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This Bible study on Psalm 119 contains outlines, extensive cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, lessons to learn, and applications.  Visit our inductive Bible studies for more studies on this and other books of the Bible.

Psalm 119: Inductive Bible Study

Psalm 119:9-16

The Cleansing Power of the Word

Summary- What is the way to have a pure life? Keep it according to God’s Word. I must seek Him with all of my heart; only He can keep from disobedience. Treasuring His Word in my heart keeps me from sinning against Him. He is blessed, and I need Him to teach me His Word. His Words are all on my lips. I rejoice in His Words more than in any riches, luxury, comfort, fame or power that this world possesses. His Word is on my mind day and night, and I make it my aim to follow it. I will take great joy and comfort in His Word, and never forget it.

Central Teaching- His Word has the power to cleanse us from sin and help us walk obediently.

Key Verse(s)-9-10

Key Words- pure, keep, treasured, lips, meditate, delight

Ten things this passage says-

  1. The way for me to stay pure is to obey God’s Word.
  2. I should seek Him with all my heart.
  3. I should not wander from (disobey) His commandments.
  4. I must treasure God’s Word in my heart.
  5. Treasuring it thus will keep me from sinning against Him.
  6. God is blessed, and I should want to learn as much as I can from Him.
  7. The words on His lips should also be on my lips.
  8. I should rejoice in His Word as much as any riches this world provides.
  9. Meditation on His Word leads to obedience.
  10. Delight in His Word leads to remembrance.

Ten things this passage does NOT say-

  1. There is no way I can stay pure here on this earth.
  2. I can follow my own way and still live a pure life.
  3. I can be satisfied with following Him half-heartedly.
  4. If I am following Him in this half-hearted fashion, I can still obey Him consistently.
  5. Treasuring God’s Word in my heart has no practical result.
  6. It is more profitable for me to learn from the universities and scholars of this world than from the Word of God.
  7. God’s Word is a private affair. I should learn from it, but mainly keep it to myself.
  8. Wealth is necessary for my happiness, and I cannot rejoice in God’s word unless I have it.
  9. Reading God’s Word, or even studying it, is enough. I don’t have to think about it too much.
  10. It is enough to read God’s Word out of duty; I don’t have to enjoy it.

What does this passage teach me about God?

He is pure, and His Word is pure.

He is meant to be obeyed.

His commandments are clear enough to be obeyed exactly.

He is meant to be sought with a whole heart.

His Word is a treasure.

He is blessed.

He teaches me His Word.

He speaks His Word in truth.

His ways are deep, and can be understood more the more we meditate on them.

His Word is unforgettable.

Questions-

Who is this verse speaking to; only to young men? Why do you think young men are mentioned here specifically? V9

What does it mean, to keep one’s way pure? V9

How can we keep our ways pure? V9

How do we keep our way according to God’s Word? V9

What do verse 1 and verse 9 have in common? V9

What does it mean to seek the Lord? V10

How should we seek the Lord? V10

How do we go about seeking Him with all our heart? V10

What happens if we are also seeking something else? V10

What are the consequences of seeking the Lord? V10

Can we seek Him with our whole heart on our own? V10

What does it mean to wander from His commandments? V10

If we are seeking Him with our whole heart, why do we have to ask Him not to let us wander from His commandments? V10

How is verse 2 parallel to verse 10? V10

What does it mean to treasure something? V11

Why should we treasure God’s Word in our heart? V11

How do we treasure God’s Word in our heart? V11

How does God’s Word keep us from sinning? V11

Against Whom do we sin? V11

How is verse 3 parallel to verse 11? V11

“The best book in the world is the bible. The best place to put it is in the heart. The best reason for putting it there is that it saves us from sinning against God.” V11

What does “Blessed are You, O Lord” mean? V12

Why is the fact that He is blessed significant in asking Him to teach us? V12

How does God teach us His statutes? V12

What attitudes of the heart are necessary to be taught by Him? V12

If I have already followed the rest of this verse, why would speaking of the things that I learned be the next step? V13

Who do we tell of these things to? V13

Which ordinances do we share with others? V13

What are the ordinances of His mouth? V13

Why is it significant that His Words were from His mouth? What does speaking of these things say about our heart as compared to his heart? V13

What is “the way of Your testimonies”? V14

Why should the way of His testimonies cause me to rejoice? V14

What does that rejoicing look like, practically speaking? V14

How much should we rejoice in the way of His testimonies? Another way to ask this is, what should bring us as much joy as God’s Word? V14

What is the significance of the “I will” at the beginning of this verse? V15

What is meditation? How do we meditate? V15

What should dominate our thoughts as we go through each day? V15

What does it mean to “regard” His ways? V15

Note how the verses grow more inward as they proceed; from the speech of the verse 13 we advanced to the manifested joy of verse 14, and now we come to the secret meditation of the happy spirit. The richest graces are those which dwell deepest.

