The Word of God Makes You Pure
INTERESTING FACTS : Alexander Hamilton, REVOLUTIONARY GENERAL; SIGNER OF THE CONSTITUTION; AUTHOR OF THE FEDERALIST PAPERS; SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
Following his duel with Aaron Burr, in those final twenty four hours while life still remained in him, Hamilton called for two ministers, the Rev. J. M. Mason and the Rev. Benjamin Moore, to pray with him and administer Communion to him. Each of those two ministers reported what transpired. The Rev. Benjamin Moore reported:
"Immediately after he was brought from [the field] . . . a message was sent informing me of the sad event, accompanied by a request from General Hamilton that I would come to him for the purpose of administering the Holy Communion. I went. . . . I proceeded to converse with him on the subject of his receiving the Communion; and told him that with respect to the qualifications of those who wished to become partakers of that holy ordinance, my inquires could not be made in language more expressive than that which was used by our [own] Church. ? [I asked], "Do you sincerely repent of your sins past? Have you a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, with a thankful remembrance of the death of Christ? And are you disposed to live in love and charity with all men?" He lifted up his hands and said, "With the utmost sincerity of heart I can answer those questions in the affirmative ? I have no ill will against Col. Burr. I met him with a fixed resolution to do him no harm ? I forgive all that happened." . . . The Communion was then administered, which he received with great devotion, and his heart afterwards appeared to be perfectly at rest. I saw him again this morning, when, with his last faltering words, he expressed a strong confidence in the mercy of God through the intercession of the Redeemer. I remained with him until 2 o'clock this afternoon, when death closed the awful scene ? he expired without a struggle, and almost without a groan. By reflecting on this melancholy event, let the humble believer be encouraged ever to hold fast that precious faith which is the only source of true consolation in the last extremity of nature. [And l]et the infidel be persuaded to abandon his opposition to that Gospel which the strong, inquisitive, and comprehensive mind of a Hamilton embraced."
Daily Reading : Psalm 119: 1 - 8
TEXT : Psa 119:1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. 119:28 My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word. 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
THEME : HOLINESS
Psalm 119, the longest of all the Psalms, and therefore, the longest chapter in the Bible, has for its subject - the Word of God. Psalm 119 is the most thorough description and exposition on the topic of the Holy Scriptures - or, God's Word, even as chapter 11 of Hebrews is on Faith; chapter 13 of 1st Corinthians is on Love [Charity]; and chapter 15 of 1st Corinthians is on the resurrection of the dead - particularly those who are "in Christ." However, in Psalm 119 the application and the overriding theme is the author's suffering, how it "is good" for him, how it has led him to seek God's Word with its statutes, testimonies, Law etc., how he relies on God's Word, and the many promises and principles associated with the Sacred Writings. In all, it lends to the inference that the entire Psalm is one of explaining how a man or woman's troubles will cause to them to seek God more fervently - out of need for God's help.
Psalm 119 is [another] alphabetical, or acrostic Psalm such as we have seen in Psalm 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 111,112, and will see in Psalm 145. The purpose of an alphabetical or acrostic Psalm is for memorization. Thus, the first letter of each of the 8 verses of Psalm 119 [Psalm 119 is a string of 8 verse groupings, each verse starting with a Hebrew letter contained in the first word, with the first letter of the first word at the beginning of the group; e.g. Aleph is found in verses 1- 8 and each {first word, first letter} begins with Aleph, Beth is found in verses 9 - 18 and all the verses begin with the letter Beth, Gimel is found in verses 19 - 26, etc.] A unique Psalm in the Book of Psalms, C.H. Spurgeon gives us an introduction to this vast, substantial Prayer or Sacred Song. Spurgeon mentions as he starts, the variety of ways the author of Psalm 119 brings to light its subject - the Word of God.
