Psalm 119:1-88

English Standard Version

Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet

Aleph

119 ^[a] Blessed are those whose ^(A)way is blameless,
    who ^(B)walk in the law of the Lord!
²Blessed are those who ^(C)keep his ^(D)testimonies,
    who ^(E)seek him with their whole heart,
³who also ^(F)do no wrong,
    but walk in his ways!
⁴You have commanded your ^(G)precepts
    to be kept diligently.
⁵Oh that my ways may ^(H)be steadfast
    in keeping your statutes!
⁶^(I)Then I shall not be put to shame,
    having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
⁷I will praise you with an upright heart,
    when I learn ^(J)your righteous rules.^[b]
⁸I will keep your statutes;
    ^(K)do not utterly forsake me!

Beth

⁹How can ^(L)a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to your word.
¹⁰^(M)With my whole heart I seek you;
    let me not ^(N)wander from your commandments!
¹¹I have ^(O)stored up your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.
¹²Blessed are you, O Lord;
    ^(P)teach me your statutes!
¹³With my lips I ^(Q)declare
    all the rules^[c] of your mouth.
¹⁴In the way of your testimonies I ^(R)delight
    as much as in all ^(S)riches.
¹⁵I will ^(T)meditate on your precepts
    and fix my eyes on your ^(U)ways.
¹⁶I will ^(V)delight in your statutes;
    I will not forget your word.

Gimel

¹⁷^(W)Deal bountifully with your servant,
    ^(X)that I may live and keep your word.
¹⁸Open my eyes, that I may behold
    wondrous things out of your law.
¹⁹I am ^(Y)a sojourner on the earth;
    ^(Z)hide not your commandments from me!
²⁰My soul is consumed with ^(AA)longing
    for your rules^[d] at all times.
²¹You rebuke ^(AB)the insolent, ^(AC)accursed ones,
    who ^(AD)wander from your commandments.
²²Take away from me ^(AE)scorn and contempt,
    ^(AF)for I have kept your testimonies.
²³Even though ^(AG)princes sit plotting against me,
    your servant will ^(AH)meditate on your statutes.
²⁴Your testimonies are my ^(AI)delight;
    they are my ^(AJ)counselors.

Daleth

²⁵^(AK)My soul clings to the dust;
    ^(AL)give me life ^(AM)according to your word!
²⁶When ^(AN)I told of my ways, you answered me;
    ^(AO)teach me your statutes!
²⁷^(AP)Make me understand the way of your precepts,
    and I will ^(AQ)meditate on your wondrous works.
²⁸^(AR)My soul melts away for sorrow;
    strengthen me according to your word!
²⁹Put false ways far from me
    and graciously ^(AS)teach me your law!
³⁰I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
    I ^(AT)set your rules before me.
³¹I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;
    ^(AU)let me not be put to shame!
³²I will run in the way of your commandments
    when you ^(AV)enlarge my heart!^[e]

He

³³^(AW)Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes;
    and I will keep it ^(AX)to the end.^[f]
³⁴^(AY)Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
    and observe it with my whole heart.
³⁵^(AZ)Lead me in the path of your commandments,
    for I ^(BA)delight in it.
³⁶^(BB)Incline my heart to your testimonies,
    and not to ^(BC)selfish gain!
³⁷^(BD)Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
    and ^(BE)give me life in your ways.
³⁸^(BF)Confirm to your servant your promise,
    ^(BG)that you may be feared.
³⁹Turn away the ^(BH)reproach that I dread,
    for your rules are good.
⁴⁰Behold, I ^(BI)long for your precepts;
    ^(BJ)in your righteousness give me life!

Waw

⁴¹Let your ^(BK)steadfast love come to me, O Lord,
    your salvation ^(BL)according to your promise;
⁴²then ^(BM)shall I have an answer for him ^(BN)who taunts me,
    for I trust in your word.
⁴³And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
    for my ^(BO)hope is in your rules.
⁴⁴I will keep your law continually,
    forever and ever,
⁴⁵and I shall walk ^(BP)in a wide place,
    for I have ^(BQ)sought your precepts.
⁴⁶I will also speak of your testimonies ^(BR)before kings
    and shall not be put to shame,
⁴⁷for I ^(BS)find my delight in your commandments,
    which I love.
⁴⁸I will ^(BT)lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,
    and I will ^(BU)meditate on your statutes.

Zayin

⁴⁹Remember ^(BV)your word to your servant,
    in which you have made me ^(BW)hope.
⁵⁰This is ^(BX)my comfort in my affliction,
    that your promise ^(BY)gives me life.
⁵¹^(BZ)The insolent utterly deride me,
    but I do not ^(CA)turn away from your law.
⁵²When I think of your rules from of old,
    I take comfort, O Lord.
⁵³^(CB)Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,
    who forsake your law.
⁵⁴Your statutes have been my songs
    in the house of my ^(CC)sojourning.
⁵⁵I ^(CD)remember your name in the night, O Lord,
    and keep your law.
⁵⁶This blessing has fallen to me,
    that ^(CE)I have kept your precepts.

