Chapter 119

  ALEPH
Happy are they who are without sin in their ways, walking in the law of the Lord.  

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  Happy are they who keep his unchanging word, searching after him with all their heart.  

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  They do no evil; they go in his ways.  

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  You have put your orders into our hearts, so that we might keep them with care.  

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  If only my ways were ordered so that I might keep your rules!  

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  Then I would not be put to shame, as long as I have respect for all your teaching.  

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  I will give you praise with an upright heart in learning your right decisions.  

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  I will keep your rules: O give me not up completely.  

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  BETH
How may a young man make his way clean? by guiding it after your word.  

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  I have made search for you with all my heart: O let me not go wandering far from your teaching.  

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  I have kept your sayings secretly in my heart, so that I might do no sin against you.  

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  Praise be to you, O Lord: give me knowledge of your rules.  

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  With my lips have I made clear all the decisions of your mouth.  

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  I have taken as much delight in the way of your unchanging word, as in all wealth.  

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  I will give thought to your orders, and have respect for your ways.  

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  I will have delight in your rules; I will not let your word go out of my mind.  

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  GIMEL
Give me, your servant, the reward of life, so that I may keep your word;  

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  Let my eyes be open to see the wonders of your law.  

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  I am living in a strange land: do not let your teachings be kept secret from me.  

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  My soul is broken with desire for your decisions at all times.  

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  Your hand has been against the men of pride, a curse is on those who go wandering out of your way.  

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  Take away from me shame and bitter words; for I have kept your unchanging word in my heart.  

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  Rulers make evil designs against me; but your servant gives thought to your rules.  

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  Your unchanging word is my delight, and the guide of my footsteps.  

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  DALETH
My soul is joined to the dust: O give me life, in keeping with your word.  

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  I put the record of my ways before you, and you gave me an answer: O give me knowledge of your rules.  

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  Make the way of your orders clear to me; then my thoughts will be ever on your wonders.  

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  My soul is wasted with sorrow; give me strength again in keeping with your word  

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  Take from me every false way; and in mercy give me your law.  

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  I have taken the way of faith: I have kept your decisions before me.  

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  I have been true to your unchanging word; O Lord, do not put me to shame.  

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  I will go quickly in the way of your teaching, because you have given me a free heart.  

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  HE
O Lord, let me see the way of your rules, and I will keep it to the end.  

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  Give me wisdom, so that I may keep your law; going after it with all my heart.  

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  Make me go in the way of your teachings; for they are my delight.  

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  Let my heart be turned to your unchanging word, and not to evil desire.  

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  Let my eyes be turned away from what is false; give me life in your ways.  

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  Give effect to your word to your servant, in whose heart is the fear of you.  

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  Take away the shame which is my fear; for your decisions are good.  

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  See how great is my desire for your orders: give me life in your righteousness.  

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  VAU
Let your mercies come to me, O Lord, even your salvation, as you have said.  

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  So that I may have an answer for the man who would put me to shame; for I have faith in your word.  

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  Take not your true word quite out of my mouth; for I have put my hope in your decisions.  

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  So that I may keep your law for ever and ever;  

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  So that my way may be in a wide place: because my search has been for your orders.  

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  So that I may give knowledge of your unchanging word before kings, and not be put to shame.  

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  And so that I may take delight in your teachings, to which I have given my love.  

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  And so that my hands may be stretched out to you; and I will give thought to your rules.  

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  ZAIN
Keep in mind your word to your servant, for on it has my hope been fixed.  

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  This is my comfort in my trouble; that your sayings have given me life.  

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  The men of pride have made great sport of me; but I have not been turned from your law.  

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  I have kept the memory of your decisions from times past, O Lord; and they have been my comfort.  

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  I am burning with wrath, because of the sinners who have given up your law.  

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  Your rules have been melodies to me, while I have been living in strange lands.  

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  I have given thought to your name in the night, O Lord, and have kept your law.  

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  This has been true of me, that I have kept your orders in my heart.  

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  CHETH
The Lord is my heritage: I have said that I would be ruled by your words.  

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  I have given my mind to do your pleasure with all my heart; have mercy on me, as you have said.  

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  I gave thought to my steps, and my feet were turned into the way of your unchanging word.  

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  I was quick to do your orders, and let no time be wasted.  

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  The cords of evil-doers are round me; but I have kept in mind your law.  