Title. - There is no title to this Psalm, neither is any author's name mentioned. It is The Longest Psalm, and this is a sufficiently distinctive name for it. It equals in bulk twenty-two Psalms of the average length of the Songs of Degrees. Nor is it long only; for it equally excels in breadth of thought, depth of meaning, and height of fervour. It is like the celestial city which lieth four-square, and the height and the breadth of it are equal. Many superficial readers have imagined that it harps upon one string, and abounds in pious repetitions and redundancies; but this arises from the shallowness of the reader's own mind: those who have studied this divine hymn, and carefully noted each line of it, are amazed at the variety and profundity of the thought. Using only a few words, the writer has produced permutations and combinations of meaning which display his holy familiarity with his subject, and the sanctified ingenuity of his mind. He never repeats himself; for if the same sentiment recurs it is placed in a fresh connection, and so exhibits another interesting shade of meaning. The more one studies it the fresher it becomes. As those who drink the Nile water like it better every time they take a draught, so does this Psalm become the more full and fascinating the oftener you turn to it. It contains no idle word; the grapes of this cluster are almost to bursting lull with the new wine of the kingdom. The more you look into this mirror of a gracious heart the more you will see in it. Placid on the surface as the sea of glass before the eternal throne, it yet contains within its depths an ocean of fire, and those who devoutly gaze into it shall not only see the brightness, but feel the glow of the sacred flame. It is loaded with holy sense, and is as weighty as it is bulky. Again and again have we cried while studying it, "Oh the depths!" Yet these depths are hidden beneath an apparent simplicity, as Augustine has well and wisely said, and this makes the exposition all the more difficult. Its obscurity is hidden beneath a veil of light, and hence only those discover it who are in thorough earnest, not only to look on the word, but, like the angels, to look into it.
The Psalm is alphabetical. Eight stanzas commence with one letter, and then another eight with the next letter, and so the whole Psalm proceeds by octonaries quite through the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Besides which, there are multitudes of appositions of sense, and others of those structural formalities with which the oriental mind is pleased, - formalities very similar to those in which our older poets indulged. The Holy Spirit thus deigned to speak to men in farms which were attractive to the attention and helpful to the memory. He is often plain or elegant in his manner, but he does not disdain to be quaint or formal if thereby his design of instruction can be the more surely reached. He does not despise even contracted and artificial modes of speech, if by their use he can fix this teaching upon the mind. Isaac Taylor has worthily set forth the lesson of this fact: - "In the strictest sense this composition is conditioned; nevertheless in the highest sense is it an utterance of spiritual life; and in thus finding these seemingly opposed elements, intimately commingled as they are throughout this Psalm, a lesson full of meaning is silently conveyed to those who shall receive it - that the conveyance of the things of God to the human spirit is in no way damaged or impeded, much less is it deflected or vitiated by its subjugation to those modes of utterance which most of all bespeak their adaptation to the infancy and the childlike capacity of the recipient."
Author. - The fashion among modern writers is, as far as possible, to take every Psalm from David. As the critics of this school are usually unsound in doctrine and unspiritual in tone, we gravitate in the opposite direction, from a natural suspicion of everything which comes from so unsatisfactory a quarter. We believe that David wrote this Psalm. It is Davidic in tone and expression, and it tallies with David's experience in many interesting points. In our youth our teacher called it "David's pocket book," and we incline to the opinion then expressed that here we have the royal diary written at various times throughout a long life. No, we cannot give up this Psalm to the enemy. "This is David's spoil." After long reading an author one gets to know his style, and a measure of discernment is acquired by which his composition is detected even if his name be concealed; we feel a kind of critical certainty that the hand of David is in this thing, yea, that it is altogether his own.
Subject. - The one theme is the word of the Lord. The Psalmist sets his subject in many lights, and treats of it in divers ways, but he seldom omits to mention the word of the Lord in each verse under some one or other of the many names by which he knows it; and even if the name be not there, the subject is still heartily pursued in every stanza. He who wrote this wonderful song was saturated with those books of Scripture which he possessed. Andrew Bonar tells of a simple Christian in a farmhouse who had meditated the Bible through three times. This is precisely what this Psalmist had done, - he had gone past reading into meditation. Like Luther, David had shaken every fruit-tree in God's garden, and gathered golden fruit therefrom. "The most," says Martin Boos, "read their Bibles like cows that stand in the thick grass, and trample under their feet the finest flowers and herbs." It is to be feared that we too often do the like. This is a miserable way of treating the pages of inspiration. May the Lord prevent us from repeating that sin while reading this precious Psalm,
There is an evident growth in the subject matter. The earlier verses are of such a character as to lend themselves to the hypothesis that the author was a young man, while many of the later passages could only have suggested themselves to age and wisdom. In every portion, however, it is the fruit of deep experience, careful observation, and earnest meditation. If David did not write it, there must have lived another believer of exactly the same order of mind as David, and he must have addicted himself to psalmody with equal ardour, and have been an equally hearty lover of Holy Writ.
