New English Translation

Psalms 119:1-16

1 1How blessed are those whose actions are blameless, who obey the law of the Lord.

2How blessed are those who observe his rules, and seek him with all their heart,

3who, moreover, do no wrong, but follow in his footsteps.

4You demand that your precepts be carefully kept.

5If only I were predisposed to keep your statutes!

6Then I would not be ashamed, if I were focused on all your commands.

7I will give you sincere thanks, when I learn your just regulations.

8I will keep your statutes. Do not completely abandon me! ב (Bet)

9How can a young person maintain a pure life? By guarding it according to your instructions!

10With all my heart I seek you. Do not allow me to stray from your commands!

11In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you.

12You deserve praise, O Lord! Teach me your statutes!

13With my lips I proclaim all the regulations you have revealed.

14I rejoice in the lifestyle prescribed by your rules as if they were riches of all kinds.

15I will meditate on your precepts and focus on your behavior.

16I find delight in your statutes; I do not forget your instructions. ג (Gimel)

Notes

1. Psalms 119:1 Psalm 119. The psalmist celebrates God’s law and the guidance it provides his people. He expresses his desire to know God’s law thoroughly so that he might experience the blessings that come to those who obey it. This lengthy psalm exhibits an elaborate acrostic pattern. The psalm is divided into twenty-two sections (corresponding to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet), each of which is comprised of eight verses. Each of the verses in the first section (vv. 1-8) begins with the letter alef (א), the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This pattern continues throughout the psalm as each new section highlights a successive letter of the alphabet. Each verse in section two (vv. 9-16) begins with the second letter of the alphabet, each verse in section three (vv. 17-24) with the third letter, etc. This rigid pattern creates a sense of order and completeness and may have facilitated memorization. ↩