Meditations on the Excellencies of the Word of God

א Aleph

1 Blessed are the 1undefiled in the way,

aWho walk in the law of the Lord!

2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,

Who seek Him with the bwhole heart!

3 cThey also do no iniquity;

They walk in His ways.

4 You have commanded us

To keep Your precepts diligently.

5 Oh, that my ways were directed

To keep Your statutes!

6 dThen I would not be ashamed,

When I look into all Your commandments.

7 I will praise You with uprightness of heart,

When I learn Your righteous judgments.

8 I will keep Your statutes;

Oh, do not forsake me utterly!

ב Beth

9 How can a young man cleanse his way?

By taking heed according to Your word.

10 With my whole heart I have esought You;

Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!

11 fYour word I have hidden in my heart,

That I might not sin against You.

12 Blessed are You, O Lord!

Teach me Your statutes.

13 With my lips I have gdeclared

All the judgments of Your mouth.

14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,

As much as in all riches.

15 I will meditate on Your precepts,

And 2contemplate Your ways.

16 I will hdelight myself in Your statutes;

I will not forget Your word.

ג Gimel

17 iDeal bountifully with Your servant,

That I may live and keep Your word.

18 Open my eyes, that I may see

Wondrous things from Your law.

19 jI am a stranger in the earth;

Do not hide Your commandments from me.

20 kMy soul 3breaks with longing

For Your judgments at all times.

21 You rebuke the proud—the cursed,

Who stray from Your commandments.

22 lRemove from me reproach and contempt,

For I have kept Your testimonies.

23 Princes also sit and speak against me,

But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.

24 Your testimonies also are my delight

And my counselors.

ד Daleth

25 mMy soul clings to the dust;

nRevive me according to Your word.

26 I have declared my ways, and You answered me;

oTeach me Your statutes.

27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts;

So pshall I meditate on Your wonderful works.

28 qMy soul 4melts from 5heaviness;

Strengthen me according to Your word.

29 Remove from me the way of lying,

And grant me Your law graciously.

30 I have chosen the way of truth;

Your judgments I have laid before me.

31 I cling to Your testimonies;

O Lord, do not put me to shame!

32 I will run the course of Your commandments,

For You shall renlarge my heart.

ה He

33 sTeach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,

And I shall keep it to the end.

34 tGive me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;

Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,

For I delight in it.

36 6Incline my heart to Your testimonies,

And not to ucovetousness.

37 vTurn 7away my eyes from wlooking at worthless things,

And revive me in 8Your way.

38 xEstablish Your word to Your servant,

Who is devoted to fearing You.

39 Turn away my reproach which I dread,

For Your judgments are good.

40 Behold, I long for Your precepts;

Revive me in Your righteousness.

ו Waw

41 Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord—

Your salvation according to Your word.

42 So shall I have an answer for him who 9reproaches me,

For I trust in Your word.

43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,

For I have hoped in Your ordinances.

44 So shall I keep Your law continually,

Forever and ever.

45 And I will walk 1at yliberty,

For I seek Your precepts.

46 zI will speak of Your testimonies also before kings,

And will not be ashamed.

47 And I will delight myself in Your commandments,

Which I love.

48 My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,

Which I love,

And I will meditate on Your statutes.

ז Zayin

49 Remember the word to Your servant,

Upon which You have caused me to hope.

50 This is my acomfort in my affliction,

For Your word has given me life.

51 The proud have me in great derision,

Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.

52 I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord,

And have comforted myself.

53 bIndignation has taken hold of me

Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.

54 Your statutes have been my songs

In the house of my pilgrimage.

55 cI remember Your name in the night, O Lord,

And I keep Your law.

56 This has become mine,

Because I kept Your precepts.

ח Heth

57 dYou are my portion, O Lord;

I have said that I would keep Your words.

58 I entreated Your favor with my whole heart;

Be merciful to me according to Your word.

59 I ethought about my ways,

And turned my feet to Your testimonies.

60 I made haste, and did not delay

To keep Your commandments.

61 The cords of the wicked have bound me,

But I have not forgotten Your law.

62 fAt midnight I will rise to give thanks to You,

Because of Your righteous judgments.

63 I am a companion of all who fear You,

And of those who keep Your precepts.

64 gThe earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy;

Teach me Your statutes.

ט Teth

65 You have dealt well with Your servant,

O Lord, according to Your word.

66 Teach me good judgment and hknowledge,

For I believe Your commandments.

67 Before I was iafflicted I went astray,

But now I keep Your word.

