BETH. How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You! Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes! With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

There is a song which we sing from time to time, from the pen of Isaac Watts. It reads:

How shall the young secure their hearts, and guard their lives from sin?
Thy Word the choicest rules imparts, to keep the conscience clean.

Tis like the sun, a heavenly light, that guides us all the day,
And through the dangers of the night, a lamp to lead our way.

The starry heavens Thy rule obey, the earth maintains her place,
And these Thy servants, night and day, Thy skill and power express.

But still Thy Law and Gospel, Lord, have lessons more divine;
Not earth stands firmer than Thy Word, nor stars so nobly shine.

Thy Word is everlasting truth; how pure is every page!
That holy Book shall guide our youth, and well support our age.

Stability in an unstable world is a need of every soul. Whether young or old, it behoves us to seek out the right path which the Lord has prepared for us, and to walk therein, that we might reside in His strength, and so endure the waves of this life. The Scriptures focus in places about the need for young people to learn the Lord’s way, to commit themselves to it, and thus make preparation for future years and eternity. Solomon wrote, “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh. For childhood and youth are vanity. Remember now your creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’...” (Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:1). The writer goes on to consider the decaying of the body and mind which comes upon men, and draws the conclusion, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.” (12:13).

Friend, it is so important that the young turn to the Lord at an early age, and that parents direct them that way. In the first several chapters of Proverbs, admonition after admonition is given by Solomon to his son to heed his father’s directions. The apostle Paul commands fathers to bring up their children “...in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4). It is vitally important that the young turn to the Lord, for there only, can they walk in the clean way, which is according to Jesus Christ.

Horatius Bonar, a nineteenth century Scottish preacher inquired of 253 friends at what age they were converted to ‘Christianity’ (note, I use that term loosely). Notice the results (from Sermonillustrations.com, “Evangelism”):

Under 20 years of age..........138....(54.5%)
Between 20 and 30..............85....(33.6%)
Between 30 and 40..............22....( 8.7%)
Between 40 and 50...............4....( 1.6%)
Between 50 and 60...............3....( 1.2%)
Between 60 and 70...............1....( .4%)
Over 70...............................0

Friends, we need to seek the young, to establish them in the way of truth early. Parents, train them as you ought. Young people, “...seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)

As we turn back to Psalm 119, notice the diligence which is required of those who seek the Lord, “...with my whole heart I have sought You...” Friend, if we seek Him half-heartedly, it will not suffice. A half-hearted relationship with the Lord is no relationship with the Lord. It was for this very cause that Jesus said to those in Laodicea, “...because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth...” (Revelation 3:16)

What will the Lord’s word accomplish in us, if we allow it to? Listen to the power which God’s word can have in our lives. “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!” When we go our own way, we will find sin repeatedly. But if we will walk in the Lord’s way, it is the way of righteousness. It will restrain our feet and hands from the evil which is about us. And we will declare with the Psalmist the blessedness of the Lord, and desire more and more that He teach us His ways.

Notice four key words in the final four verses of today’s text. The writer says, “...I have DECLARED all the judgments of Your mouth.” We need to not only find the Lord’s will for ourselves, but seek to share it with others. It is the way of salvation! No one, aware of the salvation available through Jesus Christ, and the wonderful path of life which the Scriptures describe should be able to resist the opportunity to share it with others. In fact, brethren, we need to be making opportunities to share the blessed gospel message.

Again, “I have REJOICED in the way of Your testimonies...” There are many treasure seekers in the world, some involved in deep sea searches, others, simply taking a metal detector to the beaches. And what a joy it is when a treasure is found. Friend, rejoice over the Lord’s word, for it is greater than “all riches”. “Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.” (Proverb 23:5). The Lord’s word will never fly away, but we will store it in our hearts.

In verse 15, “I will MEDITATE on Your precepts...” Simply reading the Scripture is not where it will benefit us, but rather in the meditation which follows. The culmination and germination of the Scripture in the heart. The seed does not grow instantly upon being planted, but rather after the rains come, and the sunshine. After the gardener tends to his garden, the beautiful results of his labours are manifest. It is no different with the life of the Christian and the word of God. Plant the seed, and then water it, work the ground, and a plentiful harvest will come.

Finally, “I will DELIGHT myself in Your statutes...” God’s word is enjoyable, the path of life which it takes us upon is greater than any other. There are some books which excite the reader so much, they cannot put it down. God’s word ought to stir that type of passion in us. We should readily recall the sweet phrases and stern warnings therein. It should draw us back again and again. Every time we open it up, the Lord has enlightening things in store, words which will optimize our lifetime here and prepare us for that which is to come.

Click here for this week's Answering The Atheist
What is the span of human life? Psalm 90:10 says seventy years, but Genesis 6:3 says 120 years. And yet, many after Genesis 6 lived hundreds of years (Genesis 11:12, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 32). Is there a contradiction?