the Week of Proper 26 / Ordinary 31
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King James Version
Psalms 119:9
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Beth
How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
BET How shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed [thereto] according to your word.
How can a young person live a pure life? By obeying your word.
ב (Bet)
How can a young person maintain a pure life? By guarding it according to your instructions!BETH. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed [to it], according to thy word.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping watch [on himself] according to Your word [conforming his life to Your precepts].
Beth
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.In what thing amendith a yong waxinge man his weie? in keping thi wordis.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.
Young people can live a clean life by obeying your word.
ב Beth.
Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.ב (Bet)
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his path? by taking heed according to thy word.
How can a young person live a pure life? By obeying your word.
BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man keep his way pure? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word.
[BETH.] Wherewithall shall a yong man cleanse his way? by taking heede thereto according to thy word.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living by Your Word.
How can young people keep their way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
Beth. Wherewith shall a yong man redresse his waie? in taking heede thereto according to thy woorde.
BETH. With what shall a young man cleanse his way in order that he may observe thy commandments?
How can young people keep their lives pure? By obeying your commands.
[BETH] Wherewithal can a young man keep pure his way? By taking heed, according to thy word.
(118-9) By what doth a young man correct his way? by observing thy words.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to thy word.
Wherby shall a young man refourme his way: euen in guiding it accordyng to thy worde.
Wherewith shall a young man direct his way? by keeping thy words.
How can a young man keep his way pure?By keeping your word.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By taking heed according to your word.
BETH: By what shall a young man purify his way? To keep it according to Your Word.
[Beth.] With what doth a young man purify his path? To observe -- according to Thy word.
Where withall shall a yonge man clense his waye? Euen by rulinge himself after thy worde.
How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word. I'm single-minded in pursuit of you; don't let me miss the road signs you've posted. I've banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won't sin myself bankrupt. Be blessed, God ; train me in your ways of wise living. I'll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth; I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches. I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you've done it. I relish everything you've told me of life, I won't forget a word of it.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.
How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
Beth.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.How can a young man keep his way pure?By keeping it according to Your word.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
shall: Psalms 25:7, Psalms 34:11, Job 1:5, Job 13:26, Proverbs 1:4, Proverbs 1:10, Proverbs 4:1, Proverbs 4:10-17, Proverbs 5:7-23, Proverbs 6:20-35, Proverbs 7:7, Ecclesiastes 11:9, Ecclesiastes 11:10, Ecclesiastes 12:1, Luke 15:13, 2 Timothy 2:22, Titus 2:4-6
by taking: Psalms 119:11, Psalms 119:97-105, Psalms 1:1-3, Psalms 19:7-11, Psalms 78:4-8, Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Deuteronomy 17:18, Joshua 1:7, John 15:3, 2 Timothy 3:15-17, James 1:21-25
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 4:15 - Take ye 2 Kings 10:31 - took no heed 2 Chronicles 34:3 - while he Nehemiah 13:3 - when they Psalms 17:4 - word Psalms 39:1 - I said Psalms 71:17 - thou hast Psalms 103:18 - remember Proverbs 2:1 - hide Proverbs 2:11 - General Proverbs 6:22 - General Proverbs 23:26 - let Jeremiah 3:4 - the guide John 17:17 - Sanctify 2 Corinthians 7:1 - let 2 Timothy 2:21 - purge 2 Timothy 3:16 - for instruction Hebrews 2:1 - the more
Gill's Notes on the Bible
b, BETH.--The Second Part.
Ver. 9. BETH. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way?.... Some think David means himself, and that he was a young man when he wrote this psalm; and which they think is confirmed by Psalms 119:100; but neither of them seem conclusive; rather any young man is meant, and who is particularly mentioned, because young men are liable to sins and snares, to carnal lusts and sensual pleasures, which are of a defiling nature. Some are of opinion that a young man, or babe in Christ, is intended, that needs direction in his way, and instruction about the manner of cleansing it. But the former sense seems best, and expresses the concern of the psalmist for the education and right information of youth; which is a matter of great moment and advantage to families, neighbourhoods, and commonwealths. The question supposes the young man to be impure, as every man is by birth, being conceived in sin, and shapen in iniquity; is a transgressor from the womb, and his heart, ways, and actions, evil from his youth: and the difficulty is, how he shall be cleansed; how one so impure in his nature, heart, and ways, can be just with God, or become undefiled in the way, as in Psalms 119:1; to which some reference may be had: or how he can have his heart made pure, or a clean one be created in him; or how his way, life, and conversation, may be corrected, reformed, and amended. The answer is,
by taking heed [thereto] according to thy word; that is, to his way and course of life, and steering it according to the direction of the word of God. But I think the words may be better rendered and supplied thus, "by observing [what is] according to thy word" p; which shows how a sinner is to be cleansed from his sins by the blood of Christ, and justified by his righteousness, and be clean through his word; and also how and by whom the work of sanctification is wrought in the heart, even by the Spirit of God, by means of the word; and what is the rule of a man's walk and conversation: he will find the word of God to be profitable, to inform in the doctrines of justification and pardon, to acquaint him with the nature of regeneration and sanctification; and for the correction and amendment of his life and manners, and for his instruction in every branch of righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16.
