Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet
Aleph
1 1 Blessed are those whose kway is blameless,
who lwalk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who mkeep his ntestimonies,
who oseek him with their whole heart,
3 who also pdo no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
4 You have commanded your qprecepts
to be kept diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may rbe steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
6 sThen I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn tyour righteous rules.2
8 I will keep your statutes;
udo not utterly forsake me!
Beth
9 How can va young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 wWith my whole heart I seek you;
let me not xwander from your commandments!
11 I have ystored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O Lord;
zteach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I adeclare
all the rules3 of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I bdelight
as much as in all criches.
15 I will dmeditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your eways.
16 I will fdelight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.
Gimel
17 gDeal bountifully with your servant,
hthat I may live and keep your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
19 I am ia sojourner on the earth;
jhide not your commandments from me!
20 My soul is consumed with klonging
for your rules4 at all times.
21 You rebuke lthe insolent, maccursed ones,
who nwander from your commandments.
22 Take away from me oscorn and contempt,
pfor I have kept your testimonies.
23 Even though qprinces sit plotting against me,
your servant will rmeditate on your statutes.
24 Your testimonies are my sdelight;
they are my tcounselors.
Daleth
25 uMy soul clings to the dust;
vgive me life waccording to your word!
26 When xI told of my ways, you answered me;
yteach me your statutes!
27 zMake me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will ameditate on your wondrous works.
28 bMy soul melts away for sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word!
29 Put false ways far from me
and graciously cteach me your law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I dset your rules before me.
31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;
elet me not be put to shame!
32 I will run in the way of your commandments
1 aAn oracle concerning bNineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.
God’s Wrath Against Nineveh
2 cThe Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
the Lord is avenging and wrathful;
dthe Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries
and ekeeps wrath for his enemies.
3 fThe Lord is slow to anger and ggreat in power,
and hthe Lord will by no means clear the guilty.
iHis way is in whirlwind and storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
4 jHe rebukes the sea and makes it dry;
he dries up all the rivers;
the bloom of kLebanon withers.
5 mThe mountains quake before him;
nthe hills melt;
the earth heaves before him,
othe world and all who dwell in it.
6 pWho can stand before his indignation?
Who can endure the heat of his anger?
His wrath qis poured out like fire,
and rthe rocks are broken into pieces by him.
7 sThe Lord is good,
ta stronghold in the day of trouble;
uhe knows those who take refuge in him.
8 But vwith an overflowing flood
he will make a complete end of the adversaries,1
and wwill pursue his enemies into darkness.
9 What xdo you plot against the Lord?
yHe will make a complete end;
trouble will not rise up a second time.
10 For they are zlike entangled thorns,
like drunkards as they drink;
athey are consumed like stubble fully dried.
11 From you came one
bwho plotted evil against the Lord,
a worthless counselor.
12 Thus says the Lord,
“Though they are at full strength and many,
cthey will be cut down and pass away.
dThough I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you no more.
13 And now eI will break his yoke from off you
and will burst your bonds apart.”
14 The Lord has given commandment about you:
f“No more shall your name be perpetuated;
from gthe house of your gods I will cut off
the carved image and the metal image.
15 2 jBehold, upon the mountains, kthe feet of him
who brings good news,
who publishes peace!
lKeep your feasts, O Judah;
mfulfill your vows,
nfor never again shall the worthless pass through you;
he is utterly cut off.