Again, how what attitude of the heart do the first words in this verse show? V16

What attitude should we have towards His Word? V16

How does this attitude of delight affect our relation towards the Word? V16

How is this verse the natural progression stemming from the previous verses? Explain through this passage the progression of the man’s attitude and relation to the Word. V16

Cross References-

Psalm 119:9-

Job 1:5

5 When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

Ps 25:7

7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

According to Your lovingkindness remember me,

Prov 1:4

4 To give prudence to the naive,

To the youth knowledge and discretion,

Prov 1:10

10 My son, if sinners entice you,

Do not consent.

Prov 4:1

Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father,

And give attention that you may gain understanding,

Prov 4:10-17

10 Hear, my son, and accept my sayings

And the years of your life will be many.

11 I have directed you in the way of wisdom;

I have led you in upright paths.

12 When you walk, your steps will not be impeded;

And if you run, you will not stumble.

13 Take hold of instruction; do not let go.

Guard her, for she is your life.

14 Do not enter the path of the wicked

And do not proceed in the way of evil men.

15 Avoid it, do not pass by it;

Turn away from it and pass on.

16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil;

And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness

And drink the wine of violence.

Prov 5:7

7 Now then, my sons, listen to me

And do not depart from the words of my mouth.

Eccl 11:9

9 Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things.

Luke 15:13

13 “And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.

2 Tim 2:22

22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

Titus 2:4-6

4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. 6 Likewise urge the young men to be sensible;

Deut 6:6-9

6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Josh 1:7

7 “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.

Ps 1:1-3

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

Ps 19:7-11

7 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.

10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;

In keeping them there is great reward.

Ps 119:97-105

O how I love Your law!

It is my meditation all the day.

98 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,

For they are ever mine.

99 I have more insight than all my teachers,

For Your testimonies are my meditation.

100 I understand more than the aged,

Because I have observed Your precepts.

101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way,

That I may keep Your word.

102 I have not turned aside from Your ordinances,

For You Yourself have taught me.

103 How sweet are Your words to my taste!

Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

104 From Your precepts I get understanding;

Therefore I hate every false way.

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet

And a light to my path.

John 15:3

3 “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

2 Tim 3:15-17

15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

James 1:21-25

21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

Psalm 119:10-

2 Chron 15:15

15 All Judah rejoiced concerning the oath, for they had sworn with their whole heart and had sought Him earnestly, and He let them find Him. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.

Ps 119:2

2 How blessed are those who observe His testimonies,

Who seek Him with all their heart.

Ps 119:34

34 Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law

And keep it with all my heart.

Ps 119:58

58 I sought Your favor with all my heart;

Be gracious to me according to Your word.

Ps 119:69

69 The arrogant have forged a lie against me;

With all my heart I will observe Your precepts.

Hos 10:2

2 Their heart is faithless;

Now they must bear their guilt.

The LORD will break down their altars

And destroy their sacred pillars.

Matt 6:24

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

Col 3:22

22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

1 John 2:15

15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Ps 23:3

3 He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Ps 119:21

21 You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed,

Who wander from Your commandments.

Ps 119:133

133 Establish my footsteps in Your word,

And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.

Ps 119:176

176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant,

For I do not forget Your commandments.

Ps 125:5

5 But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways,

The LORD will lead them away with the doers of iniquity.

Peace be upon Israel.

Ps 143:8-10

8 Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;

For I trust in You;

Teach me the way in which I should walk;

For to You I lift up my soul.

9 Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies;

I take refuge in You.

10 Teach me to do Your will,

For You are my God;

Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Prov 21:16

16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding

Will rest in the assembly of the dead.

Isa 35:8

8 A highway will be there, a roadway,

And it will be called the Highway of Holiness.

The unclean will not travel on it,

But it will be for him who walks that way,

And fools will not wander on it.

Psalm 119:11-

Job 22:22

22 “Please receive instruction from His mouth

And establish His words in your heart.

Ps 1:2

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

Ps 37:31

31 The law of his God is in his heart;

His steps do not slip.

Ps 40:8

8 I delight to do Your will, O my God;

Your Law is within my heart.”

Ps 119:97

O how I love Your law!

It is my meditation all the day.

Prov 2:10

10 For wisdom will enter your heart

And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

Isa 51:7

7 “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,

A people in whose heart is My law;

Do not fear the reproach of man,

Nor be dismayed at their revilings.

Jer 15:16

16 Your words were found and I ate them,

And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart;

For I have been called by Your name,

Luke 2:19

19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

Col 3:16

16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Ps 19:13

13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;

Let them not rule over me;

Then I will be blameless,

And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

Psalm 119:12-

1 Tim 1:11

11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

1 Tim 6:15

15 which He will bring about at the proper time — He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

Ps 25:4-5

4 Make me know Your ways, O LORD;

Teach me Your paths.

5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,

For You are the God of my salvation;

For You I wait all the day.

Ps 86:11

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD;

I will walk in Your truth;

Unite my heart to fear Your name.

Ps 119:26-27

26 I have told of my ways, and You have answered me;

Teach me Your statutes.

