Psalm 119:1-88

Complete Jewish Bible

119 How happy are those whose way of life is blameless,
who live by the Torah of Adonai!
² How happy are those who observe his instruction,
who seek him wholeheartedly!
³ They do nothing wrong
but live by his ways.
⁴ You laid down your precepts
for us to observe with care.
⁵ May my ways be steady
in observing your laws.
⁶ Then I will not be put to shame,
since I will have fixed my sight on all your mitzvot.
⁷ I thank you with a sincere heart
as I learn your righteous rulings.
⁸ I will observe your laws;
don’t completely abandon me!

⁹ How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
¹⁰ I seek you with all my heart;
don’t let me stray from your mitzvot.
¹¹ I treasure your word in my heart,
so that I won’t sin against you.
¹² Blessed are you, Adonai!
Teach me your laws.
¹³ I proclaim with my mouth
all the rulings you have spoken.
¹⁴ I rejoice in the way of your instruction
more than in any kind of wealth.
¹⁵ I will meditate on your precepts
and keep my eyes on your ways.
¹⁶ I will find my delight in your regulations.
I will not forget your word.

¹⁷ Deal generously with your servant;
then I will live and observe your word.
¹⁸ Open my eyes, so that I will see
wonders from your Torah.
¹⁹ Though I’m just a wanderer on the earth,
don’t hide your mitzvot from me.
²⁰ I am continually consumed
with longing for your rulings.
²¹ You rebuke the proud, the cursed,
who stray from your mitzvot.
²² Remove scorn and contempt from me,
because I observe your instruction.
²³ Even when princes sit and plot against me,
your servant meditates on your laws.
²⁴ Also your instructions are my delight;
they are my counselors.

²⁵ I lie prostrate in the dust;
revive me, in keeping with your word.
²⁶ I told you of my ways, and you answered me;
teach me your laws.
²⁷ Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wonders.
²⁸ I am melting away from anxiety and grief;
renew my strength, in keeping with your word.
²⁹ Keep deceitful ways far from me,
and favor me with your Torah.
³⁰ I choose the way of trust;
I set your rulings [before me].
³¹ I cling to your instruction;
Adonai, don’t let me be put to shame!
³² I will run the way of your mitzvot,
for you have broadened my understanding.

³³ Teach me, Adonai, the way of your laws;
keeping them will be its own reward for me.
³⁴ Give me understanding; then I will keep your Torah;
I will observe it with all my heart.
³⁵ Guide me on the path of your mitzvot,
for I take pleasure in it.
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 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 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 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 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 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.