Weekly Sermon
Psalm 119:9 asks the questions and provides the answer, saying, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.”
Through the question of this verse and its context, we might conclude that the Holy Spirit inspired author of Psalm 119 was a young adult man. This young man was filled with the burden to cleanse and make pure his way and to pursue a clean and purified pathway throughout his life. Thus he expressed his burden with the question, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” Basically, he was asking how he himself as a young man might cleanse his own way for life. Even so, the closing portion of the verse gives the Biblical answer, “By taking heed thereto according to thy [God’s] word.” So then, through the question and the answer of this verse, we find four steps whereby we all may learn how to cleanse our way.
Psalm 119:9 asks the questions and provides the answer, saying, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.”
Through the question of this verse and its context, we might conclude that the Holy Spirit inspired author of Psalm 119 was a young adult man. This young man was filled with the burden to cleanse and make pure his way and to pursue a clean and purified pathway throughout his life. Thus he expressed his burden with the question, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” Basically, he was asking how he himself as a young man might cleanse his own way for life. Even so, the closing portion of the verse gives the Biblical answer, “By taking heed thereto according to thy [God’s] word.” So then, through the question and the answer of this verse, we find four steps whereby we all may learn how to cleanse our way.
The Recognition of Our Need for a cleansed way
The first step for us to cleanse our way is that we must recognize our need for a cleansed way. Specifically through his opening question, the psalmist revealed this recognition of his own need, saying, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” As a young man, the psalmist did not simply ask how he might have his way directed in righteousness, but how he might first have his way cleansed from unrighteousness. He recognized that he was prone to wander away from the Lord and to walk after unrighteousness. He recognized that his own way, although it might seem right at the first, was actually the way of corruption and destruction. He recognized that he lacked the wisdom to choose the way of righteousness on his own. He recognized that the thoughts, desires, and ways of sin had already taken root within his heart and life. Therefore, this young man of God recognized his need first to cleanse his way from unrighteousness and then to continue in the way of righteousness. He recognized his need first to make his way pure and then to maintain his way in purity. In like manner, brethren, we also must recognize our own need for a cleansed way. We must recognize that we ourselves also are naturally prone to follow our own way, rather than our Lord’s way. We must recognize that we ourselves also are naturally prone to go astray from our Lord’s way in order to pursue our own carnal ways of selfish motivation, sinful iniquity, and stubborn rebellion. Yea, we must recognize our own personal need to cleanse away and cast aside the unrighteousness of our ways. Then, recognizing our need for a cleansed way, we may move to the second step of the matter.
The Desire of Our Heart for a cleansed way
The second step for us to cleanse our way is that we must possess a heart desire for a cleansed way. The psalmist expressed this desire by asking his question, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” In asking how he as a young man might cleanse his own way, he was expressing his heart desire to have is own way cleansed. In like manner, brethren, we also must possess a heart desire to have our own way cleansed. As with the man of God David in Psalm 139:23-24, our heart’s prayer must be, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” As with David in Psalm 19:12-14, our heart’s burden must be, “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Yea, as with the psalmist in Psalm 119:36-37, our heart’s prayer must be, “Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.” Yet again as with the psalmist in Psalm 119:133, our heart’s burden must be, “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” Then, recognizing our need for a cleansed way and possessing a heart desire for a cleansed way, we may move to the third step of the matter.
The Focus of Our Attention upon a cleansed way
The third step for us to cleanse our way is that we must focus our attention upon a cleansed way. In Psalm 119:9 the psalmist asked the question, expressing the burden of his heart and saying, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” To this question the Biblical answer was given, “By taking heed thereto according to thy [God’s] word.” Now, the word “thereto” is provided in this answer as a reference to our way. This answer is not worded, “By taking heed to God’s Word.” Rather, this answer is worded, “By taking heed thereto (to our way) according to God’s Word.” Therefore, brethren, if we would cleanse our way and continue in that cleansed way, we must take heed to our way in accord with God’s Word. We must not just go with the flow of our fleshly desires or with the flow of this word’s system. Each and every day throughout our daily walk, we must pay close attention to our way and must be on careful guard over our way. As Proverbs 4:26 teaches us, we must take heed to ponder the path of our feet carefully, and to let all our ways be established in righteousness. As Proverbs 4:27 teaches us, we must take heed not to turn from the ways of righteousness, either to the right or to the left, but to concentrate on removing our foot from the ways of unrighteousness. We must ever think on our ways, and take heed to turn our feet after our Lord’s will. Daily, we must focus our attention upon walking in the cleansed way. Then, recognizing our need for a cleansed way, possessing a heart desire for a cleansed way, and focusing our attention upon a cleansed way, we may move to the final step of the matter.
The Standard of Our Lives for a cleansed way
The fourth and final step for us to cleanse our way is that we must establish our standard for a cleansed way. This standard must be the truth and teaching of God’s holy Word. In Psalm 119:9 the question is asked, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” To this question the Biblical answer was given, “By taking heed thereto according to thy [God’s] word.” If we would cleanse our way and continue in that cleansed way, the truth and teaching of God’s Word must be the governing principle of every step that we take in our lives. Just as an individual might carefully trace a picture onto another piece of paper, even so we must take careful heed to trace our lives according to the pattern of God’s Word. The precepts and principles, statutes and standards, commands and counsels, truth and teaching of God’s Word must govern both our heart and our hand. God’s Word must be the governing principle of what we think, what we feel, what we choose, what we say, what we do, and what we pursue. Then we shall find our way cleansed. Then we shall cleanse our way and shall continue in the cleansed way. We will be made clean through the Word which our Lord has spoken unto us. The perfect, faithful, righteous, pure, clean, true, and holy Word of God will convert our soul from unrighteousness and make us wise unto righteousness. God’s Word will be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. God’s Word will give us understanding so that we hate every false way. If we hide God’s Word in our hearts as the governing principle of our hearts, we shall not walk in the way of sin against the Lord our God. By God’s Word we are taught, reproved, corrected and instructed, so that our way may be made clean unto spiritual maturity and every good work. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
(2 Timothy 3:16-17) How then shall we cleanse our way? By taking heed to our way according to the truth and teaching of God’s Word.
