How can a young man keep his way pure?
Tue, 25 October, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O LORD;
teach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I declare
all the rules of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight
as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.
Today we start the longest chapter of the Bible. Psalm 119 is a fascinating chapter, singing the praises of God’s word. With almost no exceptions, there is a reference to the scripture in every verse. In this section we see references to your word (v9), your commandments (v10), your word (v 11), your statutes (v 12), the rules of your mouth (v 13), your testimonies (v 14), your statutes and your ways (v 15), and your statues and your word (v 16).
This Psalm is is broken up into twenty-two eight verse groups, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and this second section is for the second letter: Beth.
What do we learn from this?
Have you ever wondered how you can grow in holiness? How can you grow in obedience to God? The Psalmist teaches us the answer to this question.
We grow in obedience by studying God’s word, by seeking God in His word. As we memorize His word and store it up our hearts, God uses it to increase our obedience. God will call His word to our mind at the crucial moment when we have seeped our minds in His word. God will use His word to change our conduct.
Where is Christ in this passage?
When we read this description in Psalm 119, we realize how far short we fall of this ideal. I have never sought God with my whole heart (v 10). That is my ideal, and my goal. But I fall short.
However, there is one who did seek God with His whole heart. Jesus Christ lived His life on earth as the perfect man. He perfectly fulfilled everything in God’s word, and so He earned the perfect righteousness required for salvation. And He gives that perfect righteousness to all those who come to Him in faith.
So where I have never sought God with my whole heart, Jesus Christ has. And His perfect righteousness is credited to me by faith.
