Jo’s Place

Proverbs 1 part 1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, and to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, and to help them do what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, and knowledge and discernment to the young. Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance, by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, …and the words of the wise and their riddles. Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. ———————— My son,* listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. What you learn from them will crown you with grace, and it will be a chain of honor around your neck. My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! They may say, “Come and join...

  The Book of Proverbs   The word “proverb” is used to describe a short, clever saying that offers wisdom in some way.  While this book does contain many hundreds of proverbs, most of them are found in the center section of the book.  In the outer frames of the book are more elaborate poems about wisdom.  Regardless of the format, the message is consistent throughout the book: Wisdom depends on trusting God and this leads to life, ….but folly starts with distrusting God and that leads to death. The book of Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings and poems primarily attributed to King Solomon.  Although not all the material is written by Solomon, Israel’s wisdom tradition is considered to have begun with him…  He was the young ruler who asked God for wisdom to rule God’s people… and God made him the wisest man that ever lived, and gave him riches beyond his imagination. The events in the book of Proverbs are thought to span several centuries during Isr...

Psalms 149 and 150 Psalm 149 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful. O Israel, rejoice in your Maker. O people of Jerusalem,* exult in your King. Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp. For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them. Let them sing for joy, as they lie on their beds. Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and let a sharp sword in their hands—to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with shackles and their leaders with iron chains, to execute the judgment written against them. This is the glorious privilege of his faithful ones. Praise the Lord! Psalm 150 Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp!...

Psalm 148 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, from the heavens! Praise him from the skies! Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all the armies of heaven! Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you twinkling stars! Praise him, skies above! Praise him, vapors high above the clouds! Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, …for he issued his command, and they came into being. He set them in place, forever and ever. His decree will never be revoked. Praise the Lord, from the earth, …praise Him all you creatures of the ocean depths, …praise Him fire and hail, snow and clouds,* wind and weather  …praise Him all you things that obey him, …mountains and hills, fruit trees and cedars, wild animals and livestock, small scurrying animals and birds, kings of the earth and plain people, rulers and judges of the earth, young men and young women, old men and children. Let them all praise the name of the Lord. For his name is very great; His glory towers over the earth and the heavens!...