Psalm 119

Psalm 119

DELIGHT IN GOD’S WORD

א Aleph

¹How^A happy are those whose way is blameless,^b

who walk according to the Lord’s instruction!^c

²Happy are those who keep his decrees^d

and seek him with all their heart.^e

³They do nothing wrong;^f

they walk in his ways.

⁴You have commanded that your precepts^g

be diligently kept.

⁵If only my ways were committed

to keeping your statutes!^h

⁶Then I would not be ashamedⁱ

when I think about all your commands.

⁷I will praise you with an upright heart^j

when I learn your righteous judgments.

⁸I will keep your statutes;

never abandon me.^k

ב Beth

⁹How can a young man keep his way pure?

By keeping your^B word.^l

¹⁰I have sought you with all my heart;^m

don’t let me wander from your commands.ⁿ

¹¹I have treasured your word in my heart^o

so that I may not sin against you.

¹²Lord, may you be blessed;

teach me your statutes.^p

¹³With my lips I proclaim

all the judgments from your mouth.^q

¹⁴I rejoice in the way revealed by your decrees^r

as much as in all riches.

¹⁵I will meditate on your precepts^s

and think about your ways.^t

¹⁶I will delight in your statutes;^u

I will not forget your word.

ג Gimel

¹⁷Deal generously with your servant^v

so that I might live;

then I will keep your word.

¹⁸Open my eyes so that I may contemplate

wondrous things from your instruction.

¹⁹I am a resident alien on earth;^w

do not hide your commands from me.

²⁰I am continually overcome

with longing for your judgments.^x

²¹You rebuke the arrogant,

the ones under a curse,^y

who wander from your commands.^z

²²Take insult and contempt away from me,^aa

for I have kept your decrees.

²³Though princes sit together speaking against me,^ab

your servant will think about your statutes;^ac

²⁴your decrees are my delight

and my counselors.^ad

ד Daleth

²⁵My life is down in the dust;^ae

give me life^af through your word.

²⁶I told you about my life,

and you answered me;

teach me your statutes.^ag

²⁷Help me understand

the meaning of your precepts

so that I can meditate on your wonders.^ah

²⁸I am weary^A from grief;

strengthen me through your word.^ai

²⁹Keep me from the way of deceit

and graciously give me your instruction.

³⁰I have chosen the way of truth;

I have set your ordinances before me.^aj

³¹I cling to your decrees;

Lord, do not put me to shame.^ak

³²I pursue the way of your commands,

for you broaden my understanding.^Bal

ה He

³³Teach me, Lord, the meaning^C of your statutes,

and I will always keep them.^Dam

³⁴Help me understand your instruction,^an

and I will obey it

and follow it with all my heart.^a

³⁵Help me stay on the path of your commands,^b

for I take pleasure in it.^c

³⁶Turn my heart to your decrees^d

and not to dishonest profit.^e

³⁷Turn my eyes

from looking at what is worthless;^f

give me life in your ways.^Eg

³⁸Confirm what you said to your servant,^h

for it produces reverence for you.

³⁹Turn away the disgrace I dread;ⁱ

indeed, your judgments are good.

⁴⁰How I long for your precepts!^j

Give me life through your righteousness.

ו Waw

⁴¹Let your faithful love come to me, Lord,^k

your salvation, as you promised.^l

⁴²Then I can answer the one who taunts me,^m

for I trust in your word.

⁴³Never take the word of truth from my mouth,

for I hope in your judgments.ⁿ

⁴⁴I will always obey your instruction,

forever and ever.^o

⁴⁵I will walk freely in an open place^p

because I study your precepts.^q

⁴⁶I will speak of your decrees before kings

and not be ashamed.^r

⁴⁷I delight in your commands,

which I love.^s

⁴⁸I will lift up my hands^t to your commands,

which I love,

and will meditate on your statutes.^u

ז Zayin

⁴⁹Remember your word to your servant;

you have given me hope through it.

⁵⁰This is my comfort in my affliction:^v

Your promise has given me life.

⁵¹The arrogant constantly ridicule me,

but I do not turn away from your instruction.^w

⁵²Lord, I remember your judgments from long ago

and find comfort.

⁵³Fury seizes me^x because of the wicked

who reject your instruction.^y

⁵⁴Your statutes are the theme of my song

during my earthly life.^A

⁵⁵Lord, I remember your name^z in the night,^aa

and I obey your instruction.

⁵⁶This is my practice:

I obey your precepts.^ab

ח Cheth

⁵⁷The Lord is my portion;^Bac

I have promised to keep your words.

⁵⁸I have sought your favor^ad with all my heart;

be gracious to me^ae according to your promise.

⁵⁹I thought about my ways^af

and turned my steps back to your decrees.

⁶⁰I hurried, not hesitating

to keep your commands.

⁶¹Though the ropes of the wicked^ag

were wrapped around me,

I did not forget your instruction.^ah

⁶²I rise at midnight to thank you^ai

for your righteous judgments.^aj

⁶³I am a friend to all who fear you,^ak

to those who keep your precepts.

⁶⁴Lord, the earth is filled with your faithful love;^al

teach me your statutes.^am

ט Teth

⁶⁵Lord, you have treated your servant well,

just as you promised.

⁶⁶Teach me good judgment and discernment,^an

for I rely on your commands.

⁶⁷Before I was afflicted I went astray,^ao

but now I keep your word.

⁶⁸You are good,^ap and you do what is good;^aq

teach me your statutes.

