![]() I think of all the hours I have wasted watching mindless TV shows or envying those who have "stuff" that I desire. Yet, as I reflect upon Psalm 101:3, I am challenged by the notion of not setting before my eyes that which is worthless. Most of us know not to gaze upon evil that might tempt us to sin, though we may at times focus our eyes wrongly upon that for which we have lustful feelings or unseemly desires. Rather, he is saying that he will not look with approval or with desire or with envy upon that which might turn his heart away from the Lord and his ways. What are these things? The NIV refers to "anything that is vile." The ESV prefers, "anything that is worthless." The Hebrew word lying beneath these translations is beliyya‘al, which has a basic meaning of "worthlessness" and a derived meaning of "baseness, wickedness." In saying that he will not look upon a thing of beliyya‘al, the psalm writer is not meaning he will turn his eyes away from injustice and ignore evil that needs to be seen and opposed. The first part of this verse reads in the NIV: "I will not look with approval on anything that is vile." The Hebrew for this sentence reads more literally, "I will not set before my eyes a thing that is wicked or worthless." The phrase "to set before ones eyes" can mean "to look with approval," but it also has a more obvious sense of, "to choose to look at." The psalmist promises to avert his eyes from things he ought not to be gazing upon. Psalm 101:3 urges us to protect our eyes metaphorically. My eyes are precious and I don't want anything to injure them. My safety goggles guard my eyes from bits of sawdust or slivers of metal that might cause harm when I'm sawing or sanding. Sometimes when I am out working in my shop, I put on protective eyewear. I hate what faithless people do I will have no part in it. ![]() ![]() I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. ![]() Learning From the Psalms How to Pray Through Your Work.Beyond Rank and Power: What Philemon Tells Us About Leadership.Evangelism - Sharing the Gospel at Work.10 Key Points About Work in the Bible Every Christian Should Know. ![]()
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