Psalm 119:9

"Beth. How can a young man keep his way pure?

By keeping it according to Your word."

 

How can Psalm 119:1-2 be possible, especially for a young man full of fleshly passion?  According to Your word.  ‘Pure’ is זָכָה, zāḵāh: A verb meaning to clean, to be clean, to cleanse…it carries the connotation of being pure or cleansed from sin (Psa 119:9; Isa 1:16; Mic 6:11). ‘Keeping’ is the Hebrew שָׁמַר, šāmar: A verb meaning to watch, to keep, to preserve, to guard, to be careful, to watch over, to watch carefully over, to be on one's guard. The verb means to watch, to guard, to care for.  Purity is no accident, yet it cannot be done with one’s own resources (Proverbs 20:9). 

 

‘…the poet desires this, and supplicates God's gracious assistance in order to it. To purify or cleanse one's way or walk (זִכָּה, cf. Psa 73:13; Pro 20:9) signifies to maintain it pure.’[1]

 

‘You must take heed to your daily life, as well as study your Bible, and you must study your Bible that you may take heed to your daily life…Wilful ignorance is in itself wilful sin, and the evil which comes of it is without excuse. Let each man, whether young or old, who desires to be holy have a holy watchfulness in his heart, and keep his Holy Bible before his open eye. 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 Psa 119:1 of the Psalm, which suggested the Psalmist's enquiry, and awakened his desires.’[2]


[1] Keil & Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, on Psalm 119:9, e-Sword edition

[2] Spurgeon, Charles Haddon, Treasury of David, on Psalm 119:9, e-Sword edition

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