Psalm 116

1  I love the Lord because he hears my voice, my pleas for mercy. 

2  I will call on him as long as I live 

because he turns his ear toward me. 

3  The ropes of death became tangled around me. 

The horrors of the grave took hold of me. 

I experienced pain and agony. 

4  But I kept calling on the name of the Lord: 

“Please, Lord, rescue me!” 

5  The Lord is merciful and righteous. 

Our God is compassionate. 

6  The Lord protects defenseless people. 

When I was weak, he saved me. 

7  Be at peace again, my soul, 

because the Lord has been good to you. 

8  You saved me from death. 

You saved my eyes from tears ⸤and⸥ my feet from stumbling. 

9  I will walk in the Lord’s presence in this world of the living. 

10  I kept my faith even when I said, 

“I am suffering terribly.” 

11  I also said when I was panic-stricken, 

“Everyone is undependable.” 

12  How can I repay the Lord 

for all the good that he has done for me? 

13  I will take the cup of salvation 

and call on the name of the Lord. 

14  I will keep my vows to the Lord 

in the presence of all his people. 

15  Precious in the sight of the Lord 

is the death of his faithful ones. 

16  O Lord, I am indeed your servant. 

I am your servant, 

the son of your female servant. 

You have freed me from my chains. 

17  I will bring a song of thanksgiving to you as a sacrifice. 

I will call on the name of the Lord. 

18  I will keep my vows to the Lord 

in the presence of all his people, 

19  in the courtyards of the Lord’s house, 

in the middle of Jerusalem. 

Hallelujah! 

Psalm 117

1  Praise the Lord, all you nations! 

Praise him, all you people of the world! 

2  His mercy toward us is powerful. 

The Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. 

Hallelujah! 

Psalm 118

1  Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, 

because his mercy endures forever. 

2  Israel should say, 

“His mercy endures forever.” 

3  The descendants of Aaron should say, 

“His mercy endures forever.” 

4  Those who fear the Lord should say, 

“His mercy endures forever.” 

5  During times of trouble I called on the Lord. 

The Lord answered me ⸤and⸥ set me free ⸤from all of them⸥. 

6  The Lord is on my side. 

I am not afraid. 

What can mortals do to me? 

7  The Lord is on my side as my helper. 

I will see ⸤the defeat of⸥ those who hate me. 

8  It is better to depend on the Lord 

than to trust mortals. 

9  It is better to depend on the Lord 

than to trust influential people. 

10  All the nations surrounded me, 

⸤but armed⸥ with the name of the Lord, I defeated them. 

11  They surrounded me. Yes, they surrounded me, 

⸤but armed⸥ with the name of the Lord, I defeated them. 

12  They swarmed around me like bees, 

but they were extinguished like burning thornbushes. 

⸤So armed⸥ with the name of the Lord, I defeated them. 

13  They pushed hard to make me fall, 

but the Lord helped me. 

14  The Lord is my strength and my song. 

He is my savior. 

15  The sound of joyful singing and victory is heard 

in the tents of righteous people. 

The right hand of the Lord displays strength. 

16  The right hand of the Lord is held high. 

The right hand of the Lord displays strength. 

17  I will not die, 

but I will live and tell what the Lord has done. 

18  The Lord disciplined me severely, 

but he did not allow me to be killed. 

19  Open the gates of righteousness for me. 

I will go through them ⸤and⸥ give thanks to the Lord. 

20  This is the gate of the Lord 

through which righteous people will enter. 

21  I give thanks to you, 

because you have answered me. 

You are my savior. 

22  The stone that the builders rejected 

has become the cornerstone. 

23  The Lord is responsible for this, 

and it is amazing for us to see. 

24  This is the day the Lord has made. 

Let’s rejoice and be glad today! 

25  We beg you, O Lord, save us! 

We beg you, O Lord, give us success! 

26  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. 

We bless you from the Lord’s house. 

27  The Lord is God, and he has given us light. 

March in a festival procession 

with branches to the horns of the altar. 

28  You are my God, and I give thanks to you. 

My God, I honor you highly. 

29  Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, 

because his mercy endures forever. 

