Praying For Purity

The second section of Psalm 119 corresponds to the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the letter beth. In most Bibles you can see these letter titles over each eight-verse section. In the second section, 119:9 – 16, the theme of purity is prayed. The prayer begins with a question for God, “How can a young man keep his way pure?” The word “pure” is the Hebrew word zakah, which means to be clean, perfectly clear, shining. It is used in other places in the Old Testament along with the word “righteous” for the understanding of being clean and right in God’s sight. It is good to ask questions when you pray, especially when those questions address your personal relationship with God and His glory.

            The answer to the question is heard in the next line, “By guarding it according to you word.” The word “guarding” is one of the key words in this prayer and in the Old Testament. It is the Hebrew word shamar, which means to keep, to hold fast to, to recognize the great value of something in order to treasure it. This word is first used in Genesis 2:15 when God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden with the instructions to tend it and to keep it. God’s word is to be seen in light of what He entrusted to Adam when He gave him the garden. The value and fruitfulness of God’s word is the theme of Psalm 119. As you pray it more and more, you will see the value of it more and more.

            The next verse, verse ten, makes a bold statement with a simple request, “With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments.” The bold confession at first seems a little extreme until you see it as a vision statement, a goal to keep in mind and to regularly confess. The request is a confession of total dependence upon God in order to reach the goal. Only God can make it happen. And it is His will that you arrive at that goal! This prayer will reveal to you God’s will for your life and instruct you how to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

            The next verse is one that many have put to memory because it underlines the blessing of Scripture memorization and meditation. “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”  The word “stored up” is the Hebrew word tsawfan, which means to hide something valuable, to treasure something by keeping it safe. This is the word used to describe what the mother of Moses did when she “hid” Moses for three months, and then in the ark she had made (Exodus 2:2 – 3). It is verb in 119:11 describing the action of memorization and meditation. Your heart is the safe place, the secrete place that Jesus talked about in Matthew 6:6 when He instructed His followers to go to that place when praying to the Father. The outcome is obvious. Sin will not be produced from God’s word when it is treasured and hidden in the heart. This does not mean that you will become sinless, but it will enable you to sin less and less!

             The next verse is a confession of praise, “Blessed are you, O LORD,” with a simple request, “teach me you statutes.” One of the things you will learn as you learn to pray from God’s word is that praise and learning are inseparable. This verse is a companion to 119:7, “I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules.”  You will find this combination in several other verses in this psalm.

            This section ends with another three-fold vow, “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes. I will not forget your word.” Think of the vows you make to God as veiled requests. Without the power and life of God’s word, you will not be able to keep a single promise. But by His presence in your life, and the power of His word at work in your life, His faithfulness will. God is faithful. His desire is to be your life through His Son, Jesus Christ. As He is, your life pleases the Father. This is what it means to worship the Father in spirit and truth.