Psalm 119

GOD’S WORD Translation

119 Blessed are those whose lives have integrity,
those who follow the teachings of the Lord.
² Blessed are those who obey his written instructions.
They wholeheartedly search for him.
³ They do nothing wrong.
They follow his directions.
⁴ You have commanded
that your guiding principles be carefully followed.
⁵ I pray that my ways may become firmly established
so that I can obey your laws.
⁶ Then I will never feel ashamed
when I study all your commandments.
⁷ I will give thanks to you
as I learn your regulations, which are based on your righteousness.
⁸ I will obey your laws.
Never abandon me.

⁹ How can a young person keep his life pure?
⌞He can do it⌟ by holding on to your word.
¹⁰ I wholeheartedly searched for you.
Do not let me wander away from your commandments.
¹¹ I have treasured your promise in my heart
so that I may not sin against you.
¹² Thanks be to you, O Lord.
Teach me your laws.
¹³ With my lips I have repeated
every regulation that ⌞comes⌟ from your mouth.
¹⁴ I find joy in the way ⌞shown by⌟ your written instructions
more than I find joy in all kinds of riches.
¹⁵ I want to reflect on your guiding principles
and study your ways.
¹⁶ Your laws make me happy.
I never forget your word.

¹⁷ Be kind to me so that I may live
and hold on to your word.
¹⁸ Uncover my eyes
so that I may see the miraculous things in your teachings.
¹⁹ I am a foreigner in this world.
Do not hide your commandments from me.
²⁰ My soul is overwhelmed with endless longing for your regulations.
²¹ You threaten arrogant people, who are condemned
and wander away from your commandments.
²² Remove the insults and contempt that have fallen on me
because I have obeyed your written instructions.
²³ Even though influential people plot against me,
I reflect on your laws.
²⁴ Indeed, your written instructions make me happy.
They are my best friends.

²⁵ I am close to death.
Give me a new life as you promised.
²⁶ I told you what I have done, and you answered me.
Teach me your laws.
²⁷ Help me understand your guiding principles
so that I may reflect on your miracles.
²⁸ I am drowning in tears.
Strengthen me as you promised.
²⁹ Turn me away from a life of lies.
Graciously provide me with your teachings.
³⁰ I have chosen a life of faithfulness.
I have set your regulations in front of me.
³¹ I have clung tightly to your written instructions.
O Lord, do not let me be put to shame.
³² I will eagerly pursue your commandments
because you continue to increase my understanding.

³³ Teach me, O Lord, how to live by your laws,
and I will obey them to the end.
³⁴ Help me understand so that I can follow your teachings.
I will guard them with all my heart.
³⁵ Lead me on the path of your commandments,
because I am happy with them.
³⁶ Direct my heart toward your written instructions
rather than getting rich in underhanded ways.
³⁷ Turn my eyes away from worthless things.
Give me a new life in your ways.
³⁸ Keep your promise to me
so that I can fear you.
³⁹ Take away insults, which I dread,
because your regulations are good.
⁴⁰ I long for your guiding principles.
Give me a new life in your righteousness.

⁴¹ Let your blessings reach me, O Lord.
Save me as you promised.
⁴² Then I will have an answer for the one who insults me
since I trust your word.
⁴³ Do not take so much as a single word of truth from my mouth.
My hope is based on your regulations.
⁴⁴ I will follow your teachings forever and ever.
⁴⁵ I will walk around freely
because I sought out your guiding principles.
⁴⁶ I will speak about your written instructions in the presence of kings
and not feel ashamed.
⁴⁷ Your commandments, which I love, make me happy.
⁴⁸ I lift my hands ⌞in prayer⌟ because of your commandments,
which I love.
I will reflect on your laws.

⁴⁹ Remember the word ⌞you gave⌟ me.
Through it you gave me hope.
⁵⁰ This is my comfort in my misery:
Your promise gave me a new life.
⁵¹ Arrogant people have mocked me with cruelty,
yet I have not turned away from your teachings.
⁵² I remembered your regulations from long ago, O Lord,
and I found comfort ⌞in them⌟.
⁵³ I am burning with anger because of wicked people,
who abandon your teachings.
⁵⁴ Your laws have become like psalms to me
in this place where I am only a foreigner.
⁵⁵ At night I remember your name, O Lord,
and I follow your teachings.
⁵⁶ This has happened to me
because I have obeyed your guiding principles.

⁵⁷ You are my inheritance, O Lord.
I promised to hold on to your words.
⁵⁸ With all my heart I want to win your favor.
Be kind to me as you promised.
⁵⁹ I have thought about my life,
and I have directed my feet back to your written instructions.
⁶⁰ Without any hesitation I hurry to obey your commandments.
⁶¹ ⌞Though⌟ the ropes of wicked people are tied around me,
I never forget your teachings.
⁶² At midnight I wake up to give thanks to you
for the regulations, which are based on your righteousness.
⁶³ I am a friend to everyone who fears you
and to everyone who follows your guiding principles.
⁶⁴ Your mercy, O Lord, fills the earth.
Teach me your laws.

