Psalms 119:133
Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The request is not just for steady steps, but for them to be "ordered" or "made firm" by God's word. This means we're asking for more than just avoiding stumbles; we're asking for our actions to be fundamentally shaped and established by God's truth, so that sin truly loses its power over us.
The psalmist has been meditating on God's perfect law, finding it a source of wonder and life. Now, in the face of daily temptations and the pressures of the world, he cries out for God's strength to walk faithfully. This prayer for steadfastness and deliverance from sin's rule immediately precedes his plea for rescue from oppressive enemies, showing that inner victory over sin is the foundation for facing external challenges.
Ever feel like you're just stumbling through life, unsure of your next move? This verse offers a powerful prayer for stability.
The Psalmist isn't just asking for random direction; he's asking God to make his steps firm according to God's promise. This isn't about us having perfect self-control, but about God's faithfulness to establish us. The 'word' here refers to God's revealed truth, His promises and commands.
The Word as Our Foundation
When we align our lives with God's Word, it becomes the bedrock for our actions. It means living by His principles, trusting His guidance, and acting in accordance with His will. This isn't a passive request; it's an active plea for God's power to shape our walk.
We all battle against wrong desires and actions. This verse reveals a deep spiritual warfare the Psalmist prayed against.
The second half of the verse is a passionate plea: 'let no iniquity have dominion over me.' 'Dominion' implies ruling, mastering, or having control. The Psalmist isn't just asking to avoid committing sin, but to prevent sin from ruling him.
Sin's Threat to Our Hearts
Iniquity isn't just an external temptation; it's an internal corruption that seeks to enslave us. It wants to be the 'sultan' of our lives, dictating our thoughts, words, and deeds. The danger is not just an occasional slip, but a settled reign of sin within the heart, where God alone should rule.
Understand the original words
imrah · Hebrew Noun
A declaration or statement made by God that is binding and trustworthy, serving as the basis for the believer's hope, assurance, and confidence in His character.
aven · Hebrew Noun
Often translated as 'wickedness' or 'perversity,' it refers to moral deviation, crookedness, or the active breaking of God's law.
mashal · Hebrew Verb
The act of ruling, governing, or exercising power over another; in a spiritual sense, it refers to the control that sin or evil may seek to exert over a person's heart and life.
This passage echoes the Psalmist's humble acknowledgment that human plans are insufficient, reinforcing the prayer for divine direction in one's steps.
Romans 6:14This New Testament promise directly assures believers that sin should not have dominion over them, directly answering the second half of the prayer in Psalm 119:133.
Philippians 4:6-7This passage shows that bringing requests to God, similar to the prayer for steady steps, leads to a peace that guards the heart, connecting the action of prayer with a desired outcome.
Psalm 19:13This verse is a parallel prayer within the same psalm, asking for deliverance from 'presumptuous sins' which aligns with the plea against iniquity having dominion.
cambridgePsalms 119:133: "Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me."
133 . Direct my footsteps, or, make my footsteps firm, in or by thy word, and so let no iniquity have dominion over me , through stress either of temptation from within, or of trial from without. Iniquity or vanity is a comprehensive term for sin as moral worthlessness or antagonism to God; it is the very opposite of that law which is truth.
pulpitPsalms 119:133: "Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me."
Verse 133. - Order my steps in thy Word; perhaps rather, establish my steps by thy Word (comp. Psalm 40:2). And let not any iniquity (i.e., any wicked persons) have dominion over me. The prayer is not for deliverance from internal corruption, but from the external oppression of enemies (see the next verse).
The request is not just for steady steps, but for them to be "ordered" or "made firm" by God's word. This means we're asking for more than just avoiding stumbles; we're asking for our actions to be fundamentally shaped and established by God's truth, so that sin truly loses its power over us.
The psalmist has been meditating on God's perfect law, finding it a source of wonder and life. Now, in the face of daily temptations and the pressures of the world, he cries out for God's strength to walk faithfully. This prayer for steadfastness and deliverance from sin's rule immediately precedes his plea for rescue from oppressive enemies, showing that inner victory over sin is the foundation for facing external challenges.
The psalmist has been meditating on God's perfect law, finding it a source of wonder and life. Now, in the face of daily temptations and the pressures of the world, he cries out for God's strength to walk faithfully. This prayer for steadfastness and deliverance from sin's rule immediately precedes his plea for rescue from oppressive enemies, showing that inner victory over sin is the foundation for facing external challenges.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Psalms 119:133 is available in the Sola app.
"Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me." — The request is not just for steady steps, but for them to be "ordered" or "made firm" by God's word. This means we're asking for more than just avoiding stumbles; we're asking for our actions to be…
