Delight in God’s Word

א  Alef

1Howa happy are those whose way is blameless,b

who live according to the LORD’s instruction!c

2Happy are those who keep His decreesd

and seek Him with all their heart.e

3They do nothing wrong;f

they follow His ways.

4You have commanded that Your preceptsg

be diligently kept.

5If only my ways were committed

to keeping Your statutes!h

6Then I would not be ashamedi

when I think about all Your commands.

7I will praise You with a sincere heartj

when I learn Your righteous judgments.

8I will keep Your statutes;

never abandon me.k

ב  Bet

9How can a young man keep his way pure?

By keeping Yourl word.m

10I have sought You with all my heart;n

don’t let me wander from Your commands.o

11I have treasured Your word in my heartp

so that I may not sin against You.

12LORD, may You be praised;

teach me Your statutes.q

13With my lips I proclaim

all the judgments from Your mouth.r

14I rejoice in the way revealed by Your decreess

as much as in all riches.

15I will meditate on Your preceptst

and think about Your ways.u

16I will delight in Your statutes;v

I will not forget Your word.

ג  Gimel

17Deal generously with Your servantw

so that I might live;

then I will keep Your word.

18Open my eyes so that I may contemplate

wonderful things from Your instruction.

19I am a stranger on earth;x

do not hide Your commands from me.

20I am continually overcome

with longing for Your judgments.y

21You rebuke the proud,

the ones under a curse,z

who wander from Your commands.aa

22Take insult and contempt away from me,ab

for I have kept Your decrees.

23Though princes sit together speaking against me,ac

Your servant will think about Your statutes;ad

24Your decrees are my delight

and my counselors.ae

ד  Dalet

25My life is down in the dust;af

give me lifeag through Your word.

26I told You about my life,

and You listened to me;

teach me Your statutes.ah

27Help me understand

the meaning of Your precepts

so that I can meditate on Your wonders.ai

28I am wearyaj from grief;

strengthen me through Your word.ak

29Keep me from the way of deceit

and graciously give me Your instruction.

30I have chosen the way of truth;

I have set Your ordinances before me.al

31I cling to Your decrees;

LORD, do not put me to shame.am

32I pursue the way of Your commands,

for You broaden my understanding.an, ao

ה  He

33Teach me, LORD, the meaningap of Your statutes,

and I will always keep them.aq, ar

34Help me understand Your instruction,as

and I will obey it

and follow it with all my heart.at

35Help me stay on the path of Your commands,au

for I take pleasure in it.av

36Turn my heart to Your decreesaw

and not to material gain.ax

37Turn my eyes

from looking at what is worthless;ay

give me life in Your ways.az, ba

38Confirm what You said to Your servant,bb

for it produces reverence for You.

39Turn away the disgrace I dread;bc

indeed, Your judgments are good.

40How I long for Your precepts!bd

Give me life through Your righteousness.

ו  Vav

41Let Your faithful love come to me, LORD,be

Your salvation, as You promised.bf

42Then I can answer the one who taunts me,bg

for I trust in Your word.

43Never take the word of truth from my mouth,

for I hope in Your judgments.bh

44I will always obey Your instruction,

forever and ever.bi

45I will walk freely in an open placebj

because I seek Your precepts.bk

46I will speak of Your decrees before kings

and not be ashamed.bl

47I delight in Your commands,

which I love.bm

48I will lift up my handsbn to Your commands,

which I love,

and will meditate on Your statutes.bo

ז  Zayin

49Remember Your word to Your servant;

You have given me hope through it.

50This is my comfort in my affliction:bp

Your promise has given me life.

51The arrogant constantly ridicule me,

but I do not turn away from Your instruction.bq

52LORD, I remember Your judgments from long ago

and find comfort.

53Rage seizes mebr because of the wicked

who reject Your instruction.bs

54Your statutes are the theme of my song

during my earthly life.bt

55•Yahweh, I remember Your namebu in the night,bv

and I obey Your instruction.

56This is my practice:

I obey Your precepts.bw

ח  Khet

57The LORD is my portion;bx, by

I have promised to keep Your words.

58I have sought Your favorbz with all my heart;

be gracious to meca according to Your promise.

59I thought about my wayscb

and turned my steps back to Your decrees.

60I hurried, not hesitating

to keep Your commands.

