Charles H. Spurgeon on Psalms 119:9

The eight verses alphabetically arranged:

9. By what means shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.

10. By day and by night have I sought thee with my whole heart: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

11. By thy grace I have hid thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.

12. Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.

13. By the words of my lips will I declare all the judgments of thy mouth.

14. By far more than in all riches I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies.

15. By thy help I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

16. By thy grace I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. Theodore Kuebler.

Whole eight verses, 9-16. Every verse in the section begins with b, a house. The subject of the section is, The Law of Jehovah purifying the Life. Key word, xkz (zacah), to be pure, to make pure, to cleanse. F. G. Marchant.

Whole verse. In this passage there is,

1. A question.

2. An answer given.

In the question, there is the person spoken of, "a young man, "and his work, "Wherewithal shall he cleanse his way?" In this question there are several things supposed.

1. That we are from the birth polluted with sin; for we must be cleansed. It is not direct "his way, "but "cleanse his way."

2. That we should be very early and betimes sensible of this evil; for the question is propounded concerning the young man.

3. That we should earnestly seek for a remedy, how to dry up the issue of sin that runneth upon us. All this is to be supposed.

That which is enquired after is, What remedy there is against it? What course is to be taken? So that the sum of the question is this: How shall a man that is impure, and naturally defiled with sin, be made able, as soon as he cometh to the use of reason, to purge out that natural corruption, and live a holy and pure life to God? The answer is given: "By taking heed thereto according to thy word." Where two things are to be observed.

1. The remedy.

2. The manner how it is applied and made use of.

1. The remedy is the word; by way of address to God, called "Thy word"; because, if God had not given direction about it, we should have been at an utter loss.

2. The manner how it is applied and made use of, "by taking heed thereto, "etc.; by studying and endeavouring a holy conformity to God's will. Thomas Manton.