Psalm 119:1-176 CEB

[1] Those whose way is blameless—who walk in the LORD’s Instruction—are truly happy! [2] Those who guard God’s laws are truly happy! They seek God with all their hearts. [3] They don’t even do anything wrong! They walk in God’s ways. [4] God, you have ordered that your decrees should be kept most carefully. [5] How I wish my ways were strong when it comes to keeping your statutes! [6] Then I wouldn’t be ashamed when I examine all your commandments. [7] I will give thanks to you with a heart that does right as I learn your righteous rules. [8] I will keep your statutes. Please don’t leave me all alone! [9] How can young people keep their paths pure? By guarding them according to what you’ve said. [10] I have sought you with all my heart. Don’t let me stray from any of your commandments! [11] I keep your word close, in my heart, so that I won’t sin against you. [12] You, LORD, are to be blessed! Teach me your statutes. [13] I will declare out loud all the rules you have spoken. [14] I rejoice in the content of your laws as if I were rejoicing over great wealth. [15] I will think about your precepts and examine all your paths. [16] I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget what you have said. [17] Be good to your servant so I can go on living and keeping your word. [18] Open my eyes so I can examine the wonders of your Instruction! [19] I’m an immigrant in the land. Don’t hide your commandments from me! [20] I’m worn out by longing every minute for your rules! [21] You rebuke the arrogant, accursed people who stray from your commandments. [22] Take all their insults and contempt away from me because I’ve kept your laws! [23] Even if rulers gather and scheme against me, your servant will contemplate your statutes! [24] Yes, your laws are my joy—they are my most trusted advisors! [25] My life is stuck in the dirt. Now make me live again according to your promise! [26] I confessed my ways and you answered me. Now teach me your statutes! [27] Help me understand what your precepts are about so I can contemplate your wondrous works! [28] My spirit sags because of grief. Now raise me up according to your promise! [29] Remove all false ways from me; show mercy to me by means of your Instruction. [30] I’ve chosen the way of faithfulness; I’m set on your rules. [31] I’m holding tight to your laws, LORD. Please don’t let me be put to shame. [32] I run the same path as your commandments because you give my heart insight. [33] LORD, teach me what your statutes are about, and I will guard every part of them. [34] Help me understand so I can guard your Instruction and keep it with all my heart. [35] Lead me on the trail of your commandments because that is what I want. [36] Turn my heart to your laws, not to greedy gain. [37] Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things. Make me live by your way. [38] Confirm your promise to your servant—the promise that is for all those who honor you. [39] Remove the insults that I dread because your rules are good. [40] Look how I desire your precepts! Make me live by your righteousness. [41] LORD, let your faithful love come to me—let your salvation come to me according to your promise— [42] so I can have a response for those who mock me because I have trusted in your word! [43] Please don’t take your true word out of my mouth, because I have waited for your rules. [44] I will always keep your Instruction, always and forever! [45] I will walk around in wide-open spaces, because I have pursued your precepts. [46] I will talk about your laws before rulers with no shame whatsoever. [47] I will rejoice in your commandments because I love them. [48] I will lift up my hands to your commandments because I love them, and I will contemplate all your statutes. [49] Remember your promise to your servant, for which you made me wait. [50] My comfort during my suffering is this: your word gives me new life. [51] The arrogant make fun of me to no end, but I haven’t deviated from your Instruction. [52] When I remember your ancient rules, I’m comforted, LORD. [53] But I’m seized with anger because of the wicked—because of those who abandon your Instruction. [54] Your statutes have been my songs of praise wherever I lived as an immigrant. [55] LORD, I remember your name at nighttime, and I keep your Instruction. [56] This has been my practice because I guard your precepts. [57] The LORD is my possession. I promise to do what you have said. [58] I’ve sought your favor with all my heart; have mercy on me according to your word. [59] I’ve considered my ways and turned my feet back to your laws. [60] I hurry to keep your commandments—I never put it off! [61] Though the wicked have surrounded