How can a young person keep their way pure?

[Psalm 119:9-16]

We who believe in Jesus desire in our hearts to follow the Lord’s holiness, but at times our weak flesh pursues sin. That is why the apostle Paul confessed:
“… So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin” (Romans 7:25).
This is a spiritual battle—a spiritual battle within ourselves. In this battle, we must seek a biblical perspective on ourselves, specifically on human corruption (sinfulness). In Proverbs 20:9, the writer asks:
“Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin’?”
And in Job 15:14-16, Scripture says:
“What is man, that he could be pure? Or one born of a woman, that he could be righteous? Even the holy ones are not pure in God’s sight; the heavens are not pure in His eyes, so how much less a corrupt and detestable person who drinks up evil like water?”
Indeed, we humans are corrupt. Who can say they are truly pure? Yet, in today’s passage, Psalm 119:9, the psalmist asks:
“How can a young person keep their way pure?”
Based on this passage, I want to meditate on four points about how we can live a clean (holy) life.

First, to live a clean (holy) life, we must live according to the Lord’s Word.

Look at Psalm 119:9:
“How can a young person keep their way pure? By living according to your word.”
Cleansing ourselves is deeply connected to God’s Word. For example, the apostle Peter tells us that our souls are purified by obeying the truth:
“By obeying the truth, you have purified yourselves” (1 Peter 1:22).
Therefore, the psalmist says in Psalm 119:9 that we must “keep” or “guard” the Lord’s Word. The word “keep” here contains two meanings:
One is a passive meaning—“keep” as in “do not do” (a command not to do something). For example, Deuteronomy 4:23 says:
“Be careful not to forget the covenant with the LORD your God, and do not make for yourselves any carved image.”
The other meaning is active—“keep” as in “do” (a command to do something). For example, Genesis 18:19 says:
“For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just.”
So, how should we guard the Lord’s Word? There are three guidelines.

(1) We must meditate on the Lord’s statutes.

Look at the first half of Psalm 119:15: “I will meditate on your precepts…” We must meditate on God’s word again and again. We need to develop the good habit of meditating on God’s word. To meditate on God does not simply mean to read the Bible. Meditation is to think deeply and repeatedly about the words we have read. It also means to ponder what those words mean and to pray while reflecting on them (verse 148).

(2) We must pay attention to the Lord’s way (His word).

Look at the second half of Psalm 119:15: “…and consider your ways.” By meditating on God’s word, we must discover God’s way. In other words, through the Bible, we find Jesus and must pay attention to the footsteps He walked. Therefore, when we understand the Lord’s way through His word, we should compare the path we are walking with the Lord’s path. If the way we are going is different from the Lord’s way, we must repent and return to walk in His way.

(3) We must rejoice in the way of Your testimonies.

Look at Psalm 119:14: “I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies, as much as in all riches.” People greatly desire riches. The psalmist confesses that he delights in obeying the Lord’s word just as much as he delights in riches. The Christian who tastes the joy of obeying God’s word cleanses his conduct through the joy of obedience.

Second, to live a clean (holy) life, we must seek the Lord with all our heart.

Look at the first half of Psalm 119:10: “With my whole heart I have sought you…” Why do we seek the Lord? Why do we pray to the Lord? We desire to live a holy life and want the path we walk to be pure. So, we meditate on God’s word and reflect on the path the Lord has walked, yet we still stumble and sin. Therefore, with a sincere heart longing to reflect the Lord’s holiness, we earnestly pray to Him. The psalmist’s earnest prayer was, “Let me not wander from your commandments” (verse 10). This should be our prayer, because human beings have a sinful instinct to depart from God’s commandments. Old habits still remain in us; though we have a holy desire to obey God’s commandments, our sinful nature causes us to stray from them countless times. Especially, the pride within us causes us to leave the Lord’s way and fall into corruption (verse 21). Therefore, like the psalmist, we must seek God with all our heart. We must earnestly pray to God, “Let me not wander from your commandments” (verse 10). And in that process, we should also ask God, as the psalmist did, “Teach me your statutes” (verse 12). We must acknowledge our ignorance. We must admit that we cannot understand the Lord’s statutes on our own. In doing so, we must recognize the need for God’s sovereign teaching (verse 34). We must seek the Lord with all our heart. To cleanse our conduct, we must seek the Lord wholeheartedly. To live according to the Lord’s word, we must seek Him with all our heart. Acknowledging before God our ignorance and inability to obey His commandments, we must ask Him for wisdom and strength. Therefore, we must live a holy life.

Thirdly, in order to live a clean (holy) life, we must keep the Lord’s Word in our hearts.

Look at Psalm 119:11: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” What does it mean to keep the Lord’s Word in our hearts? This means treasuring the Lord’s Word within us. This is precisely the Lord’s will for us. Therefore, the author of Proverbs exhorts in Proverbs 7:1: “My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.” Why must we treasure God’s Word in our hearts? Because it is to avoid sinning against the Lord (Psalm 119:11). When we keep God’s Word in our hearts, we are governed by His Word and led by it.

Then, how exactly can we treasure the Lord’s Word in our hearts? From today’s passage, we can learn two lessons:

(1) To keep the Lord’s Word in our hearts, we must delight in His Word.

Look at Psalm 119:14 and the first half of verse 16: “I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies, as much as in all riches” (v.14), “I will delight in your statutes…” (v.16). Reading the Bible without delighting in God’s Word is very difficult. However, when we obey God’s Word and taste the blessings that come from it, we cannot help but draw near to His Word. The psalmist encourages us to delight in the way of God’s testimonies as much as in all our wealth (v.14). When we delight in His statutes (v.16), we can keep God’s Word in our hearts.

(2) To keep the Lord’s Word in our hearts, we must decide not to forget it.

Look at the second half of Psalm 119:16: “… I will not forget your word.” If we do not stay close to God’s Word, it is easy to forget it quickly. Moreover, our hearts become hardened, and as a result, we inevitably disobey God’s Word. This must not happen. We must stay close to God’s Word and, like the psalmist, resolve not to forget it. We must be devoted to God’s Word. Especially, to avoid forgetting it, we must obey the voice of God we hear as we meditate on His Word. By doing so, we can inscribe God’s Word upon our hearts. In this way, God’s Word becomes our possession (v.56). I believe this is the best secret to never forget God’s Word.

Lastly, fourthly, to live a clean (holy) life, we must proclaim the Lord’s Word.

Look at Psalm 119:13: “With my lips I have declared all the rules of your mouth.” In order to keep God’s word in our hearts, we must live by proclaiming that word with our lips. Of course, when we proclaim God’s word, our lives themselves must first reflect the very word we proclaim. Living such a life as witnesses, we must testify to God’s word. In other words, while pursuing a holy and pure life, we must proclaim the holy word of the Lord. As witnesses of Christ, we must live a life of testimony. We must proclaim God’s word with an unwavering heart (Psalm 39:1-3, 40:9).

So, how can we live a pure (holy) life? We must live according to the Lord’s word (v. 9). We must seek the Lord with all our heart (v. 10). We must keep the Lord’s word in our hearts. And we must proclaim the Lord’s word. Therefore, I pray that you and I will live a holy and pure life.

Relying on the blood of Jesus’ cross,

Pastor James Kim
(“We Must Be Washed Clean”)