Psalm 119:37 (NASB)
Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, And revive me in Your ways.
Bible Commentary
Psalm 119:37 is a Bible verse in the Old Testament, which reminds and admonishes us to turn away from uselessness, and instead look upward to God.
It is so easy to get caught up in the drama exposed in the instant access of social media, whether it be a personal relationship, or a public one. When we see a point of view that is upsetting, our first reaction is to blast back, publicly and instantly.
Sides are drawn and the battle is on. Hearts are stirred in opposition, and the great antagonist, the devil, sits back and revels in his victory.
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in any of the books in the Bible, and the entire chapter is dedicated wholly to the subject of God’s Word and His ordinances. That’s how important God’s Word is.
As our loving Heavenly Father, He made it available to us in order to keep us safe from the pitfalls of life and keep us on the path of righteousness and prosperity.
However, we are easily distracted by the devil’s tactics and our own choices of drama and busyness. Pretty soon, we’re running on empty, with very little peace, rest and joy in our souls.
That emptiness we feel is because we have been feeding our souls with that which does not satisfy, and have neglected the thing which our Heavenly Father gave us to keep us nourished—His Word.
Unlocking the Truth – Revive Our Souls
The Psalmist was apparently living this very scenario, and in Psalm 119:37 appealed to God and said, “Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, And revive me in Your ways.”
The word “vanity” in Hebrew means: evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (guile); figuratively (idolatry), uselessness (as deceptive); lying, vain.
We must ask ourselves, what do we devote much of our time looking at? What are we feeding our souls with? Is it nourishing our hearts and minds, or is it stirring our hearts to fantasy and something unpleasing to God? Is it useful for sharing with others for the benefit of lifting them up, or is it something you prefer not to be out in the open?
Let’s lift up our eyes to God in the Heavens! He sees us, and delights when we look up to Him instead. He wants to revive our souls. Hebrew meanings of “revive” are: to live, make alive, give life, nourish up, preserve, recover, repair, restore, save, be whole.
Is there any part of your life that needs to be repaired, recovered or restored? Would you like to be whole, made alive, nourished up, preserved or saved? The answer is a simple appeal to God. Psalm 119:37 is our guide,
“Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity. And revive me in Your ways.”
Study and pray the Bible verse of Psalm 119:37, and know that He will answer.
