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Psalm 119 NKJV

Meditations on the Excellencies of the Word of God

א ALEPH

119 Blessed are the ^[a]undefiled in the way,
Who walk in the law of the Lord!
² Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
³ They also do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways.
⁴ You have commanded us
To keep Your precepts diligently.
⁵ Oh, that my ways were directed
To keep Your statutes!
⁶ Then I would not be ashamed,
When I look into all Your commandments.
⁷ I will praise You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.
⁸ I will keep Your statutes;
Oh, do not forsake me utterly!

ב BETH

⁹ How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
¹⁰ With my whole heart I have sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
¹¹ Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
¹² Blessed are You, O Lord!
Teach me Your statutes.
¹³ With my lips I have declared
All the judgments of Your mouth.
¹⁴ I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
¹⁵ I will meditate on Your precepts,
And ^[b]contemplate Your ways.
¹⁶ I will delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.

ג GIMEL

¹⁷ Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
¹⁸ Open my eyes, that I may see
Wondrous things from Your law.
¹⁹ I am a stranger in the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.
²⁰ My soul ^[c]breaks with longing
For Your judgments at all times.
²¹ You rebuke the proud—the cursed,
Who stray from Your commandments.
²² Remove from me reproach and contempt,
For I have kept Your testimonies.
²³ Princes also sit and speak against me,
But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
²⁴ Your testimonies also are my delight
And my counselors.

ד DALETH

²⁵ My soul clings to the dust;
Revive me according to Your word.
²⁶ I have declared my ways, and You answered me;
Teach me Your statutes.
²⁷ Make me understand the way of Your precepts;
So shall I meditate on Your wonderful works.
²⁸ My soul ^[d]melts from ^[e]heaviness;
Strengthen me according to Your word.
²⁹ Remove from me the way of lying,
And grant me Your law graciously.
³⁰ I have chosen the way of truth;
Your judgments I have laid before me.
³¹ I cling to Your testimonies;
O Lord, do not put me to shame!
³² I will run the course of Your commandments,
For You shall enlarge my heart.

ה HE

³³ Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
³⁴ Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
³⁵ Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
^36 [f]Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
³⁷ Turn^[g] away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in ^[h]Your way.
³⁸ Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
³⁹ Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
⁴⁰ Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness.

ו WAW

⁴¹ Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord—
Your salvation according to Your word.
⁴² So shall I have an answer for him who ^[i]reproaches me,
For I trust in Your word.
⁴³ And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
⁴⁴ So shall I keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
⁴⁵ And I will walk ^[j]at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
⁴⁶ I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings,
And will not be ashamed.
⁴⁷ And I will delight myself in Your commandments,
Which I love.
⁴⁸ My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,
Which I love,
And I will meditate on Your statutes.

ז ZAYIN

⁴⁹ Remember the word to Your servant,
Upon which You have caused me to hope.
⁵⁰ This is my comfort in my affliction,
For Your word has given me life.
⁵¹ The proud have me in great derision,
Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.
⁵² I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord,
And have comforted myself.
⁵³ Indignation has taken hold of me
Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
⁵⁴ Your statutes have been my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage.
⁵⁵ I remember Your name in the night, O Lord,
And I keep Your law.
⁵⁶ This has become mine,
Because I kept Your precepts.

ח HETH

⁵⁷ You are my portion, O Lord;
I have said that I would keep Your words.
⁵⁸ I entreated Your favor with my whole heart;
Be merciful to me according to Your word.
⁵⁹ I thought about my ways,
And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
⁶⁰ I made haste, and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.
⁶¹ The cords of the wicked have bound me,
But I have not forgotten Your law.
⁶² At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
⁶³ I am a companion of all who fear You,
And of those who keep Your precepts.
⁶⁴ The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy;
Teach me Your statutes.

ט TETH

⁶⁵ You have dealt well with Your servant,
O Lord, according to Your word.
⁶⁶ Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
⁶⁸ You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.
⁶⁹ The proud have forged^[k] a lie against me,
But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.
⁷⁰ Their heart is ^[l]as fat as grease,
But I delight in Your law.
⁷¹ It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
⁷² The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.

