Psalm 119:1-88

Easy-to-Read Version

119 Great blessings belong to those who live pure lives!
    They follow the Lord’s teachings.
² Great blessings belong to those who follow his rules!
    They seek him with all their heart.
³ They don’t do wrong.
    They follow his ways.
⁴ Lord, you gave us your instructions
    and told us to always obey them.
⁵ How I wish I could be more faithful
    in obeying your laws!
⁶ Then I would never feel ashamed
    when I look closely at your commands.
⁷ The more I understand how fair your laws are,
    the more sincerely I will praise you.
⁸ I will obey your laws,
    so please don’t leave me!

⁹ How can a young person live a pure life?
    By obeying your word.
¹⁰ I try with all my heart to serve you.
    Help me obey your commands.
¹¹ I study your teachings very carefully
    so that I will not sin against you.
¹² Lord, you are worthy of praise!
    Teach me your laws.
¹³ I will repeat the laws we have heard from you.
¹⁴ I enjoy following your rules
    as much as others enjoy great riches.
¹⁵ I will study your instructions.
    I will give thought to your way of life.
¹⁶ I enjoy your laws.
    I will not forget your word.

¹⁷ Be good to me, your servant,
    so that I may live to obey your word.
¹⁸ Open my eyes so that I can see
    all the wonderful things in your teachings.
¹⁹ I feel like a stranger visiting here on earth.
    I need to know your commands.
    Don’t keep them hidden from me.
²⁰ I constantly feel a hunger
    to understand your laws.
²¹ You tell the proud how angry you are with them.
    All those who refuse to obey your word are cursed.
²² Don’t let me be ashamed and embarrassed.
    I have obeyed your rules.
²³ Even if rulers say bad things about me,
    I am your servant,
    and I continue to study your laws.
²⁴ Your rules make me happy.
    They give me good advice.

²⁵ I lie here like a dying man.
    Say the word, and I will live again.^[b]
26 I told you about my life, and you answered me.
    Now, teach me your laws.
²⁷ Help me understand your instructions,
    and I will think about your wonderful teachings.^[c]
28 I am sad and tired.
    Say the word, and make me strong again.
²⁹ Don’t let me live a lie.
    Guide me with your teachings.
³⁰ I have chosen to be loyal to you.
    I respect your laws.
³¹ I follow your rules closely, Lord.
    Don’t let me be put to shame.
³² I do my best to follow your commands,
    because you are the one who gives me the desire.

³³ Lord, teach me your laws,
    and I will always follow them.
³⁴ Help me understand your teachings,
    and I will follow them.
    Obeying them will be my greatest desire.
³⁵ Help me follow your commands,
    because that makes me happy.
³⁶ Give me the desire to follow your rules,
    not the desire to get rich.
³⁷ Don’t let me look at worthless things.
    Help me live your way.
³⁸ Do what you promised me, your servant,
    so that people will respect you.
³⁹ Take away the shame I fear.
    Your laws are good.
⁴⁰ See how much I want to obey your instructions!
    Be good to me, and let me live.

⁴¹ Lord, show me your faithful love.
    Save me, as you promised.
⁴² Then I will have an answer for those who make fun of me
    for trusting what you say.
⁴³ Let me always say what is true.
    I depend on your judgment to be fair.
⁴⁴ I will follow your teachings forever and ever.
⁴⁵ So I will live in freedom,
    because I do my best to know your instructions.
⁴⁶ I will discuss your rules with kings,
    and no one will embarrass me.
⁴⁷ What joy your commands give me!
    How I love them!
⁴⁸ Not only do I love your commands, but I also honor them.
    I will study your laws.

⁴⁹ Remember your promise to me, your servant.
    It gives me hope.
⁵⁰ You comfort me in my suffering,
    because your promise gives me new life.
⁵¹ People full of pride are always making fun of me,
    but I have not stopped following your teachings.
⁵² I remember the laws you gave us long ago, Lord,
    and they bring me comfort.
⁵³ I am overcome with anger when I see wicked people,
    who have stopped following your teachings.
⁵⁴ Your laws are the songs I sing
    wherever I am living.
⁵⁵ Lord, in the night I remembered your name,
    and I obeyed your teachings.
⁵⁶ This happened because I carefully obey your instructions.

⁵⁷ Lord, I decided that my duty is to obey your commandments.
⁵⁸ I beg you with all my heart,
    be kind to me, as you promised.
⁵⁹ I thought very carefully about my life,
    and I decided to follow your rules.
⁶⁰ Without wasting any time,
    I hurried back to obey your commands.
⁶¹ The wicked tried to trap me,
    but I have not forgotten your teachings.
⁶² In the middle of the night, I get up to thank you
    because your laws are so fair.
⁶³ I am a friend to everyone who worships you.
    I am a friend to everyone who obeys your instructions.
⁶⁴ Lord, your faithful love fills the earth.
    Teach me your laws.

⁶⁵ Lord, you did good things for me, your servant.
    You did what you promised to do.
⁶⁶ Give me the knowledge to make wise decisions.
    I trust your commands.
⁶⁷ Before I suffered, I did many wrong things.
    But now I carefully obey everything you say.
⁶⁸ You are good, and you do good things.
    Teach me your laws.
⁶⁹ People full of pride made up lies about me.
    But I keep obeying your instructions with all my heart.
⁷⁰ Those people are so stupid that they care for nothing,
    but I enjoy studying your teachings.
⁷¹ Suffering was good for me;
    I learned your laws.
⁷² Your teachings are worth more to me
    than a thousand pieces of silver and gold.

⁷³ With your hands you made me and helped me become what I am.
    Now help me learn and understand your commands.
⁷⁴ Your followers will see me and be happy,
    because I trust in your word.
⁷⁵ Lord, I know that your decisions are fair,
    and you were right to punish me.
⁷⁶ Now comfort me with your faithful love,
    as you promised.
⁷⁷ Comfort me and let me live.
    I enjoy your teachings.
⁷⁸ Bring shame on those proud people who lied about me.
    All I want to do is study your instructions.
⁷⁹ Let your followers come back to me
    so that they may learn your rules.
⁸⁰ Let me obey your laws perfectly
    so that I will not be ashamed.

⁸¹ I feel weaker and weaker as I wait for you to save me.
    But I put my trust in your word.
⁸² I keep looking for what you promised, but my eyes are feeling tired.
    When will you comfort me?
⁸³ Even when I am like a dried wineskin on the trash pile,
    I will not forget your laws.
⁸⁴ How long must I wait for you
    to punish those who persecute me?
⁸⁵ Proud people have tried to trap me
    and make me disobey your teachings.
⁸⁶ All your commands can be trusted.
    Those people are wrong to persecute me.
    Help me!
⁸⁷ They have almost destroyed me,
    but I have not stopped obeying your instructions.
⁸⁸ Show me your faithful love and let me live.
    I will do whatever you say.