⁶⁹The arrogant have smeared me with lies,^ar

but I obey your precepts with all my heart.^as

⁷⁰Their hearts are hard and insensitive,^at

but I delight in your instruction.^au

⁷¹It was good for me to be afflicted^av

so that I could learn your statutes.

⁷²Instruction from your lips^aw is better for me

than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

י Yod

⁷³Your hands made me and formed me;^a

give me understanding

so that I can learn your commands.^b

⁷⁴Those who fear you will see me and rejoice,^c

for I put my hope in your word.^d

⁷⁵I know, Lord, that your judgments are just

and that you have afflicted me fairly.^e

⁷⁶May your faithful love comfort me

as you promised your servant.

⁷⁷May your compassion come to me^f

so that I may live,

for your instruction is my delight.^g

⁷⁸Let the arrogant be put to shame^h

for slandering me with lies;

I will meditate on your precepts.

⁷⁹Let those who fear you,

those who know your decrees, turn to me.

⁸⁰May my heart be blameless regarding your statutesⁱ

so that I will not be put to shame.

כ Kaph

⁸¹I long for your salvation;^j

I put my hope in your word.^k

⁸²My eyes grow weary

looking for what you have promised;^l

I ask, “When will you comfort me?”

⁸³Though I have become like a wineskin dried by smoke,

I do not forget your statutes.

⁸⁴How many days must your servant wait?

When will you execute judgment on my persecutors?^m

⁸⁵The arrogant have dug pits for me;ⁿ

they violate your instruction.

⁸⁶All your commands are true;

people persecute me with lies—help me!^o

⁸⁷They almost ended my life on earth,

but I did not abandon your precepts.

⁸⁸Give me life in accordance with your faithful love,

and I will obey the decree you have spoken.

ל Lamed

⁸⁹Lord, your word is forever;^p

it is firmly fixed in heaven.

⁹⁰Your faithfulness is for all generations;^q

you established the earth, and it stands firm.^r

⁹¹Your judgments stand firm today,^s

for all things are your servants.^t

⁹²If your instruction had not been my delight,

I would have died in my affliction.^u

⁹³I will never forget your precepts,

for you have given me life through them.^v

⁹⁴I am yours; save me,^w

for I have studied your precepts.^x

⁹⁵The wicked hope to destroy me,^y

but I contemplate your decrees.

⁹⁶I have seen a limit to all perfection,

but your command is without limit.

מ Mem

⁹⁷How I love your instruction!^z

It is my meditation all day long.^aa

⁹⁸Your command makes me wiser than my enemies,^ab

for it is always with me.

⁹⁹I have more insight than all my teachers

because your decrees are my meditation.^ac

¹⁰⁰I understand more than the elders^ad

because I obey your precepts.^ae

¹⁰¹I have kept my feet from every evil path^af

to follow your word.

¹⁰²I have not turned from your judgments,^ag

for you yourself have instructed me.

¹⁰³How sweet your word is^ah to my taste—

sweeter than honey in my mouth.

¹⁰⁴I gain understanding from your precepts;^ai

therefore I hate every false way.^aj

נ Nun

¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp for my feet^ak

and a light on my path.

¹⁰⁶I have solemnly sworn^al

to keep your righteous judgments.

¹⁰⁷I am severely afflicted;

Lord, give me life according to your word.^am

¹⁰⁸Lord, please accept my freewill offerings of praise,^an

and teach me your judgments.^ao

¹⁰⁹My life is constantly in danger,^A

yet I do not forget your instruction.^a

¹¹⁰The wicked have set a trap for me,^b

but I have not wandered from your precepts.^c

¹¹¹I have your decrees as a heritage forever;

indeed, they are the joy of my heart.^d

¹¹²I am resolved to obey your statutes

to the very end.^Be

ס Samek

¹¹³I hate those who are double-minded,^f

but I love your instruction.^g

¹¹⁴You are my shelter and my shield;^h

I put my hope in your word.ⁱ

¹¹⁵Depart from me,^j you evil ones,

so that I may obey my God’s commands.^k

¹¹⁶Sustain me as you promised,^l and I will live;

do not let me be ashamed of my hope.^m

¹¹⁷Sustain me so that I can be safeⁿ

and always be concerned about your statutes.^o

¹¹⁸You reject all who stray from your statutes,^p

for their deceit is a lie.

¹¹⁹You remove all the wicked on earth

as if they were^C dross from metal;^q

therefore, I love your decrees.^r

¹²⁰I tremble^D in awe of you;^s

I fear your judgments.

ע Ayin

¹²¹I have done what is just and right;^t

do not leave me to my oppressors.

¹²²Guarantee your servant’s well-being;^u

do not let the arrogant oppress me.

¹²³My eyes grow weary^v looking for your salvation

and for your righteous promise.

¹²⁴Deal with your servant based on your faithful love;^w

teach me your statutes.

¹²⁵I am your servant;^x give me understanding^y

so that I may know your decrees.

¹²⁶It is time for the Lord to act,^z

for they have violated your instruction.

¹²⁷Since I love your commands^aa

more than gold, even the purest gold,

¹²⁸I carefully follow all your precepts^ab

and hate every false way.^ac

פ Pe

¹²⁹Your decrees are wondrous;^ad

therefore I obey them.^ae

¹³⁰The revelation of your words^af brings light

and gives understanding to the inexperienced.^ag

¹³¹I open my mouth and pant^ah

because I long for your commands.

¹³²…