Teach Me the Path to Life - Nov. 9th, 2025

Passage: Psalm 119:33-40 (KJV)

Central Idea of the Text (CIT): The psalmist sought the Lord’s teaching and reviving, committing himself to obey God’s Word wholeheartedly.

Sermonic Proposition: Believers today should seek God’s instruction and life-giving power through His Word so they can live in obedient devotion.

Statement of Purpose:

General Purpose: Devotional

Specific Objective: I want my hearers to renew their hunger for God’s Word and rely on His enablement to walk in wholehearted obedience and spiritual renewal.

Introduction

Sunbeams illuminate a forest path, suggesting a journey guided by light.

I recall a recent Training event where I found myself in the Rockies with dusk moving in, and the only flashlight I had with me didn’t work. I remember wondering if I was really on the right path back to camp, and knew that if I wasn’t, it would be progressively harder to navigate in the dark of night. In life’s journey, we often feel like travelers in the half-light, unsure of the right path. We long for clear guidance and the promise of a safe destination. Psalm 119:33-40 speaks to that very need. Here we find a man of God crying out for direction and renewal. The psalmist, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, voices eight earnest prayers, each asking the Lord to cause something in him—teach me, give me understanding, make me walk, incline my heart, turn my eyes, stablish Your word to me, turn away reproach, and quicken me (give me life). These requests flow from a heart that reveres God’s law and knows that without the Lord’s enabling, he cannot stay on the path of life. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away,” and indeed “the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Matt. 24:35; Isa. 40:8, KJV). We can trust this lamp for our feet and light for our path (Ps. 119:105) completely. Psalm 119 is often called a love letter to God’s law. Interestingly, Hebrew verbs beginning with “He” often indicate causation . It’s as if the very structure of this poem reminds us that we need God to cause us to walk in His way. We see a progression here from a teachable spirit to obedient action, from prayerful dependence to a sanctified desire. The psalmist’s burden is our own: we need the Lord to guide us, to revive us, and to turn our hearts fully toward Him.

Spiritual renewal comes through God’s all-sufficient Word. God’s Word, applied by God’s grace, will guide and revive those who earnestly seek Him.

I. Direction and Devotion (vv. 33-35)

Psalm 119:33–35 KJV

HE. Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

The psalmist is not interested in just learning facts; he yearns to know the way in which to walk. It’s as if he says, “Lord, show me the road map of Your Word for my life.” And he promises something in response: “I shall keep it unto the end.” This declaration of commitment is, Lord, if You teach me, I will stick with Your way to the very finish line. The phrase “unto the end” hints at endurance. It implies forever or to my last breath. The psalmist is in it for the long haul. Indeed, the more God teaches him, the more he is able and determined to obey all the way. In verse 34 he intensifies the plea: “Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.” It’s not enough just to know the what; he longs to grasp the why, the inward significance of God’s law. “Understanding” here means discernment, the wisdom to apply God’s truth. He’s asking for heart insight that leads to wholehearted obedience. As one commentator noted, merely being able to explain theology is not the goal, we need God-given understanding that changes how we live.

Finally, in verse 35 he prays, “Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments; for therein do I delight.” Here we see the picture of a traveler again, “the path of Thy commandments.” He’s saying, “Lord, lead me down the track of Your commands. March me forward on Your road.” In fact, the Hebrew verb has the sense of cause me to walk. Notice the beautiful reason he gives: “for therein do I delight.” He’s not asking God to drag him along kicking and screaming. No, he loves God’s path! We see here a harmony between God’s guidance and our gladness. When the Lord teaches and leads us, it fuels a deeper love for His Word, and that delight in turn strengthens our commitment to follow. Truly, as Jesus echoed, “Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:28).

Illustration: Think of a child learning to ride a bicycle. She delights in the thought of riding freely, but she needs her father to hold the bike and guide her at first. She might say, “Dad, help me and I promise I’ll pedal as hard as I can!” Similarly, the psalmist is reaching up to the Heavenly Father’s hand, so to speak, saying, “Teach me, lead me, and I will keep on pedaling in obedience.” In our modern context, we might picture a new employee on the first day of a job, eagerly telling the trainer, “Show me how it’s done, and I’ll make sure to do it right.”

Every day we ought to echo verse 34: “Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law.” Can you say to God: “Lord, whatever You show me, I commit to follow through”?

Seek God’s direction through His Word and commit to that path with all your heart. He will honor that prayer by guiding you “in the path of His commandments,” and you will find true delight in walking with Him.

II. Turning from Vanity to Vitality (vv. 36-37)

Psalm 119:36–37 KJV

Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

In these verses the psalmist’s prayer moves inward to his heart and eyes, the seat of desires and the gateway of thoughts.

