He wishes to choose a clean way, to be himself clean in it, to cleanse it of any foulness which may arise in the future, and to end by showing a clear course from the first step to the last; but, alas, his way is already unclean by actual sin which he has already committed, and he himself has within his nature a tendency towards that which defileth. — — —], But if the question be asked in reference to the sanctity which God requires, the difficulty will appear great indeed—, [It is not a Pharisaic righteousness, a cleansing of the outside of the cup and platter, that God requires, but real holiness, both of heart and life. Ver. And I cannot but beg the Reader, that as he passed through the whole, of this beautiful Psalm, whenever he comes to the expression, WORD, he will pause over it, and examine whether it is not spoken of the person of Him, who is the eternal WORD, that in the beginning was with God, and is God. 14 I rejoice … Your face is towards the future. KJV, Reference Bible, Center-Column Giant Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, King James Version. The answer is given: "By taking heed thereto according to thy word." By taking heed, etc. by taking heed thereto according to thy word. There is another reason, arising from the fact, of the carnal propensities being very powerful in youth, requiring a dortble restraint; and the more they are inclined to excess, the greater is the necessity for curbing their licentiousness. Adam Clarke. Henry Cowles, 1872. Thomas Manton. The Lord our God is righteous, and He will deal justly with all unrighteousness, in both sinner and saved alike. xxvii., p. 40. The One Hour Prayer Cycle. William Gumall. But real piety is uncongenial with our fallen nature; and to attain it is no easy task to any, of either sex, or of whatever age or quality or condition. It is referred to in almost every verse. Oh! Cleanse his way; reform his life, or purge himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. -- Theophilus Jones, in a "Sermon to the Young," 1829. By living according to your word. "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? (3) The next step places you face to face with the grand choice submitted to every soul who follows God's word: the choice between the life you are leading and the life which that light expresses. Verse 9. The very names by which the divine life is described in Scripture sufficiently shew that it is neither attained nor exercised without great difficulty. Be careless in your way, and your ruin will ensue [Note: Ecclesiastes 11:9.] We may reason from the greater to the less; for if the law of God possesses the power of restraining the impetuosity of youth, so as to preserve pure and upright all who take it for their guide, then, assuredly, when they come to maturity, and their irregular desires are considerably abated, it will prove the best antidote for correcting their vices. God's word is the glass which discovereth all spiritual deformity, and also the water and soap which washes and scours it away. Hebrew punctuation lacks the interrogation point, so that we have no other clue but the form of the sentence and the sense by which to decide where the question ends. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. ].” By the word, therefore, we may cleanse our way; not externally only, but really, truly, spiritually, and to the full extent of our necessities: so that the difficulty in our text is completely solved; and to the inquiry there made, we are prepared to answer, “Having these promises, dearly Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God [Note: 2 Corinthians 7:1. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! Instead of question and answer both in this one verse, the Hebrew demands the construction with question only, leaving the answer to be inferred from the drift of the entire Psalm -- thus: Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way to keep it according to thy word? You must not stay till you are advanced in life before you “cleanse your way,” but engage in that work while yet you are “young.” In the appointment of the sacrifices which were offered under the Law, the lambs were to be but a year old: and in the first-fruits presented unto God for a meat-offering, special care was to be taken that “green ears” should be offered, “beaten out indeed of full ears,” but still green, and needing to be “dried with fire” before they could be ground to flour [Note: Leviticus 2:14-16.]. alongside Affliction and Psalms 119:9-10 - 'King James Version' translation Verse 9. Show how the young man is in special danger of defiling his way. Hiding the Word in our hearts is the most powerful antidote against sin, the world, the flesh, and the devil, and is the greatest influence to live a holy and perfect life. 9. Thus Mercerus and Savailerius. The Scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of suffering, and the most comfortable way of dying. The word of God can master our lusts when they are in their greatest pride: if ever lust rageth at one time more than another, it is when youthful blood boils in our veins. THERE is much despondency in the human mind, especially in reference to the great work of sanctification. But for all such anxiety there seems to be an answer in the text. 9.Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way? etc. Free Reading Plans and Devotionals related to Psalms 119:9-11. Copyright © 2021, Bible Study Tools. It is by no means an easy task which the prudent young man sets before him. He must take heed to it, rmfl, lishmor, to keep, guard, and preserve his way -- his general course of life, from all defilement. III. Daleth. Psalm 119:10 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Psalm 119:10, NIV: "I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands." Verse 9. In respect of outward decorum, females, from the restraints of education, have a great advantage: perhaps, in reference to vital godliness also, they may be considered as more favoured than the other sex, because they have more opportunity for serious reflection. By reading, studying, and imitating the Scriptures in a lowly and prayerful spirit the young shall escape pollution and ornament society. "Look well to thy goings"; it is a new path. It is not that young men in our day require information: they require the inclination. By thy grace I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. Psalms 119:10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. The very inquiry shows that his heart is not in a corrupt state. Article Images Copyright © 2021 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Do this, beloved, daily, and with all diligence; so shall ye “be blameless und harmless, the sons of God, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, shining among them as lights in the world, and holding forth in your walk and conversation the word of life [Note: Philippians 2:15-16. There he will find every turn of the road marked down, every slough and miry place pointed out, with the way to go through unsoiled; and there, too, he will find light for his darkness, comfort for his weariness, and company for his loneliness, so that by its help he shall reach the benediction of the first verse of the Psalm, which suggested the Psalmist's enquiry, and awakened his desires. and the second section runs parallel to it, with the question, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?" The answer is supposed, or rather left to be inferred, from the whole tenor of the psalm, which is that men, and especially-young men, whose passions and temptations are strong in proportion to their inexperience, can do nothing of themselves, but are dependent on the grace of God. The inquiry is -- How shall a young man make a clean way -- a pure line of conduct -- through this defiling world? ; by studying and endeavouring a holy conformity to God's will. Through, The circumspection he should use to cleanse his way. The more effectually to excite them to this, he produces, in an especial manner, the example of children or youths. Psalm 119: This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet; moreover, the verses of each stanza begin with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet.Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the "Look well to thy goings"; it is a narrow path. The efficient cause in the operation is God. The tenth in order of the ten words of this Psalm. That we should be very early and betimes sensible of this evil; for the question is propounded concerning the young man. The subject of the section is, The Law of Jehovah purifying the Life. By living according to your word.” (NIV) It’s God’s Word that makes our minds clean and pure. John Stephen, in "The Utterances of the 119 Psalm," 1861. I did all the wills of God, and so became a man after his own heart, Acts 13:22. That which is enquired after is, What remedy there is against it? Wherewithal shall he make his way the way of a saint?". Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? This records facts, presents incitations, enjoins precepts, utters promises, and sets up examples, all which are adapted to make a young man holy. And the question, read in the light of this explanation, means, "Wherewithal shall a young man lead a holy life, like the life of the holy God? His way; this is the rule of his providence. Psalms 119:9. It is meet that it should be so. 2. We poured clean water into our little bowl to represent God’s Word cleaning our minds and hearts. Cultivate a Heart of Righteousness. "Look well to thy goings"; it is a slippery path. "Taking heed,". Happy is it for us, however, that we have, on divine authority. The narrow way was never hit upon by chance, neither did any heedless man ever lead a holy life. Cleanse his way] Mandabit, id est emendabit. What course is to be taken? The answer to this question is, "By taking heed thereto according to God's word:" by taking God's word as the light, the guide, and the director of the way; by considering your steps in the light of that word; by taking that word as the chart, the pilot, and the propeller of your way. 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