But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign LORD;
Psalm 141:8-9 NIV
in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.
Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers,
from the snares they have laid for me.
I enjoy hiking and backpacking out in the mountains near my home. However, it is an activity that requires me to pay close attention to my surroundings. Especially to the trail I’m following. The path is seldom smooth and straight. Rocks, roots, fallen trees, encroaching brush, and drop-offs will easily trip the inattentive hiker. And I have fallen victim to them more than once or twice. I need to keep my eyes fixed on the trail ahead to avoid the many obstacles and a potential stumble or fall.
Similarly, I need to keep my eyes fixed on the Sovereign Lord as I walk along the path he is leading me down. Sometimes, that path is smooth and easy to follow. But more often, roots and rocks are in the trail, waiting to trip me up if I am not careful. Only when my eyes are properly focused on him can I avoid all of them.
What are these roots and rocks that lie in my path? They are anything that hinders my walk with the Lord, including opposition from other people, a desire to fit in with the culture, the appeal of accumulating material possessions, and a lazy spirituality.
The psalmist calls them traps and snares set by evildoers. Who are these evildoers setting traps for us? Paul tells us that we are in a battle with spiritual forces of evil (Eph. 6:10-13). And Peter warns us that the devil seeks to devour us (1 Pet. 5:8). These spiritual beings are our enemies and delight in causing us to stumble and fall or turn off the right path. And they will use people and circumstances as traps and snares to accomplish their goal.
Only by fixing our eyes on the Lord and carefully following where he leads can we avoid all the traps and snares the enemy sets for us.
