Psalms 119:37

¶ Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; [and] quicken thou me in thy way.

Turn away {H5674} mine eyes {H5869} from beholding {H7200} vanity {H7723}; and quicken {H2421} thou me in thy way {H1870}.

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; with your ways, give me life.

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; revive me with Your word.

Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, And quicken me in thy ways.

Psalms 119:37 is a heartfelt prayer from the psalmist, expressing a deep desire for spiritual purity and vitality. It encapsulates a plea for God's divine intervention to protect the individual from worldly distractions and to infuse them with spiritual life according to God's righteous path.

Context

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, an elaborate acrostic poem with each stanza (eight verses) beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is entirely devoted to extolling the virtues and benefits of God's law, statutes, precepts, commandments, and word. The psalmist consistently expresses profound love and devotion for God's Torah, viewing it not as a burden but as a source of life, wisdom, and guidance. This particular verse fits within the 'He' (ה) section, continuing the theme of seeking God's face and walking in His truth.

Key Themes

  • Guarding Against Worldly Distraction: The plea, "Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity," highlights the constant struggle against temptations and the allure of meaningless pursuits. "Vanity" here refers to anything empty, worthless, futile, or deceitful that distracts from God's truth. It's a recognition that what we allow our senses to dwell upon significantly impacts our spiritual condition. This aligns with the wisdom found in Proverbs 4:25 to let your eyes look straight ahead.
  • A Plea for Spiritual Revival: The second part, "quicken thou me in thy way," is an earnest cry for spiritual renewal and vitality. The word "quicken" means to give life, revive, or restore. It's a prayer for God to invigorate the psalmist's spirit, enabling them to walk faithfully and energetically in God's commandments and principles. This desire for revival is a recurring theme for those who truly seek to live an abundant life in God's way.

Linguistic Insights

  • The Hebrew word for "vanity" is shav' (שָׁוְא), which carries connotations of emptiness, futility, worthlessness, deceit, or even idolatry. It's not merely about trivial things but about anything that ultimately lacks substance or leads away from God.
  • "Quicken" comes from the Hebrew verb chayah (חָיָה), meaning "to live," "to revive," "to preserve alive," or "to restore to life." It implies a need for divine infusion of life, not just physical existence but spiritual vibrancy and responsiveness to God's will.

Practical Application

Psalms 119:37 remains profoundly relevant for believers today. In an age filled with constant digital distractions and worldly pressures, the prayer to "turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity" is a powerful reminder to be intentional about what we consume visually and mentally. It encourages us to:

  • Guard our focus: Actively choose to direct our attention towards things that build up our faith and draw us closer to God, rather than what is fleeting or corrupting.
  • Seek spiritual vitality: Recognize our ongoing need for God's life-giving Spirit to empower us to live according to His "way." This means regularly engaging with God's Word (His word is a lamp to our feet) and seeking Him in prayer for daily strength and renewal.

This verse teaches us to pray for divine assistance in both avoiding evil and actively pursuing righteousness, ensuring our spiritual journey is vibrant and directed by God Himself.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 1 John 2:16

    For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

  • Isaiah 33:15

    He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

  • Proverbs 4:25

    Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

  • Numbers 15:39

    And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

  • Psalms 119:40

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

  • Matthew 5:28

    But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

  • Job 31:1

    ¶ I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
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