Heth

⁵⁷^(CF)The Lord is my portion;
    I promise to keep your words.
⁵⁸I ^(CG)entreat your favor with all my heart;
    be gracious to me ^(CH)according to your promise.
⁵⁹When I ^(CI)think on my ways,
    I turn my feet to your testimonies;
⁶⁰I hasten and do not delay
    to keep your commandments.
⁶¹Though ^(CJ)the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
    I do not ^(CK)forget your law.
⁶²At ^(CL)midnight I rise to praise you,
    because of your ^(CM)righteous rules.
⁶³^(CN)I am a companion of all who fear you,
    of those who keep your precepts.
⁶⁴^(CO)The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love;
    ^(CP)teach me your statutes!

Teth

⁶⁵You have dealt well with your servant,
    O Lord, ^(CQ)according to your word.
⁶⁶Teach me ^(CR)good judgment and knowledge,
    for I believe in your commandments.
⁶⁷^(CS)Before I was afflicted I went astray,
    but now I keep your word.
⁶⁸^(CT)You are good and do good;
    ^(CU)teach me your statutes.
⁶⁹^(CV)The insolent ^(CW)smear me with lies,
    but with my whole heart I ^(CX)keep your precepts;
⁷⁰their heart is unfeeling ^(CY)like fat,
    but I ^(CZ)delight in your law.
⁷¹It is ^(DA)good for me that I was afflicted,
    that I might learn your statutes.
⁷²^(DB)The law of your mouth is better to me
    than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Yodh

⁷³^(DC)Your hands have made and fashioned me;
    ^(DD)give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.
⁷⁴Those who fear you shall see me and ^(DE)rejoice,
    because I have ^(DF)hoped in your word.
⁷⁵I know, O Lord, that your rules are ^(DG)righteous,
    and that in ^(DH)faithfulness you have afflicted me.
⁷⁶Let your steadfast love comfort me
    according to your promise to your servant.
⁷⁷Let your ^(DI)mercy come to me, that I may live;
    for your law is my ^(DJ)delight.
⁷⁸Let ^(DK)the insolent be put to ^(DL)shame,
    because they have ^(DM)wronged me with falsehood;
    as for me, I will ^(DN)meditate on your precepts.
⁷⁹Let those who fear you ^(DO)turn to me,
    that they may know your testimonies.
⁸⁰May my heart be ^(DP)blameless in your statutes,
    ^(DQ)that I may not be put to shame!

Kaph

⁸¹My soul ^(DR)longs for your salvation;
    I ^(DS)hope in your word.
⁸²My ^(DT)eyes long for your promise;
    I ask, ^(DU)“When will you comfort me?”
⁸³For I have ^(DV)become like a ^(DW)wineskin in the smoke,
    yet I have not forgotten your statutes.
⁸⁴^(DX)How long must your servant endure?^[g]
    ^(DY)When will you judge those who persecute me?
⁸⁵^(DZ)The insolent have ^(EA)dug pitfalls for me;
    they do not live according to your law.
⁸⁶All your commandments are ^(EB)sure;
    they persecute me ^(EC)with falsehood; ^(ED)help me!
⁸⁷They have almost made an end of me on earth,
    but I have not forsaken your precepts.
⁸⁸In your steadfast love ^(EE)give me life,
    that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.

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Footnotes

Psalm 119:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem of twenty-two stanzas, following the letters of the Hebrew alphabet; within a stanza, each verse begins with the same Hebrew letter
Psalm 119:7 Or your just and righteous decrees; also verses 62, 106, 160, 164
Psalm 119:13 Or all the just decrees
Psalm 119:20 Or your just decrees; also verses 30, 39, 43, 52, 75, 102, 108, 137, 156, 175
Psalm 119:32 Or for you set my heart free
Psalm 119:33 Or keep it as my reward
Psalm 119:84 Hebrew How many are the days of your servant?

2 Corinthians 12

English Standard Version

Paul's Visions and His Thorn

12 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and ^(A)revelations of the Lord. ²I know a man ^(B)in Christ who fourteen years ago was ^(C)caught up to ^(D)the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, ^(E)God knows. ³And I know that this man was caught up into ^(F)paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, ^(G)God knows— ⁴and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. ⁵On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, ^(H)except of my weaknesses— ⁶though if I should wish to boast, ^(I)I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. ⁷So ^(J)to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,^[a] ^(K)a thorn was given me in the flesh, ^(L)a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. ⁸^(M)Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. ⁹But he said to me, ^(N)“My grace is sufficient for you, for ^(O)my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that ^(P)the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰^(Q)For the sake of Christ, then, ^(R)I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For ^(S)when I am weak, then I am strong.

Concern for the Corinthian Church

¹¹^(T)I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was ^(U)not at all inferior to these super-apostles, ^(V)even though I am nothing. ¹²^(W)The signs of a true apostle were performed among you ^(X)with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. ¹³For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that ^(Y)I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

¹⁴Here ^(Z)for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for ^(AA)I seek not what is yours but you. For ^(AB)children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but ^(AC)parents for their children. ¹⁵^(AD)I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If ^(AE)I love you more, am I to be loved less? ¹⁶But granting that ^(AF)I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. ¹⁷Did I take advantage of you ^(AG)through any of those whom I sent to you? ¹⁸^(AH)I urged Titus to go, and sent ^(AI)the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?

¹⁹Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is ^(AJ)in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and ^(AK)all for your upbuilding, beloved. ²⁰For I fear that perhaps ^(AL)when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. ²¹I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those ^(AM)who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, ^(AN)sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.