ALEPH - Blessed are those who keep his law
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ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
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Blessed are they who search his testimonies: that seek him with their whole heart.
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For they that work iniquity, have not walked in his ways.
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Thou hast commanded thy commandments to be kept most diligently.
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O! that my ways may be directed to keep thy justifications.
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Then shall I not be confounded, when I shall look into all thy commandments.
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I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned the judgments of thy justice.
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I will keep thy justifications: O! do not thou utterly forsake me.
BETH - Holiness is the fruit of keeping the law of the Lord
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BETH. By what doth a young man correct his way? by observing thy words.
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With my whole heart have I sought after thee: let me not stray from thy commandments.
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Thy words have I hidden in my heart, that I may not sin against thee.
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Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy justifications.
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With my lips I have pronounced all the judgments of thy mouth.
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I have been delighted in the way of thy testimonies, as in all riches.
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I will meditate on thy commandments: and I will consider thy ways.
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I will think of thy justifications: I will not forget thy words.
GIMEL - Eyes to see the wonders of the Lord
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GIMEL. Give bountifully to thy servant, enliven me: and I shall keep thy words.
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Open thou my eyes: and I will consider the wondrous things of thy law.
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I am a sojourner on the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.
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My soul hath coveted to long for thy justifications, at all times.
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Thou hast rebuked the proud: they are cursed who decline from thy commandments.
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Remove from reproach and contempt: because I have sought after thy testimonies.
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For princes sat, and spoke against me: but thy servant was employed in thy justifications.
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For thy testimonies are my meditation: and thy justifications my counsel.
DALETH - prayer to understand the ways of the Lord
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DALETH. My soul hath cleaved to the pavement: quicken thou me according to thy word.
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I have declared my ways, and thou hast heard me: teach me thy justifications.
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Make me to understand the way of thy justifications: and I shall be exercised in thy wondrous works.
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My soul hath slumbered through heaviness: strengthen thou me in thy words.
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Remove from me the way of iniquity: and out of thy law have mercy on me.
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I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments I have not forgotten.
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I have stuck to thy testimonies, O Lord: put me not to shame.
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I have run the way of thy commandments, when thou didst enlarge my heart.
HE - faithfulness based on the promises of God
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HE. Set before me for a law the way of thy justifications, O Lord: and I will always seek after it.
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Give me understanding, and I will search thy law; and I will keep it with my whole heart.
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Lead me into the path of thy commandments; for this same I have desired.
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Incline my heart into thy testimonies and not to covetousness.
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Turn away my eyes that they may not behold vanity: quicken me in thy way.
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Establish thy word to thy servant, in thy fear.
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Turn away my reproach, which I have apprehended: for thy judgments are delightful.
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Behold I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy justice.
VAU - salvation through the word of the Lord
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VAU. Let thy mercy also come upon me, O Lord: thy salvation according to thy word.
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So shall I answer them that reproach me in any thing; that I have trusted in thy words.
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And take not thou the word of truth utterly out of my mouth: for in thy words have I hoped exceedingly.
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So shall I always keep thy law, for ever and ever.
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And I walked at large: because I have sought after thy commandments.
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And I spoke of thy testimonies before kings: and I was not ashamed.
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I meditated also on thy commandments, which I loved.
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And I lifted up my hands to thy commandments, which I loved: and I was exercised in thy justifications.
ZAIN - The Word of the Lord is a source of hope and comfort
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ZAIN. Be thou mindful of thy word to thy servant, in which thou hast given me hope.
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This hath comforted me in my humiliation: because thy word hath enlivened me.
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The proud did iniquitously altogether: but I declined not from thy law.
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I remembered, O Lord, thy judgments of old: and I was comforted.
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A fainting hath taken hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake thy law.
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Thy justifications were the subject of my song, in the place of my pilgrimage.
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In the night I have remembered thy name, O Lord: and have kept thy law.
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This happened to me: because I sought after thy justifications.
HETH - My inheritance is the keeping of your word
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HETH. O Lord, my portion, I have said, I would keep the law.
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I entreated thy face with all my heart: have mercy on me according to thy word.
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I have thought on my ways: and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
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I am ready, and am not troubled: that I may keep thy commandments.
