Psalm 119 Second Stanza

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Scripture Psalm 118:9-16

Beth

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. [1]

 

Devotion

            The Hebrew letter for this section is Beth. Beth is also the Hebrew word for house. Hence Bethlehem means house of bread and Bethel is the house of God. This portion of the psalm is addressed to young people encouraging them to memorize God’s word as it is easier for a young person to memorize things than older people. I ought to know having just turned 60 this last week because I am much better at forgetting than I am at memorizing. Still the best time to start memorizing is now as none of us is getting any younger!

            Verse 9 speaks to the young asking how shall he keep his way pure? The answer to that question follows in the next clause of the verse. “By looking to God’s Word, and guiding himself thereby, the young man may “cleanse his way”[2]”

       Verse 10 advises the reader to seek God through God’s word with his whole heart so that they would not stray from God’s commands. It repeats the command found in verse 2 (“2   Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,

who seek him with their whole heart,[3]”)

 

                Verse 11 advises us to hold God’s word in our hearts to keep us from falling into some sin by accident. The Hebrew word translated word in this verse is mrah

Is better translated promise. So, the psalmist here is advocating specifically for laying up God’s promises in our hearts rather than just random passages.

 

            Verse 12 implores God to teach us his laws. We learn the scriptures better when God actually does the teaching (although those lessons are sometimes hard) in the long run we learn better at the Master’s feet than any other way.

 

            Verse 13 indicates that once a person has God’s word hidden in his heart will be able to be spoken at a fit time. According to Deuteronomy 6:7 the Hebrews were to “7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.[4] “

 

            Verse 14 tells us we are to learn God’s words so that we can be exceedingly rich toward God. God’s word is to make one rejoice. And though the text does not include this the word can convict us of sin and drive us to tears of repentance and ultimately rejoicing in knowing our sins have been forgiven us.

 

            Verse 15 invites us to ponder God’s words. The Word can only be fully understood by long meditation on them. We are to reflect upon God’s ways so we can know them fully.

           

            Verse 16 tells us to delight in the laws of our God and to make them such a part of us that they can never be forgotten, but always brought to mind at the appropriate time.

 

            This completes the second stanza of Psalm 119. We have learned to hide God’s word in our heart because it will help us to walk blamelessly in his paths. It will also help us to speak a fitting word when the occasion requires it. We are urged to rejoice in the word that we have so treasured us in our hearts.

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 119:9–16.

[2] H. D. M. Spence-Jones, ed., Psalms, vol. 3, The Pulpit Commentary (London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1909), 103.

[3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 119:2.

[4] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Dt 6:7.

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