Mazmur 119:9

ב (Bet)

119:9 How can a young person ¹  maintain a pure life? ² 

By guarding it according to your instructions! ³ 

Mazmur 119:17

ג (Gimel)

119:17 Be kind to your servant!

Then I will live ⁴  and keep ⁵  your instructions. ⁶ 

Mazmur 119:101

119:101 I stay away ⁷  from the evil path,

so that I might keep your instructions. ⁸ 

Mazmur 119:161

שׂ/שׁ (Sin/Shin)

119:161 Rulers pursue me for no reason,

yet I am more afraid of disobeying your instructions. ⁹ 

Mazmur 119:169

ת (Tav)

119:169 Listen to my cry for help, ¹⁰  O Lord!

Give me insight by your word!

Mazmur 119:114

119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield.

I find hope in your word.

Mazmur 119:139

119:139 My zeal ¹¹  consumes ¹²  me,

for my enemies forget your instructions. ¹³ 

[119:9]  ¹ tn Heb “young man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, the gender specific “young man” has been translated with the more neutral “young person.”

[119:9]  ² tn Heb “purify his path.”

[119:9]  ³ tn Heb “by keeping according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural, “your words.”

[119:17]  ⁴ tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a cohortative indicating purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

[119:17]  ⁵ tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the imperative that begins the verse.

[119:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as several ancient versions read the plural here.

[119:101]  ⁷ tn Heb “I hold back my feet.”

[119:101]  ⁸ tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural.

[119:161]  ⁹ tn Heb “and because of your instructions my heart trembles.” The psalmist’s healthy “fear” of the consequences of violating God’s instructions motivates him to obey them. See v. 120.

[119:169]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “may my cry approach before you.”

[119:139]  ¹¹ tn or “zeal.”

[119:139]  ¹² tn Heb “destroys,” in a hyperbolic sense.

[119:139]  ¹³ tn Heb “your words.”