י YOD

⁷³ Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
⁷⁴ Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.
⁷⁵ I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are ^[m]right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
⁷⁶ Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,
According to Your word to Your servant.
⁷⁷ Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;
For Your law is my delight.
⁷⁸ Let the proud be ashamed,
For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.
⁷⁹ Let those who fear You turn to me,
Those who know Your testimonies.
⁸⁰ Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed.

כ KAPH

⁸¹ My soul faints for Your salvation,
But I hope in Your word.
⁸² My eyes fail from searching Your word,
Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
⁸³ For I have become like a wineskin in smoke,
Yet I do not forget Your statutes.
⁸⁴ How many are the days of Your servant?
When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
⁸⁵ The proud have dug pits for me,
Which is not according to Your law.
⁸⁶ All Your commandments are faithful;
They persecute me wrongfully;
Help me!
⁸⁷ They almost made an end of me on earth,
But I did not forsake Your precepts.
⁸⁸ Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

ל LAMED

⁸⁹ Forever, O Lord,
Your word ^[n]is settled in heaven.
⁹⁰ Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
You established the earth, and it ^[o]abides.
⁹¹ They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
For all are Your servants.
⁹² Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
⁹³ I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life.
⁹⁴ I am Yours, save me;
For I have sought Your precepts.
⁹⁵ The wicked wait for me to destroy me,
But I will ^[p]consider Your testimonies.
⁹⁶ I have seen the consummation of all perfection,
But Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

מ MEM

⁹⁷ Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
⁹⁸ You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
For they are ever with me.
⁹⁹ I have more understanding than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.
¹⁰⁰ I understand more than the ^[q]ancients,
Because I keep Your precepts.
¹⁰¹ I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
That I may keep Your word.
¹⁰² I have not departed from Your judgments,
For You Yourself have taught me.
¹⁰³ How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
¹⁰⁴ Through Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.

נ NUN

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
¹⁰⁶ I have sworn and confirmed
That I will keep Your righteous judgments.
¹⁰⁷ I am afflicted very much;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word.
¹⁰⁸ Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord,
And teach me Your judgments.
¹⁰⁹ My life is continually ^[r]in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.
¹¹⁰ The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts.
¹¹¹ Your testimonies I have taken as a ^[s]heritage forever,
For they are the rejoicing of my heart.
¹¹² I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, to the very end.

ס SAMEK

¹¹³ I hate the ^[t]double-minded,
But I love Your law.
¹¹⁴ You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in Your word.
¹¹⁵ Depart from me, you evildoers,
For I will keep the commandments of my God!
¹¹⁶ Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live;
And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.
^117 [u]Hold me up, and I shall be safe,
And I shall observe Your statutes continually.
¹¹⁸ You reject all those who stray from Your statutes,
For their deceit is falsehood.
¹¹⁹ You ^[v]put away all the wicked of the earth like ^[w]dross;
Therefore I love Your testimonies.
¹²⁰ My flesh trembles for fear of You,
And I am afraid of Your judgments.

ע AYIN

¹²¹ I have done justice and righteousness;
Do not leave me to my oppressors.
¹²² Be surety^[x] for Your servant for good;
Do not let the proud oppress me.
¹²³ My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation
And Your righteous word.
¹²⁴ Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy,
And teach me Your statutes.
¹²⁵ I am Your servant;
Give me understanding,
That I may know Your testimonies.
¹²⁶ It is time for You to act, O Lord,
For they have ^[y]regarded Your law as void.
¹²⁷ Therefore I love Your commandments
More than gold, yes, than fine gold!
¹²⁸ Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things
I consider to be right;
I hate every false way.

פ PE

¹²⁹ Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
¹³⁰ The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
¹³¹ I opened my mouth and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.
¹³² Look upon me and be merciful to me,
As Your custom is toward those who love Your name.
¹³³ Direct my steps by Your word,
And let no iniquity have dominion over me.
¹³⁴ Redeem me from the oppression of man,
That I may keep Your precepts.
¹³⁵ Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.
¹³⁶ Rivers of water run down from my eyes,
Because men do not keep Your law.

צ TSADDE

¹³⁷ Righteous are You, O Lord,
And upright are Your judgments.
¹³⁸ Your testimonies, which You have commanded,
Are righteous and very faithful.
¹³⁹ My zeal has ^[z]consumed me,
Because my enemies have forgotten Your words.
¹⁴⁰ Your word is very ^[aa]pure;
Therefore Your servant loves it.
¹⁴¹ I am small and despised,
Yet I do not forget Your precepts.
¹⁴² Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
And Your law is truth.
¹⁴³ Trouble and anguish have ^[ab]overtaken me,
Yet Your commandments are my delights.
¹⁴⁴ The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting;
Give me understanding, and I shall live.

