Psalms 119

Meditations and Prayers Relating to the Law of God.

Aleph.

1How blessed are those whose way is 12blameless, Who 3walk in the law of the Lord.2How blessed are those who 4observe His testimonies, Who 5seek Him 6with all their heart.3They also 7do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways.4You have 89ordained Your precepts, 10That we should keep them diligently.5Oh that my 11ways may be established To 12keep Your statutes!6Then I 13shall not be ashamed When I look 14upon all Your commandments.7I shall 15give thanks to You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments.8I shall keep Your statutes; Do not 16forsake me utterly!

Beth.

9How can a young man keep his way pure? By 17keeping it according to Your word.10With 18all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me 19wander from Your commandments.11Your word I have 20treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.12Blessed are You, O Lord; 21Teach me Your statutes.13With my lips I have 22told of All the 23ordinances of Your mouth.14I have 24rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, 25As much as in all riches.15I will 26meditate on Your precepts And 27regard 28Your ways.16I shall 2930delight in Your statutes; I shall 31not forget Your word.

Gimel.

1732Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word.18Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.19I am a 33stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me.20My soul is crushed 3435with longing After Your ordinances at all times.21You 36rebuke the arrogant, 37the 38cursed, Who 39wander from Your commandments.2240Take away reproach and contempt from me, For I 41observe Your testimonies.23Even though 42princes sit and talk against me, Your servant 43meditates on Your statutes.24Your testimonies also are my 44delight; They are 45my counselors.

Daleth.

25My 46soul cleaves to the dust; 47Revive me 48according to Your word.26I have told of my ways, and You have answered me; 49Teach me Your statutes.27Make me understand the way of Your precepts, So I will 50meditate on Your wonders.28My 51soul 52weeps because of grief; 53Strengthen me according to Your word.29Remove the false way from me, And graciously grant me Your law.30I have chosen the faithful way; I have 54placed Your ordinances before me.31I 55cling to Your testimonies; O Lord, do not put me to shame!32I shall run the way of Your commandments, For You will 56enlarge my heart.

He.

3357Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, And I shall observe it to the end.3458Give me understanding, that I may 59observe Your law And keep it 60with all my heart.35Make me walk in the 61path of Your commandments, For I 62delight in it.3663Incline my heart to Your testimonies And not to 64dishonest gain.37Turn away my 65eyes from looking at vanity, And 66revive me in Your ways.3867Establish Your 68word to Your servant, 69As that which produces reverence for You.3970Turn away my reproach which I dread, For Your ordinances are good.40Behold, I 71long for Your precepts; Revive me through Your righteousness.

Vav.

41May Your 72lovingkindnesses also come to me, O Lord, Your salvation 73according to Your 74word;42So I will have an 75answer for him who 76reproaches me, For I trust in Your word.43And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, For I 7778wait for Your ordinances.44So I will 79keep Your law continually, Forever and ever.45And I will 80walk 81at liberty, For I 82seek Your precepts.46I will also speak of Your testimonies 83before kings And shall not be ashamed.47I shall 8485delight in Your commandments, Which I 86love.48And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, Which I 87love; And I will 88meditate on Your statutes.

Zayin.

49Remember the word to Your servant, 89In which You have made me hope.50This is my 90comfort in my affliction, That Your word has 91revived me.51The arrogant 92utterly deride me, Yet I do not 93turn aside from Your law.52I have 94remembered Your ordinances from 95of old, O Lord, And comfort myself.53Burning 96indignation has seized me because of the wicked, Who 97forsake Your law.54Your statutes are my songs In the house of my 98pilgrimage.55O Lord, I 99remember Your name 100in the night, And keep Your law.56This has become mine, 101That I 102observe Your precepts.

Heth.

57The Lord is my 103portion; I have 104promised to 105keep Your words.58I 106sought Your favor 107with all my heart; 108Be gracious to me 109according to Your 110word.59I 111considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies.60I hastened and did not delay To keep Your commandments.61The 112cords of the wicked have encircled me, But I have 113not forgotten Your law.62At 114midnight I shall rise to give thanks to You Because of Your 115righteous ordinances.63I am a 116companion of all those who 117fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.64118The earth is full of Your lovingkindness, O Lord; 119Teach me Your statutes.

