Psalm 119 - Translation by Jonathan Hollis

 Aleph:

 How blessed are those whose way is perfect, who walk in the Line of the LORD!

How blessed are those who guard His eye-witness reports, wholeheartedly they seek Him!

Also, they have not done iniquity, in His Ways they have walked.

You have directed Your charges to be guarded diligently.

Oh, that You would established my ways to guard Your boundaries!

Then I will not be ashamed when I gaze at all Your directions.

I will give thanks to You in an upright heart, when I study Your right decisions.

Your boundaries I will guard, O, forsake me not utterly.

Bet:

How can a young man purify his path? By guarding Your Word.

Wholeheartedly I sought You, do not let me stray from Your directions.

Your Word have I concealed in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

Blessed are You, O LORD, teach me Your boundaries.

With my lips have I recounted all the decisions of Your mouth.

In the way of Your eye-witness reports I rejoiced, as much as in all wealth.

Of Your charges I speak, and I look at Your paths.

In Your boundaries I engross myself, I will not forget Your Word.

Gimel:

Bestow upon Your servant, that I should live, that I may guard Your Word.

Uncover my eyes, that I may perceive wonders from Your Line.

A stranger am I in the earth, hide not Your directions from me.

Crushed is my soul with love for Your decisions at all time.

You rebuked the proud who are cursed, who stray from Your directions.

Remove from upon me disgrace and contempt, for Your evidence I have safeguarded.

Although princes did sit and speak against me, Your servant meditates on Your boundaries.

Also, Your eye-witness reports are my primary focus, the men of my counsel.

Dalet:

Cling to the dust has my soul; resuscitate me according to Your word.

My ways have I recounted and You answered me, teach me Your boundaries.

Cause me to understand the way of Your charges, that I may meditate Your wonders.

Melt does my soul from sorrow, preserve me according to Your Word.

The way of lying remove from me, and with Your Line favor me.

The way of faithfulness I have chosen, Your decisions I have laid down.

I have clung to Your eye-witness accounts, O LORD, put me not to shame.

In the way of Your directions I will run, for You will broaden my heart.

Hey:

Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your boundaries, and I will safeguard it unto the end.

Grant me understanding that I may safeguard Your Line, and guard it wholeheartedly.

Lead me on the beaten path of Your directions, for that is my desire.

Incline my heart toward Your eye-witness reports and not to greed.

Avert my eyes from seeing worthlessness; in Your ways cause me to live.

Confirm for Your servant Your Word concerning awe of You.

Avert my disgrace which I dreaded, for Your decisions are good.

See, I crave for Your charges, in Your justice may I live.

Vav:

And come to me may Your compassion, O LORD, Your salvation according to Your Word.

And I shall offer to those who scorn me an answer, for I have trusted in Your Word.

And remove not from my mouth utterly the Word of truth, because for Your decisions I hoped.

And I will guard Your Line continually, forever and ever.

And I will walk in broad ways, because Your charges I have sought.

And I will speak of Your eye-witness accounts before kings, and I will not be ashamed.

And I will focus all my attention on Your directions that I love.

And I will lift my hands to Your directions which I love, and I will meditate in Your boundaries.

Zayin:

Remember the Word to Your servant, by which You made me hope.

This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your Word resuscitated me.

The proud scoffed at me exceeding greatly, but from Your Line I did not go astray.

I remembered Your decisions of old, O LORD, and I was comforted.

I have been frozen in terror because of the wicked who forsake Your Line.

Music to me were Your boundaries, in the house where I dwell.

I remembered in the night Your Name, O LORD, and I guarded Your Line.

All this came to pass for me because Your charges I guarded.

Chet:

My share is the LORD, I have declared to guard Your Word.

I have entreated before You with my whole heart; give me grace according to Your declaration.

I considered my ways and returned my feet to Your eye-witness reports.

I hastened and I did not delay to guard Your directions.

Bands of evil men robbed me, but Your Line I did not forget.

At midnight I arise to thank You for Your right decisions.

A friend am I to all who are in awe of You, and to those who guard Your charges.

Your compassion, O LORD, fills the earth; Your boundaries, teach me.

Tet:

Good have You done to Your servant, O LORD, according to Your Word.

Good reasoning and knowledge teach me, for I have been faithful to Your directive.

Before I was afflicted I erred; but now Your Word I guard.

Good are You and You do good, teach me Your boundaries.

Smeared upon me lies have the proud, but I wholeheartedly safeguarded Your charges.

Thickened as fat did their heart, but for me Your Line is my primary focus.

Good for me that I was afflicted, so that I might learn Your boundaries.

Better for me is the Line of Your mouth than thousands in gold and silver.