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The cords of the wicked have encompassed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.
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I rose at midnight to give praise to thee; for the judgments of thy justification.
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I am a partaker with all them that fear thee, and that keep thy commandments.
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The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy justifications.
TETH - Learning the words of the Lord through suffering
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TETH. Thou hast done well with thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word.
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Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge; for I have believed thy commandments.
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Before I was humbled I offended; therefore have I kept thy word.
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Thou art good; and in thy goodness teach me thy justifications.
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The iniquity of the proud hath been multiplied over me: but I will seek thy commandments with my whole heart.
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Their heart is curdled like milk: but I have meditated on thy law.
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It is good for me that thou hast humbled me, that I may learn thy justifications.
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The law of thy mouth is good to me, above thousands of gold and silver.
JOD - The law of the Lord is the foundation for the community of believers
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JOD. Thy hands have made me and formed me: give me understanding, and I will learn thy commandments.
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They that fear thee shall see me, and shall be glad: because I have greatly hoped in thy words.
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I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are equity: and in thy truth thou hast humbled me.
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O! let thy mercy be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
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Let thy tender mercies come unto me, and I shall live: for thy law is my meditation.
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Let the proud be ashamed, because they have done unjustly towards me: but I will be employed in thy commandments.
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Let them that fear thee turn to me and they that know thy testimonies.
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Let my heart be undefiled in thy justifications, that I may not be confounded.
KAPH - Longing for peace and comfort
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CAPH. My soul hath fainted after thy salvation: and in thy word I have very much hoped.
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My eyes have failed for thy word, saying: When wilt thou comfort me?
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For I am become like a bottle in the frost: I have not forgotten thy justifications.
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How many are the days of thy servant: when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?
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The wicked have told me fables: but not as thy law.
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All thy statutes are truth: they have persecuted me unjustly, do thou help me.
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They had almost made an end of me upon earth: but I have not forsaken thy commandments.
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Quicken thou me according to thy mercy: and I shall keep the testimonies of thy mouth.
LAMED - The immutability of the law of the Lord
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LAMED. For ever, O Lord, thy word standeth firm in heaven.
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Thy truth unto all generations: thou hast founded the earth, and it continueth.
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By thy ordinance the day goeth on: for all things serve thee.
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Unless thy law had been my meditation, I had then perhaps perished in my abjection.
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Thy justifications I will never forget: for by them thou hast given me life.
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I am thine, save thou me: for I have sought thy justifications.
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The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I have understood thy testimonies.
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I have seen an end to all persecution: thy commandment is exceeding broad.
MEM - Love for God's law
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MEM. O how have I loved thy law, O Lord! it is my meditation all the day.
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Through thy commandment, thou hast made me wiser than my enemies: for it is ever with me.
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I have understood more than all my teachers: because thy testimonies are my meditation.
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I have had understanding above ancients: because I have sought thy commandments.
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I have restrained my feet from every evil way: that I may keep thy words.
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I have not declined from thy judgments, because thou hast set me a law.
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How sweet are thy words to my palate! more than honey to my mouth.
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By thy commandments I have had understanding: therefore have I hated every way of iniquity.
NUN - The word of the Lord is a lamp unto my feet
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NUN. Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my paths.
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I have sworn and am determined to keep the judgments of thy justice.
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I have been humbled, O Lord, exceedingly: quicken thou me according to thy word.
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The free offerings of my mouth make acceptable, O Lord: and teach me thy judgments.
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My soul is continually in my hands: and I have not forgotten thy law.
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Sinners have laid a snare for me: but I have not erred from thy precepts.
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I have purchased thy testimonies for an inheritance for ever: because they are a joy to my heart.
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I have inclined my heart to do thy justifications for ever, for the reward.
SAMEKH - The word of the Lord is my protection and my shield
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SAMECH. I have hated the unjust: and have loved thy law.
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Thou art my helper and my protector: and in thy word I have greatly hoped.
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Depart from me, ye malignant: and I will search the commandments of my God.
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Uphold me according to thy word, and I shall live: and let me not be confounded in my expectation.
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Help me, and I shall be saved: and I will meditate always on thy justifications.
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Thou hast despised all them that fall off from thy judgments; for their thought is unjust.
