Psalm 119

"a self evident truth"

PSALM 119:1-8 ALEPH

Returning to the original Hebrew design and intent

1     Blessed [are] the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the LORD!
2     Blessed [are] those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!
3     They also do no iniquity; They walk in His ways.
4     You have commanded [us] To keep Your precepts diligently.
5     Oh, that my ways were directed To keep Your statutes!
6     Then I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your commandments.
7     I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments.
8     I will keep Your statutes; Oh, do not forsake me utterly!

1     All are blessed and undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the LORD!
2     Abandon all in thine heart but to seek Him; Blessed are those who keep His testimonies.
3     Also they do no iniquity; They walk in His ways
4     Altogether you have commanded us To keep thy precepts diligently,
5     Ah, that my ways were directed To keep Your statutes
6     Afterwards I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your commandments
7     Acclaim will I give You with uprightness of heart, When I shall learn thy righteous judgments
8     Always I will keep Your statutes; Oh do not forsake me utterly!

41     Let Your mercies come also to me, O LORD-Your salvation according to Your word.
42     So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word.
43     And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
44     So shall I keep Your law continually, Forever and ever.
45     And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Your precepts.
46     I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, And will not be ashamed.
47     And I will delight myself in Your commandments, Which I love.
48     My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, Which I love, And I will meditate on Your statutes.

41     Forbid not that Your mercies come also to me, O LORD-Your salvation, according to Your word
42     Forget not that I have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word
43     Furthermore take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; For I have hoped in Your ordinances
44     Forever and ever then shall I keep Your law continually
45     Freedom and at liberty will I walk, For I seek Your precepts.
46     Fearlessly I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, And will not be ashamed.
47     Freely do I delight myself in Your commandments, Which I love
48     Further I will lift up my hands to Your commandments, Which I love, And I will meditate on Your statutes

From ancient times the Jewish people have revered the Word of God. Taking literally the commandment to keep the Word before your eyes at all times, they attached 'frontlets' to their foreheads (small packets containing key Scriptures). In addition, certain inspired passages were revealed as 'acrostics'. This began to be used as a 'mnemonic' device to help remember or memorize Scripture. The 119th Psalm is one of those passages. It contains 176 verses which are divided into twenty-two 8-verse sections; one section for each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This Psalm is also unique in that each of the 176 verses (making it the longest chapter in the Bible) is a statement of faith in God's Holy Word. Hebrew children were taught to memorize the entire Psalm by using the alphabet as a guide. To my knowledge however, this benefit has never, until now, been passed on to readers using other language translations.

The English translation you see on this page is taken from the 'updated' King James Version, also known as The New King James Version (© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., used by permission). First you will see the current translation, then just below, the 'acrostic' version accomplished by rearranging or substituting a comparable word (or words) to begin the verse with a closely related English letter. Mr. Johnson has been an ardent student (and teacher) of Scripture for over thirty years and much of that study along with constant prayer has lovingly enveloped this project.

Great pains have been taken to retain the original Hebrew meaning as well as the original translators' intent and understanding of the original Hebrew. Beyond that, extreme pains have been taken to retain the 'flow' and the 'rhythm' (and even the 'music', if you will) that was miraculously instilled in the Hebrew as well as in the original English versions. Familiar passages (e.g., vss. 11, 105) also retain their recognizable message and connection to the original.

Our prayer is that a new generation of children can come to appreciate the wonder, and majesty, and magnitude of the Word of God through memorizing passages from this Psalm (and others to come) just as the ancients did before Bibles became so ubiquitous (Psalm 119:100). Also that this work would provide fodder for adult and youth Bible studies and even sermon series. A devotional is being published as well, based on the "NAV" (New Acrostic Version) which hopefully will extend appreciation of God's Word through this marvelous Psalm.

PSALM 119:41-48 VAU