King David composed this psalm as a prayer for success in matters of the spirit and for completeness in Torah achievement. He arranged the verse in alphabetical order, eight verses to every letter. It was also David's intention to strengthen the hand of those who study Torah, to help them persevere and overcome all trials. (MeAm Lo'ez)
Each 176 verses of Tehillim 119 (except verse 122) contains at least one synonym for Torah. Verse 122 contains the word tov (good) which some explain to refer to Torah as well.
In Sefer Avodat Hakodesh, by the Chida, it is written: Let everyone strive to complete every week the eight-fold chapter of the Book of Psalms. This is an auspicious prescription for avoiding all harm and loss. He lists the verse to be recited on different days, together with the different plsams that follows the present psalm.
On the first day of the week (Sunday): the verses beginning with the letters א׳ ב׳ ג׳, plus Tehillim 120, 121, 124.
Second day (Monday): the verses beginning with ד׳ ה׳ ו׳, plus Tehillim 122, 123, 124.
Third day (Tuesday): the verses beginning with ז׳ ח׳ ט׳, plus Tehillim 125, 126, 127.
Fourth day (Wednesday): the verses beginning with י׳ כ׳ ל׳, plus Tehillim 128, 129, 130.
Fifth day (Thursday): the verses beginning with מ׳ נ׳ ס׳, plus Tehillim 129, 130, 124.
Sixth day (Friday): the verses beginning with ע׳ פ׳ צ׳, plus Tehillim 131, 132.
Shabbat (7th day - Saturday): the verses beginning with ק׳ ר׳ ש׳ ת׳, plus Tehillim 133, 134.
Tehillim 119:1 Ashrei temimei darech haholchim betorat HASHEM
Happy are they whose way is perfect [integrity] who walk with the Torah of HASHEM.
Yosef Karduner singing "Ashrei Temimei Darech & Likutei Moharan Book 1 Chapter 1"
Translation of song:
Happy are they whose way is perfect [integrity] who walk with the Torah of HASHEM
Know! That through the Torah are received all the prayers and all the requests that we request and pray for. And the grace and the importance of Yisrael is elevated and soars whatever it is that they need. Whether in spiritual things or in physical things.
Happy are they whose way is perfect [integrity] who walk with the Torah of HASHEM.
Because now through our great sins, [the] beauty and true importance of Yisrael has fallen. Because now the main portion of the beauty and the importance is found by them. But by means of the Torah are raised the beauty and importance of Yisrael. Because the Torah is called "Let her be as the loving doe and graceful deer." Because [the Torah] bestows beauty [grace] on all those who learn it. And through this is received all the prayers and requests.
Happy are they whose way is perfect [integrity] who walk with the Torah of HASHEM.
"Happy are they" who walk in the "way" that brings one to completeness and integrity and not to condemnation; "who walk with the Torah of HaShem."
As our Sages have taught: Anyone whose fear of G-d precedes his wisdom, his wisdom endures.
King David extols the quality of integrity, when he says, "I was upright before Him, and have kept myself from my iniquity" (Shmuel bet 22:24). For one who conducts himself with integrity does not sin readily. As David says, When I am upright "before Him" - when I am along with Him, and no other human being sees me - I keep "myself from my iniquity." This he also says, "I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart" (v101:2)
Similarly, King Shlomo says, "The just man walks with his integrity; happy are his children after him" (Mishlei 20:7). If his children are happy for his sake, then he is certainly happy.
The Holy One asked of Avraham to be "upright" (Bereishit 17:1). Similarly, Moshe said to the Benei Yisrael, "You will be upright with HaShem your G-d" (Devarim 18:13). That is, if you are upright, then you are with HaShem your G-d.
Yisrael is upright and the Torah is upright. Hence it says here, "Happy are those whose way is integrity."
Shlomo also says, "He who walks with integrity walks surely" (Mishlei 10:9). The one who walks with integrity, will be informed with the glad tiding that G-d will make his ways successful. "But he who perverts his ways will be found out" (ibid.). Generally, whatever has two ways become known in the world.
When one walks with integrity, the Holy One chooses him and his worship. Thus it says, "He that walks in a way of integrity, he will minister to Me" (v101.6); and it says, "You will be upright with HaShem your G-d" (Devarim 18:13).
When one walks with an upright heart in all his ways, he merits to dwell in the company of the Almighty. As it says, "Who will sojourn in Your Tent? Who will dwell upon the mountain of Your Sanctuary? He that walks uprightly and acts justly, and speaks truth in his heart" (15:1, 2)
Similarly, King David has extolled here those who walk with integrity.
What is Integrity?
A man should utter his words without deceit; he should trade without cheating; and his heart and mouth be the same. For if a man says one thing with the mouth and another with the heart, not only is he not called upright, he is a flatterer and a liar. As it says, "Deceit is in the heart of those who imagine evil..." (Mishlei 12:20).
It is of the quality of integrity that a person is charitable towards other people. As it says, "Charity keeps him that is upright in the way" (ibid. 13:6).
When one walks with integrity, the Holy One helps him do his work and He causes him to become upright in all his ways. As it says, "With the merciful You show Yourself merciful, with the upright man You show Yourself upright" (v18:26).
"Happy are they whose way is integrity." Their integrity is not a result of their temperament, but it is because they "walk with the Torah of HaShem."
It is not possible to follow the path of integrity unless all of one's deeds are for the sake of Heaven, there are no ulterior motives.
"Integrity" must itself be in accordance with G-d's will. For it is only from the Torah that we know how and when to act with integrity. Thus our Sages say, commenting on the verse, "Yaakov was an upright man, dwelling in tents" (Bereishit 25:27): He ruled his integrity.
When does a man know that his way is upright? It is when he keeps G-d's commandments even while on the way (road). It about such people as these that the Scritpure says, "Happy are they whose way is integrity, who walk with the Torah of HaShem."
Most of the present psalm speak in the second person singular, and only the first three verses are in the remote third person form. David pleaded and petitioned in prayer that the Holy One favor him with knowledge, understanding and intelligence. Accordingly, he opened with the first three verses that convey the conditions for granting these three things. One is Torah study, since an ignorant person cannot have fear of G-d. The second condition is to "depart from evil and do good" (v34:15). The third condition is to keep perfecting oneself in Torah study daily through constant acquisition of new knoweldge.
That is the process of walking "with the Torah of HaShem." A person will not merit to study Torah except if he empties his heart of the empty pursuits of the world and is convinced that this world is only a way-station. Nor is it possible to fulfill the mitzvot perfectly except by knowing the Torah and the foundation of the commandments.
- MeAm Lo'ez
- Schottenstein Sefer Tehillim
- Stone Edition Tanach
