By Taking Heed…

This second section of the Psalm begins with a further development of the idea of cleanness before God.  It asks a question – how can a young man cleanse his way before God?  The question assumes an interesting thing – namely that the young man’s way is in need of cleansing in the first place.  I think this is purposeful.  I do not believe the intent of the verse is that, should a young man happen to find his way soiled, but it is that a young man will find his way so soiled and will need this counsel.  There is no question as to whether or not a young man needs cleansing.  The question is how that cleansing can occur.

It is important to note that, once again, the clear implication is that this cleansing comes from outside of the young man, not from inside.  He cannot cleanse himself – his cleansing must come from outside of himself.

“Cleanse” is intensive and speaks of deliberate action.  It is imperfect and so points to an ongoing or unfinished activity.  The word actually means to be translucent.  It is only used in poetry and only in a moral sense.  It carries, in the form it is in, the idea of keeping clean or pure.

This is really the continuing of the idea in the first section of confessing or being blessed by God.  The child of God, the true child of God desires to be clean before God.  It is a priority in his life and one that he pursues zealously.  He understands that such cleansing is not a matter of what God does.

Note the use of “way” once again.  So far we have seen that the undefiled in “the way” are blessed; they walk in God’s ways; the writer wishes his “ways” to be directed to keep God’s commands; and now he is concerned with his way being cleansed.  It is not a matter of a single action or offense – but a matter of the entire lifestyle – the habit of the life!  The believer wants to be utterly clean before God!

He answers his own question.  “Taking heed” is an infinitive and underscores the active nature of obedience.  The word has been used twice already in verse 8 and verse 5.  It speaks of guarding or watching.  It is the giving of careful attention.

We are to heed the Word, in particular, to what the Word tells us.  That is the point here.  The Word has counsel for us and we are to give due and proper attention to it.  The tendency of men is to pass over what is critical or unpleasant.  We must carefully avoid this tendency and see to it that we give care and attention to all that it tells us of ourselves and how it evaluates our lives.  The clear implication is that we are to do what it says!  How often have we read the Word and filed to heed what it told us?  We are specifically warned against this tendency in the Word when it tells us to be sure that we are not like the one who looks into the mirror, seeing himself, and then doesn’t act on what he sees.  Such a man is a fool.