Psalms
ALEPH.
119 How happy the men of blameless life, Who walk in the law of Yahweh.
2 How happy they who observe his testimonies, With a whole heart they seek him.
3 Yea they have not wrought perversity, In his ways have they walked.
4 Thou hast commanded thy precepts, That they should be diligently kept.
5 Oh would that my ways might be settled! That I might keep thy statutes.
6 Then shall I not be ashamed, When I have respect unto all thy commandments.
7 I will thank thee with uprightness of heart, When I have learned thy righteous regulations.
8 Thy statutes will I keep, Do not thou forsake me utterly.
BETH.
9 Wherewithal can a young man keep pure his way? By taking heed according to thy word.
10 With all my heart have I sought thee, Suffer me not to be led astray from thy commandments.
11 In my heart have I treasured what thou hast said, To the end I may not sin against thee.
12 Blessed art thou, O Yahweh—Teach me thy statutes.
13 With my lips have I recounted All the regulations of thy mouth.
14 In the way of thy testimonies have I rejoiced Like as over all riches.
15 In thy precepts will I meditate, That I may discern thy paths.
16 In thy statutes will I find my dear delight, I will not forget thy word.
GIMEL.
17 Bestow thy bounties upon thy servant—let me live, That I may observe thy word.
18 Unveil thou mine eyes, that I may discern Wondrous things out of thy law.
19 A sojourner am I in the earth, Do not hide from me thy commandments.
20 My soul is crushed with longing For thy just decisions at all times.
21 Thou hast rebuked the proud as accursed, Who stray from thy commandments.
22 Roll from off me reproach and contempt, For thy testimonies have I observed.
23 Even rulers have taken their seat, against me have talked, Thy servant will still meditate in thy statutes.
24 Yea thy testimonies are my dear delight, My counsellors.
DALETH.
25 My soul cleaveth to the dust, Give me life according to thy word.
26 My ways I recounted and thou didst answer me, Teach me thy statutes.
27 The way of thy precepts cause thou me to understand, And I will indeed meditate in thy wonders.
28 My soul weepeth itself away for grief, Confirm thou me according to thy word.
29 The way of falsehood take thou from me, And with thy law O favour me.
30 The way of faithfulness have I chosen, Thy regulations have I deemed right.
31 I have kept close to thy testimonies, O Yahweh! do not put me to shame.
32 The way of thy commandments will I run, For thou wilt enlarge my heart.
HE.
33 Point out to me, O Yahweh, the way of thy statutes, That I may observe it unto the end.
34 Give me understanding, that I may observe thy law, That I may keep it with a whole heart.
35 Guide me in the path of thy commandments, For therein do I find pleasure.
36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies And not unto unjust gain.
37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, In thy way give me life.
38 Establish unto thy servant thy word, Which pertaineth to the reverence of thee.
39 Cause to pass away my reproach that I have feared, For thy regulations are good.
40 Lo! I have longed for thy precepts, In thy righteousness give me life.
WAW.
41 And let thy lovingkindness reach me, O Yahweh, Thy salvation according to thy word.
42 So shall I have something to answer him that reproacheth me, That I have trusted in thy word.
43 And do not snatch away from my mouth the word of truth in any wise, Because for thy regulation have I waited.
44 That I may keep thy law continually To times age-abiding and beyond.
45 That I may walk to and fro in a large place, Because thy precepts have I sought.
46 That I may speak of thy testimonies before kings, And not be ashamed.
47 That I may find dear delight in thy commandments Which I have loved.
48 That I may lift up my hands unto thy commandments which I have loved And may meditate in thy statutes.
ZAYIN.
49 Remember the word unto thy servant, Upon which thou hast caused me to hope.
50 This is my comfort in mine affliction, That thy word hath given me life.
51 Insolent men have derided me exceedingly, From thy law have I not swerved.
52 I have remembered thy regulations [which have come down] from age-past times, O Yahweh, And have consoled myself.
53 A raging heat hath seized me by reason of the lawless, Who forsake thy law.
54 Songs have thy statutes become to me In my house of sojourn.
55 I have remembered in the night thy Name O Yahweh, And have kept thy law.
56 This have I had, Because thy precepts have I observed.
HETH.
