Month: July 2021

Scripture Readings Proverbs 19:19Daniel 5–6Matthew 21Psalms 18 Verse Focus (Proverbs 19:19) A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;     rescue them, and you will have to do it again. Meditation Proverbs 19:19 says, in the NIV, “A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them, and you will have to do it again.” The truth of this proverb seems so self-evident! Part of me wonders why this is even a proverb, if what it teaches us is so obviously true. An angry or wrathful person will get him- or herself into trouble. If that person is rescued, if there are no consequences…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 19:18Daniel 3–4Matthew 20Psalms 17 Verse Focus (Proverbs 19:18) Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;     do not be a willing party to their death. Meditation Today’s verse focus, Proverbs 19:18 says, in the ESV, “Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.” There are several proverbs that speak of the need to discipline children. Some even suggest using physical discipline, such as Proverbs 13:24, which we looked at on March 23rd (Day 82). But today’s proverb is an interesting take on the need for discipline in raising…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 19:17Daniel 1–2Matthew 19Psalms 16 Verse Focus (Proverbs 19:17) Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD,     and he will reward them for what they have done. Meditation Day 200. Tee hee! 🙂 Our verse focus today is Proverbs 19:17, which says, in the CSB, “Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and he will give a reward to the lender.” The ESV translates the verse by saying, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.” The Hebrew verb that is being translated as…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 19:16Numbers 35–36Matthew 18Psalms 15 Verse Focus (Proverbs 19:16) Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,      but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die. Meditation Our verse focus today seems pretty straightforward. Proverbs 19:16 says, in the NKJV, “He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is careless of his ways will die.” The reason I quote this verse to you using the NKJV is because it is very close to the transliterated Hebrew. However, most English translations use “commandments” (plural) rather than “the commandment” (singular). And in many ways the plural makes more sense…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 19:15Numbers 33–34Matthew 17Psalms 14 Verse Focus (Proverbs 19:15) Laziness brings on deep sleep,     and the shiftless go hungry. Meditation Our verse focus today, Proverbs 19:15, speaks of the dangers of sloth. As the NKJV translates the verse, “Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.” We are not surprised to learn that sluggards will go hungry. It seems an inevitable consequence of one’s inaction. As I was looking at this verse today, however, I wondered if the “deep sleep” might be a metaphor for death. So I looked the verse up in…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 19:14Numbers 31–32Matthew 16Psalms 13 Verse Focus (Proverbs 19:14) Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,     but a prudent wife is from the LORD. Meditation Today’s verse focus, Proverbs 19:14, says in the NKJV, “Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.” Yesterday the father and husband needed God to work in his relationships to protect his son from being a fool and to change his wife’s attitude. Today we again see how important it is for God to be involved in your life and in your relationships. What is a…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 19:13Numbers 29–30Matthew 15Psalms 12 Verse Focus (Proverbs 19:13) A foolish child is a father’s ruin,     and a quarrelsome wife is like     the constant dripping of a leaky roof. Meditation Proverbs 19:13 says, in the ESV, “A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.” Ruin is a strong word, and we all know the irritation of a leaky faucet or a drip. It’s a kind of irritation that can drive you to madness, or to extremity of emotion. When I read this proverb, I immediately identify with the querulous wife…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 19:11Numbers 27–28Matthew 14Psalms 11 Verse Focus (Proverbs 19:11) A person’s wisdom yields patience;     it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense. Meditation I love what today’s proverb tells us! Proverbs 19:11 says, “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.” Perhaps you too have struggled with patience. When you’re impatient, you might know that you need to gain patience, but how to go about that can seem mystifying. Here, we are told that patience is a byproduct of wisdom. Indeed, Paul tells us that patience is a fruit of the Spirit…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 19:9Numbers 25–26Matthew 13Psalms 10 Verse Focus (Proverbs 19:9) A false witness will not go unpunished,     and whoever pours out lies will perish. Meditation Today’s verse focus, Proverbs 19:9, is nearly identical to Proverbs 19:5, which we looked at a couple of days ago. Proverbs 19:5 says, in the ESV, “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.” Proverbs 19:9 says, again in the ESV, “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.” So the only difference is how the verse ends — “will…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 19:8Numbers 23–24Matthew 12Psalms 9 Verse Focus (Proverbs 19:8) The one who gets wisdom loves life;     the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper. Meditation Today’s verse focus, Proverbs 19:8, says in the NRSV, “To get wisdom is to love oneself; to keep understanding is to prosper.” Acquiring wisdom is a matter of prudence and self-interest; keeping that wisdom will help you find success. The NIV translates the first half of this proverb by saying, “The one who gets wisdom loves life.” And life is one of the meanings of the Hebrew word nephesh; other meanings include a soul,…

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