Psalms 119:36-164

36 Bend my heart toward your instructions and not toward selfish gain.

37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; with your ways, give me life.

38 Fulfill your promise, which you made to your servant, which you made to those who fear you.

39 Avert the disgrace which I dread, for your rulings are good.

40 See how I long for your precepts; in your righteousness, give me life!

41 May your grace come to me, ADONAI, your salvation, as you promised;

42 then I will have an answer for those who taunt me; for I trust in your word.

43 Don't take away completely my power to speak the truth; for I put my hope in your rulings;

44 and I will keep your Torah always, forever and ever.

45 I will go wherever I like, for I have sought your precepts.

46 I will speak of your instructions even to kings without being ashamed.

47 I will delight myself in your mitzvot, which I have loved.

48 I will lift my hands to your mitzvot, which I love; and I will meditate on your laws.

49 (Zayin) Remember your promise to your servant, through which you have given me hope.

50 In my distress my comfort is this: that your promise gives me life.

51 Though the arrogant scorn me completely, I have not turned away from your Torah.

52 ADONAI, I keep in mind your age-old rulings; in them I take comfort.

53 Fury seizes me when I think of the wicked, because they abandon your Torah.

54 Your laws have become my songs wherever I make my home.

55 I remember your name, ADONAI, at night; and I observe your Torah.

56 This [comfort] has come to me, because I observe your precepts.

57 (Het) ADONAI, I say that my task is to observe your words.

58 I beg your favor with my whole heart; show pity to me, in keeping with your promise.

59 I thought about my ways and turned my feet toward your instruction.

60 I hurry, I don't delay, to observe your mitzvot.

61 Even when the cords of the wicked close around me, I don't forget your Torah.

62 At midnight I rise to give you thanks because of your righteous rulings.

63 I am a friend of all who fear you, of those who observe your precepts.

64 The earth, ADONAI, is full of your grace; teach me your laws.

65 (Tet) You have treated your servant well, ADONAI, in keeping with your word.

66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, because I trust in your mitzvot.

67 Before I was humbled, I used to go astray; but now I observe your word.

68 You are good, and you do good; teach me your laws.

69 The arrogant are slandering me, but I will wholeheartedly keep your precepts.

70 Their hearts are as thick as fat, but I take delight in your Torah.

71 It is for my good that I have been humbled; it was so that I would learn your laws.

72 The Torah you have spoken means more to me than a fortune in gold and silver.

73 (Yud) Your hands made and formed me; give me understanding, so I can learn your mitzvot.

74 Those who fear you rejoice at the sight of me, because I put my hope in your word.

75 I know, ADONAI, that your rulings are righteous, that even when you humble me you are faithful.

76 Let your grace comfort me, in keeping with your promise to your servant.

77 Show me pity, and I will live, for your Torah is my delight.

78 Let the proud be ashamed, because they wrong me with lies; as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.

79 Let those who fear you turn to me, along with those who know your instruction.

80 Let my heart be pure in your laws, so that I won't be put to shame.

81 (Kaf) I am dying to know your salvation; my hope is in your word.

82 My eyes fail from watching for your promise; I ask, "When will you comfort me?"

83 For I have shriveled like a wineskin in a smoky room; still, I don't forget your laws.

84 How long can your servant stay alive? When will you bring judgment on my persecutors?

85 The arrogant have dug pits for me to fall in; this is not in keeping with your Torah!

86 All your mitzvot [show your] faithfulness; they are hounding me with lies; help me!

87 They have nearly ended my life on earth, but I have not abandoned your precepts.

88 In keeping with your grace, revive me; and I will observe your spoken instructions.

89 (Lamed) Your word continues forever, ADONAI, firmly fixed in heaven;

90 your faithfulness through all generations; you established the earth, and it stands.

91 Yes, it stands today, in keeping with your rulings; for all things are your servants.

92 If your Torah had not been my delight, I would have perished in my distress.

93 I will never forget your precepts, for with them you have made me alive.

94 I am yours; save me because I seek your precepts.

95 The wicked hope to destroy me, but I focus on your instruction.

96 (Mem) I see the limits of all perfection, but your mitzvah has no bounds.

97 How I love your Torah! I meditate on it all day.

98 I am wiser than my foes, because your mitzvot are mine forever.

99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, because I meditate on your instruction.

100 I understand more than my elders, because I keep your precepts.

101 I keep my feet from every evil way, in order to observe your word.

102 I don't turn away from your rulings, because you have instructed me.

103 How sweet to my tongue is your promise, truly sweeter than honey in my mouth!

104 From your precepts I gain understanding; this is why I hate every false way.

105 (Nun) Your word is a lamp for my foot and light on my path.

106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, that I will observe your righteous rulings.

107 I am very much distressed; ADONAI, give me life, in keeping with your word.

108 Please accept my mouth's voluntary offerings, ADONAI; and teach me your rulings.

109 I am continually taking my life in my hands, yet I haven't forgotten your Torah.

110 The wicked have set a trap for me, yet I haven't strayed from your precepts.

111 I take your instruction as a permanent heritage, because it is the joy of my heart.

112 I have resolved to obey your laws forever, at every step.

113 (Samekh) I hate doubleminded people, but I love your Torah.

