Psalms 119:3
They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.
Original Language Analysis
אַ֭ף
H637
אַ֭ף
Strong's:
H637
Word #:
1 of 6
meaning accession (used as an adverb or conjunction); also or yea; adversatively though
לֹֽא
H3808
לֹֽא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
2 of 6
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
פָעֲל֣וּ
They also do
H6466
פָעֲל֣וּ
They also do
Strong's:
H6466
Word #:
3 of 6
to do or make (systematically and habitually), especially to practise
Historical Context
Psalm 119, the longest psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible (176 verses), is an elaborate acrostic poem where each eight-verse section corresponds to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Written likely during or after the Babylonian exile, it reflects intense devotion to Torah when the temple was destroyed and God's written Word became Israel's primary means of knowing Him. The psalm uses eight synonyms for God's Word throughout (law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments, word, promise), demonstrating comprehensive reverence for divine revelation.
Questions for Reflection
- How does your pursuit of righteousness balance both 'doing no iniquity' and actively 'walking in His ways'?
- In what ways might modern believers emphasize avoiding sin while neglecting the positive pursuit of God's paths, or vice versa?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
They also do no iniquity (לֹא־פָעֲלוּ עַוְלָה)—the Hebrew עַוְלָה (avlah, 'iniquity') denotes perversion, moral crookedness, or deviation from the straight path. The psalmist describes the positive characteristic of those who keep God's testimonies (v. 2): they actively avoid twisted behavior. The verb פָעַל (pa'al, 'do') emphasizes that righteousness is not passive—these faithful ones actively do not practice unrighteousness.
They walk in his ways (בִּדְרָכָיו הָלָכוּ)—halak (הָלַךְ, 'to walk') is the fundamental Hebrew metaphor for lifestyle and conduct. God's 'ways' (derekh, דֶּרֶךְ) are His ordained paths of covenant obedience. This verse establishes the essential connection between negative righteousness (avoiding evil) and positive righteousness (actively pursuing God's paths). As Jesus would later teach, the house swept clean but left empty invites worse demons (Matthew 12:43-45)—true holiness requires both forsaking sin and embracing obedience.