Yud:

Your hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn Your directions.

Those who are in awe of You shall see me and rejoice, because in Your Word I hoped.

I know, O LORD, that just are Your decisions, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.

Let it be, I pray, that Your compassion comforts me, according to Your promise to Your servant.

Come may Your mercies upon me, so that I may live, for Your Line is my primary focus.

May shamed be the proud, for with lies have they dealt with me, but I will meditate in Your charges.

May they return to me – those who are in awe of You and who know Your eye-witness accounts.

May my heart be perfect in Your boundaries, so that I will not be ashamed.

Caph:

Crave Your salvation does my soul; for Your Word I hoped.

Crave do my eyes Your promise, saying: When will You comfort me?

For I have been like a wineskin in the smoke, Your boundaries I did not forget.

How many are the days of Your servant? When will You carry out on those who chase me Your sentences?

Dig pits for me did the proud, which is not in accordance with Your Line.

All Your directions are faithful; lies they chase me: Help me!

Almost destroyed am I in the earth, but I did not forsake Your charges.

In accordance with Your compassion give me life, and I will guard the evidence of Your mouth.

Lamed:

Forever, O LORD, Your Word is fixed in the heavens.

From generation to generation is Your faithfulness, You established the earth and it stands.

To fulfill Your decisions they stand to this day for all Your servants.

Had not Your Line been my main focus, then I would have perished in my affliction.

Never will I forget Your charges, for through them You have given me life.

Yours I am, save me, for Your charges have I sought.

Against me have bound the wicked to destroy me, but Your eye-witness accounts I contemplate.

To every accomplishment I have seen an end, but broad is Your directions exceedingly!

Mem:

O how I love Your Line! It is my meditation all day long.

More than mine enemies, I am made wiser by Your directions, because it is ever with me.

From all my teachers I grew wise, for Your eye-witness accounts are a meditation for me.

From elders I gain understanding, because Your charges I have safeguarded.

From every evil path I restrained my feet, so that I might guard Your word.

From Your decisions I did not revolt: for You have taught me.

How sweet to my palate is Your Word, more than honey to my mouth!

From Your charges I get understanding, therefore I hate every path that is deceptive.

Nun:

Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my footpath.

I have sworn, and I will fulfill, to guard Your just decisions.

Afflicted am I exceedingly; O LORD, cause me to live in accordance with Your Word.

The voluntary offering of my mouth accept with favor please, O LORD, and Your decisions teach me.

My desire is in my palm continually, but Your Line I did not forget.

The wicked laid a snare for me, but from Your charges I did not stray.

I have taken as my heritage Your eye-witness reports, forever, for the joy of my heart are they.

I have inclined my heart to do Your boundaries, forever, to the end.

Samekh:

The double-minded I hate, but Your Line I love.

My hiding place and my shield are You, in Your Word do I hope.

Depart from from me, you evildoers, and I will safeguard the directions of my God.

Uphold me according to Your promise that I may live, and shame me not in my hope.

Support me that I may be saved, and I will gaze in awe at Your boundaries continually.

You have weighed all who stray from Your boundaries, for lying is their deceit.

As trash, You have purged all the wicked of the earth: therefore I have loved Your witnesses.

Bristling from fear of You did my flesh, and Your decisions I respected.

Ayin:

I have done what is just and right, do not abandon me to those who oppress me.

Be the insurer for Your servant for good; do not let the proud oppress me.

My eyes crave Your salvation, and for Your promised justice.

Deal with Your servant according to Your compassion, and Your boundaries teach me.

Your servant am I, grant me understanding, so that I may know Your eye-witness reports.

It is time for You to act, LORD; they have erased Your Line.

Therefore I have loved Your directions more than gold, even fine gold.

Therefore of all Your charges all is just! Every path of lying I have hated.

Pey:

Wondrous are Your eye-witness reports, therefore my soul has safeguarded them.

The opening of Your words enlightens, giving understanding to the simple.

My mouth I opened wide and panted, for Your directions I crave.

Turn to me and favor me, as is Your practice to those who love Your Name.

Order my footsteps in Your Word, and let no iniquity dominate me.

Redeem me from oppression by man, and I will guard Your charges.

Your face cause to shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your boundaries.

Streams of water run down mine eyes, because they did not guard Your Line.

Tzaddi:

Just are You, O LORD, and just are Your decisions.

Your eye-witness reports You have directed are right and exceeding faithful.

Consumed me has my zeal, because my adversaries have forgotten Your words.

Refined is Your Word extremely, and Your servant loves it.

Young am I and despised, Your charges I do not forget.

Your justice is an everlasting justice, and Your Line is truth.

Distress and anxiety have befallen me, Your directions are my primary focus.