57 My portion is Yahweh, I have promised that I would keep thy words.
58 I have sought the smile of thy face with all my heart, Shew me favour according to thy word.
59 I have thought upon my ways, And have turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
60 I have hastened and not delayed, To keep thy commandments.
61 The meshes of the lawless have surrounded me, Thy law have I not forgotten.
62 At midnight I arise to give thanks unto thee, For thy righteous regulations.
63 Companion am I to all who revere thee, And to them who keep thy precepts.
64 Of thy lovingkindness O Yahweh the earth is full, Thy statutes teach thou me.
TETH.
65 Well hast thou dealt with thy servant, O Yahweh, according to thy word.
66 Good judgment and knowledge teach thou me, For in thy commandments have I trusted.
67 Before I was afflicted I myself was going astray, But now thy word have I kept.
68 Good thou art and doing good, Teach me thy statutes.
69 Insolent men have plastered falsehood over me, I with a whole heart will observe thy precepts.
70 Gross like fat is their heart, I in thy law have found dear delight.
71 It is well for me that I was afflicted, That I might learn thy statutes.
72 Better to me is the law of thy mouth, Than thousands of gold and silver.
YODH.
73 Thine own hands have made me and formed me. Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
74 They who revere thee shall see me and rejoice That for thy word I waited.
75 I know, O Yahweh, that righteous are thy regulations, And in faithfulness didst thou afflict me.
76 Let thy lovingkindness, I beseech thee, serve to comfort me, According to thy word to thy servant.
77 Let thy compassions reach me, that I may live, For thy law is my dear delight.
78 Let insolent men be ashamed because by means of falsehood they have dealt with me perversely, I will meditate in thy precepts.
79 Let them who revere thee turn unto me, Even they who know thy testimonies.
80 Let my heart be thorough in thy statutes, That I may not be ashamed.
KAPH.
81 My soul hath languished for thy salvation, For thy word have I hoped.
82 Mine eyes have failed for thy word, Saying, When wilt thou comfort me?
83 Though I have been like a wine-skin in the smoke Thy statutes have I not forgotten.
84 How few are the days of thy servant! When wilt thou execute sentence on my persecutors?
85 Insolent men digged for me pits, Men who are not according to thy law.
86 All thy commandments are faithful, With falsehood have they persecuted me, O help me!
87 A little more and they had consumed me in the earth, But I forsook not thy precepts.
88 According to thy lovingkindness give thou me life, So will I keep the testimonies of thy mouth.
LAMED.
89 Age-abidingly O Yahweh, Hath thy word been set up in the heavens.
90 To generation after generation is thy faithfulness, Thou hast established the earth and it standeth.
91 By thy regulations do they stand to-day, For all are thy servants.
92 Had not thy law been my dear delight Then had I perished in mine affliction.
93 Unto times age-abiding will I not forget thy precepts, For by them hast thou given me life.
94 Thine am I—oh save me! For thy precepts have I sought.
95 For me have the lawless waited to destroy me, Thy testimonies will I diligently consider.
96 To all perfection have I seen an end, Broad is thy commandment exceedingly.
MEM.
97 Oh how I love thy law! All the day is it my meditation.
98 Beyond mine enemies will thy commandment make me wise, For age-abidingly shall it be mine.
99 Beyond all my teachers have I shewn discretion, For thy testimonies are my meditation.
100 Beyond the elders will I shew understanding, For thy precepts have I observed.
101 From every way of wickedness have I withheld my feet, That I might keep thy word.
102 From thy regulations have I not turned aside, For thou hast directed me.
103 How smooth to my palate is thy speech, More than honey to my mouth.
104 Out of thy precepts will I get understanding, For this cause do I hate every false way.
NUN.
105 A lamp to my feet is thy word, And a light to my path.
106 I sware and have fulfilled, To keep thy righteous regulations.
107 I have been afflicted exceedingly,—O Yahweh, give me life according to thy word.
108 The freewill offerings of my mouth accept, I pray thee, O Yahweh, And thy regulations teach thou me.
109 My life is in my hand continually, Yet thy law have I not forgotten.
110 The lawless have set a snare for me, Yet from thy precepts have I not strayed.
111 As an inheritance have I taken thy testimonies unto times age-abiding, For the joy of my heart they are.
112 I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes, Age-abidingly to the end.
SAMECH.
113 Half-hearted ones do I hate, But thy law do I love.
114 My hiding-place and my buckler thou art, For thy word have I waited.
115 Depart from me, ye evil-doers,—That I may observe the commandments of my God.
116 Uphold me according to thy word, that I may live, And do not shame me out of my hope!
117 Sustain me that I may be saved, And may find dear delight in thy statutes continually.
118 Thou hast made light of all who stray from thy statutes, For their fraud is falsehood.
119 Dross have I accounted all the lawless of the earth, Therefore do I love thy testimonies.
120 My flesh bristled up from dread of thee, And of thy regulations stand I in fear.
AYIN.
