Commentary on Psalms - Volume 5

1א Blessed are those who are upright in their way, Walking in the law of Jehovah.

2א Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, Who with their whole heart seek him.

3א, Surely they do not work iniquity, Who in his ways do walk.

4א Thou hast commanded That thy statutes be kept carefully.

5א O that my ways may be directed To the keeping of thy statutes!

6א Then shall I not be ashamed, When I shall have been attentive to all thy commandments.

7א I will celebrate thee with uprightness of heart, When I shall have learned the judgments of thy righteousness.

8א, Thy statutes I will keep: Do not thou forsake me very far.

ב [Beth.]

9ב By what [means] shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to thy word.

10ב With my whole heart have I sought thee; Let me not go astray from thy commandments.

11ב In my heart I have hidden thy word, That I might not sin against thee.

12ב Blessed art thou, O Jehovah! Teach me thy statutes.

13ב With my lips have I declared All the judgments of thy mouth.

14ב In the way of thy testimonies I have taken delight, As much as in all riches.

15ב Upon thy statutes will I meditate, And I will consider thy paths.

16ב In thy commandments will I delight myself; I will not forget thy words.

ג [Gimel.]

17ג Do good to thy servant, And I shall live and keep thy word.

18ג Open mine eyes, And I shall behold the wonders of thy law.

19ג I am a stranger on the earth: Hide not from me thy commandments.

20ג Broken is my soul with the desire it hathTo thy judgments at all times.

21ג Thou hast destroyed the proud ones; Cursed are those who decline from thy commandments.

22ג Remove from me reproach and contempt; For thy testimonies I have kept.

23ג Princes also have sat, against me they have spoken: Thy servant meditated upon thy statutes.

24ג Also thy testimonies are my delights, The men of my counsel.

ד [Daleth.]

25ד Cleave to the dust doth my soul: Quicken me according to thy word.

26ד I have declared my ways, and thou hast answered me: Teach me thy statutes.

27ד The way of thy commandments make me to understand, And I will meditate upon thy wonders.

28ד Drop away doth my soul for grief: Raise me up according to thy word.

29ד The way of falsehood remove from me, And thy law grant me graciously.

30ד The way of truth I have chosen; Thy judgments I have set before me.

31ד I have cleaved to thy testimonies, O Jehovah Let me not be put to shame.

32ד The way of thy statutes I will run, When thou shalt have enlarged my heart.

ה [He.]

33ה Teach me, O Jehovah! the way of thy statutes, And I will keep it unto the end.

34ה Make me to understand, and I will observe thy law, And keep it with my whole heart.

35ה Direct me in the way of thy statutes; For in it is my delight.

36ה Incline my heart to thy testimonies, And not to covetousness.

37ה Turn away my eyes from seeing vanity; In thy way quicken me.

38ה Confirm to thy servant thy word, Who to thy fear is devoted

39ה Remove my reproach which I have dreaded, For thy judgments are good.

40ה Behold! I have longed after thy commandments: In thy righteousness quicken me.

ו [Vau.]

41ו And let come to me thy mercies, O Jehovah! Thy salvation according to thy word.

42ו And I will answer a word to him who reproacheth me; For I have trusted in thy word.

43ו And take not from my mouth the word of truth utterly: Because for thy judgments I wait.

44ו And I will keep thy law continually, For ever and ever.

45ו And I will walk at large; For thy statutes I have sought.

46ו And I will speak of thy testimonies before kings, And will not be ashamed.

47ו And I will delight myself in thy commandments Which I have loved.

48ו And I will lift up my hands to thy commandments Which I have loved; And I will meditate upon thy statutes.

ז [Zain.]

49ז Remember thy word to thy servant, Upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

50ז This is my consolation in my affliction; For thy word revives me.

51ז The proud ones have derided me exceedingly: From thy law I have not declined.

52ז I remembered thy judgments of old, O Jehovah! And comforted myself.

53ז Terror hath seized upon me, Because of the ungodly who forsake thy law.

54ז Thy statutes have been songs to me In the house of my pilgrimage.

55ז I remembered in the night thy name, O Jehovah! And I will keep thy law.

56ז This is done to me, Because thy statutes I have observed.

ח [Cheth.]

57ח Thou art my portion, O Jehovah! I have said that I will keep thy words. ³⁸⁹

58ח I have sought thy face with my whole heart; Have mercy upon me according to thy word.

59ח I thought upon my ways, And turned my feet to thy testimonies.

60ח I made haste and delayed not To keep thy commandments.

61ח The cords of the ungodly have caught hold of me; Thy law I have not forgotten.

62ח At midnight I will rise to praise thee, Because of the judgments of thy righteousness.

