Chapter 119

  ALEPH. Blessed are the perfect in the way, who walk in the law of Jehovah.  

  Blessed are they that observe his testimonies, that seek him with the whole heart;  

  Who also do no unrighteousness: they walk in his ways.  

  Thou hast enjoined thy precepts, to be kept diligently.  

  Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!  

  Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.  

  I will give thee thanks with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.  

  I will keep thy statutes: forsake me not utterly.  

  BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his path? by taking heed according to thy word.  

  With my whole heart have I sought thee: let me not wander from thy commandments.  

  Thy ùword have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.  

  Blessed art thou, Jehovah! teach me thy statutes.  

  With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.  

  I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as [much as] in all wealth.  

  I will meditate upon thy precepts, and have respect unto thy paths.  

  I delight myself in thy statutes; I will not forget thy word.  

  GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant [and] I shall live; and I will keep thy word.  

  Open mine eyes, and I shall behold wondrous things out of thy law.  

  I am a stranger in the land; hide not thy commandments from me.  

  My soul breaketh for longing after thy judgments at all times.  

  Thou hast rebuked the proud [that are] cursed, who wander from thy commandments.  

  Roll off from me reproach and contempt; for I observe thy testimonies.  

  Princes also did sit [and] talk together against me: thy servant doth meditate in thy statutes.  

  Thy testimonies also are my delight [and] my counsellors.  

  DALETH. My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken me according to thy word.  

  I have declared my ways, and thou hast answered me: teach me thy statutes.  

  Make me to understand the way of thy precepts, and I will meditate upon thy wondrous works.  

  My soul melteth for sadness: strengthen me according to thy word.  

  Remove from me the way of falsehood, and graciously grant me thy law.  

  I have chosen the way of faithfulness; thy judgments have I set [before me].  

  I cleave unto thy testimonies; Jehovah, let me not be ashamed.  

  I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart.  

  HE. Teach me, O Jehovah, the way of thy statutes, and I will observe it [unto] the end.  

  Give me understanding, and I will observe thy law; and I will keep it with [my] whole heart.  

  Make me to walk in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.  

  Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to gain.  

  Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; quicken me in thy way.  

  Establish thy ùword unto thy servant, who is [devoted] to thy fear.  

  Turn away my reproach which I fear; for thy judgments are good.  

  Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.  

  VAU. And let thy loving-kindness come unto me, O Jehovah, -- thy salvation according to thy ùword.  

  So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me; for I confide in thy word.  

  And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; because I have hoped in thy judgments.  

  Then will I keep thy law continually, for ever and ever;  

  And I will walk at liberty, for I have sought thy precepts;  

  And I will speak of thy testimonies before kings, and will not be ashamed;  

  And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved;  

  And I will lift up my hands unto thy commandments, which I have loved, and I will meditate in thy statutes.  

  ZAIN. Remember the word for thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.  

  This is my comfort in mine affliction; for thy ùword hath quickened me.  

  The proud have derided me beyond measure: I have not declined from thy law.  

  I remembered thy judgments of old, O Jehovah, and have comforted myself.  

  Burning indignation hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked who forsake thy law.  

  Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.  

  I have remembered thy name, O Jehovah, in the night, and have kept thy law.  

  This I have had, because I have observed thy precepts.  

  CHETH. My portion, O Jehovah, I have said, is to keep thy words.  

  I have sought thy favour with [my] whole heart: be gracious unto me according to thy ùword.  

  I have thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.  

  I have made haste, and not delayed, to keep thy commandments.  

  The bands of the wicked have wrapped me round: I have not forgotten thy law.  

  At midnight I rise up to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments.  

  I am the companion of all that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.  

  The earth, O Jehovah, is full of thy loving-kindness: teach me thy statutes.  

  TETH. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Jehovah, according to thy word.  

  Teach me good discernment and knowledge; for I have believed in thy commandments.  

  Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy ùword.  

  Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.  

  The proud have forged falsehood against me: I will observe thy precepts with [my] whole heart.  

  Their heart is as fat as grease: as for me, I delight in thy law.  

  It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.  

  The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.  

  YOD. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, and I will learn thy commandments.  

  They that fear thee will see me, and rejoice; because I have hoped in thy word.  

  I know, Jehovah, that thy Judgments are righteousness, and that in faithfulness thou hast afflicted me.  

  Oh let thy loving-kindness be for my comfort, according to thy ùword unto thy servant.  

  Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live; for thy law is my delight.  

  Let the proud be ashamed; for they have acted perversely towards me with falsehood: as for me, I meditate in thy precepts.  

  Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that know thy testimonies.  

  Let my heart be perfect in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed.  

  CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation; I hope in thy word.  

  Mine eyes fail for thy ùword, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?  

  For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; I do not forget thy statutes.  

  How many shall be the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?  

  The proud have digged pits for me, which is not according to thy law.  

  All thy commandments are faithfulness. They persecute me wrongfully: help thou me.  

  They had almost consumed me upon the earth; but as for me, I forsook not thy precepts.  

  Quicken me according to thy loving-kindness, and I will keep the testimony of thy mouth.  

  LAMED. For ever, O Jehovah, thy word is settled in the heavens.  

  Thy faithfulness is from generation to generation: thou hast established the earth, and it standeth.  

