Psalm 119:73-104

Common English Bible

⁷³ Your hands have made me and set me in place.
    Help me understand so I can learn your commandments.
⁷⁴ Then those who honor you will see me and be glad
    because I have waited for your promise.
⁷⁵ Lord, I know that your rules are right
    and that you rightly made me suffer.
⁷⁶ Please let your faithful love comfort me,
    according to what you’ve said to your servant.
⁷⁷ Let your compassion come to me so I can live again,
    because your Instruction is my joy!
⁷⁸ But let the arrogant be ashamed
    because they oppressed me with lies—
        meanwhile, I will be contemplating your precepts!
⁷⁹ Let the people who honor you come back to me;
    let those who know your precepts return to me.
⁸⁰ Let my heart be blameless in your statutes
    so that I am not put to shame.

⁸¹ My whole being yearns for your saving help!
    I wait for your promise.
⁸²     My eyes are worn out looking for your word.
“When will you comfort me?” I ask,
⁸³     because I’ve become like a bottle dried up by smoke,
    though I haven’t forgotten your statutes.
⁸⁴ How much more time does your servant have?
    When will you bring my oppressors to justice?
⁸⁵ The arrogant have dug pits for me—
    those people who act against your Instruction.
⁸⁶ All your commandments are true,
    but people harass me for no reason.
    Help me!
⁸⁷ They’ve almost wiped me off the face of the earth!
    Meanwhile, I haven’t abandoned your precepts!
⁸⁸ Make me live again according to your faithful love
    so I can keep the law you’ve given!

⁸⁹ Your word, Lord,
    stands firm in heaven forever!
⁹⁰ Your faithfulness extends from one generation to the next!
    You set the earth firmly in place, and it is still there.
⁹¹ Your rules endure to this day
    because everything serves you.
⁹² If your Instruction hadn’t been my delight,
    I would have died because of my suffering.
⁹³ I will never forget your precepts
    because through them you gave me life again.
⁹⁴ I’m yours—save me
    because I’ve pursued your precepts!
⁹⁵ The wicked wait for me,
wanting to kill me, but I’m studying your laws.
⁹⁶ I’ve seen that everything,
    no matter how perfect, has a limit,^[a]
    but your commandment is boundless.

⁹⁷ I love your Instruction!
    I think about it constantly.
⁹⁸ Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies
    because it is always with me.
⁹⁹ I have greater insight than all my teachers
    because I contemplate your laws.
¹⁰⁰ I have more understanding than the elders
    because I guard your precepts.
¹⁰¹ I haven’t set my feet on any evil path
    so I can make sure to keep your word.
¹⁰² I haven’t deviated from any of your rules
    because you are the one who has taught me.
¹⁰³ Your word is so pleasing to my taste buds—
    it’s sweeter than honey in my mouth!
¹⁰⁴ I’m studying your precepts—
    that’s why I hate every false path.