\u201cHow can those who are young keep their way pure?,\u201d asks the psalmist in the opening line of the Beth lines of Psalm 119 (v. 9a). Some think the entire psalm is the journal reflections of an ancient Israelite as life progresses. What impresses me is other verses in this great psalm that give context to the concern of this young man to get started when young. \u201cHow can those who are young keep their way pure?,\u201d asks the psalmist in the opening line of the Beth lines of Psalm 119 (v. 9a). Some think the entire psalm is the journal reflections of an ancient Israelite as life progresses. What impresses me is other verses in this great psalm that give context […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1753],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1872","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-psalm-119"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nNotice the following verses (culled from Derek Kidner):
\n1. Some are skeptical: 119:126: \u201cyour law is being broken.\u201d
\n2. Some seek the psalmist\u2019s life: 119:95: \u201cThe wicked are waiting to destroy me.\u201d
\n3. Some smear the psalmist\u2019s name: 119:69: \u201cThough the arrogant have smeared me with lies.\u201d
\nNotice that this causes the psalmist pain: he is sensitive about the words being said (\u201cTake away the disgrace I dread\u201d \u2014 v. 39), he feels humiliated (\u201cThough I am lowly and despised\u201d \u2014 v. 141) and he is exhausted by it all (\u201cMy soul is weary with sorrow\u201d \u2014 v. 28).
\nSometimes he lashes out against them \u2014 \u201cIndignation grips me because of the wicked\u201d \u2014 v. 53 \u2014 and sometimes he loathes them \u2014 \u201cI look on the faithless with loathing\u201d (158).
\nSo, the young man ask, how does one make it when the whole institution seems to be against the person committed to God?
\n\u201cBy living according to your word\u201d (119:9b). Not just by reading it; not just by listening to it; but by \u201cliving\u201d it. The word \u201clive\u201d here comes from shamar<\/em> \u2014 \u201cto keep or observe.\u201d
\nStart when you are young, the psalmist is saying, and what he means is start observing and keeping the Word.
\nIn spite of what everyone else thinks. The genuinely counter-cultural person is observant.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"