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
He
33 gTeach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes;
and I will keep it hto the end.6
34 iGive me understanding, that I may keep your law
and observe it with my whole heart.
35 jLead me in the path of your commandments,
for I kdelight in it.
36 lIncline my heart to your testimonies,
and not to mselfish gain!
37 nTurn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and ogive me life in your ways.
38 pConfirm to your servant your promise,
qthat you may be feared.
39 Turn away the rreproach that I dread,
for your rules are good.
Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses
1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. 2 And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? oHas he not spoken through us also?” And pthe Lord heard it. 3 Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. 4 And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. 5 And qthe Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. 6 And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him rin a vision; I speak with him sin a dream. 7 Not so with tmy servant Moses. uHe is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak vmouth to mouth, clearly, and not in wriddles, and he beholds xthe form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed.
10 When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, yMiriam was zleprous,1 like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11 And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, ado not punish us2 because we have done foolishly and have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” 13 And Moses cried to the Lord, “O God, please heal her—please.” 14 But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but bspit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be cshut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” 15 So Miriam dwas shut outside the camp seven days, and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. 16 After that the people set out from eHazeroth, and camped in fthe wilderness of Paran.