p לשמר כדברך "observando secundum verbum tuum", Cocceius.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Wherewithal - This begins the second portion of the psalm, extending to Psalms 119:16, in which all the verses begin with the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet (ב b), indicated in our translation by the word Beth. These names of the letters, inserted for convenience, are no part of the psalm, as it is not so marked in the original. This mode of indicating the divisions of the psalm is special to our version. It is not in the Septuagint, the Latin Vulgate, or the German versions. The word wherewithal means “by what” (Hebrew); that is, What means shall a young man adopt by which he may “cleanse his way?” it indicates a state of inquiry. The case supposed is that of a young man pondering the question how he may be saved from the corruptions of his own heart, and escape the temptations to which he is exposed in early years, and lead a pure and upright life. There can be no more important inquiry for one just entering on the journey of life; there can be found nowhere a more just and comprehensive answer than is contained in this single verse. All the precepts of ancient and modern wisdom, all the teachings of pagan morality and religion, and all the results of the experience of mankind, could furnish nothing in addition to what is here suggested. The world has no higher wisdom than this by which to guide a young man, so that he may lead a holy life.
Shall a young man - The remark here might be applied also to those who are in middle life, or even to those who are in more advanced years, but it is applied here especially to the young, because it may be supposed that in the other cases the matter may be regarded as settled by experience; because to the young, as they commence life, the inquiry is so momentous; and because it is a question which it may be supposed will come up before the mind of every young man who has any right aspirations, and any proper conception of the dangers which encompass his path.
Cleanse his way? - Make his course of life pure and upright. The language does not necessarily imply that there had been any previous impurity or vice, but it has particular reference to the future: not how he might cleanse himself from past offences, but how he might make the future pure. The inquiry is, how he might conduct himself - what principles he could adopt - under what influence he could bring himself - so that his future course would be honest, honorable, upright.
By taking heed thereto ... - The word “thereto” is not in the original. The Hebrew is, “To keep according to thy word;” or, “in keeping according to thy word.” Prof. Alexander supposes that this means “to keep it (his way) according to thy word;” and that the whole is a question - “How may a young man so cleanse his way as to keep it according to thy word?” - and that the answer to the question is to be found in the general strain of the psalm, or in the general principles laid down in the psalm. But it is clear that the answer to the question must be found in the verse, or not found at all; and the most natural construction is that in our translation. So DeWette renders it: “How can a young man walk guiltless? If (or, when) he holds (or, keeps) himself according to thy word.” The meaning clearly is If he governs himself according to the law of God - if he makes that law the rule of his life and conduct, he would be enabled to do it. All other things might fail; this rule would never fail, in making and keeping a man pure. The more principles of common honesty, the principles of honor, the considerations of self-interest, the desire of reputation - valuable as they may be - would not constitute a security in regard to his conduct; the law of God would, for that is wholly pure.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
LETTER: ב BETH - Second Division
Verse Psalms 119:9. A young man cleanse his way — ארח orach, which we translate way here, signifies a track, a rut, such as is made by the wheel of a cart or chariot. A young sinner has no broad beaten path; he has his private ways of offence, his secret pollutions: and how shall he be cleansed from these? how can he be saved from what will destroy mind, body, and soul? Let him hear what follows; the description is from God.
1. He is to consider that his way is impure; and how abominable this must make him appear in the sight of God.
2. He must examine it according to God's word, and carefully hear what God has said concerning him and it.
3. He must take heed to it, לשמר lishmor, to keep guard, and preserve his way-his general course of life, from all defilement.