⁶⁵ You have treated me well, O Lord,
as you promised.
⁶⁶ Teach me ⌞to use⌟ good judgment and knowledge,
because I believe in your commandments.
⁶⁷ Before you made me suffer, I used to wander off,
but now I hold on to your word.
⁶⁸ You are good, and you do good things.
Teach me your laws.
⁶⁹ Arrogant people have smeared me with lies,
⌞yet⌟ I obey your guiding principles with all my heart.
⁷⁰ Their hearts are cold and insensitive,
⌞yet⌟ I am happy with your teachings.
⁷¹ It was good that I had to suffer
in order to learn your laws.
⁷² The teachings ⌞that come⌟ from your mouth are worth more to me
than thousands in gold or silver.

⁷³ Your hands created me and made me what I am.
Help me understand so that I may learn your commandments.
⁷⁴ Those who fear you will see me and rejoice,
because my hope is based on your word.
⁷⁵ I know that your regulations are fair, O Lord,
and that you were right to make me suffer.
⁷⁶ Let your mercy comfort me
as you promised.
⁷⁷ Let your compassion reach me so that I may live,
because your teachings make me happy.
⁷⁸ Let arrogant people be put to shame
because they lied about me,
⌞yet⌟ I reflect on your guiding principles.
⁷⁹ Let those who fear you turn to me
so that they can come to know your written instructions.
⁸⁰ Let my heart be filled with integrity in regard to your laws
so that I will not be put to shame.

⁸¹ My soul is weak from waiting for you to save me.
My hope is based on your word.
⁸² My eyes have become strained from looking for your promise.
I ask, “When will you comfort me?”
⁸³ Although I have become like a shriveled and dried out wineskin,
I have not forgotten your laws.
⁸⁴ What is left of my life?
When will you bring those who persecute me to justice?
⁸⁵ Arrogant people have dug pits to trap me
in defiance of your teachings.
⁸⁶ (All your commandments are reliable.)
Those people persecute me with lies. Help me!
⁸⁷ They almost wiped me off ⌞the face of⌟ the earth.
But I did not abandon your guiding principles.
⁸⁸ Give me a new life through your mercy
so that I may obey the written instructions,
⌞which came⌟ from your mouth.

⁸⁹ O Lord, your word is established in heaven forever.
⁹⁰ Your faithfulness endures throughout every generation.
You set the earth in place, and it continues to stand.
⁹¹ All things continue to stand today because of your regulations,
since they are all your servants.
⁹² If your teachings had not made me happy,
then I would have died in my misery.
⁹³ I will never forget your guiding principles,
because you gave me a new life through them.
⁹⁴ I am yours.
Save me, because I have searched for your guiding principles.
⁹⁵ The wicked people have waited for me in order to destroy me,
⌞yet⌟ I want to understand your written instructions.
⁹⁶ I have seen a limit to everything else,
⌞but⌟ your commandments have no limit.

⁹⁷ Oh, how I love your teachings!
They are in my thoughts all day long.
⁹⁸ Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
because your commandments are always with me.
⁹⁹ I have more insight than all my teachers,
because your written instructions are in my thoughts.
¹⁰⁰ I have more wisdom than those with many years of experience,
because I have obeyed your guiding principles.
¹⁰¹ I have kept my feet ⌞from walking⌟ on any evil path
in order to obey your word.
¹⁰² I have not neglected your regulations,
because you have taught me.
¹⁰³ How sweet the taste of your promise is!
It tastes sweeter than honey.
¹⁰⁴ From your guiding principles I gain understanding.
That is why I hate every path that leads to lying.

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp for my feet
and a light for my path.
¹⁰⁶ I took an oath, and I will keep it.
I took an oath to follow your regulations,
which are based on your righteousness.
¹⁰⁷ I have suffered so much.
Give me a new life, O Lord, as you promised.
¹⁰⁸ Please accept the praise I gladly give you, O Lord,
and teach me your regulations.
¹⁰⁹ I always take my life into my own hands,
but I never forget your teachings.
¹¹⁰ Wicked people have set a trap for me,
but I have never wandered away from your guiding principles.
¹¹¹ Your written instructions are mine forever.
They are the joy of my heart.
¹¹² I have decided to obey your laws.
They offer a reward that never ends.

¹¹³ I hate two-faced people,
but I love your teachings.
¹¹⁴ You are my hiding place and my shield.
My hope is based on your word.
¹¹⁵ Get away from me, you evildoers,
so that I can obey the commandments of my God.
¹¹⁶ Help me God, as you promised, so that I may live.
Do not turn my hope into disappointment.
¹¹⁷ Hold me, and I will be safe,
and I will always respect your laws.
¹¹⁸ You reject all who wander away from your laws,
because their lies mislead them.
¹¹⁹ You get rid of all wicked people on earth as if they were rubbish.
That is why I love your written instructions.
¹²⁰ My body shudders in fear of you,
and I am afraid of your regulations.

