Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it.
Psalm 119:35

As Christians, we can delight in the ways of God and yet find that, left to ourselves, we will fail miserably in our pursuit of those ways.

The great Puritan commentator on Psalm 119, Thomas Manton, wrote, ‘David, in the former verses, had begged for light, now for strength to walk according to this light.’¹

Spurgeon says it this way: “To will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”²

When God calls us to be His children, He also calls us to perform the works that are consistent with our profession (Ephesians 2:10). That is, to walk in path of God’s commandments. This is not a new path. Rather, it is the one that God established long ago.

Thus says the LORD, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”
Jeremiah 6:16

The Scriptures remind us over and over again, that the only way to walk on the ancient path is to pursue it with all our heart, and trust that God will accomplish His work in our lives.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
Philippians 2:12–13

A right perspective on this issue is paramount. This is not a “let go and let God” theology. The psalmist clearly delights in the ways of God and is determined to walk in the ways of God. The psalmist does not confuse works with grace in relation to his salvation. He understands that works simply accompany salvation. After all, the grace that saves us also sanctifies us.

The result of balanced thinking is that we will delight in the ways of God and pursue them with all our heart. We also constantly pray that God will accomplish His eternal work in our lives, which is necessary for us to walk in His ways.

¹ Boice, J. M. (2005). Psalms 107–150: An Expositional Commentary (p. 992). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
² Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The Treasury of David: Psalms 111-119 (Vol. 5, p. 209). London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers.