Day 20: Promises of Prayer – Purpose and Direction

¹ To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. ² All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. ³ Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. ⁴ The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster. ⁵ The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. ⁶ Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided. ⁷ When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them. ⁸ Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice. ⁹ In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. ¹⁰ The lips of a king speak as an oracle, and his mouth does not betray justice. ¹¹ Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord; all the weights in the bag are of his making. ¹² Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness. ¹³ Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value the one who speaks what is right. ¹⁴ A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but the wise will appease it. ¹⁵ When a king’s face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring. ¹⁶ How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver! ¹⁷ The highway of the upright avoids evil; those who guard their ways preserve their lives. ¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. ¹⁹ Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud. ²⁰ Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. ²¹ The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction. ²² Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent, but folly brings punishment to fools. ²³ The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction. ²⁴ Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. ²⁵ There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. ²⁶ The appetite of laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on. ²⁷ A scoundrel plots evil, and on their lips it is like a scorching fire. ²⁸ A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. ²⁹ A violent person entices their neighbor and leads them down a path that is not good. ³⁰ Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity; whoever purses their lips is bent on evil. ³¹ Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness. ³² Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. ³³ The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

Proverbs 16