The first step for us to cleanse our way is that we must recognize our need for a cleansed way. Specifically through his opening question, the psalmist revealed this recognition of his own need, saying, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” As a young man, the psalmist did not simply ask how he might have his way directed in righteousness, but how he might first have his way cleansed from unrighteousness. He recognized that he was prone to wander away from the Lord and to walk after unrighteousness. He recognized that his own way, although it might seem right at the first, was actually the way of corruption and destruction. He recognized that he lacked the wisdom to choose the way of righteousness on his own. He recognized that the thoughts, desires, and ways of sin had already taken root within his heart and life. Therefore, this young man of God recognized his need first to cleanse his way from unrighteousness and then to continue in the way of righteousness. He recognized his need first to make his way pure and then to maintain his way in purity. In like manner, brethren, we also must recognize our own need for a cleansed way. We must recognize that we ourselves also are naturally prone to follow our own way, rather than our Lord’s way. We must recognize that we ourselves also are naturally prone to go astray from our Lord’s way in order to pursue our own carnal ways of selfish motivation, sinful iniquity, and stubborn rebellion. Yea, we must recognize our own personal need to cleanse away and cast aside the unrighteousness of our ways. Then, recognizing our need for a cleansed way, we may move to the second step of the matter.
The Desire of Our Heart for a cleansed way
The second step for us to cleanse our way is that we must possess a heart desire for a cleansed way. The psalmist expressed this desire by asking his question, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” In asking how he as a young man might cleanse his own way, he was expressing his heart desire to have is own way cleansed. In like manner, brethren, we also must possess a heart desire to have our own way cleansed. As with the man of God David in Psalm 139:23-24, our heart’s prayer must be, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” As with David in Psalm 19:12-14, our heart’s burden must be, “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Yea, as with the psalmist in Psalm 119:36-37, our heart’s prayer must be, “Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.” Yet again as with the psalmist in Psalm 119:133, our heart’s burden must be, “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” Then, recognizing our need for a cleansed way and possessing a heart desire for a cleansed way, we may move to the third step of the matter.
The Focus of Our Attention upon a cleansed way
The third step for us to cleanse our way is that we must focus our attention upon a cleansed way. In Psalm 119:9 the psalmist asked the question, expressing the burden of his heart and saying, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” To this question the Biblical answer was given, “By taking heed thereto according to thy [God’s] word.” Now, the word “thereto” is provided in this answer as a reference to our way. This answer is not worded, “By taking heed to God’s Word.” Rather, this answer is worded, “By taking heed thereto (to our way) according to God’s Word.” Therefore, brethren, if we would cleanse our way and continue in that cleansed way, we must take heed to our way in accord with God’s Word. We must not just go with the flow of our fleshly desires or with the flow of this word’s system. Each and every day throughout our daily walk, we must pay close attention to our way and must be on careful guard over our way. As Proverbs 4:26 teaches us, we must take heed to ponder the path of our feet carefully, and to let all our ways be established in righteousness. As Proverbs 4:27 teaches us, we must take heed not to turn from the ways of righteousness, either to the right or to the left, but to concentrate on removing our foot from the ways of unrighteousness. We must ever think on our ways, and take heed to turn our feet after our Lord’s will. Daily, we must focus our attention upon walking in the cleansed way. Then, recognizing our need for a cleansed way, possessing a heart desire for a cleansed way, and focusing our attention upon a cleansed way, we may move to the final step of the matter.
The Standard of Our Lives for a cleansed way
The fourth and final step for us to cleanse our way is that we must establish our standard for a cleansed way. This standard must be the truth and teaching of God’s holy Word. In Psalm 119:9 the question is asked, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” To this question the Biblical answer was given, “By taking heed thereto according to thy [God’s] word.” If we would cleanse our way and continue in that cleansed way, the truth and teaching of God’s Word must be the governing principle of every step that we take in our lives. Just as an individual might carefully trace a picture onto another piece of paper, even so we must take careful heed to trace our lives according to the pattern of God’s Word. The precepts and principles, statutes and standards, commands and counsels, truth and teaching of God’s Word must govern both our heart and our hand. God’s Word must be the governing principle of what we think, what we feel, what we choose, what we say, what we do, and what we pursue. Then we shall find our way cleansed. Then we shall cleanse our way and shall continue in the cleansed way. We will be made clean through the Word which our Lord has spoken unto us. The perfect, faithful, righteous, pure, clean, true, and holy Word of God will convert our soul from unrighteousness and make us wise unto righteousness. God’s Word will be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. God’s Word will give us understanding so that we hate every false way. If we hide God’s Word in our hearts as the governing principle of our hearts, we shall not walk in the way of sin against the Lord our God. By God’s Word we are taught, reproved, corrected and instructed, so that our way may be made clean unto spiritual maturity and every good work. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
(2 Timothy 3:16-17) How then shall we cleanse our way? By taking heed to our way according to the truth and teaching of God’s Word.
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