Psalms 119:73-176

¶Your hands have made me and established me; Give me understanding and a teachable heart, that I may learn Your commandments. May those who [reverently] fear You see me and be glad, Because I wait for Your word. I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are fair, And that in faithfulness You have disciplined me. [Heb 12:10] O may Your lovingkindness and graciousness comfort me, According to Your word (promise) to Your servant. Let Your compassion come to me that I may live, For Your law is my delight. Let the arrogant be ashamed and humiliated, for they sabotage me with a lie; But I will meditate on Your precepts. May those who fear You [with submissive wonder] turn to me, Even those who have known Your testimonies. May my heart be blameless in Your statutes, So that I will not be ashamed. ¶My soul languishes and grows weak for Your salvation; I wait for Your word. My eyes fail [with longing, watching] for [the fulfillment of] Your promise, Saying, “When will You comfort me?” For I have become like a wineskin [blackened and shriveled] in the smoke [in which it hangs], Yet I do not forget Your statutes. How many are the days of Your servant [which he must endure]? When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me? [Rev 6:10] The arrogant (godless) have dug pits for me, Men who do not conform to Your law. All Your commandments are faithful and trustworthy. They have persecuted me with a lie; help me [LORD]! They had almost destroyed me on earth, But as for me, I did not turn away from Your precepts. According to Your steadfast love refresh me and give me life, So that I may keep and obey the testimony of Your mouth. ¶Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven [standing firm and unchangeable]. [Ps 89:2; Matt 24:34, 35; 1 Pet 1:25] Your faithfulness continues from generation to generation; You have established the earth, and it stands [securely]. They continue this day according to Your ordinances, For all things [all parts of the universe] are Your servants. [Jer 33:25] If Your law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my time of trouble. I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me and given me life. I am Yours, save me [as Your own]; For I have [diligently] sought Your precepts and required them [as my greatest need]. [Ps 42:1] The wicked wait for me to destroy me, But I will consider Your testimonies. I have seen that all [human] perfection has its limits [no matter how grand and perfect and noble]; Your commandment is exceedingly broad and extends without limits [into eternity]. [Rom 3:10-19] ¶Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. [Ps 1:2] Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For Your words are always with me. I have better understanding and deeper insight than all my teachers [because of Your word], For Your testimonies are my meditation. [2 Tim 3:15] I understand more than the aged [who have not observed Your precepts], Because I have observed and kept Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word. [Prov 1:15] I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, For You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! [Ps 19:10; Prov 8:11] From Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way. ¶Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. [Prov 6:23] I have sworn [an oath] and have confirmed it, That I will keep Your righteous ordinances. [Neh 10:29] I am greatly afflicted; Renew and revive me [giving me life], O LORD, according to Your word. Accept and take pleasure in the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, And teach me Your ordinances. [Hos 14:2; Heb 13:15] My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your law. The wicked have laid a snare for me, Yet I do not wander from Your precepts. I have taken Your testimonies as a heritage forever, For they are the joy of my heart. [Deut 33:4] I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, even to the end. ¶I hate those who are double-minded, But I love and treasure Your law. You are my hiding place and my shield; I wait for Your word. [Ps 32:7; 91:1] Leave me, you evildoers, That I may keep the commandments of my God [honoring and obeying them]. [Ps 6:8; 139:19; Matt 7:23] Uphold me according to Your word [of promise], so that I may live; And do not let me be ashamed of my hope [in Your great goodness]. [Ps 25:2; Rom 5:5; 9:33; 10:11] Uphold me that I may be safe, That I may have regard for Your statutes continually. You have turned Your back on all those who wander from Your statutes, For their deceitfulness is useless. You have removed all the wicked of the earth like dross [for they have no value]; Therefore I love Your testimonies. My flesh trembles in [reverent] fear of You, And I am afraid and in awe of Your judgments. ¶I have done justice and righteousness; Do not leave me to those who oppress me. Be the guarantee for Your servant for good [as Judah was the guarantee for Benjamin]; Do not let the arrogant oppress me. [Gen 43:9] My eyes fail [with longing, watching] for [the fulfillment of] Your salvation, And for [the fulfillment of] Your righteous word. Deal with Your servant according to Your [gracious] lovingkindness, And teach me Your statutes. I am Your servant; give me understanding [the ability to learn and a teachable heart] That I may know Your testimonies. It is time for the LORD to act; They have broken Your law. Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, Yes, more than refined gold. Therefore I esteem as right all Your precepts concerning everything; I hate every false way. ¶Your testimonies are wonderful; Therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of Your [glorious] words give light; Their unfolding gives understanding to the simple (childlike). I opened my mouth and panted [with anticipation], Because I longed for Your commandments. Turn to me and be gracious to me and show me favor, As is Your way to those who love Your name. Establish my footsteps in [the way of] Your word; Do not let any human weakness have power over me [causing me to be separated from You]. Redeem me from the oppression of man; That I may keep Your precepts. [Luke 1:74] Make Your face shine [with pleasure] upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes. [Ps 4:6] My eyes weep streams of water Because people do not keep Your law. ¶Righteous are You, O LORD, And upright are Your judgments. You have commanded Your testimonies in righteousness And in great faithfulness. My zeal has [completely] consumed me, Because my enemies have forgotten Your words. Your word is very pure (refined); Therefore Your servant loves it. I am small and despised, But I do not forget Your precepts. Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth. [Ps 19:9; John 17:17] Trouble and anguish have found me, Yet Your commandments are my delight and my joy. Your righteous testimonies are everlasting; Give me understanding [the ability to learn and a teachable heart] that I may live. ¶I cried with all my heart; answer me, O LORD! I will observe Your statutes. I cried to You; save me And I will keep Your testimonies. I rise before dawn and cry [in prayer] for help; I wait for Your word. My eyes anticipate the night watches and I awake before the call of the watchman, That I may meditate on Your word. Hear my voice according to Your [steadfast] lovingkindness; O LORD, renew and refresh me according to Your ordinances. Those who follow after wickedness approach; They are far from Your law. You are near, O LORD, And all Your commandments are truth. Of old I have known from Your testimonies That You have founded them forever. [Luke 21:33] ¶Look upon my agony and rescue me, For I do not forget Your law. Plead my cause and redeem me; Revive me and give me life according to [the promise of] Your word. Salvation is far from the wicked, For they do not seek Your statutes. Great are Your tender mercies and steadfast love, O LORD; Revive me and give me life according to Your ordinances. Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, Yet I do not turn away from Your testimonies. I see the treacherous and loathe them, Because they do not respect Your law. Consider how I love Your precepts; Revive me and give me life, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness. The sum of Your word is truth [the full meaning of all Your precepts], And every one of Your righteous ordinances endures forever. ¶Princes persecute me without cause, But my heart stands in [reverent] awe of Your words [so I can expect You to help me]. [1 Sam 24:11, 14; 26:18] I rejoice at Your word, As one who finds great treasure. I hate and detest falsehood, But I love Your law. Seven times a day I praise You, Because of Your righteous ordinances. Those who love Your law have great peace; Nothing makes them stumble. [Prov 3:2; Is 32:17] I hope and wait [with complete confidence] for Your salvation, O LORD, And I do Your commandments. [Gen 49:18] My soul keeps Your testimonies [hearing and accepting and obeying them]; I love them greatly. I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, For all my ways are [fully known] before You. ¶Let my [mournful] cry come before You, O LORD; Give me understanding [the ability to learn and a teachable heart] according to Your word [of promise]. Let my supplication come before You; Deliver me according to Your word. Let my lips speak praise [with thanksgiving], For You teach me Your statutes. Let my tongue sing [praise for the fulfillment] of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteous. Let Your hand be ready to help me, For I have chosen Your precepts. I long for Your salvation, O LORD, And Your law is my delight. Let my soul live that it may praise You, And let Your ordinances help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; Seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments. [Is 53:6; Luke 15:4; 1 Pet 2:25]