H – Highlight
Psalm 119:37
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and give me life in your ways.
E – Explain
This psalm is 176 verses of proclamation of praise to God for his holy word. Here, David prays that God will stop him from being distracted by worthless, useless things, things that do not matter. Instead, David wants God to focus him on his ways, on God’s word and revealed will and character.
A – Apply
This is not hard to apply in general. Our hearts need to long far more to see God than to see things that are of no consequence.
It does raise questions about entertainment, hobbies, sports, etc. And I do not think that this text would say to us that there is no room for enjoying anything that is not Scripture. But I think that we can see that, if our eyes are drawn away from God’s holiness and God’s holy word to things that do not matter, then our hearts are not as in love with the word of the Almighty as they should be. If our eyes or imaginations are drawn toward the immoral, then they are turned from the ways and word of the Lord. And it is good then that we pray that God fix our eyes on him and to help us turn them from the unworthy pursuits of this world.
R – Response
It is wise that I consider well where my mind goes. Do I let myself dwell on what is worthless? Do I turn from the word to what would dishonor God and find more pleasure in the sinful? Do I find more joy in what does not matter than what does?
Prayer: Lord, I would ask that you would, as the text says, turn my eyes and my mind from what is worthless and let me love you and your ways. May your word be a true treasure to me. I pray that you not let me enjoy anything in this world more than you and your ways. Yes, let me love my family. Yes, let me love beauty and the happy blessings you give. But let me never be turned to what is worthless and away from you. Please give me wisdom and conviction here. Please forgive me where I have failed here.
Pastor Travis Peterson 