Translations
Psalm 119:3 (ESV) – who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
Psalm 119:3 LXX
ου γαρ οι εργαζόμενοι την ανομίαν εν ταις οδοίς αυτού επορεύθησαν
[not For the ones practicing lawlessness. in his ways. were gone]
Psalm 119:3 Interlinear from the Hebrew – Also no they do iniquity in His ways they walk.
Connections
1 John 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.
1 John 5:18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him and the evil one does not touch him.
εργαζόμενοι – practicing.
ἐργάζομαι (ergazomai) to work, labour, perform, accomplish. (apperas 41 times in the New Testament – translated as work, traded, wrought, perform and accomplish).
Everyone practices either sinning or not sinning, depending on who is reigning in their heart. Even good people, who only do good things, may be doing these from a selfish (sinful) motive, such as, to be seen, to sense their worth or to gain influence. I love the idea of practising walking in the same ways as Jesus, and as a result not sinning so much.
Reflections
This is the battle we are all in, from an early age. It’s a battle we can’t win on our own strength. We so often know the right thing to do, yet we do not do it. In Romans 7:15-18 Paul writes “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right but not the ability to carry it out.” Paul goes on a few verses later in 24-25 to say “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh, I serve the law of sin.”.
The struggle is actually to surrender, to stop fighting with myself, and to hand over the controls to God. There is no real joy in partial surrender.
Strength Coaches comment – Achiever is such a great executing Talent – it simply loves to have a list of things to do, and then to get those ticked off. What is essential, is that we seriously take time to consider the priorities of what should be on our lists, combating the desire to tackle “urgent” issues with the knowledge that dealing with “important” issues will most always be a better choice.
Blessings
Allan