Inside the guardrails is the place we best experience God’s goodness
By Dean Collins
The psalmist posed this question: “How can a young man keep his way pure?” Why the question about the young men and not the older men? And what about the women? Don’t they need to keep their way pure?
Scholars describe Psalm 119 as an acrostic poem containing 22 sections, each beginning with one of the 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. The psalm is the longest chapter in all of the Bible and continually reminds us that God’s Word provides us with a trustworthy way forward and protects us from wandering down paths that lead to dead ends and trouble.
The temptation in reading Psalm 119 might be that we see every aspect of it as keeping the laws of God. And of course, we want to follow God’s laws. But by now we have learned that we have trouble abiding in the law. None of us do it well. As Paul pointed out in Romans, all of us sin and fall short of God’s laws.
Good news
Reading through Psalm 119, we also can find good news, that is, gospel. The writer of this psalm used various words or phrases to describe God’s instructions that will guide our way and direct our paths. Some of these descriptions of God’s truth include words, precepts, statutes, commandments, testimonies, judgments, and law. And in this psalm there are also references to comfort, delight, wisdom, and aspects of God’s wondrous works.
We know that the arch of Scripture bends toward redemption that comes only in and through Christ, so I believe it is safe to assume that Psalm 119 has this same arch and is not simply instructing us on how to be a law keeper but rather to experience the full delight of God’s Word, experiencing his transformational power in our lives.
Vital choice
So what about the young man, woman, child, or older person who wants to keep their ways pure? Well, according to this psalm, this can be accomplished by living, even protecting, our lives inside the guardrails of God’s revelation to us. There is something about this section of Psalm 119 and with the whole of this psalm that connects to Jesus and his words from the Sermon on the Mount.
In Matthew 7: 13-14, we read the words of Jesus about our choice between a wide gate and a narrow gate. One has an easy way but leads to destruction, and the other has a narrow gate that is difficult but leads to life. It seems to me the psalmist may be telling us the same thing. If we want lives that are pure and purely focused on God, then it will be hard. But fixing our eyes on God’s truth and finding delight in his testimonies will bring us great delight. Jesus said he was the way, the truth, and the life. And it is very good news that through reading God’s Word we discover Jesus. And through Jesus we are introduced and given the gift of the Holy Spirit, which provides us with wise counsel and the capacity to live the life Jesus has called us to live.
Lifelong journey
The psalmist seemed to know what Jesus and the apostles would later teach us as well: Life is a sojourn. We are on a journey to know God and to experience the fullness of his love, mercy, and grace. Our daily pursuit of Scripture is not simply that we can quote more verses or keep track of all the things we can and cannot do. We read, meditate, and pray Scripture so that we can walk in relationship with Jesus, the living Word, and join him in sharing the great news of the kingdom he has offered us and desires to offer to the whole world!
Lord, we delight in you and in your word. Thank you for the beautiful poetry of the Psalms that informs our behavior and helps us connect to your heart. We know our sinfulness and are eternally grateful that through Jesus, the Living Word, we can be forgiven and gifted with your Holy Spirit that makes it possible for us to stand blameless before you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your time with God’s Word
Psalm 119:1, 9-20, 23-25, 29-32; Matthew 7:13-14 ESV
Photo by Hogarth de la Plante on Unsplash.
To receive daily posts delivered directly to your inbox, complete the form at the bottom of our home page.
