Psalms 119:37 - Meaning and Application

Here David prays for restraining grace, grace that keeps him back from anything that would slow him down in the path of duty. “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things.” The honors, pleasures, and profits of the world are empty things, and the sight of them pulls many people away from the path of faith and godliness. What the eye keeps looking at often wins the heart’s love, and then the heart grows less drawn to God and spiritual things.

So we should make a covenant with our eyes, meaning we should firmly commit ourselves to guard what we look at (Job 31:1). We should also pray that God, in his providence, would keep worthless things out of our sight, and that by his grace he would keep us from loving them when we do see them.

David also prays for strengthening grace, grace that not only keeps him from what would block his way to heaven, but also gives him what he needs to go forward. “Give me life in your way” means, “Renew me, stir me up, and keep me moving in your path.” He asks God to help him use time well, seize each chance, press on, and do every duty with energy and earnestness.

Looking at worthless things makes us sluggish and slows our progress. A traveler who stops to stare at every object along the road will not cover much ground. But if our eyes are kept from what distracts us, our hearts will stay fixed on what stirs us up and moves us forward.