Psalm 119 Mar. 9 
ALEPH  1Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to Yahweh’s law. 2Blessed are those who keep His statutes, who seek Him with their whole heart. 3Yes, they do nothing wrong; they walk in His ways. 4You have commanded Your precepts, that we should fully obey them. 5Oh that my ways were steadfast to obey Your statutes! 6Then I wouldn’t be ashamed when I obey all of Your commandments. 7I will give thanks to You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgments. 8I will observe Your statutes; don’t utterly forsake me.  
BET  9How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word. 10With my whole heart I have sought You; don’t let me wander from Your commandments. 11I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You. 12Blessed are You, Yahweh; teach me Your statutes. 13With my lips I have declared all the ordinances of Your mouth. 14I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. 15I will meditate on Your precepts, and consider Your ways. 16I will delight myself in Your statutes, I will not forget Your word.  
GIMEL  17Do good to Your servant; I will live to obey Your word. 18Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of Your law. 19I am a stranger on the earth, don’t hide Your commandments from me. 20My soul is consumed with longing for Your ordinances at all times. 21You have rebuked the proud who are cursed, who wander from Your commandments. 22Take reproach and contempt away from me, for I have kept Your statutes. 23Though princes sit and slander me, Your servant will meditate on Your statutes. 24Indeed Your statutes are my delight and my counsellors.  
DALED  25My soul is laid low in the dust; revive me according to Your word! 26I declared my ways, and You answered me. Teach me Your statutes. 27Let me understand the teaching of Your precepts! Then I will talk of Your wondrous works. 28My soul is weary with sorrow: strengthen me according to Your word. 29Keep me from the way of deceit. Grant me Your law graciously! 30I have chosen the way of truth, I have set Your ordinances before me. 31I cling to Your statutes, Yahweh; don’t let me be disappointed. 32I run in the path of Your commandments, for You have set my heart free.  
HEY  33Teach me, Yahweh, the way of Your statutes; I will keep them to the end. 34Give me understanding, and I will keep Your law; yes, I will obey it with my whole heart. 35Direct me in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in them. 36Turn my heart toward Your statutes, not toward selfish gain. 37Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things. Revive me in Your ways. 38Fulfill Your promise to Your servant, that You may be feared. 39Take away my disgrace that I dread, for Your ordinances are good. 40Behold, I long for Your precepts! Revive me in Your righteousness.  
WAW Mar. 10  41Let Your grace also come to me, Yahweh, Your salvation, according to Your word 42so I will have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Your word. 43Don’t take the word of truth out of my mouth, for I put my hope in Your ordinances; 44so I will obey Your law continually, forever and ever. 45I will walk in liberty, for I have sought Your precepts. 46I will also speak of Your statutes before kings, and will not be disappointed. 47I will delight myself in Your commandments, because I love them. 48I reach out my hands for Your commandments which I love; I will meditate on Your statutes.  
ZAYIN  49Remember Your word to Your servant, because You give me hope. 50This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has revived me. 51The arrogant mock me excessively, but I don’t swerve from Your law. 52I remember Your ordinances of old, Yahweh, and have comforted myself. 53Indignation has taken hold on me because of the wicked who forsake Your law. 54Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. 55I have remembered Your name, Yahweh, in the night, and I obey Your law. 56This is my life’s way, keeping Your precepts.  
CHET  57Yahweh is my portion; I promised to obey Your words. 58I sought Your favour with my whole heart; be merciful to me according to Your word. 59I considered my ways and turned my steps to Your statutes. 60I will hurry, and not delay, to obey Your commandments. 61The ropes of the wicked bind me, but I won’t forget Your law. 62At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You because of Your righteous ordinances. 63I am a friend of all those who fear You, of those who observe Your precepts. 64The earth is full of Your grace, Yahweh; teach me Your commands.  
TET  65Do good to Your servant according to Your word, Yahweh. 66Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments. 67Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I observe Your word. 68You are good, and do good; teach me Your statutes. 69The proud have smeared a lie upon me, but with my whole heart I will keep Your precepts. 70Their heart is callous and fat, but I delight in Your law. 71It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. 72The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.  
YUD  73Your hands have made me and formed me; give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments. 74Those who fear You will see me and be glad, because I have put my hope in Your word. 75Yahweh, I know that Your judgments are righteous, that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. 76Please let Your grace be for my comfort, according to Your word to Your servant. 77Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; for Your law is my delight. 78Let the proud be disappointed, for they have overthrown me wrongfully; but I will meditate on Your precepts. 79Let those who fear You turn to me; they will know Your statutes. 80Let my heart be blameless toward Your decrees, that I may not be ashamed.  
KAF Mar. 11  81My soul faints for Your salvation; I hope in Your word. 82My eyes fail for Your word; I say, When will You comfort me? 83For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, but I don’t forget Your statutes. 84How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute Your word on those who persecute me? 85The proud have dug pits for me, contrary to Your law. 86All of Your commandments are faithful. They persecute me wrongfully. Help me! 87They had almost wiped me from the earth, but I didn’t forsake Your precepts. 88Preserve my life according to Your grace, so I will obey the statutes of Your mouth.  