¹²¹ I have done what is fair and right.
Do not leave me at the mercy of those who oppress me.
¹²² Guarantee my well-being.
Do not let arrogant people oppress me.
¹²³ My eyes are strained from looking for you to save me
and from looking for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
¹²⁴ Treat me with kindness,
and teach me your laws.
¹²⁵ I am your servant.
Help me understand
so that I may come to know your written instructions.
¹²⁶ It is time for you to act, O Lord.^[a]
Even though people have abolished your teachings,
¹²⁷ I love your commandments more than gold, more than pure gold.
¹²⁸ I follow the straight paths of your guiding principles.
I hate every pathway that leads to lying.

¹²⁹ Your written instructions are miraculous.
That is why I obey them.
¹³⁰ Your word is a doorway that lets in light,
and it helps gullible people understand.
¹³¹ I open my mouth and pant
because I long for your commandments.
¹³² Turn toward me, and have pity on me
as you have pledged to do for those who love your name.
¹³³ Make my steps secure through your promise,
and do not let any sin control me.
¹³⁴ Save me from human oppression
so that I may obey your guiding principles.
¹³⁵ Smile on me,
and teach me your laws.
¹³⁶ Streams of tears flow from my eyes
because others do not follow your teachings.

¹³⁷ You are righteous, O Lord,
and your regulations are fair.
¹³⁸ You have issued your written instructions.
They are fair and completely dependable.
¹³⁹ My devotion ⌞for your words⌟ consumes me,
because my enemies have forgotten your words.
¹⁴⁰ Your promise has been thoroughly tested,
and I love it.
¹⁴¹ I am unimportant and despised,
⌞yet⌟ I never forget your guiding principles.
¹⁴² Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
and your teachings are reliable.
¹⁴³ Trouble and hardship have found me,
but your commandments ⌞still⌟ make me happy.
¹⁴⁴ Your written instructions are always right.
Help me understand ⌞them⌟ so that I will live.

¹⁴⁵ I have called out with all my heart. Answer me, O Lord.
I want to obey your laws.
¹⁴⁶ I have called out.
Save me, so that I can obey your written instructions.
¹⁴⁷ I got up before dawn, and I cried out for help.
My hope is based on your word.
¹⁴⁸ My eyes are wide-open throughout the nighttime hours
to reflect on your word.
¹⁴⁹ In keeping with your mercy, hear my voice.
O Lord, give me a new life guided by your regulations.
¹⁵⁰ Those who carry out plots against me are near,
⌞yet⌟ they are far away from your teachings.
¹⁵¹ You are near, O Lord,
and all your commandments are reliable.
¹⁵² Long ago I learned from your written instructions
that you made them to last forever.

¹⁵³ Look at my misery, and rescue me,
because I have never forgotten your teachings.
¹⁵⁴ Plead my case ⌞for me⌟, and save me.
Give me a new life as you promised.
¹⁵⁵ Wicked people are far from being saved,
because they have not searched for your laws.
¹⁵⁶ Your acts of compassion are many in number, O Lord.
Give me a new life guided by your regulations.
¹⁵⁷ I have many persecutors and opponents,
⌞yet⌟ I have not turned away from your written instructions.
¹⁵⁸ I have seen traitors,
and I am filled with disgust.
They have not accepted your promise.
¹⁵⁹ See how I have loved your guiding principles!
O Lord, in keeping with your mercy, give me a new life.
¹⁶⁰ There is nothing but truth in your word,
and all of your righteous regulations endure forever.

¹⁶¹ Influential people have persecuted me for no reason,
but it is only your words that fill my heart with terror.
¹⁶² I find joy in your promise
like someone who finds a priceless treasure.
¹⁶³ I hate lying; I am disgusted with it.
I love your teachings.
¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous regulations.
¹⁶⁵ There is lasting peace for those who love your teachings.
Nothing can make those people stumble.
¹⁶⁶ I have waited with hope for you to save me, O Lord.
I have carried out your commandments.
¹⁶⁷ I have obeyed your written instructions.
I have loved them very much.
¹⁶⁸ I have followed your guiding principles and your written instructions,
because my whole life is in front of you.

¹⁶⁹ Let my cry for help come into your presence, O Lord.
Help me understand as you promised.
¹⁷⁰ Let my plea for mercy come into your presence.
Rescue me as you promised.
¹⁷¹ Let my lips pour out praise
because you teach me your laws.
¹⁷² Let my tongue sing about your promise
because all your commandments are fair.
¹⁷³ Let your hand help me
because I have chosen ⌞to follow⌟ your guiding principles.
¹⁷⁴ I have longed for you to save me, O Lord,
and your teachings make me happy.
¹⁷⁵ Let my soul have new life so that it can praise you.
Let your regulations help me.
¹⁷⁶ I have wandered away like a lost lamb.
Search for me,
because I have never forgotten your commandments.