121 I have done justice and righteousness,—Do not leave me to mine oppressors.
122 Be thou surety for thy servant for good, Let not insolent men oppress me.
123 Mine eyes have become dim for thy salvation, And for thy righteous word.
124 Deal with thy servant according to thy lovingkindness, And thy statutes teach thou me.
125 Thy servant I am—give me understanding, So shall I get to know thy testimonies.
126 It is time that Yahweh should work, They have frustrated thy law!
127 For this cause do I love thy commandments, More than gold, yea than fine gold!
128 For this cause all thy precepts concerning all things I deem right, Every way of falsehood I hate.
PE.
129 Wonderful are thy testimonies, For this cause hath my soul observed them.
130 The opening of thy words sheddeth light, Giving understanding to the simple.
131 My mouth have I opened wide and panted, Because for thy commandments have I longed.
132 Turn thyself unto me and shew me favour,—As is befitting to the lovers of thy Name.
133 My steps direct thou by thy word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me.
134 Set me free from the oppression of man, So will I keep thy precepts.
135 Thy face light thou up on thy servant, And teach me thy statutes.
136 Streams of water have run down mine eyes, Because men have not kept thy law.
ZADHE.
137 Righteous art thou, O Yahweh,—And equitable are thy regulations.
138 Thou hast righteously commanded thy testimonies, Yea in great faithfulness.
139 My zeal hath put an end to me, For mine adversaries have forgotten thy words.
140 Refined is thy word to the uttermost, And thy servant loveth it.
141 Small am I and despised, Thy precepts have I not forgotten.
142 Thy righteousness is righteous to times age-abiding, And thy law is truth.
143 Straitness and distress have befallen me, Thy commandments are my dear delights.
144 Righteous are thy testimonies unto times age-abiding, Give me understanding that I may live.
KOPH.
145 I have cried out with all my heart, answer me, O Yahweh; Thy statutes will I observe.
146 I have cried out unto thee, oh save me, That I may keep thy testimonies.
147 I forestalled the twilight and cried for help, For thy word I waited.
148 Mine eyes forestalled the night-watches, To meditate in thy word.
149 My voice O hear according to thy lovingkindness, O Yahweh! according to thy wont give me life.
150 They have drawn near who pursue villainy, From thy law have they gone far away.
151 Near art thou, O Yahweh, And all thy commandments are truth.
152 Long have I known from thy testimonies, That to times age-abiding thou didst establish them.
RESH.
153 Behold mine affliction and rescue me, For thy law have I not forgotten.
154 Plead my cause and redeem me, By thy word give me life.
155 Far from the lawless is salvation, For thy statutes have they not sought.
156 Thy compassions are great, O Yahweh, According to thy regulations give me life.
157 Many are my persecutors and mine adversaries, From thy testimonies have I not swerved.
158 I have seen traitors and felt loathing, Because thy word they kept not.
159 See thou that thy precepts I have loved, O Yahweh according to thy lovingkindness give me life.
160 The sum of thy word is truth, And age-abiding is every one of thy righteous regulations.
SHIN.
161 Rulers have persecuted me without cause, But of thy word hath my heart stood in awe.
162 Joyful am I over thy word, Like the finder of spoil in abundance.
163 Falsehood I hate and abhor, Thy law do I love.
164 Seven times in the day have I praised thee, For thy righteous regulations.
165 Blessing in abundance have the lovers of thy law, And nothing to make them stumble.
166 I have looked for thy salvation, O Yahweh, And thy commandments have I done.
167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies, Yea I have loved them greatly.
168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies, For all my ways are before thee.
TAU.
169 Let my shouting come near before thee, O Yahweh, According to thy word give me understanding.
170 Let my supplication come in before thee, According to thy word deliver me.
171 My lips shall pour out praise, When thou shalt teach me thy statutes.
172 My tongue shall respond with thy word, For all thy commandments are righteous.
173 Be thy hand ready to help me, For thy statutes have I chosen.
174 I have longed for thy salvation, O Yahweh, And thy law is my dear delight.
175 Let my soul live, that it may praise thee, So shall thy regulation help me.
176 I have strayed like a wandering sheep, O seek thy servant, For thy commandments have I not forgotten.