Verse 36 says, “Incline my heart unto Thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.” To “incline” means to bend or turn. It’s a picture of God gently bending our will in a certain direction. Here he identifies a specific rival to God’s Word: covetousness. Covetousness means a greedy desire for worldly gain, an appetite for wealth or possessions. Why mention this? Perhaps the psalmist knows how easily the love of money and material things can pull our hearts away from devotion to God’s truth. Jesus taught that “Ye cannot serve God and mammon (money),” the heart cannot be inclined fully to both at the same time (Matt. 6:24). So the psalmist wisely asks God to perform heart surgery: “Lord, tilt my heart toward Scripture and away from greed.” He wants God’s testimonies (His story, His decrees) to captivate him more than any shiny object in this world. This is a prayer for holy priorities, valuing eternal truth over temporal treasure. The psalmist says in effect, “Lord, I don’t want to twist Your Word to serve me. I want to obey Your Word to serve You.” Our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, not to seek our own gain.

In verse 37, the focus shifts to the eyes: “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken Thou me in Thy way.” Here we have a negative request followed by a positive one. First, he asks God to avert his eyes from “vanity.” Vanity refers to worthless, empty things, the futile, fleeting sights that promise pleasure or wisdom but leave the soul dry.

One commentator explains that the Hebrew word translated “vanity” means emptiness, like “what is left after you break a soap bubble.” Imagine a shimmering bubble, pretty for a moment, but one touch and it’s gone, leaving nothing behind. The world is full of such soap bubbles for our eyes: seductive images, materialistic advertisements, hollow entertainments, and deceptive ideologies; anything empty that distracts us from God. He wisely prays, “Lord, don’t let me fix my gaze on illusions. Don’t let me be glued to what is vain.”

This prayer is so relevant today. Think of the endless stream of media that crosses our screens, how much of it is truly valuable and how much is vanity? An old devotional quip on this verse says, “Outlook determines outcome. What you are seeing helps to determine what you are becoming.” If we feed our eyes on emptiness, our lives will trend toward emptiness. Turning away from vanity is only half the battle. The second half of verse 37 pleads, “and quicken Thou me in Thy way.” “Quicken” means revive or give life. We must be made alive to what is right. Notice he says “Thy way.” True life is found in God’s path, the very path of commandments he spoke of earlier. Jesus said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Spiritual vitality is not something we can manufacture we must ask God for it. Only the Lord can breathe new strength and passion into a soul that is weary or prone to distraction.

These twin requests, eyes turned from vanity and soul quickened in God’s way, show us the principle of replacement in sanctification. We turn from sin and emptiness toward God and fullness of life. It’s like he is praying, “Lord, empty my gaze of worthless things and fill me with Your life-giving Word.”

Illustration: To illustrate, consider the practice of putting blinders on a racehorse. The blinders (or “blinkers”) keep the horse’s eyes focused straight ahead, so it isn’t spooked or distracted by crowds and other horses. In a similar way, we sometimes need spiritual “blinders” so that we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and His Word, rather than the flashy distractions of the world. Another modern image: Many have noted how addicting our screens can be. We might paraphrase verse 37 for today as, “Turn off my eyes from looking at worthless websites or endless social media scrolls; revive me by Your Word instead.” In fact, one writer cleverly noted that even the letters “T” and “V” appear in order in the phrase “Turn… vanity” (in English) and suggested we stick Psalm 119:37 on our television sets! The idea is that so much of what we consume through media is trivial or outright false. It can fill our minds with foolishness and subtly deaden our spiritual appetite. We need God’s help to redirect our eyes to things that matter. Think of Peter walking on the water—when his eyes were on Jesus, he stayed afloat; when he looked at the wind and waves, he began to sink. Likewise, if we focus on Christ and His Word, we’re sustained; if we focus on vanity, we begin to sink spiritually.

As you turn away from the empty, turn toward the life-giving. Make sure you are regularly gazing into Scripture, which James calls the perfect law of liberty (James 1:25). It is in beholding the glory of the Lord in His Word that we are changed “from glory to glory” by the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:18).

A heart set on God’s Word will not be enslaved by greed, and eyes fixed on Christ will not be ensnared by empty attractions.

III. Trusting God’s Promise and Goodness (vv. 38-39)

Psalm 119:38–39 KJV

Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear. Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.

In these verses the psalmist’s requests focus on God’s honor and the psalmist’s own reputation or shame. He longs for God to confirm His promise and to remove any reproach, because he knows that God’s ways are good. This is a prayer of a faithful servant who wants God’s Word to come true in his life and who dreads anything that would disgrace the cause of God.

