Psalms 119:137-176

צ (Tsade)

119:137 You are just, O Lord,

and your judgments are fair.

119:138 The rules you impose are just, ¹ 

and absolutely reliable.

119:139 My zeal ²  consumes ³  me,

for my enemies forget your instructions. ⁴ 

119:140 Your word is absolutely pure,

and your servant loves it!

119:141 I am insignificant and despised,

yet I do not forget your precepts.

119:142 Your justice endures, ⁵ 

and your law is reliable. ⁶ 

119:143 Distress and hardship confront ⁷  me,

yet I find delight in your commands.

119:144 Your rules remain just. ⁸ 

Give me insight so that I can live. ⁹ 

ק (Qof)

119:145 I cried out with all my heart, “Answer me, O Lord!

I will observe your statutes.”

119:146 I cried out to you, “Deliver me,

so that I can keep ¹⁰  your rules.”

119:147 I am up before dawn crying for help.

I find hope in your word.

119:148 My eyes anticipate the nighttime hours,

so that I can meditate on your word.

119:149 Listen to me ¹¹  because of ¹²  your loyal love!

O Lord, revive me, as you typically do! ¹³ 

119:150 Those who are eager to do ¹⁴  wrong draw near;

they are far from your law.

119:151 You are near, O Lord,

and all your commands are reliable. ¹⁵ 

119:152 I learned long ago that

you ordained your rules to last. ¹⁶ 

ר (Resh)

119:153 See my pain and rescue me!

For I do not forget your law.

119:154 Fight for me ¹⁷  and defend me! ¹⁸ 

Revive me with your word!

119:155 The wicked have no chance for deliverance, ¹⁹ 

for they do not seek your statutes.

119:156 Your compassion is great, O Lord.

Revive me, as you typically do! ²⁰ 

119:157 The enemies who chase me are numerous. ²¹ 

Yet I do not turn aside from your rules.

119:158 I take note of the treacherous and despise them,

because they do not keep your instructions. ²² 

119:159 See how I love your precepts!

O Lord, revive me with your loyal love!

119:160 Your instructions are totally reliable;

all your just regulations endure. ²³ 

שׂ/שׁ (Sin/Shin)

119:161 Rulers pursue me for no reason,

yet I am more afraid of disobeying your instructions. ²⁴ 

119:162 I rejoice in your instructions,

like one who finds much plunder. ²⁵ 

119:163 I hate and despise deceit;

I love your law.

119:164 Seven ²⁶  times a day I praise you

because of your just regulations.

119:165 Those who love your law are completely secure; ²⁷ 

nothing causes them to stumble. ²⁸ 

119:166 I hope for your deliverance, O Lord,

and I obey ²⁹  your commands.

119:167 I keep your rules;

I love them greatly.

119:168 I keep your precepts and rules,

for you are aware of everything I do. ³⁰ 

ת (Tav)

119:169 Listen to my cry for help, ³¹  O Lord!

Give me insight by your word!

119:170 Listen to my appeal for mercy! ³² 

Deliver me, as you promised. ³³ 

119:171 May praise flow freely from my lips,

for you teach me your statutes.

119:172 May my tongue sing about your instructions, ³⁴ 

for all your commands are just.

119:173 May your hand help me,

for I choose to obey ³⁵  your precepts.

119:174 I long for your deliverance, O Lord;

I find delight in your law.

119:175 May I ³⁶  live and praise you!

May your regulations help me! ³⁷ 

119:176 I have wandered off like a lost sheep. ³⁸ 

Come looking for your servant,

for I do not forget your commands.

[119:138]  ¹ tn Heb “you commanded [in] justice your rules.”

[119:139]  ² tn or “zeal.”

[119:139]  ³ tn Heb “destroys,” in a hyperbolic sense.

[119:139]  ⁴ tn Heb “your words.”

[119:142]  ⁵ tn Heb “your justice [is] justice forever.”

[119:142]  ⁶ tn Or “truth.”

[119:143]  ⁷ tn Heb “find.”

[119:144]  ⁸ tn Heb “just are your rules forever.”

[119:144]  ⁹ tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

[119:146]  ¹⁰ tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

[119:149]  ¹¹ tn Heb “my voice.”

[119:149]  ¹² tn Heb “according to.”

[119:149]  ¹³ tn Heb “according to your custom.”

[119:150]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “those who pursue.”

[119:151]  ¹⁵ tn Or “truth.”

[119:152]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “long ago I knew concerning your rules, that forever you established them.” See v. 89 for the same idea. The translation assumes that the preposition מִן (min) prefixed to “your rules” introduces the object of the verb יָדַע (yada’), as in 1 Sam 23:23. Another option is that the preposition indicates source, in which case one might translate, “Long ago I realized from your rules that forever you established them” (cf. NIV, NRSV).

[119:154]  ¹⁷ tn Or “argue my case.”

[119:154]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “and redeem me.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Ps 19:14).

[119:155]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “far from the wicked [is] deliverance.”

[119:156]  ²⁰ tn Heb “according to your customs.”

[119:157]  ²¹ tn Heb “many [are] those who chase me and my enemies.”

[119:158]  ²² tn Heb “your word.”

[119:160]  ²³ tn Heb “the head of your word is truth, and forever [is] all your just regulation.” The term “head” is used here of the “sum total” of God’s instructions.

[119:161]  ²⁴ tn Heb “and because of your instructions my heart trembles.” The psalmist’s healthy “fear” of the consequences of violating God’s instructions motivates him to obey them. See v. 120.

[119:162]  ²⁵ tn Heb “like one who finds great plunder.” See Judg 5:30. The image is that of a victorious warrior who finds a large amount of plunder on the field of battle.

[119:164]  ²⁶ tn The number “seven” is use rhetorically to suggest thoroughness.

[119:165]  ²⁷ tn Heb “great peace [is] to the lovers of your law.”

[119:165]  ²⁸ tn Heb “and there is no stumbling to them.”

[119:166]  ²⁹ tn Heb “do.”

[119:168]  ³⁰ tn Heb “for all my ways [are] before you.”

[119:169]  ³¹ tn Heb “may my cry approach before you.”

[119:170]  ³² tn Heb “may my appeal for mercy come before you.”

[119:170]  ³³ tn Heb “according to your speech.”

[119:172]  ³⁴ tn Heb “your word.”

[119:173]  ³⁵ tn The words “to obey” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarity.

[119:175]  ³⁶ tn Heb “my life.”

[119:175]  ³⁷ tn God’s regulations will “help” the psalmist by giving him moral and ethical guidance.

[119:176]  ³⁸ tn Heb “I stray like a lost sheep.” It is possible that the point of the metaphor is vulnerability: The psalmist, who is threatened by his enemies, feels as vulnerable as a straying, lost sheep. This would not suggest, however, that he has wandered from God’s path (see the second half of the verse, as well as v. 110).