Psalm 119 God's Word on Display. Pt. 10
Good Morning to everyone as we begin this new week venturing out to the workplaces, or for our mom's managing their households, taking children to school or teaching them in their homes, and to our retirees who start each morning with a cup of coffee! Let's dig into some more of God's Word on Display.........
Psalm 119:9-16 9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee.12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: Teach me thy statutes.13 With my lips have I declared All the judgments of thy mouth.14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies,As much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate in thy precepts, And have respect unto thy ways.16 I will delight myself in thy statutes:I will not forget thy word.
As a whole, Psalm 119 is divided into 22 sections of 8 verses for a total of 176 verses. Each 8 verse section is grouped under a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This is the second section of 8 verses. We studied through the first section a while ago in this series.
This section begins by asking an important question and then giving us the right answer from God. We see 4 times that the Psalmist says "have I" with regard to meaningful action he took with respect to God's word.
The question raised is "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?" It recognizes the fact that we all sin and fall short of God's glory. When we are born again we truly want to please God in all things and we are disappointed in ourselves when we fail.
Our wonderful God knows our frame that we are made from dust. Our spirit may be willing to please Him but our flesh is weak. In particular the Psalmist identified the "young man" as being in special need of having an answer to this question.
The problem with young men (or women)
Proverbs 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
King Solomon wrote Proverbs as God's moral instruction to his own young sons. One of the reasons stated for writing wisdom literature is that the proverbs can bring understanding, knowledge and wisdom to a young man. These are traits that a typical young man lacks when he has a "know it all" mentality.
Ecclesiastes 11:9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
King Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes which is more wisdom literature. In this text he highlights the problem is with young men who know it all. The typical young man wants to follow his own heart which is deceitful and wicked. Young men are all about experiencing what the world has to offer and ignoring what God says. Yet, Solomon reminds us, He will bring them into account for their actions.
How can our way be cleansed?
The idea here is that a young man or woman has followed his or her heart by seeking pleasure in sinning. It is like a young person who has left home with clean clothing and shoes and stepped into the filthy muck of the culture. The clothing is dirty and the shoes are soiled.
The word "way" is a word that means a well traveled path made by moral choices that we make. The way of the young man has led him or her into dirt and mud.
The word "cleanse" is a word that means to be made clean and pure once again. It is a word that means being transparent before God.
The question raised is how can I have my ways and life cleansed before God?
The answer? Take heed to God's word!
The answer is simple....we read and take heed to God's word. The remaining verses of this section of Psalm 119 tells us what it looks like when we take heed to what God says. Taking heed means keeping the word of God as a special treasure. It means guarding it by reading it, studying it, thinking about it and replenishing our minds with its truth.
To take heed to the word of God means to read it with the intent to obey it. It means to do this vigilantly and diligently.
1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Points to Ponder....
Psalm 119:9-16 9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee.12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: Teach me thy statutes.13 With my lips have I declared All the judgments of thy mouth.14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies,As much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate in thy precepts, And have respect unto thy ways.16 I will delight myself in thy statutes:I will not forget thy word.
As a whole, Psalm 119 is divided into 22 sections of 8 verses for a total of 176 verses. Each 8 verse section is grouped under a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This is the second section of 8 verses. We studied through the first section a while ago in this series.
This section begins by asking an important question and then giving us the right answer from God. We see 4 times that the Psalmist says "have I" with regard to meaningful action he took with respect to God's word.
The question raised is "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?" It recognizes the fact that we all sin and fall short of God's glory. When we are born again we truly want to please God in all things and we are disappointed in ourselves when we fail.
Our wonderful God knows our frame that we are made from dust. Our spirit may be willing to please Him but our flesh is weak. In particular the Psalmist identified the "young man" as being in special need of having an answer to this question.
The problem with young men (or women)
Proverbs 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
King Solomon wrote Proverbs as God's moral instruction to his own young sons. One of the reasons stated for writing wisdom literature is that the proverbs can bring understanding, knowledge and wisdom to a young man. These are traits that a typical young man lacks when he has a "know it all" mentality.
Ecclesiastes 11:9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
King Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes which is more wisdom literature. In this text he highlights the problem is with young men who know it all. The typical young man wants to follow his own heart which is deceitful and wicked. Young men are all about experiencing what the world has to offer and ignoring what God says. Yet, Solomon reminds us, He will bring them into account for their actions.
How can our way be cleansed?
The idea here is that a young man or woman has followed his or her heart by seeking pleasure in sinning. It is like a young person who has left home with clean clothing and shoes and stepped into the filthy muck of the culture. The clothing is dirty and the shoes are soiled.
The word "way" is a word that means a well traveled path made by moral choices that we make. The way of the young man has led him or her into dirt and mud.
The word "cleanse" is a word that means to be made clean and pure once again. It is a word that means being transparent before God.
The question raised is how can I have my ways and life cleansed before God?
The answer? Take heed to God's word!
The answer is simple....we read and take heed to God's word. The remaining verses of this section of Psalm 119 tells us what it looks like when we take heed to what God says. Taking heed means keeping the word of God as a special treasure. It means guarding it by reading it, studying it, thinking about it and replenishing our minds with its truth.
To take heed to the word of God means to read it with the intent to obey it. It means to do this vigilantly and diligently.
1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Points to Ponder....
- Sin is a universal condition affecting every man, woman, young person and child.
- We choose to sin and our way is quickly contaminated with the pollution of sin.
- The believer knows he or she needs cleansing from the Lord.
- Jehovah always provides the remedy for our sins and in this case, it is taking heed to His word.
You have heard me say before that we need to "read and heed" the word of God. We need to hear His truth and do it. What we believe is designed to impact or change our behavior and we need to be governed by scripture truth.
We all fall into sin and we all need to seek the cleansing God provides through Jesus Christ. However, we can be proactive as born again Christians and make it a life pattern of taking heed to the Word of God before we stray. His word will keep us on the right path and out of the mire of sin.
Bob
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