Reflections on Psalm 119:3

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They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. - Psalm 119:3

As verse three continues to explain what a blessed life looks like, the psalmist writes that a blessed person does no iniquity.

Being given over to sin is the opposite of a blessing. Sin is death. Sin is condemnable, but sin also contains within it the beginning of the punishment for the sin. Doing the sin is the beginning of the condemnation because sin also effects the sinner. To sin is to turn away from life.

One of the central ways that God blesses us is by changing our desires away from sin. When we are under the blessing of God, our desires begin to reject sin. We no longer find ourselves slaves to sin, no longer slaves to death, but instead we are slaves to life, slaves to righteousness. Our new desires for for truth, for beauty, for goodness, for Jesus, expel our old desires for sin.

Doing what right is, in itself a blessing, because doing what is right is a description of living. But notice what else it is, those that are blessed, do not sin. Instead they walk in God’s ways. They follow after God. The opposite of sin is to walk in God’s ways. Those that do not sin are the ones that do the kind of things that God does. They follow after God.They imitate him. They do what God would do.

The law is a description of life because it is a description of the living God. God gives us the law so that we can be like him. He tells us what he is like, he tells us the shape of his life by giving us the law. That is why Jesus and the scriptures are both called the Word of God. And when Jesus comes he is called the Word dwelling among us. The law is given as a description of Jesus before he comes. The law is a description of the life of God, and Jesus is the full revelation of God. If you want to be like God, then follow the law Follow Jesus.. If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. Jesus always did what was right. He was the most alive. In fact, he had never sinned, so he was so alive that, when he was crucified, he came back from the dead. Death could not hold that much life without being burst at the seams. The grave could not hold one so full of living with out being overcome.

Turn from sin. It is death.

Walk in Jesus’ way. Take ups your cross and follow him. It is life.