27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts,

So I will meditate on Your wonders.

Ps 119:33

Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes,

And I shall observe it to the end.

Ps 119:64

64 The earth is full of Your lovingkindness, O LORD;

Teach me Your statutes.

Ps 119:66

66 Teach me good discernment and knowledge,

For I believe in Your commandments.

Ps 119:68

68 You are good and do good;

Teach me Your statutes.

Ps 119:71-72

71 It is good for me that I was afflicted,

That I may learn Your statutes.

72 The law of Your mouth is better to me

Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Ps 119:108

108 O accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD,

And teach me Your ordinances.

Ps 119:124-125

124 Deal with Your servant according to Your lovingkindness

And teach me Your statutes.

125 I am Your servant; give me understanding,

That I may know Your testimonies.

Ps 119:135

135 Make Your face shine upon Your servant,

And teach me Your statutes.

Ps 143:10

10 Teach me to do Your will,

For You are my God;

Luke 24:45

45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

John 14:26

26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

1 John 2:27

27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

Psalm 119:13-

Ps 34:11

11 Come, you children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Ps 37:30

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,

And his tongue speaks justice.

Ps 40:9-10

9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation;

Behold, I will not restrain my lips,

O LORD, You know.

10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;

I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;

I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

Ps 71:15-18

15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness

And of Your salvation all day long;

For I do not know the sum of them.

16 I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD;

I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.

17 O God, You have taught me from my youth,

And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.

18 And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,

Until I declare Your strength to this generation,

Your power to all who are to come.

Ps 118:17

17 I will not die, but live,

And tell of the works of the LORD.

Ps 119:46

46 I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings

And shall not be ashamed.

Ps 119:172

172 Let my tongue sing of Your word,

For all Your commandments are righteousness.

Matt 10:27

27 “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.

Matt 12:34

34 “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

Acts 4:20

20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Ps 51:15

15 O Lord, open my lips,

That my mouth may declare Your praise.

Prov 15:7

7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge,

But the hearts of fools are not so.

Col 4:6

6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

Psalm 119:14-

Job 23:12

12 “I have not departed from the command of His lips;

I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

Ps 19:9-10

9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.

10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

Ps 112:1

Praise the LORD!

How blessed is the man who fears the LORD,

Who greatly delights in His commandments.

Ps 119:47

47 I shall delight in Your commandments,

Which I love.

Ps 119:72

72 The law of Your mouth is better to me

Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Ps 119:111

111 I have inherited Your testimonies forever,

For they are the joy of my heart.

Ps 119:127

127 Therefore I love Your commandments

Above gold, yes, above fine gold.

Ps 119:162

162 I rejoice at Your word,

As one who finds great spoil.

Matt 13:44

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Prov 2:4-5

4 If you seek her as silver

And search for her as for hidden treasures;

5 Then you will discern the fear of the LORD

And discover the knowledge of God.

Prov 3:17

17 Her ways are pleasant ways

And all her paths are peace.

Psalm 119:15-

Ps 1:2

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

Ps 119:23

23 Even though princes sit and talk against me,

Your servant meditates on Your statutes.

Ps 119:48

48 And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments,

Which I love;

And I will meditate on Your statutes.

Ps 119:78

78 May the arrogant be ashamed, for they subvert me with a lie;

But I shall meditate on Your precepts.

Ps 119:97

O how I love Your law!

It is my meditation all the day.

Ps 119:131

131 I opened my mouth wide and panted,

For I longed for Your commandments.

Ps 119:148

148 My eyes anticipate the night watches,

That I may meditate on Your word.

James 1:25

25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

Ps 119:6

6 Then I shall not be ashamed

When I look upon all Your commandments.

Ps 119:117

117 Uphold me that I may be safe,

That I may have regard for Your statutes continually.

Josh 1:8

8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Ps 104:34

34 Let my meditation be pleasing to Him;

As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.

1 Tim 4:15

15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.

Psalm 119:16-

Ps 40:8

8 I delight to do Your will, O my God;

Your Law is within my heart.”

Ps 119:14

14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,

As much as in all riches.

Ps 119:24

24 Your testimonies also are my delight;

They are my counselors.

Ps 119:35

35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,

For I delight in it.

Ps 119:70

70 Their heart is covered with fat,

But I delight in Your law.

Rom 7:22

22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,

Ps 119:11

11 Your word I have treasured in my heart,

That I may not sin against You.

Ps 119:83

83 Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,

I do not forget Your statutes.

Ps 119:93

93 I will never forget Your precepts,

For by them You have revived me.

Ps 119:109

109 My life is continually in my hand,

Yet I do not forget Your law.

Ps 119:141

141 I am small and despised,

Yet I do not forget Your precepts.

Ps 119:176

176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant,

For I do not forget Your commandments.

Prov 3:1

My son, do not forget my teaching,

But let your heart keep my commandments;

James 1:23-24

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.

Ps 19:8

8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

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