61Though the ropes of the wickedcc

were wrapped around me,

I did not forget Your instruction.cd

62I rise at midnight to thank Youce

for Your righteous judgments.cf

63I am a friend to all who •fear You,cg

to those who keep Your precepts.

64LORD, the earth is filled with Your faithful love;ch

teach me Your statutes.ci

ט  Tet

65LORD, You have treated Your servant well,

just as You promised.

66Teach me good judgment and discernment,cj

for I rely on Your commands.

67Before I was afflicted I went astray,ck

but now I keep Your word.

68You are good,cl and You do what is good;cm

teach me Your statutes.

69The arrogant have smeared me with lies,cn

but I obey Your precepts with all my heart.co

70Their hearts are hard and insensitive,cp

but I delight in Your instruction.cq

71It was good for me to be afflictedcr

so that I could learn Your statutes.

72Instruction from Your lipscs is better for me

than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

י  Yod

73Your hands made me and formed me;ct

give me understanding

so that I can learn Your commands.cu

74Those who fear You will see me and rejoice,cv

for I put my hope in Your word.cw

75I know, LORD, that Your judgments are just

and that You have afflicted me fairly.cx

76May Your faithful love comfort me

as You promised Your servant.

77May Your compassion come to mecy

so that I may live,

for Your instruction is my delight.cz

78Let the arrogant be put to shameda

for slandering me with lies;

I will meditate on Your precepts.

79Let those who fear You,

those who know Your decrees, turn to me.

80May my heart be blameless regarding Your statutesdb

so that I will not be put to shame.

כ  Kaf

81I long for Your salvation;dc

I put my hope in Your word.dd

82My eyes grow weary

looking for what You have promised;de

I ask, “When will You comfort me? ”

83Though I have become like a wineskin dried by smoke,

I do not forget Your statutes.

84How many days must Your servant wait?

When will You execute judgment on my persecutors?df

85The arrogant have dug pits for me;dg

they violate Your instruction.

86All Your commands are true;

people persecute me with lies — help me!dh

87They almost ended my life on earth,

but I did not abandon Your precepts.

88Give me life in accordance with Your faithful love,

and I will obey the decree You have spoken.

ל  Lamed

89LORD, Your word is forever;di

it is firmly fixed in heaven.

90Your faithfulness is for all generations;dj

You established the earth, and it stands firm.dk

91They stand today in accordance with Your judgments,dl

for all things are Your servants.dm

92If Your instruction had not been my delight,

I would have died in my affliction.dn

93I will never forget Your precepts,

for You have given me life through them.do

94I am Yours; save me,dp

for I have sought Your precepts.dq

95The wicked hope to destroy me,dr

but I contemplate Your decrees.

96I have seen a limit to all perfection,

but Your command is without limit.

מ  Mem

97How I love Your instruction!ds

It is my meditation all day long.dt

98Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,du

for they are always with me.

99I have more insight than all my teachers

because Your decrees are my meditation.dv

100I understand more than the eldersdw

because I obey Your precepts.dx

101I have kept my feet from every evil pathdy

to follow Your word.

102I have not turned from Your judgments,dz

for You Yourself have instructed me.

103How sweet Your word isea to my taste —

sweeter than honey in my mouth.

104I gain understanding from Your precepts;eb

therefore I hate every false way.ec

נ  Nun

105Your word is a lamp for my feeted

and a light on my path.

106I have solemnly swornee

to keep Your righteous judgments.

107I am severely afflicted;

LORD, give me life through Your word.ef

108LORD, please accept my willing offerings of praise,eg

and teach me Your judgments.eh

109My life is constantly in danger,ei

yet I do not forget Your instruction.ej

110The wicked have set a trap for me,ek

but I have not wandered from Your precepts.el

111I have Your decrees as a heritage forever;

indeed, they are the joy of my heart.em

112I am resolved to obey Your statutes

to the very end.en, eo

ס  Samek

113I hate those who are double-minded,ep

but I love Your instruction.eq

114You are my shelter and my shield;er

I put my hope in Your word.es

115Depart from me,et you evil ones,

so that I may obey my God’s commands.eu

116Sustain me as You promised,ev and I will live;

do not let me be ashamed of my hope.ew

117Sustain me so that I can be safeex

and always be concerned about Your statutes.ey

118You reject all who stray from Your statutes,ez

for their deceit is a lie.

