The second section of Psalm 119 talks about how to stay on the path to purity and to have a heart that wants to avoid sin. It talks about the “young person”, or someone not yet possessing great wisdom. This section tells us that the word helps us to gain wisdom we need to keep from sin.
In v. 11, the NIV translates the verse as “I have hidden your word in my heart”. From the NIV Study Bible (my primary commentary for this study of Psalm 119 – mainly because I’m using the Bible app on my phone so that I can review the scripture often), the Hebrew word for “word” is ‘imrah, which is “usually translated ‘promise'”. This leads to an interesting understanding of the first three verses: we can gain wisdom from the word, and as we seek it with all of our heart, we can ask God to keep us from straying from His commands. We then claim this as a promise that we keep in our heart – a promise that by gaining wisdom from the word, God will keep us from straying into sin.
Verses 12-13 then talk about praising God and speaking about His commands. We need to talk about and praise God’s word to others. This sharing of God’s promises and commands will help us to be accountable before others – it’s harder to sin when we’ve proclaimed the Word to others.
Verse 14 then transitions to another way to keep God’s word as shown in verses 15-16 – by rejoicing, meditating and delighting in it. These are internal ways we can keep God’s word before our heart. Internalizing God’s commands is important to help us focus on them, leading to a changed heart and a desire to obey.
As I think about the Beth section of Psalm 119, I’m meditating on how God’s word brings wisdom, that this is a promise from Him and I need to both praise and proclaim this promise to others and meditate and delight on it in my mind so that I can have the right heart, one that seeks purity and desires to not sin against God.
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