Psalms 119:1-93

1 You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
2 You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him.
3 That's right - you don't go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set.
4 You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it.
5 Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set;
6 Then I'd never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel.
7 I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.
8 I'm going to do what you tell me to do; don't ever walk off and leave me.
9 How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word.
10 I'm single-minded in pursuit of you; don't let me miss the road signs you've posted.
11 I've banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won't sin myself bankrupt.
12 Be blessed, God; train me in your ways of wise living.
13 I'll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth;
14 I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches.
15 I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you've done it.
16 I relish everything you've told me of life, I won't forget a word of it.
17 Be generous with me and I'll live a full life; not for a minute will I take my eyes off your road.
18 Open my eyes so I can see what you show me of your miracle-wonders.
19 I'm a stranger in these parts; give me clear directions.
20 My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous! - insatiable for your nourishing commands.
21 And those who think they know so much, ignoring everything you tell them - let them have it!
22 Don't let them mock and humiliate me; I've been careful to do just what you said.
23 While bad neighbors maliciously gossip about me, I'm absorbed in pondering your wise counsel.
24 Yes, your sayings on life are what give me delight; I listen to them as to good neighbors!
25 I'm feeling terrible - I couldn't feel worse! Get me on my feet again. You promised, remember?
26 When I told my story, you responded; train me well in your deep wisdom.
27 Help me understand these things inside and out so I can ponder your miracle-wonders.
28 My sad life's dilapidated, a falling-down barn; build me up again by your Word.
29 Barricade the road that goes Nowhere; grace me with your clear revelation.
30 I choose the true road to Somewhere, I post your road signs at every curve and corner.
31 I grasp and cling to whatever you tell me; God, don't let me down!
32 I'll run the course you lay out for me if you'll just show me how.
33 God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course.
34 Give me insight so I can do what you tell me - my whole life one long, obedient response.
35 Guide me down the road of your commandments; I love traveling this freeway!
36 Give me a bent for your words of wisdom, and not for piling up loot.
37 Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets, invigorate me on the pilgrim way.
38 Affirm your promises to me - promises made to all who fear you.
39 Deflect the harsh words of my critics - but what you say is always so good.
40 See how hungry I am for your counsel; preserve my life through your righteous ways!
41 Let your love, God, shape my life with salvation, exactly as you promised;
42 Then I'll be able to stand up to mockery because I trusted your Word.
43 Don't ever deprive me of truth, not ever - your commandments are what I depend on.
44 Oh, I'll guard with my life what you've revealed to me, guard it now, guard it ever;
45 And I'll stride freely through wide open spaces as I look for your truth and your wisdom;
46 Then I'll tell the world what I find, speak out boldly in public, unembarrassed.
47 I cherish your commandments - oh, how I love them! -
48 relishing every fragment of your counsel.
49 Remember what you said to me, your servant - I hang on to these words for dear life!
50 These words hold me up in bad times; yes, your promises rejuvenate me.
51 The insolent ridicule me without mercy, but I don't budge from your revelation.
52 I watch for your ancient landmark words, and know I'm on the right track.
53 But when I see the wicked ignore your directions, I'm beside myself with anger.
54 I set your instructions to music and sing them as I walk this pilgrim way.
55 I meditate on your name all night, God, treasuring your revelation, O God.
56 Still, I walk through a rain of derision because I live by your Word and counsel.
57 Because you have satisfied me, God, I promise to do everything you say.
58 I beg you from the bottom of my heart: smile, be gracious to me just as you promised.
59 When I took a long, careful look at your ways, I got my feet back on the trail you blazed.
60 I was up at once, didn't drag my feet, was quick to follow your orders.
61 The wicked hemmed me in - there was no way out - but not for a minute did I forget your plan for me.
62 I get up in the middle of the night to thank you; your decisions are so right, so true - I can't wait till morning!
63 I'm a friend and companion of all who fear you, of those committed to living by your rules.
64 Your love, God, fills the earth! Train me to live by your counsel.
65 Be good to your servant, God; be as good as your Word.
66 Train me in good common sense; I'm thoroughly committed to living your way.
67 Before I learned to answer you, I wandered all over the place, but now I'm in step with your Word.
68 You are good, and the source of good; train me in your goodness.
69 The godless spread lies about me, but I focus my attention on what you are saying;
70 They're bland as a bucket of lard, while I dance to the tune of your revelation.
71 My troubles turned out all for the best - they forced me to learn from your textbook.
72 Truth from your mouth means more to me than striking it rich in a gold mine.
73 With your very own hands you formed me; now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you.
74 When they see me waiting, expecting your Word, those who fear you will take heart and be glad.
75 I can see now, God, that your decisions are right; your testing has taught me what's true and right.
76 Oh, love me - and right now! - hold me tight! just the way you promised.
77 Now comfort me so I can live, really live; your revelation is the tune I dance to.
78 Let the fast-talking tricksters be exposed as frauds; they tried to sell me a bill of goods, but I kept my mind fixed on your counsel.
79 Let those who fear you turn to me for evidence of your wise guidance.
80 And let me live whole and holy, soul and body, so I can always walk with my head held high.
81 I'm homesick - longing for your salvation; I'm waiting for your word of hope.
82 My eyes grow heavy watching for some sign of your promise; how long must I wait for your comfort?
83 There's smoke in my eyes - they burn and water, but I keep a steady gaze on the instructions you post.
84 How long do I have to put up with all this? How long till you haul my tormentors into court?
85 The arrogant godless try to throw me off track, ignorant as they are of God and his ways.
86 Everything you command is a sure thing, but they harass me with lies. Help!
87 They've pushed and pushed - they never let up - but I haven't relaxed my grip on your counsel.
88 In your great love revive me so I can alertly obey your every word.
89 What you say goes, God, and stays, as permanent as the heavens.
90 Your truth never goes out of fashion; it's as up-to-date as the earth when the sun comes up.
91 Your Word and truth are dependable as ever; that's what you ordered - you set the earth going.
92 If your revelation hadn't delighted me so, I would have given up when the hard times came.
93 But I'll never forget the advice you gave me; you saved my life with those wise words.

Images for Psalms 119:1-93

Psalms 119:1-93 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\\.

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.