Psalms 119:17-40

¶Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word [treasuring it and being guided by it day by day]. [Ps 119:97-101] Open my eyes [to spiritual truth] so that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. I am a stranger on the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me. [Gen 47:9; 1 Chr 29:15; Ps 39:12; 2 Cor 5:6; Heb 11:13] My soul is crushed with longing For Your ordinances at all times. You rebuke the presumptuous and arrogant, the cursed ones, Who wander from Your commandments. Take reproach and contempt away from me, For I observe Your testimonies. Even though princes sit and talk to one another against me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. Your testimonies also are my delight And my counselors. ¶My earthly life clings to the dust; Revive and refresh me according to Your word. [Ps 143:11] I have told of my ways, and You have answered me; Teach me Your statutes. Make me understand the way of Your precepts, So that I will meditate (focus my thoughts) on Your wonderful works. [Ps 145:5, 6] My soul dissolves because of grief; Renew and strengthen me according to [the promises of] Your word. Remove from me the way of falsehood and unfaithfulness, And graciously grant me Your law. I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Your ordinances before me. I cling tightly to Your testimonies; O LORD, do not put me to shame! I will run the way of Your commandments [with purpose], For You will give me a heart that is willing. ¶Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I will [steadfastly] observe it to the end. Give me understanding [a teachable heart and the ability to learn], that I may keep Your law; And observe it with all my heart. [Prov 2:6; James 1:5] Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it. Incline my heart to Your testimonies And not to dishonest gain and envy. [Ezek 33:31; Mark 7:21, 22; 1 Tim 6:10; Heb 13:5] Turn my eyes away from vanity [all those worldly, meaningless things that distract—let Your priorities be mine], And restore me [with renewed energy] in Your ways. Establish Your word and confirm Your promise to Your servant, As that which produces [awe-inspired] reverence for You. [Deut 10:12; Ps 96:9] Turn away my reproach which I dread, For Your ordinances are good. I long for Your precepts; Renew me through Your righteousness.