Psalm 119 (New American Standard)

Meditations and Prayers Relating to the Law of God.

Aleph.

1 How blessed are those whose way is ^a1blameless, Who ²walk in the law of the LORD. 2 How blessed are those who ³observe His testimonies, Who ⁴seek Him ⁵with all their heart. 3 They also ⁶do no unrighteousness ; They walk in His ways. 4 You have ^b7ordained Your precepts, ^cThat we should keep them diligently. 5 Oh that my ⁸ways may be established To ⁹keep Your statutes ! 6 Then I ¹⁰shall not be ashamed When I look ^dupon all Your commandments. 7 I shall ¹¹give thanks to You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments. 8 I shall keep Your statutes ; Do not ¹²forsake me utterly ! Beth.

Beth.

9 How can a young man keep his way pure ? By ¹³keeping it according to Your word. 10 With ¹⁴all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me ¹⁵wander from Your commandments. 11 Your word I have ¹⁶treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. 12 Blessed are You, O LORD ; ¹⁷Teach me Your statutes. 13 With my lips I have ¹⁸told of All the ¹⁹ordinances of Your mouth. 14 I have ²⁰rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, ^eAs much as in all riches. 15 I will ²¹meditate on Your precepts And ^fregard ²²Your ways. 16 I shall ^g23delight in Your statutes ; I shall ²⁴not forget Your word. Gimel.

Gimel.

17 ²⁵Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word. 18 Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. 19 I am a ²⁶stranger in the earth ; Do not hide Your commandments from me. 20 My soul is crushed ^h27with longing After Your ordinances at all times. 21 You ²⁸rebuke the arrogant, ⁱthe ²⁹cursed, Who ³⁰wander from Your commandments. 22 ³¹Take away reproach and contempt from me, For I ³²observe Your testimonies. 23 Even though ³³princes sit and talk against me, Your servant ³⁴meditates on Your statutes. 24 Your testimonies also are my ³⁵delight ; They are ^jmy counselors . Daleth.

Daleth.

25 My ³⁶soul cleaves to the dust ; ³⁷Revive me ³⁸according to Your word. 26 I have told of my ways, and You have answered me; ³⁹Teach me Your statutes. 27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts, So I will ⁴⁰meditate on Your wonders. 28 My ⁴¹soul ^kweeps because of grief ; ⁴²Strengthen me according to Your word. 29 Remove the false way from me, And graciously grant me Your law. 30 I have chosen the faithful way ; I have ^lplaced Your ordinances before me. 31 I ⁴³cling to Your testimonies ; O LORD, do not put me to shame ! 32 I shall run the way of Your commandments, For You will ⁴⁴enlarge my heart. He.

He.

33 ⁴⁵Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall observe it to the end. 34 ⁴⁶Give me understanding, that I may ⁴⁷observe Your law And keep it ⁴⁸with all my heart. 35 Make me walk in the ⁴⁹path of Your commandments, For I ⁵⁰delight in it. 36 ⁵¹Incline my heart to Your testimonies And not to ⁵²dishonest gain. 37 Turn away my ⁵³eyes from looking at vanity, And ⁵⁴revive me in Your ways. 38 ⁵⁵Establish Your ^mword to Your servant, ⁿAs that which produces reverence for You. 39 ⁵⁶Turn away my reproach which I dread, For Your ordinances are good. 40 Behold, I ⁵⁷long for Your precepts ; Revive me through Your righteousness. Vav.

Vav.

41 May Your ⁵⁸lovingkindnesses also come to me, O LORD, Your salvation ⁵⁹according to Your ^oword ; 42 So I will have an ⁶⁰answer for him who ⁶¹reproaches me, For I trust in Your word. 43 And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, For I ^p62wait for Your ordinances. 44 So I will ⁶³keep Your law continually, Forever and ever. 45 And I will ⁶⁴walk ^qat liberty, For I ⁶⁵seek Your precepts. 46 I will also speak of Your testimonies ⁶⁶before kings And shall not be ashamed. 47 I shall ^r67delight in Your commandments, Which I ⁶⁸love. 48 And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, Which I ⁶⁹love ; And I will ⁷⁰meditate on Your statutes. Zayin.

Zayin.