me with their ropes, I haven’t forgotten your Instruction. [62] I get up in the middle of the night to give thanks to you because of your righteous rules. [63] I’m a friend to everyone who honors you and to all who keep your precepts. [64] LORD, the world is full of your faithful love! Teach me your statutes! [65] You have treated your servant well, LORD, according to your promise. [66] Teach me knowledge and good judgment because I’ve put my trust in your commandments. [67] Before I suffered, I took the wrong way, but now I do what you say. [68] You are good and you do good. Teach me your statutes! [69] The arrogant cover me with their lies, but I guard your precepts with all my heart. [70] Their hearts are unfeeling, like blubber, but I rejoice in your Instruction. [71] My suffering was good for me, because through it I learned your statutes. [72] The Instruction you’ve given to me is better than thousands of pieces of gold and silver! [73] Your hands have made me and set me in place. Help me understand so I can learn your commandments. [74] Then those who honor you will see me and be glad because I have waited for your promise. [75] LORD, I know that your rules are right and that you rightly made me suffer. [76] Please let your faithful love comfort me, according to what you’ve said to your servant. [77] Let your compassion come to me so I can live again, because your Instruction is my joy! [78] But let the arrogant be ashamed because they oppressed me with lies—meanwhile, I will be contemplating your precepts! [79] Let the people who honor you come back to me; let those who know your precepts return to me. [80] Let my heart be blameless in your statutes so that I am not put to shame. [81] My whole being yearns for your saving help! I wait for your promise. [82] My eyes are worn out looking for your word. “When will you comfort me?” I ask, [83] because I’ve become like a bottle dried up by smoke, though I haven’t forgotten your statutes. [84] How much more time does your servant have? When will you bring my oppressors to justice? [85] The arrogant have dug pits for me—those people who act against your Instruction. [86] All your commandments are true, but people harass me for no reason. Help me! [87] They’ve almost wiped me off the face of the earth! Meanwhile, I haven’t abandoned your precepts! [88] Make me live again according to your faithful love so I can keep the law you’ve given! [89] Your word, LORD, stands firm in heaven forever! [90] Your faithfulness extends from one generation to the next! You set the earth firmly in place, and it is still there. [91] Your rules endure to this day because everything serves you. [92] If your Instruction hadn’t been my delight, I would have died because of my suffering. [93] I will never forget your precepts because through them you gave me life again. [94] I’m yours—save me because I’ve pursued your precepts! [95] The wicked wait for me, wanting to kill me, but I’m studying your laws. [96] I’ve seen that everything, no matter how perfect, has a limit, but your commandment is boundless. [97] I love your Instruction! I think about it constantly. [98] Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies because it is always with me. [99] I have greater insight than all my teachers because I contemplate your laws. [100] I have more understanding than the elders because I guard your precepts. [101] I haven’t set my feet on any evil path so I can make sure to keep your word. [102] I haven’t deviated from any of your rules because you are the one who has taught me. [103] Your word is so pleasing to my taste buds—it’s sweeter than honey in my mouth! [104] I’m studying your precepts—that’s why I hate every false path. [105] Your word is a lamp before my feet and a light for my journey. [106] I have sworn, and I fully mean it: I will keep your righteous rules. [107] I have been suffering so much—LORD, make me live again according to your promise. [108] Please, LORD, accept my spontaneous gifts of praise. Teach me your rules! [109] Though my life is constantly in danger, I won’t forget your Instruction. [110] Though the wicked have set a trap for me, I won’t stray from your precepts. [111] Your laws are my possession forever because they are my heart’s joy. [112] I have decided to keep your statutes forever, every last one. [113] I hate fickle people, but I love your Instruction. [114] You are my shelter and my shield—I wait for your promise. [115] Get away from me, you evildoers; I want to guard my God’s commandments! [116] Sustain me according to your word so I can live! Don’t let me be put to shame because of hope. [117] Support me so I can be saved and so I can focus constantly on your statutes. [118] You