One of the most delightful things to lay eyes on is a person who walks with God. This person has the Spirit of the living God that reflects the attributes of virtue, righteousness, wholesomeness, and God’s workmanship. He has guarded himself from defilement. The basis for this temperament is a deep-seated loyalty to and delight in the Word of God. The Word of God is identified by C. A. Davis in the great work The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon. He notes The Ten Titles of The Word of God and their particular nuances of meaning and “the light they cast on the divine law and the duty of the believer.” The nuances are The Way, Testimonies, Precepts, Statutes, Commandments, Judgments, Word, Truth, and Righteousness and are used throughout Psalm 119. The view of many commentators is that Psalm 119 is written by David.
The one who takes heed to and lives according to the Word of God is called blessed. God is the One calling us blessed. His blessing is the result of minding Him and His Word. He is our joy, our love and our life. One’s heart will be saddened and filled with grief if he defiles himself. And he will forfeit his blessing. The scripture in Psalm 119:1 says, “Blessed are the undefiled.” The defilement comes from the soiling, corruption, and pollution of the soul with unbridled sin. It is abandonment from God in unbelief, rebellion, self- righteousness, pride, self- indulgence, and indifference to the way of righteousness. “Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.” Psalm 119:155.
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” – Proverbs 14:12. They wander in the world looking to-and-fro for something that might satisfy their longing but to no avail. Even when they obtain their longing it ends up empty. This emptiness leaves one vulnerable to the uncertainties of life. The first pressure, disappointment, rejection, or trial will result in mental turmoil. The pain will lead them toward a way of escape looking for something to alleviate their sorrows. This is not the way of the blessed.
“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the way of the Lord!” Psalm 119:1 The exclamation mark in the text is emphatic. It is a strong emphasis on walking in the way of the Lord! For this and this alone is the way of blessing. This walk flows out of one who has a heart in love with the way. “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with their whole heart!” Psalm 119:2. Notice the exclamation that occurs again after whole heart. The Psalmist’s heart is in love with the Lord exclusively. He is his first love.
The Psalmist identifies the relationship between the Word and the whole heart with a rhetorical question. “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!” Psalm 119:9-10. Note the exclamation mark. You can almost discern his passion for God to keep him in the way through helping him to keep his commandments. He knows that this is the place he will enjoy God’s blessing. It will secure him from wandering into sin by keeping God’s Word in his heart. “Your Word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You.” Psalm 119:11. The keeping of God’s Word is his passion. David writes, “I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love.” St. Augustine writes brilliantly, “A passion for God is the greatest antidote to sin.”
Having seen the way of blessing, have you wandered from God’s blessing by soiling your soul with defilement of some sort? Have you grieved the Lord by your complacency with sin? Is your life tormented with mental and behavioral disorders? Do you have a broken spirit? Acknowledge your sin to God. Pray and repent of your sin as David did concerning his sin with Bathsheba. “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight.” Take your sin to the cross. Confess it to Jesus. He will forgive you and cleanse you of your defilement. I John 1:9; “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Then follow Jesus and you will experience His blessing!
Where the grace blows,