49 Remember the word to Your servant, ^sIn which You have made me hope. 50 This is my ⁷¹comfort in my affliction, That Your word has ^trevived me. 51 The arrogant ⁷²utterly deride me, Yet I do not ⁷³turn aside from Your law. 52 I have ⁷⁴remembered Your ordinances from ^uof old, O LORD, And comfort myself. 53 Burning ⁷⁵indignation has seized me because of the wicked, Who ⁷⁶forsake Your law. 54 Your statutes are my songs In the house of my ⁷⁷pilgrimage. 55 O LORD, I ⁷⁸remember Your name ⁷⁹in the night, And keep Your law. 56 This has become mine, ^vThat I ⁸⁰observe Your precepts. Heth.

Heth.

57 The LORD is my ⁸¹portion ; I have ^wpromised to ⁸²keep Your words. 58 I ⁸³sought Your favor ⁸⁴with all my heart ; ⁸⁵Be gracious to me ⁸⁶according to Your ^xword. 59 I ⁸⁷considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies. 60 I hastened and did not delay To keep Your commandments. 61 The ⁸⁸cords of the wicked have encircled me, But I have ⁸⁹not forgotten Your law. 62 At ⁹⁰midnight I shall rise to give thanks to You Because of Your ⁹¹righteous ordinances. 63 I am a ⁹²companion of all those who ^yfear You, And of those who keep Your precepts. 64 ⁹³The earth is full of Your lovingkindness, O LORD ; ⁹⁴Teach me Your statutes. Teth.

Teth.

65 You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word. 66 Teach me good ^z95discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments. 67 ⁹⁶Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. 68 You are ⁹⁷good and ⁹⁸do good ; ⁹⁹Teach me Your statutes. 69 The arrogant ^aahave ¹⁰⁰forged a lie against me; With all my heart I will ¹⁰¹observe Your precepts. 70 Their heart is ^bb102covered with fat, But I ¹⁰³delight in Your law. 71 It is ¹⁰⁴good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. 72 The ¹⁰⁵law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver pieces. Yodh.

Yodh.

73 ¹⁰⁶Your hands made me and ^ccfashioned me; ¹⁰⁷Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments. 74 May those who ^ddfear You ¹⁰⁸see me and be glad, Because I ^ee109wait for Your word. 75 I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are ¹¹⁰righteous, And that ¹¹¹in faithfulness You have afflicted me. 76 O may Your lovingkindness ^ffcomfort me, According to Your ^ggword to Your servant. 77 May ¹¹²Your compassion come to me that I may live, For Your law is my ¹¹³delight. 78 May ¹¹⁴the arrogant be ashamed, for they subvert me ¹¹⁵with a lie ; But I shall ¹¹⁶meditate on Your precepts. 79 May those who ^hhfear You turn to me, Even those who know Your testimonies. 80 May my heart be ⁱⁱ¹¹⁷blameless in Your statutes, So that I will not ¹¹⁸be ashamed. Kaph.

Kaph.

81 My ¹¹⁹soul languishes for Your salvation ; I ^jj120wait for Your word. 82 My ¹²¹eyes fail with longing for Your ^kkword, ^llWhile I say, "When will You comfort me?" 83 Though I have ¹²²become like a wineskin in the smoke, I do ¹²³not forget Your statutes. 84 How many are the ¹²⁴days of Your servant ? When will You ¹²⁵execute judgment on those who persecute me? 85 The arrogant have ¹²⁶dug pits for me, Men who are not ^mmin accord with Your law. 86 All Your commandments are ¹²⁷faithful ; They have ¹²⁸persecuted me with a lie ; ¹²⁹help me! 87 They almost destroyed me ⁿⁿon earth, But as for me, I ¹³⁰did not forsake Your precepts. 88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth. Lamedh.

Lamedh.

89 ¹³¹Forever, O LORD, Your word ^oois settled in heaven. 90 Your ¹³²faithfulness continues ^ppthroughout all generations ; You ¹³³established the earth, and it ¹³⁴stands. 91 They stand this day according to Your ¹³⁵ordinances, For ¹³⁶all things are Your servants. 92 If Your law had not been my ¹³⁷delight, Then I would have perished ¹³⁸in my affliction. 93 I will ¹³⁹never forget Your precepts, For by them You have ^qq140revived me. 94 I am Yours, ¹⁴¹save me; For I have ¹⁴²sought Your precepts. 95 The wicked ¹⁴³wait for me to destroy me; I shall diligently consider Your testimonies. 96 I have seen ^rra limit to all perfection ; Your commandment is exceedingly broad. Mem.

