Friday, January 24, 2025
How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping your word. I have sought you with all my heart; don’t let me wander from your commands. I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you. Lord, may you be blessed; teach me your statutes. With my lips I proclaim all the judgments from your mouth. I rejoice in the way revealed by your decrees as much as in all riches. Psalm 119:9-14
Psalm 119 is believed to have been written by David. It is a very long chapter with 176 verses. It was written as 22 sections forming an acrostic of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. It is a Psalm glorifying God and his word, mentioning scripture in at least 171 of the 176 verses.
Keep the Word
David poses the question How can a young man keep his way pure? He answers his own question in the next breath with the only thing could be the right answer - By keeping your word. David realized two things. In asking, he knew that he could not keep his way pure in his own power. He needed God's help. Secondly, he knew the purpose and the power of the word of God in his heart and life.
The more we know his word and the more it is written on our heart, the more we will live it out in our daily lives. The more we study his word and the more we learn, the more equipped we will be to keep our ways pure, and the less we will wander from his commands. Reading God’s word every day will help us learn and keep us close to our Father’s heart. Memorizing scripture will help us know victory over sin in our lives and our sin nature.
The Bible is not just another book. It’s not just history. The Bible is our source for all things in this life. But it is even more than that. The Bible is a treasure. It is our Heavenly Father’s words to us because he loves us and wants us to know. It is a record of all he has done and all his promises to us. It is revelation to us, revealing his decrees for us to rejoice in like David did. He speaks to us through his word, and we should always prepare ourselves to be ready and willing to hear what he has to say.
One of the biggest mistakes we can make is trying to do it in our own power, maybe thinking we know the Bible more than we really do, or not treasuring his word in our hearts or guarding our hearts with his word. God’s word is the most effective weapon that we have to protect ourselves against temptation or sin.
David was in pursuit of God and living a pure life. He knew that the place he would find guidance for that was in God’s word. He treasured God’s words in his heart, proclaimed his judgements from his lips, and rejoiced in the way revealed. He knew his weaknesses and knew the strength of the Lord. He knew that the Bible provides wisdom and knowledge and direction, and that God would give him the strength. Study his words and treasure them as David did, because they were written to you in love. Trust in God and lean into him as you walk your path in this life. Trust, treasure, proclaim, and rejoice as you read, learn, and grow in your faith.