114 You are my hiding-place and shield; I put my hope in your word.

115 Leave me alone, you evildoers, so that I can keep my God's mitzvot.

116 Uphold me, as you promised; and I will live; don't disappoint me in my hope.

117 Support me; and I will be saved, always putting my attention on your laws.

118 You reject all who stray from your laws, for what they deceive themselves with is false.

119 You discard the wicked of the earth like slag; this is why I love your instruction.

120 My body trembles for fear of you; your rulings make me afraid.

121 ('Ayin) I have done what is just and right; don't abandon me to my oppressors.

122 Guarantee your servant's well-being; don't let the arrogant oppress me.

123 My eyes fail from watching for your salvation and for [the fulfillment of] your righteous promise.

124 Deal with your servant in accordance with your grace, and teach me your laws.

125 I am your servant; give me understanding, so that I can know your instruction.

126 The time has come for ADONAI to act, because they are breaking your Torah.

127 Therefore I love your mitzvot more than gold, more than fine gold.

128 Thus I direct my steps by [your] precepts; every false way I hate.

129 (Peh) Your instruction is a wonder; this is why I follow it.

130 Your words are a doorway that lets in light, giving understanding to the thoughtless.

131 My mouth is wide open, as I pant with longing for your mitzvot.

132 Turn to me, and show me your favor; in keeping with [your] judgment for those who love your name.

133 Guide my footsteps by your word; don't let any kind of sin rule me.

134 Redeem me from human oppression, and I will observe your precepts.

135 Make your face shine on your servant, and teach me your laws.

136 Rivers of tears flow down from my eyes, because they don't observe your Torah.

137 (Tzadeh) You are righteous, ADONAI; and your rulings are upright.

138 You have commanded your instructions in righteousness and great faithfulness.

139 My zeal is destroying me, because my foes have forgotten your words.

140 Your word is refined to complete purity, and your servant loves it.

141 I may be small and despised, but I do not forget your precepts.

142 Your righteousness is eternal righteousness, and your Torah is truth.

143 Trouble and distress have overtaken me, but your mitzvot are my delight.

144 Your instruction is righteous forever; give me understanding, and I will live.

145 (Kuf) Wholeheartedly I am calling on you; answer me, ADONAI; I will keep your laws.

146 I am calling on you; save me; and I will observe your instruction.

147 I rise before dawn and cry for help; I put my hope in your word.

148 My eyes are open before the night watches, so that I can meditate on your promise.

149 In your grace, hear my voice; ADONAI, in keeping with your justice, revive me.

150 The pursuers of carnality are getting close; they are distancing themselves from your Torah.

151 You are close by, ADONAI; and all your mitzvot are truth.

152 Long ago I learned from your instruction that you established it forever.

153 (Resh) Look at my distress, and rescue me, for I do not forget your Torah.

154 Plead my cause, and redeem me; in keeping with your promise, revive me.

155 Salvation is far away from the wicked, because they don't seek your laws.

156 Great is your compassion, ADONAI; in keeping with your rulings, revive me.

157 Although my persecutors and foes are many, I have not turned away from your instruction.

158 I look at traitors with disgust, because they don't keep your word.

159 See how I love your precepts, ADONAI; in keeping with your grace, revive me.

160 The main thing about your word is that it's true; and all your just rulings last forever.

161 (Shin) Princes persecute me for no reason, but my heart stands in awe of your words.

162 I take joy in your promise, like someone who finds much booty.

163 I hate falsehood, I detest it; but I love your Torah.

164 I praise you seven times a day because of your righteous rulings.

Psalms 119:36-164 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 119

This psalm is generally thought to be written by David, but when is uncertain; very probably towards the decline of life; and, as some think, for the sake or his son Solomon. It seems to be a collection of observations on the word of God and its precepts, the usefulness and excellency of it, he had made in the course of his life; interspersed with various petitions for the grace of God, to enable him to observe it. The psalm is a very extraordinary one; partly on account of the unusual length of it, it being more than double the length of the longest psalm in the whole book; and partly on account of its curious composition. It consists of twenty two parts, according to the number of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet; the names of which letters stand between each part; and every part consists of eight verses, all of which begin with the same letter: thus, for instance, the first eight verses begin with the letter a, "aleph", and the second eight verses begin with the letter b, "beth", and so on throughout; hence the Masorah calls this psalm the Great Alphabet. This the psalmist did, perhaps to excite attention to what he said, and also to help the memory. And it is observable that there are very few verses in the whole, not more than one or two, but what has something in it concerning the word of God, and its precepts and ordinances; there are nine or ten different words used relative to it, which signify much one and the same thing; as laws, statutes, judgments, testimonies Luther {m} observes, that neither Cicero, nor Virgil, nor Demosthenes, are to be compared with David for eloquence, as we see in the hundred nineteenth Psalm, where he divideth one sense and meaning into twenty two sorts. And it may also be remarked, that there is nothing in it concerning the tabernacle worship, or the rites and ceremonies of the legal dispensation; so that it seems to be calculated for, and is suited to, the word of God, and the ordinances of it, as we now have them in their full perfection: and the design of the whole is to show the fervent affection the psalmist had for the word of God, and to stir up the same in others.

{m} Mensal. Colloqu. c. 32. p. 365.

a, \\ALEPH.--The First Part\\.