Mem.

97 O how I ¹⁴⁴love Your law ! It is my ¹⁴⁵meditation all the day. 98 Your ¹⁴⁶commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever ^ssmine. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my ¹⁴⁷meditation. 100 I understand ¹⁴⁸more than the aged, Because I have ¹⁴⁹observed Your precepts. 101 I have ¹⁵⁰restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word. 102 I have not ¹⁵¹turned aside from Your ordinances, For You Yourself have taught me. 103 How ¹⁵²sweet are Your ^ttwords to my ^uutaste ! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth ! 104 From Your precepts I ¹⁵³get understanding ; Therefore I ¹⁵⁴hate every false way. Nun.

Nun.

105 Your word is a ¹⁵⁵lamp to my feet And a light to my path. 106 I have ¹⁵⁶sworn and I will confirm it, That I will keep Your righteous ordinances. 107 I am exceedingly ¹⁵⁷afflicted ; ^vv158Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word. 108 O accept the ¹⁵⁹freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, And ¹⁶⁰teach me Your ordinances. 109 My ^ww161life is continually ^xxin my hand, Yet I do not ¹⁶²forget Your law. 110 The wicked have ¹⁶³laid a snare for me, Yet I have not ¹⁶⁴gone astray from Your precepts. 111 I have ¹⁶⁵inherited Your testimonies forever, For they are the ¹⁶⁶joy of my heart. 112 I have ¹⁶⁷inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, even ¹⁶⁸to the end. Samekh.

Samekh.

113 I hate those who are ¹⁶⁹double-minded, But I love Your ¹⁷⁰law. 114 You are my ¹⁷¹hiding place and my ¹⁷²shield ; I ^yy173wait for Your word. 115 ¹⁷⁴Depart from me, evildoers, That I may ¹⁷⁵observe the commandments of my God. 116 ¹⁷⁶Sustain me according to Your ^zzword, that I may live ; And ¹⁷⁷do not let me be ⁵²ashamed of my hope. 117 Uphold me that I may be ¹⁷⁸safe, That I may ¹⁷⁹have regard for Your statutes continually. 118 You have ⁵³rejected all those ¹⁸⁰who wander from Your statutes, For their deceitfulness is ⁵⁴useless. 119 You have ⁵⁵removed all the wicked of the earth like ¹⁸¹dross ; Therefore I ¹⁸²love Your testimonies. 120 My flesh ⁵⁶¹⁸³trembles for fear of You, And I am ¹⁸⁴afraid of Your judgments. Ayin.

Ayin.

121 I have ¹⁸⁵done justice and righteousness ; Do not leave me to my oppressors. 122 Be ¹⁸⁶surety for Your servant for good ; Do not let the arrogant ¹⁸⁷oppress me. 123 My ¹⁸⁸eyes fail with longing for Your salvation And for Your righteous ⁵⁷word. 124 Deal with Your servant ¹⁸⁹according to Your lovingkindness And ¹⁹⁰teach me Your statutes. 125 ¹⁹¹I am Your servant ; ¹⁹²give me understanding, That I may know Your testimonies. 126 It is time for the LORD to ¹⁹³act, For they have broken Your law. 127 Therefore I ¹⁹⁴love Your commandments Above gold, yes, above fine gold. 128 Therefore I esteem right all Your ¹⁹⁵precepts concerning everything, I ¹⁹⁶hate every false way. Pe.

Pe.

129 Your testimonies are ¹⁹⁷wonderful ; Therefore my soul ¹⁹⁸observes them. 130 The ¹⁹⁹unfolding of Your words gives light ; It gives ²⁰⁰understanding to the simple. 131 I ²⁰¹opened my mouth wide and ²⁰²panted, For I ²⁰³longed for Your commandments. 132 ²⁰⁴Turn to me and be gracious to me, After Your manner ⁵⁸with those who love Your name. 133 Establish my ²⁰⁵footsteps in Your ⁵⁹word, And do not let any iniquity ²⁰⁶have dominion over me. 134 ²⁰⁷Redeem me from the oppression of man, That I may keep Your precepts. 135 ²⁰⁸Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And ²⁰⁹teach me Your statutes. 136 My eyes ⁶⁰shed ²¹⁰streams of water, Because they ²¹¹do not keep Your law. Tsadhe.