Psalm 119a

1  Blessed are those whose lives have integrity, 

those who follow the teachings of the Lord. 

2  Blessed are those who obey his written instructions. 

They wholeheartedly search for him. 

3  They do nothing wrong. 

They follow his directions. 

4  You have commanded 

that your guiding principles be carefully followed. 

5  I pray that my ways may become firmly established 

so that I can obey your laws. 

6  Then I will never feel ashamed 

when I study all your commandments. 

7  I will give thanks to you 

as I learn your regulations, which are based on your righteousness. 

8  I will obey your laws. 

Never abandon me. 

9  How can a young person keep his life pure? 

⸤He can do it⸥ by holding on to your word. 

10  I wholeheartedly searched for you. 

Do not let me wander away from your commandments. 

11  I have treasured your promise in my heart 

so that I may not sin against you. 

12  Thanks be to you, O Lord. 

Teach me your laws. 

13  With my lips I have repeated 

every regulation that ⸤comes⸥ from your mouth. 

14  I find joy in the way ⸤shown by⸥ your written instructions 

more than I find joy in all kinds of riches. 

15  I want to reflect on your guiding principles 

and study your ways. 

16  Your laws make me happy. 

I never forget your word. 

17  Be kind to me so that I may live 

and hold on to your word. 

18  Uncover my eyes 

so that I may see the miraculous things in your teachings. 

19  I am a foreigner in this world. 

Do not hide your commandments from me. 

20  My soul is overwhelmed with endless longing for your regulations. 

21  You threaten arrogant people, who are condemned 

and wander away from your commandments. 

22  Remove the insults and contempt that have fallen on me 

because I have obeyed your written instructions. 

23  Even though influential people plot against me, 

I reflect on your laws. 

24  Indeed, your written instructions make me happy. 

They are my best friends. 

25  I am close to death. 

Give me a new life as you promised. 

26  I told you what I have done, and you answered me. 

Teach me your laws. 

27  Help me understand your guiding principles 

so that I may reflect on your miracles. 

28  I am drowning in tears. 

Strengthen me as you promised. 

29  Turn me away from a life of lies. 

Graciously provide me with your teachings. 

30  I have chosen a life of faithfulness. 

I have set your regulations in front of me. 

31  I have clung tightly to your written instructions. 

O Lord, do not let me be put to shame. 

32  I will eagerly pursue your commandments 

because you continue to increase my understanding. 

33  Teach me, O Lord, how to live by your laws, 

and I will obey them to the end. 

34  Help me understand so that I can follow your teachings. 

I will guard them with all my heart. 

35  Lead me on the path of your commandments, 

because I am happy with them. 

36  Direct my heart toward your written instructions 

rather than getting rich in underhanded ways. 

37  Turn my eyes away from worthless things. 

Give me a new life in your ways. 

38  Keep your promise to me 

so that I can fear you. 

39  Take away insults, which I dread, 

because your regulations are good. 

40  I long for your guiding principles. 

Give me a new life in your righteousness. 

41  Let your blessings reach me, O Lord. 

Save me as you promised. 

42  Then I will have an answer for the one who insults me 

since I trust your word. 

43  Do not take so much as a single word of truth from my mouth. 

My hope is based on your regulations. 

44  I will follow your teachings forever and ever. 

45  I will walk around freely 

because I sought out your guiding principles. 

46  I will speak about your written instructions in the presence of kings 

and not feel ashamed. 

47  Your commandments, which I love, make me happy. 

48  I lift my hands ⸤in prayer⸥ because of your commandments, 

which I love. 

I will reflect on your laws. 

49  Remember the word ⸤you gave⸥ me. 

Through it you gave me hope. 

50  This is my comfort in my misery: 

Your promise gave me a new life. 

51  Arrogant people have mocked me with cruelty, 

yet I have not turned away from your teachings. 

52  I remembered your regulations from long ago, O Lord, 

and I found comfort ⸤in them⸥. 

53  I am burning with anger because of wicked people, 

who abandon your teachings. 

54  Your laws have become like psalms to me 

in this place where I am only a foreigner. 

