Christian Standard Bible
Psalms 119:9
9How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping your word.
Psalms 119:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
- New International Version (NIV)How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.
- English Standard Version (ESV)How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
- New King James Version (NKJV)How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
Context of Psalms 119:9
7I will praise you with an upright heart when I learn your righteous judgments. 8I will keep your statutes; never abandon me. How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping your word. 10I have sought you with all my heart; don’t let me wander from your commands. 11I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.
Read all of Psalms 119Psalms 119:9 word by word
בַּמֶּ֣ה יְזַכֶּה־נַּ֭עַר אֶת־אָרְח֑וֹ לִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 119:9
- Psalms 25:7Do not remember the sins of my youth or my acts of rebellion; in keeping with your faithful love, remember me because of your goodness, Lord.
- Psalms 34:11Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
- Job 1:5Whenever a round of banqueting was over, Job would send for his children and purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned, having cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.
- Job 13:26For you record bitter accusations against me and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
- Proverbs 1:4for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man —
- Proverbs 4:1Listen, sons, to a father’s discipline, and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,
- Proverbs 5:7So now, sons, listen to me, and don’t turn away from the words from my mouth.
- Proverbs 6:20My son, keep your father’s command, and don’t reject your mother’s teaching.
- Proverbs 7:7I saw among the inexperienced, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking sense.
- Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, young person, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. And walk in the ways of your heart and in the desire of your eyes; but know that for all of these things God will bring you to judgment.
- Ecclesiastes 12:1So remember your Creator in the days of your youth: Before the days of adversity come, and the years approach when you will say, “I have no delight in them”;
- Luke 15:13Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.
- 2 Timothy 2:22Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
- Psalms 119:11I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.
- Psalms 1:1How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers!
- Psalms 19:7The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.
Commentaries on Psalms 119:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9A young man cleanse his way - ארח orach, which we translate way here, signifies a track, a rut, such as is made by the wheel of a cart or chariot. A young sinner has no broad beaten path; he has his private ways of offense, his secret pollutions: and how shall he be cleansed from these? how can he be saved from what will destroy mind, body, and soul? Let him hear what follows; the description is from God. 1. He is to consider that his way is impure; and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Wherewithal - This begins the second portion of the psalm, extending to Psalm 119:16, in which all the verses begin with the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet (ב b ), indicated in our translation by the word Beth. These names of the letters, inserted for convenience, are no part of the psalm, as it is not so marked in the original. This mode of indicating the divisions of the psalm is special to our version. It is not in the Septuagint, the Latin…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-16Verses 9-16 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9A young person often acts foolishly (Proverbs 22:15) and can easily make mistakes that ruin their life (Proverbs 7:6–23). However, youth is the best time to build self-discipline and seek wisdom (see Psalm 34:11; Proverbs 1:4). keep his way pure: This means avoiding corruption by evil and sin and developing the integrity described in Psalm 15.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. The whole verse may be read as a question; for, by taking heed--is better, "for" taking heed, that is, so as to do it. The answer is implied, and inferable from Psa 119:5, 10, 18, &c., that is, by God's grace.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 119:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 119
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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