Guard Your Way: Psalm 119:9-16
Guard Your Way
Psalm 119:9-16
In ancient times, a strong wall surrounding a city was a necessity. The wall protected the city from invasion and infiltration of the enemy. The wall was built to be both tall and thick. Broken down or weak areas were quickly repaired. But what if there was no wall? What if, instead of heavy gates to keep enemies out, the way was open or the walls crumbling? The danger would rise exponentially. Similarly, in what way are you guarding your heart, your mind, your way? Are you just coasting and hoping the enemy doesn’t do too much damage when he attacks? Are you ignorant that there’s even a spiritual battle going on? Or are you building a strong, thick protection for yourself built with the promises of His Word?
The psalmist in Psalm 119:9-16 longs to keep his way pure and to not sin against his Lord. He recognizes the tactics of the enemy. If the enemy breaks through his defenses, weakens his resolve, infiltrates his heart, then the enemy will have the upper hand. So the psalmist said he would guard his way in order to keep his way pure, and he would do this by keeping God’s Word (119:9). He declared his desire to not wander from the Lord’s commandments. How would he remain pure, guard his way, and not wander? His answer: he stored up God’s Word in his heart.
"I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you" (119:11). I like the ESV translation of "stored up." To store up means to accumulate and reserve something for future use. He had accumulated and reserved God's Word in his heart. In order to have it stored up in his heart, he would have to store it first in his mind. In doing this, he is laying a strong defense against the temptations of his own soul and against the attacks of the devil. But he goes further than just storing it up. He asks the Lord to teach him His statutes (119:12). He doesn't want just the head knowledge. He wants to have the greatest Teacher instruct him in the way he should walk. The Lord will use what has been stored up at the appropriate time. Having God's Word treasured in his heart, the psalmist can then declare with his lips the Word of God (119:13). Words savored in the heart will come out through the mouth. Do you desire His words to fill your speech? Begin to store it up in your heart and mind, as the psalmist did. Having stored God's Word in his heart, the psalmist shows that he delights in the Lord's Word even more than in all riches (119:14). The continued treasuring of the Word begets even more delight to those who continue to come to it for more and more. The psalmist also is able to say, "I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways" (119:15). To meditate is to mutter quietly to oneself, to think carefully upon, to focus one's thoughts. Memorizing God's Word means that meditation and fixing our eyes on the Lord can happen at any time and any place. Finally, the psalmist can declare, "I will not forget your word"(119:16). He stored it up, spoke of it, meditated upon it, and fixed his gaze upon it. How could he forget it? It had become a part of him.
This is what we need to do as believers in order to fortify our own spiritual defenses. Whatever hardship, sorrow, or sin we will face in this life, the Lord's Word has an answer and hope. We can come to His Word even in the midst of those trials, but how much stronger we will be if we have built the wall of His Word around our hearts and minds consistently day after day and year after year. I encourage you to make a habit of reading His Word, memorizing His Word, and finding ways throughout your day to return to His Word and meditate upon it. (Resource links are at the bottom of this article).
Let's pray through this section of Psalm 119 for a desire and diligence to build up our spiritual defenses.
119:9-10 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
Pray:
▫️For a desire to keep your way pure and also a desire to guard your way with His Word. Are there ways you can begin today to be more diligent in guarding your heart and mind? Is there any downtime today that you could devote to taking in God’s Word?
▫️For a whole heart committed to seeking the Lord and His Word.
▫️For the Lord to keep and protect you from wandering from His commandments.
119:11-12 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes!
Pray:
▫️You will begin (or continue) to store up His Word in your heart and mind. If you don’t have a plan to read or memorize His Word, will you pray that the Lord would help you pursue an avenue of storing up His Word in your heart?
▫️As you read, listen, memorize, and meditate on His Word, He would teach you His ways and give you His wisdom and knowledge. His Word would be a strong fortress of protection for you.
▫️The treasuring of His Word would truly guard you from sin. You would be able to spot danger and see God’s way as more lovely and satisfying than sin.
119:13-14 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.
Pray:
▫️Your mouth would speak from the treasure that is in your heart. His words would transform your speech.
▫️You would have boldness to speak the Word of God without fear.
▫️You would speak His words of life today to someone in need of encouragement.
▫️Your delight in His Word would increase more and more throughout your life.
119:15-16 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.
Pray:
▫️You would be able to recall His Word throughout the day and night so that you can meditate on His Word.
▫️You would make it a habit to think on His Word throughout the day and talk to yourself and tell the truth to yourself as you meet different circumstances.
▫️Your eyes would be fixed on the Lord’s ways, and you would not turn aside to the right or to the left. His ways would guard and hem in your ways.
▫️You would not forget His Word. In the heat of the battle, when faced with temptation, when discouraged with trials, you would remember His good promises to you.
May the Lord do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, for His glory and our good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Resources:
Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All right reserved.
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