To “stablish” (establish) here means to confirm, fulfill, or firmly establish. The psalmist is essentially saying, “Lord, fulfill the promise of Your word to me, Your servant.” This phrase “devoted to Thy fear” describes the psalmist himself, he’s someone who fears (reveres) God. The Hebrew could be understood as “which is for those who fear You.” In either case, the idea is that God has given promises to His people (those who fear Him), and the psalmist is asking God to make good on those promises in his personal experience . It’s a humble request from a servant to his Master: “Lord, I belong to You; I stand in awe of You. Please confirm Your word to me.” We often see saints in Scripture praying this way, essentially holding up God’s pledge and saying, “Do as Thou hast said.” For example, Jacob prayed, “Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good” (Gen. 32:12), and King Solomon prayed at the temple dedication, “let Thy word… be verified” (1 Kings 8:26). We too should approach God with this reverent humility. We have the right, through Christ, to claim God’s promises, yet we always do so as His grateful servants, not as entitled claimants.

Verse 39 continues, “Turn away my reproach which I fear: for Thy judgments are good.” Here we see the psalmist’s concern for reproach, which is disgrace or shame. He specifically says “the reproach which I fear,” indicating there is some potential shame or insult looming that troubles him. What is this reproach? It could be the scorn of enemies or unbelievers who mock his faith. Earlier in Psalm 119, he mentions reproach and contempt from others (see v.22-23). It might also be a fear of failure, that he would bring reproach on himself by falling into sin or not holding fast to God’s word. In any case, he dreads anything that would tarnish his testimony or dishonor God’s name. So he asks God to take that reproach away. He doesn’t want the enemies of God to have any reason to sneer, “Where is your God now?” or “See, following God’s law did you no good.” “Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed” (Rom. 10:11).

The second part of the verse gives the reason: “for Thy judgments are good.” God’s judgments (another synonym for His rulings, decrees, or decisions) are inherently good and righteous. The psalmist is effectively saying, “Lord, I know all Your decisions and laws are good, I trust them. Don’t let me suffer reproach, because I’m aligning myself with Your good judgments.” This reminds us that when we stick to God’s Word in a hostile culture, we may face ridicule or misunderstanding (cf. Isa. 28:16). By stating “Thy judgments are good,” he affirms that even if he is facing difficulty, God’s way is still good. He doesn’t blame God; he runs to God for help. This is a great lesson for us: when people mock our faith or when we fear failure, we must hold onto the truth that God’s Word is good and perfect. Instead of doubting it, we ask God to demonstrate its goodness through our lives.

Illustration: A historical example comes to mind of Daniel in the Bible. Daniel was devoted to God’s law and prayed faithfully. Evil men tried to bring reproach on him by getting a law passed that would criminalize his prayers. Daniel surely might have feared the reproach of the lion’s den. Yet he continued steadfast, and what happened? God “established His word” to His servant, He shut the lions’ mouths and delivered Daniel. The reproach (accusation) against Daniel was turned back on his accusers. Daniel was vindicated, and God’s judgments were shown to be good.

Application: We too should pray with a heart for God’s honor. Sometimes, despite our godly living, others will still reproach us (as they did Jesus). Even then, we can entrust our reputation to God. His judgments are good. Maybe you’ve faced ridicule at work or school for being a Christian. Maybe you fear that if you take a stand for Christ, you’ll be shamed or marginalized. Take heart from verse 39. You can cry out to God, “Turn away the reproach I dread, for Your decisions are good, Lord.” In other words, “Show others the goodness of Your ways by how You uphold me.” God can either change the hearts of your mockers, or He can so preserve your peace and joy that their reproach has no sting.

Ultimately, we anchor our hope in the goodness of God’s judgments. Despite what critics say, “the word of the LORD is tried; He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him” (Ps. 18:30). We serve a God who always keeps His promises and who will ultimately remove all disgrace from His people. As it says in Romans 5:5, “hope maketh not ashamed.” You can stake your life on the promises of God, knowing that when they are established in you, even the onlookers will have to admit “God’s judgments are good.”

IV. Longing for Righteous Revival (v. 40)

Psalm 119:40 KJV

Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

The final verse of this stanza is a fitting crescendo. The psalmist ends not with another command to God (remember, there were 8 commands altogether), but with an exclamation of desire and a closing plea for revival.

He begins with “Behold,” or, “pay attention”: “I have longed after Thy precepts.” To long for something is to yearn or crave for it intensely. He’s essentially saying, “Look, Lord, my deepest desire is for Your precepts. I yearn for Your instructions.” This is the language of love. Earlier in the psalm he said, “My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto Thy judgments at all times” (v.20). Here again, his soul is panting for God’s truth like a deer for water. He didn’t ask for relief from his troubles, or for material blessings, or even for spiritual experiences in the abstract, he is longing for God’s precepts, God’s communicated instructions. The word “precepts” (Hebrew piqqudim) indicates the detailed instructions or directives of God. Some might find rules off-putting, but this man finds them desirable. Why? Because they come from the God he loves and they lead to life and righteousness. He has tasted and seen that the Lord’s commands are good (Ps. 34:8), and he wants more (cf. Matt. 5:6).

