Beth - Psalm 119:9-16

The second letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the letter Beth.  "Beth" is also Hebrew for "house": the building and the household in it.  Thus, the familiar place name Bethel means "House of God"-- Beth = house and El = God.  Bethlehem means "house of bread" and it is interesting that Jesus, born in Bethlehem, referred to Himself as the "Bread come down from Heaven".  Our second section of Psalms 119 reads:
        
         How can a young man keep his way pure?— by holding to Your word.
         I have turned to You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commandments.
         In my heart I treasure Your promise; therefore I do not sin against You.
         Blessed are You, O LORD; train me in Your laws.
         With my lips I rehearse all the rules You proclaimed.
         I rejoice over the way of Your decrees as over all riches.
         I study Your precepts; I regard Your ways;
         I take delight in Your laws; I will not neglect Your word.


     Every line of the Hebrew text begins with the preposition "B" or "in" except for verse 11 which begins as in English with the word "Baruch" or "blessed."  Thinking of the concept of the house, this is extremely interesting because this Psalm sets up the very Scriptures themselves as the dwelling place for the Psalmist and by extension the one reading the Psalm.  Biblically speaking, then, we are to make the dwelling place for our lives in the Word of God.  The Bible says that if we do this, we will not sin against God and the characteristics of our lifestyle (our way) will be pure, or free of impurity and sin. 
     It fascinates me that the Bible actually says it is possible to not sin!  Two verses here clearly state this proposition and this motif is found often in the writings of the Apostle Paul and the Apostle John.  1 John 2:1 says, "My little children, I am writing these things to you that you might not sin" but he continues, "but if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."  What a great God we serve who graciously provides a mechanism for not sinning--the treasuring of His Word in our heart and its effectual power in our lives--but in almost the same breath has made provision for when we fail!  No other god has done or can do such a thing as our God! 
     There is a recent Gatorade slogan that says, "Is It In You?".  These verses seem to be saying the same thing way before Gatorade ever came on the scene.  When is the last time you rehearsed all of God's Rules with your lips?  How diligently do you study His precepts and regard His ways?  How much of a treasure is God's Word to your heart?  Do you think of its value to you when you are tempted to sin?  Do you know enough of God's Word that it has any impact on your daily path?  Does it keep your way free from guile and impurity?  Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied" (Matt 5:6). 
     Let us pray that we too may be satisfied by living in God's Word.  Let's take some time to bless God for His marvelous Word and its ability to keep us from sin.  Let's pray that we may hunger and thirst after His Word and its effectual righteousness in our lives as much as the Psalmist.  Let us make Him and His Word "All to Us"!

Jewish Publication Society, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1985), Ps 119:8–16.

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