies people who act sinfully. BSB BSB: Justice executed is a joy to the righteous, but a terror to the workers of iniquity.
16 UST People who stop behaving sensibly will{ soon} go to the place where the spirits of dead people are. BSB BSB: The man who strays from the path of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 UST People who love what is pleasurable will be poor. Indeed, people who indulge themselves in wine and rich food will never be wealthy. BSB BSB: He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.
18 UST Wicked people will suffer instead of righteous people, and treacherous people{ will suffer} in place of upright people. BSB BSB: The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright.
19 UST It is better to live{ alone} in a desolate land than{ to live} with an argumentative and nagging wife. BSB BSB: Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.
20 UST Wise people store up precious riches and olive oil, but foolish people waste everything that they have. BSB BSB: Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them.
21 UST People who diligently try to be righteous and faithful will live{ well}, will be righteous, and people will respect them. BSB BSB: He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion finds life, righteousness, and honor.
22 UST Wise people know how to conquer cities that mighty warriors are defending; they can pull down the walls that people{ in those cities} believe will protect them. BSB BSB: A wise man scales the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 UST People who are careful about what they say avoid becoming distressed. BSB BSB: He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.
24 UST People who ridicule others are proud and arrogant; they behave furiously and presumptuously. BSB BSB: Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man—of him who acts with excessive pride.
25 UST Lazy people want{ food}, but they will die because they refuse to work. BSB BSB: The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work.
26 UST Lazy people always want more things for themselves, but righteous people generously give{ what they have to others}. BSB BSB: All day long he covets more, but the righteous give without restraint.
27 UST { Yahweh} detests the sacrifices that wicked people offer{ to him}; it is even more{ detestable} when they are offering something{ to Yahweh} while intending to act wickedly! BSB BSB: The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable—how much more so when brought with ill intent!
28 UST Witnesses who lie will die, but when someone who listens carefully speaks, what he says will finish the matter. BSB BSB: A lying witness will perish, but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.
29 UST Wicked people pretend to know what they are doing, but upright people think about what they do. BSB BSB: A wicked man hardens his face, but the upright man makes his way sure.
30 UST Even the wisest and most knowledgeable counselor is nothing compared to Yahweh. BSB BSB: There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
31 UST Soldiers prepare to fight, but Yahweh determines who wins{ that fight}. BSB BSB: A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.