Just are Your eye-witness reports forever, grant me understanding that I may live.

Kuph:

I have called wholeheartedly, answer me, O LORD; Your boundaries I will safeguard.

I called You; save me, and I will guard Your eye-witness reports.

I preceded the dawn and I cried out; for Your Word I hoped.

Preceded did mine eyes the night-watches, to meditate Your Word.

My voice hear in accordance with Your compassion; O LORD, in accordance with Your decisions may I live.

Draw near do the pursuers of evil plans; from Your Line they are far.

Close by are You, O LORD, and all Your directions are true.

From the past, I gained knowledge from Your eye-witness reports, for from eternity You established them.

Resh:

See my affliction and deliver me, for Your Line have I not forgotten.

Defend my case and redeem me, for Your Word, resuscitate me.

Far from the wicked is salvation, for Your boundaries they sought not.

Your mercies are abundant, O LORD; as is Your decision resuscitate me.

Many were my pursuers and my distressors, but from Your eye-witness reports I did not turn away.

I saw the traitors and I was disgusted with them, because Your Word they guarded not.

See that Your charges I have loved, O LORD, in accordance with Your compassion resuscitate me.

Your first utterance is truth, and for Eternity is every decision of Your justice.

Shin:

Princes have chased me without cause, but from Your Word my heart has feared.

Rejoice do I over Your Word, as one who finds abundant treasure.

Lies have I hated and abhorred it; Your Line I love.

Seven times a day I have praised You because of Your right decisions.

Abundant peace to those who love Your Line, and there is not a stumbling block for them.

I hoped for Your salvation, O LORD, and Your directions I have done.

Guard did my soul Your eye-witness reports, and I loved them exceedingly.

I have guarded Your charges and Your evidence, for all my ways are before You.

Tav:

Approach may my prayer before You, O LORD; give me understanding according to Your Word.

Let my supplication come before You: deliver me according to Your Word.

Utter praise shall my lips when You teach me Your boundaries.

Proclaim shall my tongue Your Word, for all Your directions are fair.

May Your hand help me, for Your charges I have chosen.

I crave Your salvation, O LORD, and Your Line is my primary focus.

May my soul live, and it shall praise You, and Your decisions will help me.

I have strayed like a sheep that is lost; seek out Your servant, for Your directions I have not forgotten.

Psalm 119 - Introduction to translation - Word Study

 Law – Torah (Strong's #8451) Pronounced TOHR'ah. Meaning law, direction, instruction, custom, ruling or teaching.

The root word for Torah is Yarah (Strong's #3384) and has the meaning of casting or throwing as in shooting an arrow or throwing out the trash. Because the root Moreh (Strong's #4175) is usually translated as teaching, this gives this word Torah a similar meaning in most translation. However, I have a difference of understanding. This word, Moreh also has the meaning of an archer.

When I lived in Jerusalem many years ago, I learned the phrase, "Yesh Tor". In modern Hebrew, this means, "There is a line." The reason I had to learn it is, people would attempt to "Jump the cue" or "break in line" and this would be the phrase to let them know they had to "get in line". I have heard many different definitions for the Hebrew word TORAH which is often translated law, teaching, instructions, etc. But the Word "Line" fits my vocabulary best. One can understand this word picture as shooting an arrow. The direct LINE the arrow goes from the bow to the target is TORAH. And when one sins, the definition for sin is "missing the mark".

Commandments – Mitzvah (Strong's #4687) Pronounced Mitz'VAH. Meaning an order or cammand. It comes from the root word Tzavah (Strong's #6680) meaning give a charge, set in order, send a messenger, I.E. to direct. I chose to translate this word as Directions, as when a father is teaching his son how to do something, he gives him directions.

Testimonies – Edut (Strong's #5707) Pronounced e'duwt. A testimony, witness

Eye-witness reports – Whenever I read this phrase, my mind goes back to the story of Joshua and Caleb and the ten spies. We find this story in the book of Numbers, chapter 13. The twelve spies were tasked with the responsibility of going into the land of Canaan to scope out the land. 10 of the spies brought back an “evil report”, however Caleb and Joshua brought a “good report”. Both reports were “eye-witness reports/accounts”.

When God gave directions concerning convicting someone of a deadly sin, He said that the sentence would only stand with the testimony of two or three witnesses. No matter what part of the Bible you are reading, you are reading the “eye-witness accounts.” When reading the four Gospels, you are reading the “eye-witness reports” of those who saw first hand the works of our Lord Jesus. Although Mark may not have been physically present, he was probably the scribe for Peter's account. Luke, too, may not have been physically present, but he, too, was a scribe for direct accounting of our Lord's work and with all four Gospels, we have eye-witness reports that agree to our Lord's working. Luke was definitely a first-hand “eye-witness” to the things recorded in the book of Acts.

