תּוֹרָה

At that time all the people gathered together in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.

On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand.

So Ezra read it aloud from daybreak until noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate, in front of the men and women and those who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law as they stood in their places.

So they read from the Book of the Law of God, explaining it and giving insight, so that the people could understand what was being read.

Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the Law.

On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Law.

And they found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month,

Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. The Israelites kept the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly, according to the ordinance.

While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God.

You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.

You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath and gave them commandments and statutes and laws through Your servant Moses.

But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.

You admonished them to turn back to Your law, but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he practices them. They turned a stubborn shoulder; they stiffened their necks and would not obey.

Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them.

“The rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the people of the land to obey the Law of God—along with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand,

…hereby join with their noble brothers and commit themselves with a sworn oath to follow the Law of God given through His servant Moses and to obey carefully all the commandments, ordinances, and statutes of the LORD our Lord.

We have cast lots among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood by our families at the appointed times each year. They are to bring it to the house of our God to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law.

And we will bring the firstborn of our sons and our livestock, as it is written in the Law, and will bring the firstborn of our herds and flocks to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God.

And on that same day men were appointed over the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tithes. The portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites were gathered into these storerooms from the fields of the villages, because Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who were serving.

As soon as the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all of foreign descent.

Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.

But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.

The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple.

The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not falter.

I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”

A Maskil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my instruction; listen to the words of my mouth.

For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children,

They failed to keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law.

If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgments,

Blessed is the man You discipline, O LORD, and teach from Your law,

…that they might keep His statutes and obey His laws. Hallelujah!

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD.

Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law.

Remove me from the path of deceit and graciously grant me Your law.

Give me understanding that I may obey Your law, and follow it with all my heart.

I will always obey Your law, forever and ever.

The arrogant utterly deride me, but I do not turn from Your law.

Rage has taken hold of me because of the wicked who reject Your law.

In the night, O LORD, I remember Your name, that I may keep Your law.

Though the ropes of the wicked bind me, I do not forget Your law.

Their hearts are callous and insensitive, but I delight in Your law.

The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

May Your compassion come to me, that I may live, for Your law is my delight.

The arrogant have dug pits for me in violation of Your law.

If Your law had not been my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction.

Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation.

I constantly take my life in my hands, yet I do not forget Your law.

The double-minded I despise, but Your law I love.