Teth.

65You have dealt well with Your servant, O Lord, according to Your word.66Teach me good 120121discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments.67122Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.68You are 123good and 124do good; 125Teach me Your statutes.69The arrogant 126have 127forged a lie against me; With all my heart I will 128observe Your precepts.70Their heart is 129130covered with fat, But I 131delight in Your law.71It is 132good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.72The 133law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Yodh.

73134Your hands made me and 135fashioned me; 136Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.74May those who 137fear You 138see me and be glad, Because I 139140wait for Your word.75I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are 141righteous, And that 142in faithfulness You have afflicted me.76O may Your lovingkindness 143comfort me, According to Your 144word to Your servant.77May 145Your compassion come to me that I may live, For Your law is my 146delight.78May 147the arrogant be ashamed, for they subvert me 148with a lie; But I shall 149meditate on Your precepts.79May those who 150fear You turn to me, Even those who know Your testimonies.80May my heart be 151152blameless in Your statutes, So that I will not 153be ashamed.

Kaph.

81My 154soul languishes for Your salvation; I 155156wait for Your word.82My 157eyes fail with longing for Your 158word, 159While I say, “When will You comfort me?”83Though I have 160become like a wineskin in the smoke, I do 161not forget Your statutes.84How many are the 162days of Your servant? When will You 163execute judgment on those who persecute me?85The arrogant have 164dug pits for me, Men who are not 165in accord with Your law.86All Your commandments are 166faithful; They have 167persecuted me with a lie; 168help me!87They almost destroyed me 169on earth, But as for me, I 170did not forsake Your precepts.88Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

Lamedh.

89171Forever, O Lord, Your word 172is settled in heaven.90Your 173faithfulness continues 174throughout all generations; You 175established the earth, and it 176stands.91They stand this day according to Your 177ordinances, For 178all things are Your servants.92If Your law had not been my 179delight, Then I would have perished 180in my affliction.93I will 181never forget Your precepts, For by them You have 182183revived me.94I am Yours, 184save me; For I have 185sought Your precepts.95The wicked 186wait for me to destroy me; I shall diligently consider Your testimonies.96I have seen 187a limit to all perfection; Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

Mem.

97O how I 188love Your law! It is my 189meditation all the day.98Your 190commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever 191mine.99I have more insight than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my 192meditation.100I understand 193more than the aged, Because I have 194observed Your precepts.101I have 195restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word.102I have not 196turned aside from Your ordinances, For You Yourself have taught me.103How 197sweet are Your 198words to my 199taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!104From Your precepts I 200get understanding; Therefore I 201hate every false way.

Nun.

105Your word is a 202lamp to my feet And a light to my path.106I have 203sworn and I will confirm it, That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.107I am exceedingly 204afflicted; 205206Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word.108O accept the 207freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, And 208teach me Your ordinances.109My 209210life is continually 211in my hand, Yet I do not 212forget Your law.110The wicked have 213laid a snare for me, Yet I have not 214gone astray from Your precepts.111I have 215inherited Your testimonies forever, For they are the 216joy of my heart.112I have 217inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, even 218to the end.

Samekh.

113I hate those who are 219double-minded, But I love Your 220law.114You are my 221hiding place and my 222shield; I 223224wait for Your word.115225Depart from me, evildoers, That I may 226observe the commandments of my God.116227Sustain me according to Your 228word, that I may live; And 229do not let me be 230ashamed of my hope.117Uphold me that I may be 231safe, That I may 232have regard for Your statutes continually.118You have 233rejected all those 234who wander from Your statutes, For their deceitfulness is 235useless.119You have 236removed all the wicked of the earth like 237dross; Therefore I 238love Your testimonies.120My flesh 239240trembles for fear of You, And I am 241afraid of Your judgments.

Ayin.