Our best improvement of this sacred composition will come through getting our minds into intense sympathy with its subject. In order to this, we might do well to commit it to memory. Philip Henry's daughter wrote in her diary, "I have of late taken some pains to learn by heart Psalm 119, and have made some progress therein." She was a sensible, godly woman. Having done this, we should consider the fulness, certainty, clearness, and sweetness of the word of God, since by such reflections we are likely to be stirred up to a warm affection for it. What favoured beings are those to whom the Eternal God has written a letter in his own hand and style. What ardour of devotion, what diligence of composition can produce a worthy eulogium for the divine testimonies! If ever one such has fallen from the pen of man it is thisPsa_119:1, which might well be called the holy soul's soliloquy before an open Bible.
This sacred ode is a little Bible, the Scriptures condensed, a mass of Bibline, Holy Writ rewritten in holy emotions and actions. Blessed are they who can read and understand these saintly aphorisms; they shall find golden apples in this true Hesperides, and come to reckon that this Psalm, like the whole Scripture which it praises, is a pearl island, or, better still, a garden of sweet flowers. [C.H. Spurgeon]
TRUTH FOR TODAY : "THE WORD OF GOD MAKES YOU PURE!"
Affliction brings purity of heart for those who are taught [or being taught] of the LORD. The purpose of affliction in the life of a Christian is to make you wiser through the Scriptures. This is accomplished by weakening the flesh and its [sinful ]works, and by planting the seed of the Word of God in the mind for increased comfort and growth. In 2nd Timothy chapter 3, and verse 16, the phrase - "instruction in righteousness" is a Greek word that implies physical discipline such as we read of in Psalm 119. [2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.]
"THE difficulty of treating this "alphabetical psalm" by any arrangement of its subject-matter must be apparent. An attempt has been made to gather its lessons around the more prominent doctrine in its successive sections, and to give a separate treatment of those subjects which cannot be so well included in this way. The blessedness of obedience. The first two verses of the psalm leave no mistake as to the nature of true obedience; it includes:1. Integrity of heart. Sincerity, being "undefiled," seeking the favor and entering the service of God "with the whole heart" (ver. 10), with a spirit in which "is no guile." 2. Consistency of conduct. "Walking in the Law," "keeping his commandments;" it is" he that doeth righteousness that is righteous" (John). 3. Patient continuance in well-doing. Making an earnest and sustained endeavor to do the will of God (ver. 4). Such genuine obedience is attended with great blessedness."
I. IT INVOLVES PURITY OF HEART AND LIFE. "They do no iniquity: they walk in his ways" (ver. 3). Obedience is its own reward, apart from any recompense it may secure. To be pure-hearted, to be true and faithful, to be unselfish and helpful, to be like our Lord in spirit and in character, to be living a life that is worthy and honorable in the sight of God, — is not this the truest and the largest blessing? [Pulpit Commentary]
Your life in Christ is a walk, or journey. This is implied in Jesus words - "I am the way" [lit. "path"]. Thus, God could have made salvation to be an instant change. However, He designed it to be one of initial transformation followed by increasing conversion, adaptation, and translation - day by day. In the end, Jesus leads you to Heaven through many adversity and trials - fiery trials, until you finally enter the Kingdom. [Act_14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.] It is God's desire to make us "perfect," and therefore - blessed.
