In my current readthrough of the Bible, I recently came upon this gem of a poem. In my experience, it’s not quoted very often by Christians. But it’s rather encouraging and beautiful, isn’t it?
I’ll write more about this poem next week. For now, let’s test your Bible literacy.
To the first person who comments below with the name of the biblical figure associated with these words (the person who wrote or spoke them), I will give an extra entry into the drawing for a reader’s Bible. In addition, I will give another entry to the first person who can identify the reference for the poem (book and chapter). If one person guesses both correctly, he or she will be given two entries.
Just one caveat: You may not look it up. I want to know if you can guess this from memory. Of course, you could look it up and comment anyway to get the reward. And I’ll never know, but God will.
I’ll confirm if someone gets one of the answers right. That will make it easier for others to guess the second answer correctly.
Here is the poem.
“Agree with God, and be at peace;
thereby good will come to you.
Receive instruction from his mouth,
and lay up his words in your heart.
If you return to the Almighty you will be built up;
if you remove injustice far from your tents,
if you lay gold in the dust,
and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed,
then the Almighty will be your gold
and your precious silver.
For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty
and lift up your face to God.
You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you,
and you will pay your vows.
You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you,
and light will shine on your ways.
For when they are humbled you say, ‘It is because of pride’;
but he saves the lowly.
He delivers even the one who is not innocent,
who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
John Dalbey says
Isn’t this the fourth friend in Job? I think his name is Eliphaz, but I might be way off. (I’ll be looking it up in a moment…). It would be somewhere around Job 34-ish. Since we are going for the specific reference I’ll just throw out a best guess: Job 34:8-14.
Time to check now…
Peter Krol says
It is not the fourth friend, but it IS Eliphaz. So I will give that to you. Now let’s see if anyone can guess the reference. Job 34 is incorrect.
Joshua Thomas says
Sounds like one of Job’s miserable comforters.
John Murphy says
It’s got to be from Job. I’m going to guess Eliphaz. No clue on the reference. Job 18 is a total guess.
Nina says
Eliphaz — I just read this the other day, otherwise I wouldn’t have known for sure. Alas, others have beat me to the punch.
Kevin says
Job 22 ?
Peter Krol says
Got it!