68 You are jgood, and do good;

Teach me Your statutes.

69 The proud have kforged 2a lie against me,

But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.

70 lTheir heart is 3as fat as grease,

But I delight in Your law.

71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted,

That I may learn Your statutes.

72 mThe law of Your mouth is better to me

Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.

י Yod

73 nYour hands have made me and fashioned me;

Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.

74 oThose who fear You will be glad when they see me,

Because I have hoped in Your word.

75 I know, O Lord, pthat Your judgments are 4right,

And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.

76 Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,

According to Your word to Your servant.

77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;

For Your law is my delight.

78 Let the proud qbe ashamed,

For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;

But I will meditate on Your precepts.

79 Let those who fear You turn to me,

Those who know Your testimonies.

80 Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,

That I may not be ashamed.

כ‍ Kaph

81 rMy soul faints for Your salvation,

But I hope in Your word.

82 My eyes fail from searching Your word,

Saying, “When will You comfort me?”

83 For sI have become like a wineskin in smoke,

Yet I do not forget Your statutes.

84 tHow many are the days of Your servant?

uWhen will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?

85 vThe proud have dug pits for me,

Which is not according to Your law.

86 All Your commandments are faithful;

They persecute me wwrongfully;

Help me!

87 They almost made an end of me on earth,

But I did not forsake Your precepts.

88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,

So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

ל Lamed

89 xForever, O Lord,

Your word 5is settled in heaven.

90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations;

You established the earth, and it 6abides.

91 They continue this day according to yYour ordinances,

For all are Your servants.

92 Unless Your law had been my delight,

I would then have perished in my affliction.

93 I will never forget Your precepts,

For by them You have given me life.

94 I am Yours, save me;

For I have sought Your precepts.

95 The wicked wait for me to destroy me,

But I will 7consider Your testimonies.

96 zI have seen the consummation of all perfection,

But Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

מ‍ Mem

97 Oh, how I love Your law!

aIt is my meditation all the day.

98 You, through Your commandments, make me bwiser than my enemies;

For they are ever with me.

99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,

cFor Your testimonies are my meditation.

100 dI understand more than the 8ancients,

Because I keep Your precepts.

101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way,

That I may keep Your word.

102 I have not departed from Your judgments,

For You Yourself have taught me.

103 eHow sweet are Your words to my taste,

Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

104 Through Your precepts I get understanding;

Therefore I hate every false way.

נ‍ Nun

105 fYour word is a lamp to my feet

And a light to my path.

106 gI have sworn and confirmed

That I will keep Your righteous judgments.

107 I am afflicted very much;

Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word.

108 Accept, I pray, hthe freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord,

And teach me Your judgments.

109 iMy life is continually 9in my hand,

Yet I do not forget Your law.

110 jThe wicked have laid a snare for me,

Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts.

111 kYour testimonies I have taken as a 1heritage forever,

For they are the rejoicing of my heart.

112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes

Forever, to the very end.

ס Samek

113 I hate the 2double-minded,

But I love Your law.

114 lYou are my hiding place and my shield;

I hope in Your word.

115 mDepart from me, you evildoers,

For I will keep the commandments of my God!

116 Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live;

And do not let me nbe ashamed of my hope.

117 3Hold me up, and I shall be safe,

And I shall observe Your statutes continually.

118 You reject all those who stray from Your statutes,

For their deceit is falsehood.

119 You 4put away all the wicked of the earth olike 5dross;

Therefore I love Your testimonies.

120 pMy flesh trembles for fear of You,

And I am afraid of Your judgments.

ע Ayin

121 I have done justice and righteousness;

Do not leave me to my oppressors.

122 Be qsurety 6for Your servant for good;

Do not let the proud oppress me.

123 My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation

And Your righteous word.

124 Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy,

And teach me Your statutes.

125 rI am Your servant;

Give me understanding,

That I may know Your testimonies.

126 It is time for You to act, O Lord,

For they have 7regarded Your law as void.

127 sTherefore I love Your commandments

More than gold, yes, than fine gold!

128 Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things

I consider to be right;

I hate every false way.

פ‍ Pe

129 Your testimonies are wonderful;

Therefore my soul keeps them.

130 The entrance of Your words gives light;

tIt gives understanding to the usimple.

131 I opened my mouth and vpanted,

For I longed for Your commandments.

132 wLook upon me and be merciful to me,

xAs Your custom is toward those who love Your name.

133 yDirect my steps by Your word,

And zlet no …