63ח A companion am I to all who fear thee, And who keep thy statutes.

64ח Of thy mercy, O Jehovah! the earth is full: Thy statutes teach thou me.

ת [Teth.]

65ת Kindly hast thou dealt with thy servant, O Jehovah! According to thy word.

66ת Goodness of taste and knowledge teach me; For thy commandments I have believed.

67ת Before I was brought low I went astray; But now thy word I keep.

68ת Good art thou, and beneficent: Teach me thy statutes.

69ת Weaved a lie ³⁹⁰ against me have the proud ones; But as for me I with my whole heart will keep statutes.

70ת Fat as grease is their heart; But as for me I in thy law do delight.

71ת It hath been good for me that I have been afflicted, That I might learn thy statutes.

72ת Better to me is the law of thy mouth Than thousands of gold and silver.

י [Yod.]

73י Thy hands have made and formed me; Make me to understand, and I shall learn thy commandments.

74י Those who fear thee shall see me and rejoice; Because for thy word I have waited.

75י I have known, O Jehovah! that righteousness are thy judgments; And in truth thou hast humbled me.

76י To thy word to thy servant.

77י Let come to me thy compassions, and I shall live; For thy law is my delight.

78י Ashamed let be the proud, for they have falsely wronged me: As for me I will meditate upon thy precepts.

79י Let those turn unto me who fear thee, And have known thy testimonies.

80י Let my heart be sound in thy statutes, That I may not be put to shame.

כ [Caph.]

81כ Fainted for thy salvation hath my soul: For thy word I wait.

82כ Failed have my eyes [in looking] for thy word, While I say, “When wilt thou comfort me?”

83כ For I have been as a bottle in the smoke; And yet thy statutes I have not forgotten.

84כ How many are the days of thy servant? When wilt thou execute judgment on my persecutors?

85כ The proud have digged pits for me, Which is not according to thy law.

86כ All thy commandments are truth: Deceitfully do they persecute me; therefore help thou me.

87כ Almost have they consumed me upon the earth; Yet I have not forsaken thy statutes.

88כ According to thy goodness quicken me; And I will keep the testimony of thy mouth.

ל [Lamed.]

89ל For ever, O Jehovah! Thy word endureth in the heavens.

90ל From generation to generation is thy truth: Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

91ל By thy judgments they continue to this day; For all are thy servants.

92ל Unless thy law had been my delight, Then should I have perished in my affliction.

93ל Never will I forget thy statutes, For in them thou hast quickened me.

94ל Thine I am; O save me! For thy statutes I have sought.

95ל For me wait do the ungodly to destroy me: But I consider thy testimonies.

96ל In all perfection I have seen an end: Broad is thy commandment exceedingly.

מ [Mem.]

97מ O how have I loved thy law! All the day it is my meditation.

98מ Than my adversaries thou hast made me wiser by thy commandments; Because for ever they are with me.

99מ Than all my teachers thou hast made me wiser; Because thy testimonies are my meditation.

100מ Than the aged I have more understanding; Because thy statutes I have observed.

101מ From every evil path I have restrained my feet, That I may keep thy word.

102מ From thy judgments I have not declined; For thou thyself hast taught me.

103מ How sweet to my palate have been thy words! More [sweet] than honey to my mouth!

104מ By thy statutes I have gotten understanding; Therefore I have hated every path of falsehood.

נ [Nun.]

105נ A lamp to my feet is thy word, And a light to my path.

106נ I have sworn and will make sure, To observe the judgments of thy righteousness.

107נ I am afflicted exceedingly, O Jehovah! Quicken me according to thy word.

108נ I Let the freewill offerings of my mouth, I pray thee, be pleasing to thee, O Jehovah! And thy judgments teach me.

109נ My soul is in my hand continually; And thy law I have not forgotten.

110נ Laid have the ungodly a snare for me: Yet from thy statutes I have not erred.

111נ I have as [my] inheritance thy testimonies for ever; For the joy of my heart are they.

112נ I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes For ever, and even to the end.

ס [Samech.]

113ס Crooked thoughts I have hated; But thy law I have loved.

114ס My hiding-place and my shield art thou: In thy word I have trusted.

115ס Depart from me, ye wicked men! And I will keep the commandments of my God.

116ס Sustain me by thy word, and I shall live: And make me not ashamed of my expectation.

117ס Establish me, and I shall be safe, And I will consider thy statutes continually.

118ס Thou hast trodden down all who go astray from thy statutes; For falsehood is their deceit.

119ס As dross thou hast made to cease all the ungodly of the earth; Therefore I have loved thy testimonies.

