“For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not acted wickedly against my God.

If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and My commandments, as your father David did, then I will lengthen your days.”

because they have abandoned Me and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and they have not walked in My ways and followed My commandments, doing what is right in My sight and keeping My statutes and My ordinances as did his father David.

Then it shall be, that if you listen to all that I command you and walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, keeping and observing My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build you an enduring house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.

Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments and My statutes, in accordance with all the Law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.”

and My people, who are called by My Name, humble themselves, and pray and seek (crave, require as a necessity) My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear [them] from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.

“Even though He kills me; I will hope in Him. Nevertheless, I will argue my ways to His face.

“My feet have carefully followed His steps; I have kept His ways and not turned aside.

“On my right the [rabble] brood rises; They push my feet away, and they build up their ways of destruction against me [like an advancing army].

“Does not God see my ways And count all my steps?

For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my God.

The Vanity of Life.

To the Chief Musician; for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

I said, “I will guard my ways That I may not sin with my tongue; I will muzzle my mouth While the wicked are in my presence.”

“Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!

“For forty years I was grieved and disgusted with that generation, And I said, ‘They are a people who err in their heart, And they do not acknowledge or regard My ways.’

Oh, that my ways may be established To observe and keep Your statutes [obediently accepting and honoring them]!

I have told of my ways, and You have answered me; Teach me Your statutes.

Turn my eyes away from vanity [all those worldly, meaningless things that distract—let Your priorities be mine], And restore me [with renewed energy] in Your ways.

I considered my ways And turned my feet to [follow and obey] Your testimonies.

I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, For all my ways are [fully known] before You.

You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And You are intimately acquainted with all my ways.

“Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, For blessed [happy, prosperous, to be admired] are they who keep my ways.

My son, give me your heart And let your eyes delight in my ways,

“I have stirred up Cyrus and put him into action in righteousness [to accomplish My purpose] And I will make all his ways smooth; He will build My city and let My exiles go, Without any payment or reward,” says the Lord of hosts.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts higher than your thoughts.