Tsadhe.

137 ²¹²Righteous are You, O LORD, And upright are Your judgments. 138 You have commanded Your testimonies in ²¹³righteousness And exceeding ²¹⁴faithfulness. 139 My ²¹⁵zeal has ⁶¹consumed me, Because my adversaries have forgotten Your words. 140 Your ⁶²²¹⁶word is very ⁶³pure, Therefore Your servant ²¹⁷loves it. 141 I am small and ²¹⁸despised, Yet I do not ²¹⁹forget Your precepts. 142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And ²²⁰Your law is truth. 143 Trouble and anguish have ⁶⁴come upon me, Yet Your commandments are my ²²¹delight. 144 Your ²²²testimonies are righteous forever ; ²²³Give me understanding that I may live. Qoph.

Qoph.

145 I cried ²²⁴with all my heart ; answer me, O LORD ! I will ²²⁵observe Your statutes. 146 I cried to You; ²²⁶save me And I shall keep Your testimonies. 147 I ⁶⁵²²⁷rise before dawn and cry for help ; I ⁶⁶wait for Your words. 148 My eyes anticipate the ²²⁸night watches, That I may ²²⁹meditate on Your ⁶⁷word. 149 Hear my voice ²³⁰according to Your lovingkindness ; ²³¹Revive me, O LORD, according to Your ordinances. 150 Those who follow after wickedness draw near ; They are far from Your law. 151 You are ²³²near, O LORD, And all Your commandments are ²³³truth. 152 Of old I have ²³⁴known from Your testimonies That You have founded them ²³⁵forever. Resh.

Resh.

153 ²³⁶Look upon my ²³⁷affliction and rescue me, For I do not ²³⁸forget Your law. 154 ²³⁹Plead my cause and ²⁴⁰redeem me; Revive me according to Your ⁶⁸word. 155 Salvation is ²⁴¹far from the wicked, For they ²⁴²do not seek Your statutes. 156 ⁶⁹²⁴³Great are Your mercies, O LORD ; Revive me according to Your ordinances. 157 Many are my ²⁴⁴persecutors and my adversaries, Yet I do not ²⁴⁵turn aside from Your testimonies. 158 I behold the ²⁴⁶treacherous and ²⁴⁷loathe them, Because they do not keep Your ⁷⁰word. 159 Consider how I ²⁴⁸love Your precepts ; ²⁴⁹Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness. 160 The ²⁵⁰sum of Your word is ²⁵¹truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances ²⁵²is everlasting. Shin.

Shin.

161 ²⁵³Princes persecute me without cause, But my heart ²⁵⁴stands in awe of Your words. 162 I ²⁵⁵rejoice at Your ⁷¹word, As one who ²⁵⁶finds great spoil. 163 I ²⁵⁷hate and despise falsehood, But I ²⁵⁸love Your law. 164 Seven times a day I praise You, Because of Your ²⁵⁹righteous ordinances. 165 Those who love Your law have ²⁶⁰great peace, And ⁷²²⁶¹nothing causes them to stumble. 166 I ²⁶²hope for Your salvation, O LORD, And do Your commandments. 167 My ²⁶³soul keeps Your testimonies, And I ²⁶⁴love them exceedingly. 168 I ²⁶⁵keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, For all my ²⁶⁶ways are before You. Tav.

Tav.

169 Let my ²⁶⁷cry ⁷³come before You, O LORD ; ²⁶⁸Give me understanding ²⁶⁹according to Your word. 170 Let my ²⁷⁰supplication come before You; ²⁷¹Deliver me according to Your ⁷⁴word. 171 Let my ²⁷²lips utter praise, For You ²⁷³teach me Your statutes. 172 Let my ²⁷⁴tongue sing of Your ⁷⁵word, For all Your ²⁷⁵commandments are righteousness. 173 Let Your ²⁷⁶hand be ⁷⁶ready to help me, For I have ²⁷⁷chosen Your precepts. 174 I ²⁷⁸long for Your salvation, O LORD, And Your law is my ²⁷⁹delight. 175 Let my ²⁸⁰soul live that it may praise You, And let Your ordinances help me. 176 I have ²⁸¹gone astray like a lost sheep ; seek Your servant, For I do ²⁸²not forget Your commandments.