119You remove all the wicked on earth

as if they werefa dross;fb

therefore, I love Your decrees.fc

120I tremblefd in awe of You;fe

I fear Your judgments.

ע  Ayin

121I have done what is just and right;ff

do not leave me to my oppressors.

122Guarantee Your servant’s well-being;fg

do not let the arrogant oppress me.

123My eyes grow wearyfh looking for Your salvation

and for Your righteous promise.

124Deal with Your servant based on Your faithful love;fi

teach me Your statutes.

125I am Your servant;fj give me understandingfk

so that I may know Your decrees.

126It is time for the LORD to act,fl

for they have violated Your instruction.

127Since I love Your commandsfm

more than gold, even the purest gold,

128I carefully followfn all Your preceptsfo

and hate every false way.fp

פ  Pe

129Your decrees are wonderful;fq

therefore I obey them.fr

130The revelation of Your wordsfs brings light

and gives understanding to the inexperienced.ft

131I open my mouth and pantfu

because I long for Your commands.

132Turn to me and be gracious to me,fv

as is Your practice toward those who love Your name.

133Make my steps steady through Your promise;fw

don’t let any sin dominate me.fx

134Redeem me from human oppression,fy

and I will keep Your precepts.

135Show favor to Your servant,fz

and teach me Your statutes.ga

136My eyes pour out streams of tearsgb

because people do not follow Your instruction.

צ  Tsade

137You are righteous, LORD,gc

and Your judgments are just.

138The decrees You issue are righteous

and altogether trustworthy.gd

139My anger overwhelms me

because my foes forget Your words.ge

140Your word is completely pure,gf

and Your servant loves it.gg

141I am insignificant and despised,gh

but I do not forget Your precepts.gi

142Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,

and Your instruction is true.gj

143Trouble and distress have overtaken me,

but Your commands are my delight.gk

144Your decrees are righteous forever.gl

Give me understanding, and I will live.

ק  Qof

145I call with all my heart; answer me, LORD.

I will obey Your statutes.gm

146I call to You; save me,

and I will keep Your decrees.gn

147I rise before dawn and cry out for help;go

I put my hope in Your word.

148I am awake through each watch of the night

to meditate on Your promise.gp

149In keeping with Your faithful love, hear my voice.

LORD, give me life in keeping with Your justice.gq

150Those who pursue evil plansgr, gs come near;

they are far from Your instruction.

151You are near, LORD,gt

and all Your commands are true.gu

152Long ago I learned from Your decrees

that You have established them forever.gv

ר  Resh

153Consider my affliction and rescue me,gw

for I have not forgotten Your instruction.gx

154Defend my cause and redeem me;gy

give me life as You promised.

155Salvation is far from the wicked

because they do not seek Your statutes.gz

156Your compassions are many, LORD;ha

give me life according to Your judgments.

157My persecutors and foes are many.hb

I have not turned from Your decrees.hc

158I have seen the disloyalhd and feel disgusthe

because they do not keep Your word.

159Consider how I love Your precepts;

LORD, give me life according to Your faithful love.hf

160The entirety of Your word is truth,

and all Your righteous judgments endure forever.hg

שׂ  Sin / שׁ  Shin

161Princes have persecuted me without cause,

but my heart fears only Your word.hh

162I rejoice over Your promisehi

like one who finds vast treasure.

163I hate and abhor falsehood,hj

but I love Your instruction.hk

164I praise You seven times a day

for Your righteous judgments.hl

165Abundant peace belongs to thosehm

who love Your instruction;

nothing makes them stumble.hn

166LORD, I hope for Your salvationho

and carry out Your commands.

167I obey Your decrees

and love them greatly.hp

168I obey Your precepts and decrees,

for all my ways are before You.hq

ת  Tav

169Let my cry reach You, LORD;hr

give me understanding according to Your word.hs

170Let my plea reach You;ht

rescue me according to Your promise.hu

171My lips pour out praise,hv

for You teach me Your statutes.hw

172My tongue sings about Your promise,hx

for all Your commands are righteous.hy

173May Your hand be ready to help me,hz

for I have chosen Your precepts.ia

174I long for Your salvation, LORD,

and Your instruction is my delight.ib

175Let me live, and I will praise You;ic

may Your judgments help me.

176I wander like a lost sheep;id

seek Your servant,ie

for I do not forget Your commands.if