  By thine ordinances they stand this day; for all things are thy servants.  

  Unless thy law had been my delight, I should then have perished in mine affliction.  

  I will never forget thy precepts; for by them thou hast quickened me.  

  I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.  

  The wicked have awaited me to destroy me; [but] I attend unto thy testimonies.  

  I have seen an end of all perfection: thy commandment is exceeding broad.  

  MEM. Oh how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day.  

  Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies; for they are ever with me.  

  I have more understanding than all my teachers; for thy testimonies are my meditation.  

  I understand more than the aged, because I have observed thy precepts.  

  I have refrained my feet from every evil path, that I might keep thy word.  

  I have not departed from thy judgments; for it is thou that hast taught me.  

  How sweet are thy ùwords unto my taste! more than honey to my mouth!  

  From thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false path.  

  NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.  

  I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.  

  I am afflicted very much; O Jehovah, quicken me according to thy word.  

  Accept, I beseech thee, Jehovah, the voluntary-offerings of my mouth, and teach me thy judgments.  

  My life is continually in my hand; but I do not forget thy law.  

  The wicked have laid a snare for me; but I have not wandered from thy precepts.  

  Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage for ever; for they are the rejoicing of my heart.  

  I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes for ever, unto the end.  

  SAMECH. The double-minded have I hated; but thy law do I love.  

  Thou art my hiding-place and my shield: I hope in thy word.  

  Depart from me, ye evil-doers; and I will observe the commandments of my God.  

  Uphold me according to thy ùword, that I may live; and let me not be ashamed of my hope.  

  Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe; and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.  

  Thou hast set at nought all them that wander from thy statutes; for their deceit is falsehood.  

  Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth [like] dross; therefore I love thy testimonies.  

  My flesh shuddereth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.  

  AIN. I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.  

  Be surety for thy servant for good; let not the proud oppress me.  

  Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the ùword of thy righteousness.  

  Deal with thy servant according to thy loving-kindness, and teach me thy statutes.  

  I am thy servant; give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies.  

  It is time for Jehovah to work: they have made void thy law.  

  Therefore I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold.  

  Therefore I regard all [thy] precepts concerning all things to be right: I hate every false path.  

  PE. Thy testimonies are wonderful; therefore doth my soul observe them.  

  The entrance of thy words giveth light, giving understanding unto the simple.  

  I opened my mouth wide and panted; for I longed for thy commandments.  

  Turn unto me, and be gracious unto me, as thou art wont to do unto those that love thy name.  

  Establish my steps in thy ùword; and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.  

  Deliver me from the oppression of man; and I will keep thy precepts.  

  Make thy face to shine upon thy servant, and teach me thy statutes.  

  Mine eyes run down with streams of water, because they keep not thy law.  

  TZADE. Righteous art thou, Jehovah, and upright are thy judgments.  

  Thou hast commanded thy testimonies in righteousness and exceeding faithfulness.  

  My zeal destroyeth me, because mine oppressors have forgotten thy words.  

  Thy ùword is exceeding pure, and thy servant loveth it.  

  I am little and despised: thy precepts have I not forgotten.  

  Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is truth.  

  Trouble and anguish have taken hold upon me: thy commandments are my delights.  

  The righteousness of thy testimonies is for ever: give me understanding, and I shall live.  

  KOPH. I have called with [my] whole heart; answer me, O Jehovah: I will observe thy statutes.  

  I call upon thee; save me, and I will keep thy testimonies.  

  I anticipate the morning-dawn and I cry: I hope in thy word.  

  Mine eyes anticipate the night-watches, that I may meditate in thy ùword.  

  Hear my voice according to thy loving-kindness: O Jehovah, quicken me according to thy judgment.  

  They have drawn nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.  

  Thou, Jehovah, art near, and all thy commandments are truth.  

  From thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.  

  RESH. See mine affliction, and deliver me; for I have not forgotten thy law.  

  Plead my cause, and redeem me: quicken me according to thy ùword.  

  Salvation is far from the wicked; for they seek not thy statutes.  

  Many are thy tender mercies, O Jehovah; quicken me according to thy judgments.  

  Many are my persecutors and mine oppressors; I have not declined from thy testimonies.  

  I beheld them that deal treacherously, and was grieved; because they kept not thy ùword.  

  See how I have loved thy precepts: quicken me, O Jehovah, according to thy loving-kindness.  

  The sum of thy word is truth, and every righteous judgment of thine is for ever.  

  SHIN. Princes have persecuted me without a cause; but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.  

  I have joy in thy ùword, as one that findeth great spoil.  

  I hate and abhor falsehood; thy law do I love.  

  Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.  

  Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing doth stumble them.  

  I have hoped for thy salvation, O Jehovah, and have done thy commandments.  

  My soul hath kept thy testimonies, and I love them exceedingly.  

  I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies; for all my ways are before thee.  

  TAU. Let my cry come near before thee, Jehovah: give me understanding according to thy word.  

  Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy ùword.  

  My lips shall pour forth praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes.  

  My tongue shall speak aloud of thy ùword; for all thy commandments are righteousness.  

  Let thy hand be for my help; for I have chosen thy precepts.  

  I have longed for thy salvation, O Jehovah, and thy law is my delight.  

  Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.  

  I have gone astray like a lost sheep: seek thy servant; for I have not forgotten thy commandments.