120ס Tremble ³⁹¹ for fear of thee did my flesh, And of thy judgments I was afraid.

ע [Ain.]

121ע I have done judgment and righteousness: Give me not up to my oppressors.

122ע Become surety for thy servant for good, That the proud may not oppress me.

123ע My eyes have failed for thy salvation, And for the word of thy righteousness.

124ע Deal with thy servant according to thy goodness, And thy statutes teach thou me.

125ע Thy servant am I, give me understanding, That I may learn thy testimonies.

126ע It is time [for thee] to work, O Jehovah! For they have destroyed thy law.

127ע Therefore I have loved thy statutes Mere than gold and fine gold.

128ע Therefore all thy commandments I have esteemed to be altogether right: Every way of falsehood I have hated:

פ [Phe.]

129פ Marvelous things are thy testimonies; Therefore observed them hath my soul.

130פ The entrance of thy words is light, Giving understanding to the little ones.

131פ My mouth I opened and panted, Because thy commandments I loved.

132פ Look upon me and have pity upon me, According to thy judgment towards those who love thy name.

133פ My steps direct thou according to thy word, And let not any iniquity have dominion in me.

134פ Redeem me from the oppression of men, And I will keep thy precepts.

135פ Thy face cause thou to shine upon thy servant, And teach me thy statutes.

136פ Rivers of waters run from my eyes, Because they have not kept thy law.

ץ [Tsadde.]

137ץ Righteous art thou, O Jehovah! And right are thy judgments.

138ץ Thou hast commanded righteousness in thy testimonies, And truth exceedingly.

139ץ Consumed me hath my zeal, Because forgotten thy words have my adversaries.

140ץ Refined is thy word exceedingly: And thy servant hath loved it.

141ץ Small am I, and despised; [Yet] thy precepts I have not forgotten.

142ץ Thy righteousness is righteousness for ever, And thy law is truth.

143ץ Trouble and anguish have come upon me; But thy commandments have been my delights.

144ץ The righteousness of thy testimonies endureth for ever; Make me to understand, and I shall live.

ק [Koph.]

145ק I have cried with my whole heart; Answer me, O Jehovah! And thy statutes I will keep.

146ק I have called upon thee, save me, And I will keep thy testimonies.

147ק I have prevented the dawn of the morning, ³⁹² and have cried: To thy word I have looked up.

148ק Prevented have my eyes the watches of the night, To meditate upon thy word.

149ק My voice hear thou, according to thy mercy, O Jehovah According to thy judgment quicken me.

150ק Drawn near have the pursuers of malice; From thy law they have departed.

151ק Near art thou, O Jehovah! And all thy commandments are truth.

152ק From the beginning I have known from thy testimonies, That for ever thou hast founded them.

ר [Resh.]

153ר Behold my affliction, and rescue me; For thy law I have not forgotten.

154ר Debate my cause, and redeem me; According to thy word quicken me.

155ר Far from the ungodly is safety; Because thy statutes they have not sought.

156ר Thy compassions are great, O Jehovah! According to thy judgments quicken me.

157ר Many are my persecutors and my oppressors: From thy testimonies I have not declined.

158ר I saw the perfidious, and chid them; Because thy word they have not kept.

159ר Behold how thy commandments I have loved: According to thy clemency quicken me.

160ר The beginning of thy word is truth; And to everlasting is all the judgment of thy righteousness.

ש [Shin.]

161ש Princes have persecuted me without a cause Yet at thy word afraid hath been my heart.

162ש Joyful am I over thy word, As he who hath found much spoil.

163ש Deceit I have hated and abhorred; Thy law I have loved.

164ש Seven times a day have I praised thee, Because of the judgments of thy righteousness.

165ש Much peace have those who love thy law, And they have no stumbling-block.

166ש I have waited for thy salvation, O Jehovah! And thy commandments I have done.

167ש Kept hath my soul thy testimonies, And I have loved them exceedingly.

168ש I have kept thy commandments and thy testimonies; For all my ways are before thee.

ת [Thau.]

169ת Come let my cry into thy presence, O Jehovah! According to thy word give me understanding.

170ת Come let my prayer into thy presence: According to thy word deliver me.

171ת Speak shall my lips praise, When thou shalt have taught me thy statutes.

172ת Speak shall my tongue of thy word; For all thy precepts are righteousness.

173ת Let thy hand be to succor me; For thy commandments I have chosen.

174ת I have longed for thy salvation, O Jehovah! And thy law hath been my delights.

175ת Live let my soul, and let it praise thee; And let thy judgments succor me.

176ת I have wandered like a lost sheep; Seek thy servant, for thy statutes I have not forgotten.