After confessing his longing, the psalmist closes with the prayer: “quicken me in Thy righteousness.” We encounter that word “quicken” (revive) again, as we did in verse 37. Only this time he adds, “in Thy righteousness.” He is asking to be given life according to God’s righteous character or righteous promise. It’s like saying, “Give me life through Your righteous ways, O Lord.” God’s righteousness can be thought of as His faithfulness to His promises and the moral perfection of His nature. One commentator paraphrased this request: “I plead Thy righteous promise for the reviving of my spiritual life. I long for more lively apprehensions of Thy spotless righteousness. Oh! let it invigorate my delight, my obedience, my communion, my walk!” He wants a revival that results in a more righteous life. He wants to be alive in God’s way. By saying “in Thy righteousness,” the psalmist humbly acknowledges that his own righteousness is not enough. He needs God’s input, God’s standard, God’s impartation of life that is consistent with His holy character.

Anomaly: It’s worth observing that verse 40 is the only verse in this stanza that doesn’t begin with an imperative verb in Hebrew . All previous verses were straight petitions (“Teach me, give me, make me, incline my heart, turn my eyes, stablish Your word, turn away reproach”). But here he breaks the pattern: “Behold, I have longed…” The effect is a climax of emotion and dependence. It’s a final gasp of desperation and devotion at the same time. We see both love (longing for God’s Word) and need (begging for God’s reviving power).

Illustration: Think of a patient in physical therapy after an injury. They have the will to walk again (“I long to walk; I want to get back on my feet”), but they cry to the therapist, “Help me up, steady me, strengthen these legs!” That’s how the psalmist closes, will and ability meeting together, with the ability coming from God.

Application: Often, longing grows as we taste more. So a practical step: immerse yourself in Scripture regularly, even if at first it feels routine. As you feed on it, the appetite increases. Ask God to replace any love for worldly things with a love for His Word. There is no revival without a return to the Word of God. History shows that every great revival, whether in biblical times (like Josiah’s reform when they found the Book of the Law) or in later history (like the Reformation or Great Awakenings), was fueled by renewed attention to Scripture. So if you long for revival in your soul or in your family or church, it begins with longing for God’s Word and truth (cf. Isa. 57:15).

The beauty of this closing verse is that it ends on a note of hopeful yearning. God does not plant longings in us only to let them go unmet. If today you find in your heart a spark of longing for a closer walk with God, ask the Holy Spirit to fan it into flame. These eight verses show us a man who has essentially prayed himself happy. He began in verse 33 asking to be taught, and he ends in verse 40 declaring his love for God’s truth. Prayer has stoked the fire of desire in him. May it do the same in us.

Conclusion

This is the pathway to a steadfast, spiritually vibrant life: humility to be taught, commitment to obey, reliance on God to change us and keep us, and zealous desire for more of Him.

Truly, “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). And yet, it is God who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13). We depend on His grace at every step. We do not have to settle for cold, routine religion; God can kindle new life in us as we immerse ourselves in His Word and presence.

As we consider how to respond, let’s remember that this was likely sung and prayed by faithful people of God in the past, perhaps even by our Lord Jesus Himself. Jesus perfectly embodied these cries, He always delighted in the Father’s will, always kept the law, and in the garden of Gethsemane and on the cross, He entrusted Himself to the Father’s plan, saying “Thy will be done” and “Into Thy hands I commend My spirit.” Because Jesus fulfilled all righteousness and rose to life, we through Him can pray these words with assurance of grace.

So, if you sense your heart has drifted toward worldly pursuits or materialism; it’s time to ask God to incline your heart back to His testimonies. If you’ve been consuming too much “vanity” through your eyes, it’s time to make a change, turn off that screen, set aside that frivolous habit, and replace it with gazing on God’s Word or His creation or serving others. If you’re battling shame or the fear of standing up for your faith, bring that reproach to God and trust Him, His judgments are good, and He will not let you down. And certainly, all of us can join in the final plea: “Lord, revive me by Your righteousness.” We can pray this for ourselves, our families, and our church.

What is that “Path to Life?” We find it by walking in God’s Word with total dependence on Him. Proverbs 3:6 says, “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”

Now, as we close, I urge you: take these prayers on your own lips this week. Pray, “Teach me, O Lord… Give me understanding… Make me to walk… Incline my heart… Turn my eyes… Confirm Your promise… Remove my reproach… Revive me…” Pray them for yourself and your loved ones. God has not changed; the same Lord who inspired this psalm is with us by His Spirit (cf. James 4:8).

Let us go from here like that traveler on the sunlit path, guided by God’s Word, strengthened by God’s Spirit, our hearts rejoicing in His commandments. That is the path to true life, a life revived, anchored, and fruitful in our Lord. Amen.