September 2: Job 35–36; 2 Thessalonians 3:6–18; Psalm 59; Proverbs 22:22–23

Job 35–36 (Listen)

Elihu Condemns Job

35 And Elihu answered and said:

2   “Do you think this to be just?
    Do you say, ‘It is my right before God,’
3   that you ask, ‘What advantage have I?
    How am I better off than if I had sinned?’
4   I will answer you
    and your friends with you.
5   Look at the heavens, and see;
    and behold the clouds, which are higher than you.
6   If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?
    And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
7   If you are righteous, what do you give to him?
    Or what does he receive from your hand?
8   Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,
    and your righteousness a son of man.
9   “Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out;
    they call for help because of the arm of the mighty.¹
10   But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
    who gives songs in the night,
11   who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth
    and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
12   There they cry out, but he does not answer,
    because of the pride of evil men.
13   Surely God does not hear an empty cry,
    nor does the Almighty regard it.
14   How much less when you say that you do not see him,
    that the case is before him, and you are waiting for him!
15   And now, because his anger does not punish,
    and he does not take much note of transgression,²
16   Job opens his mouth in empty talk;
    he multiplies words without knowledge.”

Elihu Extols God's Greatness

36 And Elihu continued, and said:

2   “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
    for I have yet something to say on God's behalf.
3   I will get my knowledge from afar
    and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4   For truly my words are not false;
    one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5   “Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any;
    he is mighty in strength of understanding.
6   He does not keep the wicked alive,
    but gives the afflicted their right.
7   He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
    but with kings on the throne
    he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
8   And if they are bound in chains
    and caught in the cords of affliction,
9   then he declares to them their work
    and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.
10   He opens their ears to instruction
    and commands that they return from iniquity.
11   If they listen and serve him,
    they complete their days in prosperity,
    and their years in pleasantness.
12   But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword
    and die without knowledge.
13   “The godless in heart cherish anger;
    they do not cry for help when he binds them.
14   They die in youth,
    and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.
15   He delivers the afflicted by their affliction
    and opens their ear by adversity.
16   He also allured you out of distress
    into a broad place where there was no cramping,
    and what was set on your table was full of fatness.
17   “But you are full of the judgment on the wicked;
    judgment and justice seize you.
18   Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing,
    and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.
19   Will your cry for help avail to keep you from distress,
    or all the force of your strength?
20   Do not long for the night,
    when peoples vanish in their place.
21   Take care; do not turn to iniquity,
    for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
22   Behold, God is exalted in his power;
    who is a teacher like him?
23   Who has prescribed for him his way,
    or who can say, ‘You have done wrong’?
24   “Remember to extol his work,
    of which men have sung.
25   All mankind has looked on it;
    man beholds it from afar.
26   Behold, God is great, and we know him not;
    the number of his years is unsearchable.
27   For he draws up the drops of water;
    they distill his mist in rain,
28   which the skies pour down
    and drop on mankind abundantly.
29   Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,
    the thunderings of his pavilion?
30   Behold, he scatters his lightning about him
    and covers the roots of the sea.
31   For by these he judges peoples;
    he gives food in abundance.
32   He covers his hands with the lightning
    and commands it to strike the mark.
33   Its crashing declares his presence;³
    the cattle also declare that he rises.

(ESV)

2 Thessalonians 3:6–18 (Listen)

Warning Against Idleness

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.¹

13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

Benediction

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

(ESV)

Psalm 59 (Listen)

Deliver Me from My Enemies

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam¹ of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.

59   Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
    protect me from those who rise up against me;
2   deliver me from those who work evil,
    and save me from bloodthirsty men.
3   For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
    fierce men stir up strife against me.
  For no transgression or sin of mine, O LORD,
4     for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
  Awake, come to meet me, and see!
5     You, LORD God of hosts, are God of Israel.
  Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
    spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah
6   Each evening they come back,
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.
7   There they are, bellowing with their mouths
    with swords in their lips—
    for “Who,” they think,²“will hear us?”
8   But you, O LORD, laugh at them;
    you hold all the nations in derision.
9   O my Strength, I will watch for you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress.
10   My God in his steadfast love³ will meet me;
    God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.
11   Kill them not, lest my people forget;
    make them totter⁴ by your power and bring them down,
    O Lord, our shield!
12   For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
    let them be trapped in their pride.
  For the cursing and lies that they utter,
13     consume them in wrath;
    consume them till they are no more,
  that they may know that God rules over Jacob
    to the ends of the earth. Selah
14   Each evening they come back,
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.
15   They wander about for food
    and growl if they do not get their fill.
16   But I will sing of your strength;
    I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
  For you have been to me a fortress
    and a refuge in the day of my distress.
17   O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress,
    the God who shows me steadfast love.

(ESV)

Proverbs 22:22–23 (Listen)

22   Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
    or crush the afflicted at the gate,
23   for the LORD will plead their cause
    and rob of life those who rob them.

(ESV)