When we go for a walk it’s always good to keep an eye on our pathway to make sure that we observe what lies on the path ahead. No one wants to land face first in a muddy puddle! Little children might enjoy getting all muddy, but as adults that is usually not what we like, and we do what we can to avoid the dirt along our pathway. How about in our spiritual walk as believers and followers of the Lord Jesus? Every one of us has slipped and fallen in our Christian walk, some into a giant mud puddle of sin, getting spiritually filthy. How can we avoid this? Our psalm for this week speaks of how we can cleanse our ways to avoid sin. Let’s take a look.
Psalm 119 is the longest psalm, as well as the longest chapter in the Bible. The author is unknown. Some believe that it was King David, while many others think that it might have been written by the scribe and priest Ezra, the writer and main character in the Old Testament book of his name. The psalm is one of nine acrostic psalms in the Bible. It is divided into 22 sections, each of eight verses which begin with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each of the 176 verses speak of the author’s desire to follow and obey God’s laws and commandments. It is here, in these opening two segments, that we find out how to keep clean while walking on the pathway of our Christian life.
All throughout this psalm the author urges his readers to keep following God’s laws and ways. When we do, God promises to give His favor and to bless our life (vs 1-2). Unhappiness is caused by an individual’s self-will and sinful disobedience. When we live according to our own ideas and values, we will always run into trouble. When we conform our lives to what Jesus wants, we will find the blessings He promises.
We might wonder how we can faithfully follow God’s commands. As mentioned at the start, we are apt to slip and fall in our spiritual walk with the Lord. First, we must realize that in our own strength we cannot do anything. The only way is through the righteousness of the Lord Jesus, which we receive when we accept Jesus as Savior. Once we have done that, we need to commit to following the Lord each and every day. How is that accomplished?
God’s Word gives us a way to overcome sin, which we can see in the second part of our passage. First, we need to spend time reading and meditating on Scripture, and then obeying what we read (vs. 9-10). Then, we need to be prepared for temptation at any place or time by storing Scripture in our heart and mind (vs. 11). God promises great joy and peace when we know His Word (vs. 14). We need to take time to attune our heart and mind to the Word of God (vs. 15).
God takes disobedience seriously because the consequences are so grave. Wise men and women will choose to live by His Word and obey Him (vs. 9). When we put God’s Word in our heart, we are less likely to stray into sin, and if we do, we are more likely to get out of that sin, and get back in line with Him (vs. 11). Strong repeated doses of God’s Word injected into our hearts will fight the disease of sin. As this psalm repeatedly states throughout each of its many verses, we must ponder, study, and memorize God’s Word.
The world today may tell us that if we have enough money and riches, all of our problems will be solved. That is not the message that God gives us in His Word, as stated in many places, including in our Scripture today (vs. 14). Money is not the answer to all of our needs. A spiritual treasure is so much more important, which God will give as we walk in obedience to His Word.
In closing, let us keep our eyes fixed on God’s commands. They form the path that we should follow. The better we know God, the better we can choose the right path.
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