Worthless Things

Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. (Psalm 119:35-37, ESV)

The Hebrew word (shawv) means "emptiness, vanity, falsehood; nothingness,emptiness of speech, lying; worthlessness (of conduct)," but is taken from a root word meaning "ravage; devastation, ruin, waste." "Turn away" is used in the sense of alienation.

Alienate my eyes from emptiness and vanity.

How many times do worthless things in our lives turn our eyes from God? I could make quite a long list of worthless things that distract my attention from Christ.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Lay aside every weight. Not some -- not a few -- every weight and sin which clings so closely.

Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. (2 Timothy 2:3)