ק QOPH

¹⁴⁵ I cry out with my whole heart;
Hear me, O Lord!
I will keep Your statutes.
¹⁴⁶ I cry out to You;
Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.
¹⁴⁷ I rise before the dawning of the morning,
And cry for help;
I hope in Your word.
¹⁴⁸ My eyes are awake through the night watches,
That I may meditate on Your word.
¹⁴⁹ Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;
O Lord, revive me according to Your justice.
¹⁵⁰ They draw near who follow after wickedness;
They are far from Your law.
¹⁵¹ You are near, O Lord,
And all Your commandments are truth.
¹⁵² Concerning Your testimonies,
I have known of old that You have founded them forever.

ר RESH

¹⁵³ Consider my affliction and deliver me,
For I do not forget Your law.
¹⁵⁴ Plead my cause and redeem me;
Revive me according to Your word.
¹⁵⁵ Salvation is far from the wicked,
For they do not seek Your statutes.
^156 [ac]Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord;
Revive me according to Your judgments.
¹⁵⁷ Many are my persecutors and my enemies,
Yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.
¹⁵⁸ I see the treacherous, and am disgusted,
Because they do not keep Your word.
¹⁵⁹ Consider how I love Your precepts;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.
¹⁶⁰ The entirety of Your word is truth,
And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

ש SHIN

¹⁶¹ Princes persecute me without a cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your word.
¹⁶² I rejoice at Your word
As one who finds great treasure.
¹⁶³ I hate and abhor lying,
But I love Your law.
¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
¹⁶⁵ Great peace have those who love Your law,
And ^[ad]nothing causes them to stumble.
¹⁶⁶ Lord, I hope for Your salvation,
And I do Your commandments.
¹⁶⁷ My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.
¹⁶⁸ I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my ways are before You.

ת TAU

¹⁶⁹ Let my cry come before You, O Lord;
Give me understanding according to Your word.
¹⁷⁰ Let my ^[ae]supplication come before You;
Deliver me according to Your word.
¹⁷¹ My lips shall utter praise,
For You teach me Your statutes.
¹⁷² My tongue shall speak of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
¹⁷³ Let Your hand become my help,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
¹⁷⁴ I long for Your salvation, O Lord,
And Your law is my delight.
¹⁷⁵ Let my soul live, and it shall praise You;
And let Your judgments help me.
¹⁷⁶ I have gone astray like a lost sheep;
Seek Your servant,
For I do not forget Your commandments.

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Footnotes

a. Psalm 119:1 blameless
b. Psalm 119:15 look into
c. Psalm 119:20 is crushed
d. Psalm 119:28 Lit. drops
e. Psalm 119:28 grief
f. Psalm 119:36 Cause me to long for
g. Psalm 119:37 Lit. Cause my eyes to pass away from
h. Psalm 119:37 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; Tg. Your words
i. Psalm 119:42 taunts
j. Psalm 119:45 Lit. in a wide place
k. Psalm 119:69 Lit. smeared me with a lie
l. Psalm 119:70 Insensible
m. Psalm 119:75 Lit. righteous
n. Psalm 119:89 Lit. stands firm
o. Psalm 119:90 Lit. stands
p. Psalm 119:95 give attention to
q. Psalm 119:100 aged
r. Psalm 119:109 In danger
s. Psalm 119:111 inheritance
t. Psalm 119:113 Lit. divided in heart or mind
u. Psalm 119:117 Uphold me
v. Psalm 119:119 destroy, lit. cause to cease
w. Psalm 119:119 slag or refuse
x. Psalm 119:122 guaranty
y. Psalm 119:126 broken Your law
z. Psalm 119:139 put an end to
aa. Psalm 119:140 Lit. refined or tried
bb. Psalm 119:143 Lit. found
cc. Psalm 119:156 Or Many
dd. Psalm 119:165 Lit. they have no stumbling block
ee. Psalm 119:170 Prayer of supplication

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.