55  At night I remember your name, O Lord, 

and I follow your teachings. 

56  This has happened to me 

because I have obeyed your guiding principles. 

57  You are my inheritance, O Lord. 

I promised to hold on to your words. 

58  With all my heart I want to win your favor. 

Be kind to me as you promised. 

59  I have thought about my life, 

and I have directed my feet back to your written instructions. 

60  Without any hesitation I hurry to obey your commandments. 

61  ⸤Though⸥ the ropes of wicked people are tied around me, 

I never forget your teachings. 

62  At midnight I wake up to give thanks to you 

for the regulations, which are based on your righteousness. 

63  I am a friend to everyone who fears you 

and to everyone who follows your guiding principles. 

64  Your mercy, O Lord, fills the earth. 

Teach me your laws. 

65  You have treated me well, O Lord, 

as you promised. 

66  Teach me ⸤to use⸥ good judgment and knowledge, 

because I believe in your commandments. 

67  Before you made me suffer, I used to wander off, 

but now I hold on to your word. 

68  You are good, and you do good things. 

Teach me your laws. 

69  Arrogant people have smeared me with lies, 

⸤yet⸥ I obey your guiding principles with all my heart. 

70  Their hearts are cold and insensitive, 

⸤yet⸥ I am happy with your teachings. 

71  It was good that I had to suffer 

in order to learn your laws. 

72  The teachings ⸤that come⸥ from your mouth are worth more to me 

than thousands in gold or silver. 

73  Your hands created me and made me what I am. 

Help me understand so that I may learn your commandments. 

74  Those who fear you will see me and rejoice, 

because my hope is based on your word. 

75  I know that your regulations are fair, O Lord, 

and that you were right to make me suffer. 

76  Let your mercy comfort me 

as you promised. 

77  Let your compassion reach me so that I may live, 

because your teachings make me happy. 

78  Let arrogant people be put to shame 

because they lied about me, 

⸤yet⸥ I reflect on your guiding principles. 

79  Let those who fear you turn to me 

so that they can come to know your written instructions. 

80  Let my heart be filled with integrity in regard to your laws 

so that I will not be put to shame. 

81  My soul is weak from waiting for you to save me. 

My hope is based on your word. 

82  My eyes have become strained from looking for your promise. 

I ask, “When will you comfort me?” 

83  Although I have become like a shriveled and dried out wineskin, 

I have not forgotten your laws. 

84  What is left of my life? 

When will you bring those who persecute me to justice? 

85  Arrogant people have dug pits to trap me 

in defiance of your teachings. 

86  (All your commandments are reliable.) 

Those people persecute me with lies. Help me! 

87  They almost wiped me off ⸤the face of⸥ the earth. 

But I did not abandon your guiding principles. 

88  Give me a new life through your mercy 

so that I may obey the written instructions, 

⸤which came⸥ from your mouth. 

89  O Lord, your word is established in heaven forever. 

90  Your faithfulness endures throughout every generation. 

You set the earth in place, and it continues to stand. 

91  All things continue to stand today because of your regulations, 

since they are all your servants. 

92  If your teachings had not made me happy, 

then I would have died in my misery. 

93  I will never forget your guiding principles, 

because you gave me a new life through them. 

94  I am yours. 

Save me, because I have searched for your guiding principles. 

95  The wicked people have waited for me in order to destroy me, 

⸤yet⸥ I want to understand your written instructions. 

96  I have seen a limit to everything else, 

⸤but⸥ your commandments have no limit. 

97  Oh, how I love your teachings! 

They are in my thoughts all day long. 

98  Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, 

because your commandments are always with me. 

99  I have more insight than all my teachers, 

because your written instructions are in my thoughts. 

100  I have more wisdom than those with many years of experience, 

because I have obeyed your guiding principles. 

101  I have kept my feet ⸤from walking⸥ on any evil path 

in order to obey your word. 

102  I have not neglected your regulations, 

because you have taught me. 

103  How sweet the taste of your promise is! 

It tastes sweeter than honey. 

104  From your guiding principles I gain understanding. 

That is why I hate every path that leads to lying.