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  In the middle of the night I will get up to give you praise, because of all your right decisions.  

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  I keep company with all your worshippers, and those who have your orders in their memory.  

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  The earth, O Lord, is full of your mercy: give me knowledge of your rules.  

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  TETH
You have done good to your servant, O Lord, in keeping with your word.  

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  Give me knowledge and good sense; for I have put my faith in your teachings.  

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  Before I was in trouble I went out of the way; but now I keep your word.  

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  You are good, and your works are good; give me knowledge of your rules.  

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  The men of pride have said false things about me; but I will keep your orders in my heart.  

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  Their hearts are shut up with fat; but my delight is in your law.  

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  It is good for me to have been through trouble; so that I might come to the knowledge of your rules.  

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  The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver.  

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  JOD
Your hands have made me, and given me form: give me wisdom, so that I may have knowledge of your teaching.  

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  Your worshippers will see me and be glad; because my hope has been in your word.  

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  I have seen, O Lord, that your decisions are right, and that in unchanging faith you have sent trouble on me.  

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  Let your mercy now be my comfort, as you have said to your servant.  

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  Let your gentle mercies come to me, so that I may have life; for your law is my delight.  

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  Let the men of pride be shamed; because they have falsely given decision against me; but I will give thought to your orders.  

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  Let your worshippers be turned to me, and those who have knowledge of your words.  

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  Let all my heart be given to your orders, so that I may not be put to shame.  

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  CAPH
My soul is wasted with desire for your salvation: but I have hope in your word.  

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  My eyes are full of weariness with searching for your word, saying, When will you give me comfort?  

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  For I have become like a wine-skin black with smoke; but I still keep the memory of your rules.  

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  How short is the life of your servant! when will you give your decision against those who are attacking me?  

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  The men of pride, who are turned away from your law, have put nets for me.  

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  All your teachings are certain; they go after me with evil design; give me your help.  

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  They had almost put an end to me on earth; but I did not give up your orders.  

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  Give me life in your mercy; so that I may be ruled by the unchanging word of your mouth.  

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  LAMED
For ever, O Lord, your word is fixed in heaven.  

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  Your faith is unchanging from generation to generation: you have put the earth in its place, and it is not moved.  

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  They are ruled this day by your decisions; for all things are your servants.  

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  If your law had not been my delight, my troubles would have put an end to me.  

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  I will ever keep your orders in mind; for in them I have life.  

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  I am yours, O be my saviour; for my desire has been for your rules.  

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  The sinners have been waiting for me to give me up to destruction; but I will give all my mind to your unchanging ward.  

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  I have seen that nothing on earth is complete; but your teaching is very wide.  

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  MEM
O what love I have for your law! I give thought to it all the day.  

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  Your teaching has made me wiser than my haters: for it is mine for ever.  

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  I have more knowledge than all my teachers, because I give thought to your unchanging word.  

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  I have more wisdom than the old, because I have kept your orders.  

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  I have kept back my feet from all evil ways, so that I might be true to your word.  

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  My heart has not been turned away from your decisions; for you have been my teacher.  

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  How sweet are your sayings to my taste! truly, they are sweeter than honey in my mouth!  

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  Through your orders I get wisdom; for this reason I am a hater of every false way.  

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  NUN
Your word is a light for my feet, ever shining on my way.  

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  I have made an oath and kept it, to be guided by your upright decisions.  

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  I am greatly troubled, O Lord, give me life in keeping with your word.  

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  Take, O Lord, the free offerings of my mouth, and give me knowledge of your decisions.  

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  My soul is ever in danger; but I still keep the memory of your law.  

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  Sinners have put a net to take me; but I was true to your orders.  

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  I have taken your unchanging word as an eternal heritage; for it is the joy of my heart.  

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  My heart is ever ready to keep your rules, even to the end.  

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  SAMECH
I am a hater of men of doubting mind; but I am a lover of your law.  

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  You are my secret place and my breastplate against danger; my hope is in your word.  

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  Go far from me, you evil-doers; so that I may keep the teachings of my God.  

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  Be my support as you have said, and give me life; let not my hope be turned to shame.  

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  Let me not be moved, and I will be safe, and ever take delight in your rules.  

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  You have overcome all those who are wandering from your rules; for all their thoughts are false.  

