Today, we’re in the second acrostic of Psalm 119, entitled Bet – the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. 

Verses 9 through 16 of Psalm 119 talk of the need to pursue purity and cultivate wisdom through God’s principles and instructions. 

Just as a true Jewish teacher would do, the psalmist begins this portion of the song by asking his students a question.  

Let’s worship together by reading Psalm 119, verses 9 through 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. 

It seems to me there are some key words in this passage that help us stay on the path of purity and wisdom. 

The first is GUARD. Here the psalmist is literally saying we must assure our way is pure by keeping committed to purity, watching out for where we could fall, observe closely all that’s required to be pure. We are to be careful, beware and cling to purity as outlined in God’s Word. 

Notice this is not a passive action but, in fact, a very intentional decision accompanied by intentional actions to remain pure according to God’s Word. 

Verse 10 contains the word WHOLE when it refers to how we are to seek God. It’s pretty clear that we are to seek God with our entire beings — not just where it’s comfortable. 

No matter the translation, there’s another key word that requires intentionality — STORED, which literally means “to hide, conceal, store up, treasure, cherish.” 

There is no other way to truly remember God’s statutes than to deliberately, in a planned and purposeful way, memorize them, store them deep in our souls, and hide them there for the moments we will need to recall them. 

And the remaining key words: MEDIATE, FIX, DELIGHT, and REMEMBER, all of which are applied by the psalmist to God’s Word. 

When was the last time you truly meditated on God’s Word, not just read it, reviewed it, or scanned it, but mused over a passage, considered and thought deeply on what it meant, even telling others about it?  

This is how you cultivate wisdom — by learning, studying, knowing, and remembering God’s principles and instructions, all of which require a deliberate and intentional commitment to the Father and His Word. 

May our actions be seen in the PROVISION, PROTECTION, and PRESENCE we demonstrate with the sheep in our lives.