Remove me from the path of deceit.
Psalm 119:29-30 NET
Graciously give me your law.
I choose the path of faithfulness;
I am committed to your regulations.
The psalmist here describes two different paths that we might take. These paths are not literally trails through a forest. They describe different routes we can take through life. These two paths are the path of deceit and the path of faithfulness.
These paths resemble Jesus’ parable of the two gates in Matthew 7:13-14. The path of deceit is easy to travel down. But its end is destruction and ruin. The path of faithfulness, on the other hand, can be challenging. But it is the path that leads to life.
There are many paths a person might take in life that could be labeled the path of deceit. The path of deceit is chasing after a lie. The lie that having just a little more will make you happy. Or the lie that success in life is based on what you have or your influence. Or even the lie that if you do and say all the right things, God will be happy with you.
The path of faithfulness is the path of obedience to God, the path that ends in eternal life. This can be a lonely path since most people choose the path of deceit instead. And it can be a hard path to travel, a path of self-denial and suffering.
The instruction God gives us in the Bible can help us turn from the path of deceit and follow the path of faithfulness instead. Commit yourself to living a life of obedience to his instruction. Even when obedience is hard. When it puts you at odds with the world around you. And even when other paths appear more appealing.