LAMED  89Yahweh, Your word is settled in heaven forever. 90Your faithfulness is to all generations. You have by a word established the earth, and it remains. 91Your laws remain to this day, for all things serve You. 92Unless Your law had been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. 93I will never forget Your precepts, for with them You have revived me. 94I am Yours. Save me, for I have sought Your precepts. 95The wicked have waited for me to destroy me; I will consider Your statutes. 96I have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your commands are boundless.  
MEM  97How I love Your law! It is my meditation all day. 98Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for Your commandments are always with me. 99I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. 100I understand more than the aged, because I have kept Your precepts. 101I have kept my feet from every evil way, that I might observe Your word. 102I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, for You have taught me. 103How sweet are Your promises to my taste, more than honey to my mouth! 104Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.  
NUN  105Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path. 106I have sworn, and have confirmed it, that I will obey Your righteous ordinances. 107I am afflicted very much. Revive me, Yahweh, according to Your word. 108Accept, I beg You, the willing offerings of my mouth. Yahweh, teach me Your ordinances. 109My soul is continually in my hand, yet I won’t forget Your law. 110The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I haven’t gone astray from Your precepts. 111I have taken Your testimonies as a heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. 112I have set my heart to perform Your statutes forever, even to the end.  
SAMEKH  113I hate double-minded men, but I love Your law. 114You are my hiding place and my shield. I hope in Your word. 115Depart from me, You evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God. 116Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live. Let me not be ashamed of my hope. 117Hold me up and I will be safe, and will have respect for Your statutes continually. 118You reject all those who stray from Your statutes, for their deceit is in vain. 119You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross. Therefore I love Your testimonies. 120My flesh trembles for fear of You; I am afraid of Your judgments.  
AYIN  121I have done what is just and righteous. Don’t leave me to my oppressors. 122Ensure Your servant’s well-being. Don’t let the proud oppress me. 123My eyes fail looking for Your salvation, for Your righteous word. 124Deal with Your servant according to Your grace, teach me Your statutes. 125I am Your servant. Give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies. 126It is time to act, Yahweh, for they break Your law. 127Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, more than pure gold. 128Therefore I consider all of Your precepts to be right; I hate every false way.  
PEY Mar. 12  129Your testimonies are wonderful, therefore my soul keeps them. 130The entrance of Your words gives light, it gives understanding to the simple. 131I opened my mouth wide and panted, for I longed for Your commandments. 132Turn to me and have mercy on me, as You always do to those who love Your name. 133Establish my footsteps in Your word; don’t let any iniquity have dominion over me. 134Redeem me from the oppression of man, so that I will observe Your precepts. 135Make Your face shine on Your servant. Teach me Your statutes. 136Streams of tears run down my eyes, because they don’t observe Your law.  
TZADI  137You are righteous, Yahweh; Your judgments are upright. 138You have commanded Your statutes in righteousness; they are fully trustworthy. 139My zeal wears me out, because my enemies ignore Your words. 140Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and Your servant loves them. 141I am small and despised but I don’t forget Your precepts. 142Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness; Your law is truth. 143Trouble and anguish have taken hold of me, but Your commandments are my delight. 144Your testimonies are righteous forever. Give me understanding, that I may live.  
KUF  145I have called with my whole heart. Answer me, Yahweh! I will keep Your statutes. 146I have called to You. Save me! I will obey Your statutes. 147I rise before dawn and cry for help, I put my hope in Your words. 148My eyes stay open through the night watches, that I might meditate on Your word. 149Hear my voice according to Your grace. Revive me, Yahweh, according to Your ordinances. 150They draw near who follow after wickedness, they are far from Your law. 151You are near, Yahweh. All Your commandments are truth. 152Of old I have known from Your testimonies, that You have founded them forever.  
RESH  153Consider my affliction and deliver me, for I don’t forget Your law. 154Plead my cause, and redeem me! Revive me according to Your promise. 155Salvation is far from the wicked, for they don’t seek Your statutes. 156Great are Your tender mercies, Yahweh. Revive me according to Your ordinances. 157Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, but I haven’t swerved from Your testimonies. 158I look at the faithless with loathing, because they don’t observe Your word. 159Consider how I love Your precepts. Revive me, Yahweh, according to Your grace. 160All of Your words are truth, every one of Your righteous ordinances endures forever.  
SIN AND SHIN  161Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your words. 162I rejoice at Your word, as one who finds great spoil. 163I hate and abhor falsehood but I love Your law. 164Seven times a day I praise You because of Your righteous ordinances. 165Those who love Your law have great peace; nothing causes them to stumble. 166I have hoped for Your salvation, Yahweh. I have done Your commandments. 167My soul has observed Your testimonies because I love them exceedingly. 168I have obeyed Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You.  
TAV  169Let my cry come near before You, Yahweh. Give me understanding according to Your word. 170Let my supplication come before You and deliver me according to Your word. 171Let my lips utter praise, for You teach me Your statutes. 172Let my tongue sing of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness. 173Let Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts. 174I have longed for Your salvation, Yahweh. Your law is my delight. 175Let my soul live, that I may praise You. Let Your ordinances help me. 176I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek Your servant, for I don’t forget Your commandments.   

