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Psalm 119

' Aleph

 ² Blessed are they who keep his statutes
       and seek him with all their heart.

 ³ They do nothing wrong;
       they walk in his ways.

 ⁴ You have laid down precepts
       that are to be fully obeyed.

 ⁵ Oh, that my ways were steadfast
       in obeying your decrees!

 ⁶ Then I would not be put to shame
       when I consider all your commands.

 ⁷ I will praise you with an upright heart
       as I learn your righteous laws.

 ⁸ I will obey your decrees;
       do not utterly forsake me.

b Beth

 ¹⁰ I seek you with all my heart;
       do not let me stray from your commands.

 ¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart
       that I might not sin against you.

 ¹² Praise be to you, O LORD;
       teach me your decrees.

 ¹³ With my lips I recount
       all the laws that come from your mouth.

 ¹⁴ I rejoice in following your statutes
       as one rejoices in great riches.

 ¹⁵ I meditate on your precepts
       and consider your ways.

 ¹⁶ I delight in your decrees;
       I will not neglect your word.

g Gimel

 ¹⁸ Open my eyes that I may see
       wonderful things in your law.

 ¹⁹ I am a stranger on earth;
       do not hide your commands from me.

 ²⁰ My soul is consumed with longing
       for your laws at all times.

 ²¹ You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed
       and who stray from your commands.

 ²² Remove from me scorn and contempt,
       for I keep your statutes.

 ²³ Though rulers sit together and slander me,
       your servant will meditate on your decrees.

 ²⁴ Your statutes are my delight;
       they are my counselors.

d Daleth

 ²⁶ I recounted my ways and you answered me;
       teach me your decrees.

 ²⁷ Let me understand the teaching of your precepts;
       then I will meditate on your wonders.

 ²⁸ My soul is weary with sorrow;
       strengthen me according to your word.

 ²⁹ Keep me from deceitful ways;
       be gracious to me through your law.

 ³⁰ I have chosen the way of truth;
       I have set my heart on your laws.

 ³¹ I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD;
       do not let me be put to shame.

 ³² I run in the path of your commands,
       for you have set my heart free.

h He

 ³⁴ Give me understanding, and I will keep your law
       and obey it with all my heart.

 ³⁵ Direct me in the path of your commands,
       for there I find delight.

 ³⁶ Turn my heart toward your statutes
       and not toward selfish gain.

 ³⁷ Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
       preserve my life according to your word. ^[b]

 ³⁸ Fulfill your promise to your servant,
       so that you may be feared.

 ³⁹ Take away the disgrace I dread,
       for your laws are good.

 ⁴⁰ How I long for your precepts!
       Preserve my life in your righteousness.

w Waw

 ⁴² then I will answer the one who taunts me,
       for I trust in your word.

 ⁴³ Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth,
       for I have put my hope in your laws.

 ⁴⁴ I will always obey your law,
       for ever and ever.

 ⁴⁵ I will walk about in freedom,
       for I have sought out your precepts.

 ⁴⁶ I will speak of your statutes before kings
       and will not be put to shame,

 ⁴⁷ for I delight in your commands
       because I love them.

 ⁴⁸ I lift up my hands to ^[c] your commands, which I love,
       and I meditate on your decrees.

z Zayin

 ⁵⁰ My comfort in my suffering is this:
       Your promise preserves my life.

 ⁵¹ The arrogant mock me without restraint,
       but I do not turn from your law.

 ⁵² I remember your ancient laws, O LORD,
       and I find comfort in them.

 ⁵³ Indignation grips me because of the wicked,
       who have forsaken your law.

 ⁵⁴ Your decrees are the theme of my song
       wherever I lodge.

 ⁵⁵ In the night I remember your name, O LORD,
       and I will keep your law.

 ⁵⁶ This has been my practice:
       I obey your precepts.

x Heth

 ⁵⁸ I have sought your face with all my heart;
       be gracious to me according to your promise.

 ⁵⁹ I have considered my ways
       and have turned my steps to your statutes.

 ⁶⁰ I will hasten and not delay
       to obey your commands.

 ⁶¹ Though the wicked bind me with ropes,
       I will not forget your law.

 ⁶² At midnight I rise to give you thanks
       for your righteous laws.

 ⁶³ I am a friend to all who fear you,
       to all who follow your precepts.

 ⁶⁴ The earth is filled with your love, O LORD;
       teach me your decrees.

X Teth

 ⁶⁶ Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
       for I believe in your commands.

 ⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray,
       but now I obey your word.

 ⁶⁸ You are good, and what you do is good;
       teach me your decrees.

 ⁶⁹ Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies,
       I keep your precepts with all my heart.

 ⁷⁰ Their hearts are callous and unfeeling,
       but I delight in your law.

 ⁷¹ It was good for me to be afflicted
       so that I might learn your decrees.

 ⁷² The law from your mouth is more precious to me
       than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

y Yodh

 ⁷⁴ May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,
       for I have put my hope in your word.

 ⁷⁵ I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous,
       and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

 ⁷⁶ May your unfailing love be my comfort,
       according to your promise to your servant.

 ⁷⁷ Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
       for your law is my delight.

 ⁷⁸ May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause;
       but I will meditate on your precepts.

 ⁷⁹ May those who fear you turn to me,
       those who understand your statutes.

 ⁸⁰ May my heart be blameless toward your decrees,
       that I may not be put to shame.

k Kaph

 ⁸² My eyes fail, looking for your promise;
       I say, "When will you comfort me?"

 ⁸³ Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
       I do not forget your decrees.

 ⁸⁴ How long must your servant wait?
       When will you punish my persecutors?

 ⁸⁵ The arrogant dig pitfalls for me,
       contrary to your law.

 ⁸⁶ All your commands are trustworthy;
       help me, for men persecute me without cause.

 ⁸⁷ They almost wiped me from the earth,
       but I have not forsaken your precepts.

 ⁸⁸ Preserve my life according to your love,
       and I will obey the statutes of your mouth.

Listen to this passage

²⁰Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. ²¹Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. ²²For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. ²³You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. ²⁴Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.

 ²⁵Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. ²⁶Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are. ²⁷Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife. ²⁸But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

 ²⁹What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; ³⁰those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; ³¹those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

 ³²I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs—how he can please the Lord. ³³But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— ³⁴and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. ³⁵I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

 ³⁶If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. ³⁷But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. ³⁸So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does even better.^[a]

 ³⁹A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. ⁴⁰In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.