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I have accounted all the sinners of the earth prevaricators: therefore have I loved thy testimonies.
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Pierce thou my flesh with thy fear: for I am afraid of thy judgments.
AIN - The psalmist kept the law of the Lord
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AIN. I have done judgment and justice: give me not up to them that slander me.
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Uphold thy servant unto good: let not the proud calumniate me.
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My eyes have fainted after thy salvation: and for the word of thy justice.
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Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy: and teach me thy justifications.
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I am thy servant: give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies.
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It is time, O Lord, to do: they have dissipated thy law.
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Therefore have I loved thy commandments above gold and the topaz.
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Therefore was I directed to all thy commandments: I have hated all wicked ways.
PE - Prayer to keep the law of the Lord
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PHE. Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore my soul hath sought them.
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The declaration of thy words giveth light: and giveth understanding to little ones.
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I opened my mouth and panted: because I longed for thy commandments.
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Look thou upon me, and have mercy on me, according to the judgment of them that love thy name.
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Direct my steps according to thy word: and let no iniquity have dominion over me.
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Redeem me from the calumnies of men: that I may keep thy commandments.
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Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: and teach me thy justifications.
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My eyes have sent forth springs of water: because they have not kept thy law.
TZADE - The Lord and his law are righteous
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SADE. Thou art just, O Lord: and thy judgment is right.
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Thou hast commanded justice thy testimonies: and thy truth exceedingly.
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My zeal hath made me pine away: because my enemies forgot thy words.
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Thy word is exceedingly refined: and thy servant hath loved it.
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I am very young and despised; but I forgot not thy justifications.
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Thy justice is justice for ever: and thy law is the truth.
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Trouble and anguish have found me: thy commandments are my meditation.
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Thy testimonies are justice for ever: give me understanding, and I shall live.
KOPH - Cry for salvation
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COPH. I cried with my whole heart, hear me, O Lord: I will seek thy justifications.
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I cried unto thee, save me: that I may keep thy commandments.
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I prevented the dawning of the day, and cried: because in thy words I very much hoped.
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My eyes to thee have prevented the morning: that I might meditate on thy words.
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Hear thou my voice, O Lord, according to thy mercy: and quicken me according to thy mercy.
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They that persecute me have drawn nigh to iniquity; but they are gone far off from the law.
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Thou art near, O Lord: and all thy ways are truth.
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I have known from the beginning concerning thy testimonies: that thou hast founded them for ever.
RESH - Keeping the law of the Lord in times of trouble
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RES. See my humiliation and deliver me: for I have not forgotten the law.
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Judge my judgment and redeem me: quicken thou me for thy word’s sake.
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Salvation is far from sinners; because they have not sought thy justifications.
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Many, O Lord, are thy mercies: quicken me according to thy judgment.
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Many are they that persecute me, and afflict me; but I have not declined from thy testimonies.
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I beheld the transgressors, and I pined away; because they kept not thy word.
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Behold I have loved thy commandments, O Lord; quicken me thou in thy mercy.
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The beginning of thy words is truth: all the judgments of thy justice are for ever.
SHIN - Prayer for deliverance from persecution
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SIN. Princes have persecuted me without cause: and my heart hath been in awe of thy words.
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I will rejoice at thy words, as one that hath found great spoil.
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I have hated and abhorred iniquity; but I have loved thy law.
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Seven times a day I have given praise to thee, for the judgments of thy justice.
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Much peace have they that love thy law, and to them there is no stumbling block.
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I looked to thy salvation, O Lord: and I loved thy commandments.
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My soul hath kept thy testimonies: and hath loved them exceedingly.
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I have kept thy commandments and thy testimonies: because all my ways are in thy sight.
TAU - Concluding prayer
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TAU. Let my supplication, O Lord, come near in thy sight: give me understanding according to thy word.
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Let my request come in before thee; deliver thou me according to thy word.
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My lips shall utter a hymn, when thou shalt teach me thy justifications.
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My tongue shall pronounce thy word: because all thy commandments are justice.
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Let thy hand be with me to save me; for I have chosen thy precepts.
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I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is my meditation.
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My soul shall live and shall praise thee: and thy judgments shall help me.
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I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost: seek thy servant, because I have not forgotten thy commandments.