Commentary

119:1 Yahweh’s law- Every verse in this Psalm contains some reference to God’s law. It is arranged according to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, perhaps to indicate how ourwords, our alphabet, our whole formulation of thought and verbalization, should be dominated by God’s word. It was also done in this way to aid memorization; for in illiterate societies, the Psalms would’ve been memorized. It’s a good thing for us to personally memorize parts of God’s word.
119:5 Oh that my ways were steadfast to obey Your statutes- This is one of many places in this Psalm (:136) where David laments his own failure to obey God’s word completely at all times. And yet the Psalm also speaks of the faithful as being totally obedient to God’s word, e.g. “they do nothing wrong” (:3). One resolution of this is that David believed in imputed righteousness, whereby God counts His people as totally obedient to His word even though they are not; Ps. 32:2 cp. Rom. 4:8 indicates David understood this principle well.
119:6 Then I wouldn’t be ashamed when I obey all of Your commandments- The result of moments or periods of obedience to God is that we become ashamed of all the times we are not obedient. Spiritual maturity thus involves an ever increasing awareness of our past sins; it doesn’t lead to self-righteousness but the very opposite.
119:11 That I might not sin- The presence of God’s word within our hearts gives strength against temptation, as demonstrated by Christ’s overcoming of the wilderness temptations by quoting from God’s word. 
119:14 As much as in all riches- The Psalm often contrasts material wealth with the love of God’s law (:36, 72, 127). So many sell their souls to employers, taking demanding jobs or second jobs so as to get more money than they need. And inevitably they have little time or mental energy for the things of God’s word. Others lament their lack of wealth; but the simple truth is that the true riches are those of God’s word.
119:18 Open my eyes- In his search for spiritual mindedness, so often David in this Psalm asks God to directly work on his heart so that he might correctly understand God’s word and be obedient to it (:29 “Keep me”, :36 “Turn my heart”, :133 “establish my footsteps”). God hasn’t merely given us the Bible and left us to get on with the job of understanding and obeying it; He is eager to help us in those things.
119:27 David often makes this link between appreciation of God’s ways and the inevitable witness this will result in. The community of believers is not to simply amass intellectual, theological purity by Bible reading- it must be told forth to others.
119:33 Teach me, Yahweh, the way of Your statutes; I will keep them- The better we understand God’s word, the more empowered we are to obey it. Understanding and correct interpretation aren’t therefore merely of academic interest, or just for those interested in that kind of thing. By the same token, true understanding isn’t simply academic, it issues in practical obedience.
119:37 Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things- A prayer for our internet, entertainment mad, screen transfixed generation.
119:46 Before kings- This is one of several indications that parts of this Psalm reflects David’s feelings whilst at the court of Saul as a young man (:100, :161), whereby speaking up for God’s word could result in a javelin being thrown at him to kill him if he just happened to touch the conscience of the manic king Saul (1 Sam. 18:11).
119:48 David didn’t groan at the number of God’s commandments, struggling with a steel will to obey some of them; he so loved God that he asked God to show him more and more of those commandments. Often the verses of this Psalm imply that David sought to know more of God's requirements because they are designed to help us be more obedient to all of them in toto.
119:63 Even within the people of God, we must chose our friends well.
119:64 David didn’t see grace and law as opposed; rather he understood those commandments as ultimately reflective of God’s grace.
119:73 David realized that because he had been made in God's physical image he had a duty to be spiritually reformed in His moral image; and thus he sought strength to be obedient to God's will.
119:88 The whole purpose of our lives, and of our eternal living in God’s Kingdom, is to be obedient to God’s word. We should have that spirit in our lives now, therefore.
119:96 God’s law isn’t therefore a limitation which we resentfully have to accept, but rather the way to ultimate freedom. In New Testament terms, we changed masters at baptism; from sin to Christ, and through our bondage to Him we paradoxically find ultimate freedom.
119:105 My feet... my path- God’s word directs both our short term immediate decisions (“my feet”) and also our general direction in life (“my path”).
119:120 God is again paralleled with His word; our attitude to His word is our attitude to Him.
119:128 Accepting the truths of God’s word leads us to perceive and proactively reject that which is false, rather than simply accepting truth and being ambivalent to error.
119:130 There is no ‘light within’ us, our exposure to ultimate truth comes from God’s word.
119:140 Because the word is so pure, therefore we love it. Our acceptance of the Bible as Divinely inspired rather than a human document therefore encourages our obedience to it; if we continually doubt and question its truth, we will hardly be motivated to obedience. 
119:143 So often David says that he refuses life’s crises to take him away from his meditation on God’s word.
119:160 In God’s word we see His judgments- how He judges and will judge. And in the wealth of Bible history we see examples of how these judgments have been articulated with men in practice. The final day of judgement shouldn’t therefore be a worrying mystery to us; we know how God will judge, for we have in the Bible His word, His judgments.
119:169 Come near before You- Prayer is described here as coming near to God- and yet God “is” near already (75:1). Prayer, therefore, is a way of making us realize the presence of the God who is always present.