121I have 242done justice and righteousness; Do not leave me to my oppressors.122Be 243surety for Your servant for good; Do not let the arrogant 244oppress me.123My 245eyes fail with longing for Your salvation And for Your righteous 246word.124Deal with Your servant 247according to Your lovingkindness And 248teach me Your statutes.125249I am Your servant; 250give me understanding, That I may know Your testimonies.126It is time for the Lord to 251act, For they have broken Your law.127Therefore I 252love Your commandments Above gold, yes, above fine gold.128Therefore I esteem right all Your 253precepts concerning everything, I 254hate every false way.

Pe.

129Your testimonies are 255wonderful; Therefore my soul 256observes them.130The 257unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives 258understanding to the simple.131I 259opened my mouth wide and 260panted, For I 261longed for Your commandments.132262Turn to me and be gracious to me, After Your manner 263with those who love Your name.133Establish my 264footsteps in Your 265word, And do not let any iniquity 266have dominion over me.134267Redeem me from the oppression of man, That I may keep Your precepts.135268Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And 269teach me Your statutes.136My eyes 270shed 271streams of water, Because they 272do not keep Your law.

Tsadhe.

137273Righteous are You, O Lord, And upright are Your judgments.138You have commanded Your testimonies in 274righteousness And exceeding 275faithfulness.139My 276zeal has 277consumed me, Because my adversaries have forgotten Your words.140Your 278279word is very 280pure, Therefore Your servant 281loves it.141I am small and 282despised, Yet I do not 283forget Your precepts.142Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And 284Your law is truth.143Trouble and anguish have 285come upon me, Yet Your commandments are my 286delight.144Your 287testimonies are righteous forever; 288Give me understanding that I may live.

Qoph.

145I cried 289with all my heart; answer me, O Lord! I will 290observe Your statutes.146I cried to You; 291save me And I shall keep Your testimonies.147I 292293rise before dawn and cry for help; I 294wait for Your words.148My eyes anticipate the 295night watches, That I may 296meditate on Your 297word.149Hear my voice 298according to Your lovingkindness; 299Revive me, O Lord, according to Your ordinances.150Those who follow after wickedness draw near; They are far from Your law.151You are 300near, O Lord, And all Your commandments are 301truth.152Of old I have 302known from Your testimonies That You have founded them 303forever.

Resh.

153304Look upon my 305affliction and rescue me, For I do not 306forget Your law.154307Plead my cause and 308redeem me; Revive me according to Your 309word.155Salvation is 310far from the wicked, For they 311do not seek Your statutes.156312313Great are Your mercies, O Lord; Revive me according to Your ordinances.157Many are my 314persecutors and my adversaries, Yet I do not 315turn aside from Your testimonies.158I behold the 316treacherous and 317loathe them, Because they do not keep Your 318word.159Consider how I 319love Your precepts; 320Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.160The 321sum of Your word is 322truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances 323is everlasting.

Shin.

161324Princes persecute me without cause, But my heart 325stands in awe of Your words.162I 326rejoice at Your 327word, As one who 328finds great spoil.163I 329hate and despise falsehood, But I 330love Your law.164Seven times a day I praise You, Because of Your 331righteous ordinances.165Those who love Your law have 332great peace, And 333334nothing causes them to stumble.166I 335hope for Your salvation, O Lord, And do Your commandments.167My 336soul keeps Your testimonies, And I 337love them exceedingly.168I 338keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, For all my 339ways are before You.

Tav.

169Let my 340cry 341come before You, O Lord; 342Give me understanding 343according to Your word.170Let my 344supplication come before You; 345Deliver me according to Your 346word.171Let my 347lips utter praise, For You 348teach me Your statutes.172Let my 349tongue sing of Your 350word, For all Your 351commandments are righteousness.173Let Your 352hand be 353ready to help me, For I have 354chosen Your precepts.174I 355long for Your salvation, O Lord, And Your law is my 356delight.175Let my 357soul live that it may praise You, And let Your ordinances help me.176I have 358gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, For I do 359not forget Your commandments.