God Doesn’t Miss a Thing
1A gentle response defuses anger,
but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire.
2Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise;
fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.
3
God doesn’t miss a thing—
he’s alert to good and evil alike.
4Kind words heal and help;
cutting words wound and maim.
5Moral dropouts won’t listen to their elders;
welcoming correction is a mark of good sense.
6The lives of God-loyal people flourish;
a misspent life is soon bankrupt.
7Perceptive words spread knowledge;
fools are hollow—there’s nothing to them.
8
God can’t stand pious poses,
but he delights in genuine prayers.
9A life frittered away disgusts God;
he loves those who run straight for the finish line.
10It’s a school of hard knocks for those who leave God’s path,
a dead-end street for those who hate God’s rules.
11Even hell holds no secrets from God—
do you think he can’t read human hearts?
Life Ascends to the Heights
12Know-it-alls don’t like being told what to do;
they avoid the company of wise men and women.
13A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face;
a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day.
14An intelligent person is always eager to take in more truth;
fools feed on fast-food fads and fancies.
15A miserable heart means a miserable life;
a cheerful heart fills the day with song.
16A simple life in the Fear-of-God
is better than a rich life with a ton of headaches.
17Better a bread crust shared in love
than a slab of prime rib served in hate.
18Hot tempers start fights;
a calm, cool spirit keeps the peace.
19The path of lazy people is overgrown with briers;
the diligent walk down a smooth road.
20Intelligent children make their parents proud;
lazy students embarrass their parents.
21The empty-headed treat life as a plaything;
the perceptive grasp its meaning and make a go of it.
22Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail;
take good counsel and watch them succeed.
23Congenial conversation—what a pleasure!
The right word at the right time—beautiful!
24Life ascends to the heights for the thoughtful—
it’s a clean about-face from descent into hell.
25
God smashes the pretensions of the arrogant;
he stands with those who have no standing.
26
God can’t stand evil scheming,
but he puts words of grace and beauty on display.
27A greedy and grasping person destroys community;
those who refuse to exploit live and let live.
28Prayerful answers come from God-loyal people;
the wicked are sewers of abuse.
29
God keeps his distance from the wicked;
he closely attends to the prayers of God-loyal people.
30A twinkle in the eye means joy in the heart,
and good news makes you feel fit as a fiddle.
31Listen to good advice if you want to live well,
an honored guest among wise men and women.
32An undisciplined, self-willed life is puny;
an obedient, God-willed life is spacious.
33Fear-of-God is a school in skilled living—
first you learn humility, then you experience glory.
THE MESSAGE. Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress, represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