Statute - Chukkah (Stong's # 2708) = the Ch is pronounced gutterally in the back of the throat like the ch in Bach and the whole word rhymes with Hukkah. The meaning is statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed. A beautiful example of this word is found in Proverbs 8:29: “when he gave the sea its BOUNDARY so the waters would not overstep his command...” NIV

Notice the wording here is boundary or a limit that has been set. The word Chukkah is translated as boundary. So we can see from the picture here that God's statutes are His boundaries. Another Hebrew word that means Boundary is Gibul (Pronounced = Gee'bull) (Strong's #1366) and it is used in a similar way in Psalm 104:9 describing God's boundary for the sea: “You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.” NIV. This same word (Gibul) is used in Exodus 19, when God commands Moses to tell the people to sanctify themselves for three days and put a BOUNDARY around the mountain so that man nor beast might cross over and touch the mountain as God descends upon it.

When you read the word Statutes, or in my translation, Boundaries, picture guardrails on the side of the road to prevent you from going over the cliff or ravine, should you veer from the path. 

 

Precept - Piqqud (Stong's # 6490) Pronounced Pi'kood. thing appointed, charge, Other variations of this word in Hebrew mean “oversight, ward, supervision, responsibility” This was a word I struggled with, to find the right translation. At first, I thought about Wards and Guardians, but it didn't flow, especially when David said he would “guard Your guardians” or “Guard Your wardians”. I also thought about how often a supervisor follows guidelines given by the main boss, and I like the word “guidelines”, but it didn't translate adequately. So, I settled on the word “charges” and it shows “responsibility of the supervisor/guardian or ward”

Judgment – Mishpat (Strongs's #4941) Pronounced Mish'POT. Meaning: a verdict, a sentence, a ruling, or a vindication. I arrived at my translation of this word based on these definitions. A judgment is God's decision concerning a matter or His sentence passed over someone judged guilty of a crime or sin.

Psalm 119 Introduction - Beginning the Journey

Over the past several years, Psalm 119 has become one of my favorite chapters of the book of Psalms. I learned to read it through in Hebrew and have read it through in Hebrew more than a hundred times, probably. I have yet to commit it to memory in Hebrew, however, I have been able to translate it using a number of different sources, including other Jewish and English translations. 

In Hebrew, the Psalm is written as an acrostic poem -- the first letter of each verse begins with the letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet (alphabet). Only, Psalm 119 assigns 8 verses to each letter. For instance it would be like this if were an English poem with eight lines beginning with A and so forth:

All God's children love God and each other.

Better a friend nearby than a far-away brother.

Christ is the answer and not another.

Also, another interesting find about this Psalm is that every verse uses a synonym for God's Word, i.e. Commandments, statutes, laws, precepts, Word, testimonies. There are only two exceptions to this: verses 37, 90.

I have always struggled with this Psalm because of the use of the legalistic words. The Jewish sages have discouraged non-Jews from reading this Psalm, as they believe it "damages the soul" (Maimonides).  However, after reading through this Psalm so many times, I began to see it as a pathway or journey.  King David often used terms about a Pathway or roads in reference to God. In fact, the relationship between God and His servants was often referred to as "walking with God." You can refer to earlier posts that I made on this subject. 

The words used began to make since for me. For instance, instead of Commandments, I saw the word as Directions, or signposts along the way. I saw the statues as guardrails and precepts as the posted speed-limits which are all for our safety. When I lived in Jerusalem many years ago, I learned the phrase, "Yesh Tor". In modern Hebrew, this means, "There is a line." The reason I had to learn it is, people would attempt to "Jump the cue" or "break in line" and this would be the phrase to let them know they had to "get in line".  I have heard many different definitions for the Hebrew word TORAH which is often translated law, teaching, instructions, etc.  But the Word "Line" fits my vocabulary best.  One can understand this word picture as shooting an arrow.  The direct LINE the arrow goes from the bow to the target is TORAH. And when one sins, the definition for sin is "missing the mark". 

                            \.........                                                                                      ______________/_____________

The Torah is the straight line in the previous diagram is the pathway that leads to life. The broken line is the way of evil, lying and falsehood.

In the following post, I will share my translation of Psalm 119.  Here is a list of words that I have translated from the original Hebrew:

Commandments: DIRECTIONS

Statutes: BOUNDARIES 

Law: LINE

Precepts: CHARGES

 Testimonies: EYE-WITNESS REPORT/ACCOUNT or EVIDENCE

Judgements: DECISIONS or SENTENCES

Righteous/ness: JUSTICE or RIGHT