Daily Bread

¹² Who has measured the waters^(A) in the hollow of his hand,^(B)
    or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?^(C)
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
    or weighed the mountains on the scales
    and the hills in a balance?^(D)
13 Who can fathom the Spirit^[a](E) of the Lord,
    or instruct the Lord as his counselor?^(F)
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
    and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,^(G)
    or showed him the path of understanding?^(H)

¹⁵ Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
    they are regarded as dust on the scales;^(I)
    he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.^(J)
16 Lebanon^(K) is not sufficient for altar fires,
    nor its animals^(L) enough for burnt offerings.
¹⁷ Before him all the nations^(M) are as nothing;^(N)
    they are regarded by him as worthless
    and less than nothing.^(O)

¹⁸ With whom, then, will you compare God?^(P)
    To what image^(Q) will you liken him?
¹⁹ As for an idol,^(R) a metalworker casts it,
    and a goldsmith^(S) overlays it with gold^(T)
    and fashions silver chains for it.
²⁰ A person too poor to present such an offering
    selects wood^(U) that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
    to set up an idol^(V) that will not topple.^(W)

²¹ Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?^(X)
Has it not been told^(Y) you from the beginning?^(Z)
    Have you not understood^(AA) since the earth was founded?^(AB)
22 He sits enthroned^(AC) above the circle of the earth,
    and its people are like grasshoppers.^(AD)
He stretches out the heavens^(AE) like a canopy,^(AF)
    and spreads them out like a tent^(AG) to live in.^(AH)
23 He brings princes^(AI) to naught
    and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.^(AJ)
24 No sooner are they planted,
    no sooner are they sown,
    no sooner do they take root^(AK) in the ground,
than he blows^(AL) on them and they wither,^(AM)
    and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.^(AN)

²⁵ “To whom will you compare me?^(AO)
    Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.^(AP)
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:^(AQ)
    Who created^(AR) all these?
He who brings out the starry host^(AS) one by one
    and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,^(AT)
    not one of them is missing.^(AU)

²⁷ Why do you complain, Jacob?
    Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
    my cause is disregarded by my God”?^(AV)
28 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?^(AW)
The Lord is the everlasting^(AX) God,
    the Creator^(AY) of the ends of the earth.^(AZ)
He will not grow tired or weary,^(BA)
    and his understanding no one can fathom.^(BB)
29 He gives strength^(BC) to the weary^(BD)
    and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men^(BE) stumble and fall;^(BF)
31 but those who hope^(BG) in the Lord
    will renew their strength.^(BH)
They will soar on wings like eagles;^(BI)
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.^(BJ)