9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word.
11 Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You. Psalm 119:9, 11
These life verses always seem coupled to create a useful admonition to “ young men” dealing with being young men. There is a verse in 1 John that says,
I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 1 John 2:14
At some point, young men have to win the greatest battle of their lives, that is the one that rages inside. What was meant for good, the drive to procreate, is so strong the evil one can have a heyday. The only way this monster can be tamed is with the word of God.
It must be stressed that the battle rages on through life, but when it’s powerfully beaten back initially through scripture, the lines of demarcation can be drawn, and there is wisdom and strength to keep the enemy at bay, ostensibly from then on. So says the Apostle John that the “evil one” has been overcome.
The particular Hebrew word for pure used here, yezǎk·kě, is to be morally clean. There were many others at the Psalmist’s disposal but he chose wisely. To stay morally clean in this fallen untethered world is only possible with knowledge and vigilant application of God’s word.
Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22
There are many occasions in the Old Testament where the instructions are given to veer neither right or left, but to keep straight along the path. Here’s one of them, it too a life verse.
“Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. Joshua 1:7
The straight way is always the way charted by God’s word
He then says in verse 11 that once the word abides or resides in our heart, it should treasured, not so much as we would gold and silver, but pondered, as the word is used elsewhere.
What does this all mean to me? How should I respond? Just as Joseph did with Potiphar’s wife. When tempted, when allured, he said almost automatically, “How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9) And he ran away.
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