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  All the sinners of the earth are like waste metal in your eyes; and for this cause I give my love to your unchanging word.  

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  My flesh is moved for fear of you; I give honour to your decisions.  

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  AIN
I have done what is good and right: you will not give me into the hands of those who are working against me.  

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  Take your servant's interests into your keeping; let me not be crushed by the men of pride.  

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  My eyes are wasted with desire for your salvation, and for the word of your righteousness.  

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  Be good to your servant in your mercy, and give me teaching in your rules.  

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  I am your servant; give me wisdom, so that I may have knowledge of your unchanging word.  

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  It is time, O Lord, for you to let your work be seen; for they have made your law without effect.  

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  For this reason I have greater love far your teachings than for gold, even for shining gold.  

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  Because of it I keep straight in all things by your orders; and I am a hater of every false way.  

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  PE
Your unchanging word is full of wonder; for this reason my soul keeps it.  

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  The opening of your words gives light; it gives good sense to the simple.  

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  My mouth was open wide, waiting with great desire for your teachings.  

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  Let your eyes be turned to me, and have mercy on me, as it is right for you to do to those who are lovers of your name.  

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  Let my steps be guided by your word; and let not sin have control over me.  

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  Make me free from the cruel rule of man; then I will keep your orders.  

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  Let your servant see the shining of your face; give me knowledge of your rules.  

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  Rivers of water are flowing from my eyes, because men do not keep your law.  

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  TZADE
O Lord, great is your righteousness, and upright are your decisions.  

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  You have given your unchanging word in righteousness, and it is for ever.  

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  My passion has overcome me; because my haters are turned away from your words.  

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  Your word is of tested value; and it is dear to your servant.  

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  I am small and of no account; but I keep your orders in mind.  

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  Your righteousness is an unchanging righteousness, and your law is certain.  

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  Pain and trouble have overcome me: but your teachings are my delight.  

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  The righteousness of your unchanging word is eternal; give me wisdom so that I may have life.  

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  KOPH
I have made my prayer with all my heart; give answer to me, O Lord: I will keep your rules.  

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  My cry has gone up to you; take me out of trouble, and I will be guided by your unchanging word.  

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  Before the sun is up, my cry for help comes to your ear; my hope is in your words.  

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  In the night watches I am awake, so that I may give thought to your saying.  

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  Let my voice come to you, in your mercy; O Lord, by your decisions give me life.  

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  Those who have evil designs against me come near; they are far from your law.  

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  You are near, O Lord; and all your teachings are true.  

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  I have long had knowledge that your unchanging word is for ever.  

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  RESH
O see my trouble, and be my saviour; for I keep your law in my mind,  

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  Undertake my cause, and come to my help, give me life, as you have said.  

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  Salvation is far from evil-doers; for they have made no search for your rules.  

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  Great is the number of your mercies, O Lord; give me life in keeping with your decisions.  

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  Great is the number of those who are against me; but I have not been turned away from your unchanging word.  

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  I saw with hate those who were untrue to you; for they did not keep your saying.  

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  See how great is my love for your orders: give me life, O Lord, in keeping with your mercy.  

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  Your word is true from the first; and your upright decision is unchanging for ever.  

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  SHIN
Rulers have been cruel to me without cause; but I have the fear of your word in my heart.  

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  I am delighted by your saying, like a man who makes discovery of great wealth.  

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  I am full of hate and disgust for false words; but I am a lover of your law.  

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  Seven times a day do I give you praise, because of your upright decisions.  

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  Great peace have lovers of your law; they have no cause for falling.  

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  Lord, my hope has been in your salvation; and I have kept your teachings.  

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  My soul has kept your unchanging word; great is my love for it.  

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  I have been ruled by your orders; for all my ways are before you.  

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  TAU
Let my cry come before you, O Lord; give me wisdom in keeping with your word.  

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  Let my prayer come before you; take me out of trouble, as you have said.  

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  Let my lips be flowing with praise, because you have given me knowledge of your rules.  

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  Let my tongue make songs in praise of your word; for all your teachings are righteousness.  

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  Let your hand be near for my help; for I have given my heart to your orders.  

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  All my desire has been for your salvation, O Lord; and your law is my delight.  

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  Give life to my soul so that it may give you praise; and let your decisions be my support.  

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  I have gone out of the way like a wandering sheep; make search for your servant; for I keep your teachings ever in mind.  

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