"Blessed are the undefiled in the way - In the way or journey of life; in the path of religion; in the road which leads to heaven. As life - the religious life - is represented under the image of a journey, the expression here is equivalent to saying, "Blessed are those who in the journey of life - in their religious course - are pure, Sincere, uncontaminated." On the word way, see the notes at Psa_1:6. The margin here on the word undefiled, is perfect, or sincere. So the Hebrew. The word is the same as in Job_1:1, where it is rendered "perfect." See the notes at that passage. The Greek translation is undefiled - ἄμωμοι amōmoi. So the Latin, "immaculati." Luther renders it, "Who live without blemish" or stain. The idea is, "Blessed are they who are upright, sincere, perfect, in their course." The whole psalm is designed to illustrate this thought, by showing what the influence of a sincere and conscientious attachment to the principles of the law or word of God in the various circumstances of life must be. Who walk in the law of the Lord - Who habitually obey his law. This constitutes sincerity, uprightness, perfection in a man's life, for the law of the Lord is the only just rule of human conduct." [Albert Barnes]
Hence, the object is to get you to "heed" His Word. In today's Church, the doctrine of suffering is abhorrent. For this reason, the hireling many of America's pulpits panders to the flesh of the Christian promising a life of continual ease and comfort if only you will "believe." However, the reverse is true. That is, the true believer who lives in faith will discover their faith under fire by Satan and their own sinfulness. Sometimes the LORD Himself will appear an adversary. Yet, at last, God will have His way, and create us in the image of His dear Son. Namely, we shall be holy as He is holy.
"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?" How shall he become and remain practically holy? He is but a young man, full of hot passions, and poor in knowledge and experience; how shall he get right, and keep right? Never was there a more important question for any man; never was there a fitter time for asking it than at the commencement of life. It is by no means an easy task which the prudent man sets before him. He wishes to choose a clean way, to be himself clean in it, to cleanse it of any foulness which may arise in the future, and to end by showing a clear course from the first step to the last; but, alas, his way is already unclean by actual sin which he has already committed, and he himself has within his nature a tendency towards that which defileth. Here, then, is the difficulty, first of beginning aright, next of being always able to know and choose the right, and of continuing in the right till perfection is ultimately reached' this is hard for any man, how shall a youth accomplish it? The way, or life, of the man has to be cleansed from the sins of his youth behind him, and kept clear of the sins which temptation will place before him: this is the work, this is the difficulty.
No nobler ambition can lie before a youth, none to which he is called by so sure a calling; but none in which greater difficulties can be found. Let him not, however, shrink from the glorious enterprise of living a pure and gracious life; rather let him enquire the way by which all obstacles may be overcome. Let him not think that he knows the road to easy victory, nor dream that he can keep himself by his own wisdom; he will do well to follow the Psalmist, and become an earnest enquirer asking how he may cleanse his way. Let him become a practical disciple of the holy God, who alone can teach him how to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, that trinity of defilers by whom many a hopeful life has been spoiled. He is young and unaccustomed to the road, let him not be ashamed often to enquire his way of him who is so ready and so able to instruct him in it.
Our "way" is a subject which concerns us deeply, and it is far better to enquire about it than to speculate upon mysterious themes which rather puzzle than enlighten the mind. Among all the questions which a young man asks, and they are many, let this be the first and chief' "Wherewithal shall I cleanse my way?" This is a question suggested by common sense, and pressed home by daily occurrences; but it is not to be answered by unaided reason, nor, when answered, can the directions be carried out by unsupported human power. It is ours to ask the question, it is God's to give the answer and enable us to carry it out.
"By taking heed thereto according to thy word." Young man, the Bible must be your chart, and you must exercise great watchfulness that your way may be according to its directions. You must take heed to your daily life, as well as study your Bible, and you must study your Bible that you may take heed to your daily life. With the greatest care a man will go astray if his map misleads him; but with the most accurate map he will still lose his road if he does not take heed to it. The narrow way was never hit upon by chance, neither did any heedless man ever lead a holy life. We can sin without thought, we have only to neglect the great salvation and ruin our souls; but to obey the Lord and walk uprightly will need all our heart and soul and mind. Let the careless remember this.