discard everyone who strays from your statutes because they are dishonest and false. [119] You dispose of all the wicked people on earth like waste—that’s why I love your laws. [120] My body shudders because I fear you; I’m in awe of your rules. [121] I’ve done what is just and right. Don’t just hand me over to my oppressors. [122] Guarantee good things for your servant. Please don’t let the arrogant oppress me. [123] My eyes are worn out looking for your saving help—looking for your word that will set things right. [124] Act toward your servant according to your faithful love. Teach me your statutes! [125] I’m your servant! Help me understand so I can know your laws. [126] It is time for the LORD to do something! Your Instruction has been broken. [127] But I love your commandments more than gold, even more than pure gold. [128] That’s why I walk straight by every single one of your precepts. That’s why I hate every false path. [129] Your laws are wonderful! That’s why I guard them. [130] Access to your words gives light, giving simple folk understanding. [131] I open my mouth up wide, panting, because I long for your commandments. [132] Come back to me and have mercy on me; that’s only right for those who love your name. [133] Keep my steps steady by your word; don’t let any sin rule me. [134] Redeem me from the people who oppress me so I can keep your precepts. [135] Shine your face on your servant, and teach me your statutes. [136] Rivers of tears stream from my eyes because your Instruction isn’t being kept. [137] LORD, you are righteous, and your rules are right. [138] The laws you commanded are righteous, completely trustworthy. [139] Anger consumes me because my enemies have forgotten what you’ve said. [140] Your word has been tried and tested; your servant loves your word! [141] I’m insignificant and unpopular, but I don’t forget your precepts. [142] Your righteousness lasts forever! Your Instruction is true! [143] Stress and strain have caught up with me, but your commandments are my joy! [144] Your laws are righteous forever. Help me understand so I can live! [145] I cry out with all my heart: “LORD, answer me so I can guard your statutes!” [146] I cry out to you, “Save me so I can keep your laws!” [147] I meet the predawn light and cry for help. I wait for your promise. [148] My eyes encounter each hour of the night as I think about your word. [149] Listen to my voice, according to your faithful love. LORD, make me live again, according to your justice. [150] The people who love to plot wicked schemes are nearby, but they are so far from your Instruction! [151] But you, LORD, are nearby too, and all your commandments are true. [152] Long ago I learned from your laws that you had established them forever. [153] Look at my suffering and deliver me because I haven’t forgotten your Instruction. [154] Argue my case and redeem me. Make me live again by your word. [155] Salvation is far from the wicked because they haven’t pursued your statutes. [156] You have so much compassion, LORD—make me live again, according to your rules. [157] My oppressors and enemies are many, but I haven’t turned away from your laws. [158] I look on the faithless, and I am disgusted because they haven’t kept your word. [159] Look at how much I love your precepts. Make me live again, LORD, according to your faithful love! [160] The first thing to know about your word is that it is true and that all your righteous rules last forever. [161] Rulers oppress me without cause, but my heart honors what you’ve said. [162] I’m overjoyed at your word, like someone who finds great treasure. [163] I hate, I absolutely despise, what is false, but I’m in love with your Instruction. [164] I praise you seven times a day for your righteous rules. [165] The people who love your Instruction enjoy peace—and lots of it. There’s no stumbling for them! [166] LORD, I wait for your saving help. I do what you’ve commanded. [167] I keep your laws; I love them so much! [168] I keep your precepts and your laws because all my ways are seen by you. [169] Let my cry reach you, LORD; help me understand according to what you’ve said. [170] Let my request for grace come before you; deliver me according to your promise! [171] Let my lips overflow with praise because you’ve taught me your statutes. [172] Let my tongue declare your word, because all your commandments are righteous. [173] Let your power help me because I have chosen your precepts. [174] LORD, I long for your saving help! Your Instruction is my joy! [175] Let me live again so I can praise you! Let your rules help me! [176] I’ve wandered off like a sheep, lost. Find your servant because I haven’t forgotten your commandments!