November 1

1. Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of integrity

2. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

3. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

4. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

6. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the moon lay.

7. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who propereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

8. Cease from anger, and forake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

9. For evil doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

10. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

11. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

12. The wicked plotreth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

13. The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

14. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

15. Their sword shall enter into theil: own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

16. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

17. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the rightcous.

18. The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

19. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

20. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

21. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

22. For such as be blessed of him shall in-

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herd the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LOKD and he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LOKD upholdeth him with his hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. 27 Deport from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. 28 For the LOKD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever; but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. 30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and screeth to slay him. 33 The LOKD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. 34 Wait on the LOKD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and, to, he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright for the end of the man in peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LOKD, he is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the LOKD shall help them, and deliver them; he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

This Psalm was written by David in his old age (verse 25) and is the more valuable as the record of so varied an experience. "The great riddle of the prosperity of the wicked and the affliction of the righteous, which has perplexed so many, is here dealt with in the light of the future, and fretfulness and repining are most impressively forbidden. It is a Psalm in which the Lord hushes most sweetly the too common repinings of His people, and calms their minds as to His present dealings with His own chosen flock, and the wolves by whom they are surrounded."—C. H. Spurgeon.

"A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked." This is a fine proverb. "Therefore, never let a Christian murmur because he hath but little, but rather let him be still a-blessing of that God that hath blessed his little, and doth bless his little, and that will bless his little to him."—Thomas Brooks.

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." "When this Pilot undertakes to steer their course, their vessel shall never split upon the rock, run upon the sand, or spring a leak, so as to sink in the seas. To be sure He will see them safe in their harbor."—James Janeway.

Luther closes the exposition of this Psalm with the words, "Oh, shame on our faithlessness, mistrust and vile unbelief, that we do not believe such rich, powerful, consolatory, declarations of God, and take up so readily with little grounds of offence, whenever we but hear the wicked speeches of the ungodly. Help, O God, that we may once attain to right faith. Amen."

31

Closet Promise.—Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy.—Psalm xxxiii. 18.

"God hath kept me hitherto; Can He cease, then, to be true? Why should I just now despair? Can He weary of His care?

Hence, tormenting terrors, hence! God shall be my confidence; Let Him lead me as He will, Oh, my soul, and be thou still."