Yet the "word" is absolutely necessary; for, otherwise, care will darken into morbid anxiety, and conscientiousness may become superstition. A captain may watch from his deck all night; but if he knows nothing of the coast, and has no pilot on board, he may be carefully hastening on to shipwreck. It is not enough to desire to be right; for ignorance may make us think that we are doing God service when we are provoking him, and the fact of our ignorance will not reverse the character of our action, however much it may mitigate its criminality. Should a man carefully measure out what he believes to be a dose of useful medicine, he will die if it should turn out that he has taken up the wrong vial, and has poured out a deadly poison' the fact that he did it ignorantly will not alter the result. Even so, a young man may surround himself with ten thousand ills, by carefully using an unenlightened judgment, and refusing to receive instruction from the word of God. Wilful ignorance is in itself wilful sin, and the evil which comes of it is without excuse. Let each man, whether young or old, who desires to be holy have a holy watchfulness in his heart, and keep his Holy Bible before his open eye. There he will find every turn of the road marked down, every slough and miry place pointed out, with the way to go through unsoiled; and there, too, he will find light for his darkness, comfort for his weariness, and company for his loneliness, so that by its help he shall reach the benediction of Psa_119:1 of the Psalm, which suggested the Psalmist's enquiry, and awakened his desires.
Note how the first section of eight verses has for its first verse, "Blessed are the undefiled in the way," and the second section runs parallel to it, with the question "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?" The blessedness which is set before us in a conditional promise should be practically sought for in the way appointed. The Lord saith, "For this will I be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them." [C.H. Spurgeon]
"To original corruption all have added actual sin. The ruin of the young is either living by no rule at all, or choosing false rules: let them walk by Scripture rules. To doubt of our own wisdom and strength, and to depend upon God, proves the purpose of holiness is sincere. God's word is treasure worth laying up, and there is no laying it up safe but in our hearts, that we may oppose God's precepts to the dominion of sin, his promises to its allurements, and his threatenings to its violence. Let this be our plea with Him to teach us his statutes, that, being partakers of his holiness, we may also partake of his blessedness. And those whose hearts are fed with the bread of life, should with their lips feed many. In the way of God's commandments there is the unsearchable riches of Christ. But we do not meditate on God's precepts to good purpose, unless our good thoughts produce good works. I will not only think of thy statutes, but do them with delight. And it will be well to try the sincerity of our obedience by tracing the spring of it; the reality of our love by cheerfulness in appointed duties." [Matthew Henry]
"Before I was afflicted I went astray - Many have been humbled under affliction, and taught to know themselves and humble themselves before God, that probably without this could never have been saved; after this, they have been serious and faithful. Affliction sanctified is a great blessing; unsanctified, it is an additional curse." [Adam Clarke]
Therefore, you should say - "It is good for me that I was afflicted, because I have learned." That is, learned to obey God! Only in obedience does the Bible actually "work." In this way, the Word of God makes you pure. Then, in your purity, all you see is pure - and life, is sweeter than ever before! For this, we thank God! [Tit_1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.]
"It is good for me that I have been afflicted." Even though the affliction came from bad men, it was overruled for good ends; though it was bad as it came from them it was good for David. It benefited him in many ways, and he knew it. Whatever he may have thought while under the trial, he perceived himself to be the better for it when it was over. It was not good to the proud to be prosperous, for their hearts grew sensual and insensible; but affliction was good for the Psalmist. Our worst is better for us than the sinner's best. It is bad for sinners to rejoice, and good for saints to sorrow. A thousand benefits have come to us through our pains and griefs, and among the rest is this - that we have thus been schooled in the law. "That I might learn thy statutes." These we have come to know and to keep by feeling the smart of the rod. We prayed the Lord to teach us (Psa_119:66), and now we see how he has already been doing it. Truly he has dealt well with us, for he has dealt wisely with us. We have been kept from the ignorance of the greasy-hearted by our trials, and this, if there were nothing else, is just cause for constant gratitude. To be larded by prosperity is not good for the proud; but for the truth to be learned by adversity is good for the humble. Very little is to be learned without affliction. If we would be scholars we must be sufferers. As the Latins say, Experientia docet, experience teaches. There is no royal road to learning the royal statutes; God's commands are best read by eyes wet with tears." [C.H. Spurgeon]
