Psalm 119 is a grand psalm. We’ve taken our time over the last couple of months looking at just one of its twenty-two stanzas each Sunday and Wednesday, reflecting on what it continues to communicate about the living power and enduring glory of God’s word. Psalm 119 is full of fuel for the journey of life. Have you noticed how often “the way” comes up throughout this grand psalm? From the very first verse…
Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD!
Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways! (119:1-3)
Notice that pivotal principle: we are each making our “way” through life, and there are many different “ways” we can go, but the most important decision we could possibly make is to walk in God’s “ways,” which leads the psalmist to pray, “Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!” (119:5). Verse 9 asks, “How can a young man keep his waypure?” The answer? “By guarding it according to your word.” When God’s word is the compass by which my way is set, purity is the lifestyle that results, which leads the psalmist to exclaim in verse 14, “In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.” Notice how the delight of verse 14 leads to the determination of verse 15: “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.” Such setting of the heart and fixing of the eyes leads the psalmist to pray a variety of things, all involving and revolving around “the way”:
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous works. (119:27)
Put false ways far from me
and graciously teach me your law! (119:29)
Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes;
and I will keep it to the end. (119:33)
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and give me life in your ways. (119:37)
When I think on my ways,
I turn my feet to your testimonies… (119:59)
I hold back my feet from every evil way,
in order to keep your word. (119:101)
Through your precepts I get understanding;
therefore I hate every false way. (119:104)
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your way with those who love your name. (119:132)
I keep your precepts and testimonies,
for all my ways are before you. (119:168)
My ways and God’s ways. Blameless ways and false ways. Wise ways and foolish ways. Ways that give life and ways that can cost us everything. Psalm 119 is all about God’s word and the impact it ought to have on the way we live our lives. So let me ask you, as I ask myself: on the journey of life, whose way am I on? The psalmist had made a choice.
I have chosen the way of faithfulness… (119:30)
God’s ways over my ways. Blameless ways instead of false ways. Wise ways that give life. The way of faithfulness. It’s not traveled by accident, and no one can travel it for me. It’s traveled by choice, and the result of the wise choice is blessing. Great blessing.
Have you made that choice? Whose way have you been traveling? Whose way will you walk this week?