Order My Steps

The ladies ministry at our church has a challenge this year at our winter event in January of memorizing a verse selection each month. I am writing devotionals for each one, so I wanted to share here. Those who attended our event received each month’s verse on a card. I had designed them specifically for the event but will share with you too!

Psalm 119:133 “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.”

Background: The book of Psalms is an “irreplaceable devotional guide, prayer book, and hymnal of the people of God” (W. Wiersbe). Psalm 119 is the longest psalm (and chapter of the Bible) with every verse emphasizing the importance and practical use of the Word of God using words such as law, precept, statute, commandment, judgement, word, and promise.

David, the writer of this psalm, asks the Lord for two things: 1) to order (to firmly establish or fix) his steps in God’s Word, and 2) to not let iniquity (sin) have dominion (power) over him.

It implies that sin can have control over our lives. The power sin holds over our lives cannot be broken with our own strength, yet we know it should not reign in our lives (Romans 6:12-16). Even someone with a close walk with the Lord can allow sin to slowly grow until their spiritual life begins to suffer (missing church, put off Bible reading and prayer, etc).

The solution to being free from sin simply resides in the first phrase, “order my steps in Thy Word.” Often people let other things other than the Word of God direct their steps – friends, feelings, comfort, or circumstances – the list can go on, but to restrain sin’s grip on us, the Lord must establish our daily lives through His Word.

The power of Light (i.e., Jesus Christ, John 8:12) is stronger than the power of darkness. Obedience to God’s Word will keep us from being a slave to sin, and love in our hearts for our Lord and Savior will give us the desire to obey His commandments.

Jesus Christ came to free us from the bondage of sin. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, “We can overcome sin in the power of the Lord….Sin is strong, but grace is stronger. Satan is wise, but God is all-wise. The Lord is on our side.”

January’s memory verse is a good prayer to offer each morning, “Lord, order my steps in Thy Word today. Please keep sin from having control over my life.”

Cross references: Psalm 19:13; Romans 6:12-14; Romans 7:23-24

Iniquity – sin; dominion – have control over