Psalms 119:3
in Psalms 119They do no iniquity; they walk in His ways.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Yea, they do no unrighteousness; They walk in his ways.
KJV
They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.
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This verse in Psalms 119
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Blessed are those whose way is blameless
on Psalms 119:1-8
Seven names for the word stand in these eight verses: law, testimonies, ways, precepts, statutes, commandments and judgments. The psalm opens on Blessed, as Psalm 1:1 does. Verse 8 closes on a plea that God not utterly forsake him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
It is written, and is read, and is true, in this Psalm, that "They who do wickedness, walk not in His ways" (ver. 3). But we must endeavour, with the help of God, "in" whose "hand are both we and our words," that what is rightly said, by not being rightly understood, may not confuse the reader or hearer. For we must beware, lest all the Saints, whose words these are, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us;" may either not be thought to walk in the ways of the Lord, since sin is wickedness, and "they who do wickedness, walk not in His ways;" or, because it is not doubtful that they walk in the ways of the Lord, may be thought to have no sin, which is beyond doubt false. For it is not said merely for the sake of avoiding arrogance and pride. Otherwise it would not be added, "And the truth is not in us;" but it would be said, Humility is not in us: especially because the following words throw a clearer light on the meaning, and remove all the causes of doubt. For when the blessed John had said this, he added, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." ...
He then goeth on to say, "For they who do wickedness, shall not walk in His ways" (ver. 3). And yet we know that the workers of wickedness do search the testimonies of the Lord for this reason, that they prefer being learned to being righteous: we know that others also search the testimonies of the Lord, not because they are already living well, but that they may know how they ought to live. Such then do not as yet walk undefiled in the law of the Lord, and for this reason are not as yet blessed. ...
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Or his testimonies may denote his covenant; the ark of the covenant is called the ark of the testimony. Those do not keep covenant with God who do not keep the commandments of God. Who have a single eye to God as their chief good and highest end in all they do in religion (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
): They do no iniquity; they do not allow themselves in any sin; they do not commit it as those do who are the servants of sin; they do not make a practice of it, do not make a trade of it. They are conscious to themselves of much iniquity that clogs them in the ways of God, but not of that iniquity which draws them out of those ways.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
They also do no iniquity,....
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
They also do no iniquity. Blessed indeed would those men be of whom this could be asserted without reserve and without explanation: we shall have reached the region of pure blessedness when we altogether cease from sin. Those who follow the word of God do no iniquity, the rule is perfect, and if it be constantly followed no fault will arise.
They also do no iniquity. Blessed indeed would those men be of whom this could be asserted without reserve and without explanation: we shall have reached the region of pure blessedness when we altogether cease from sin. Those who follow the word of God do no iniquity, the rule is perfect, and if it be constantly followed no fault will arise. Life, to the outward observer, at any rate, lies much in doing, and he who in his doings never swerves from equity, both towards God and man, has hit upon the way of perfection, and we may be sure that his heart is right. See how a whole heart leads to the avoidance of evil, for the Psalmist says, "That seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity." We fear that no man can claim to be absolutely without sin, and yet we trust there are many who do not designedly, wilfully, knowingly, and continuously do anything that is wicked, ungodly, or unjust. Grace keeps the life righteous as to act even when the Christian has to bemoan the transgressions of the heart. Judged as men should be judged by their fellows, according to such just rules as men make for men, the true people of God do no iniquity: they are honest, upright, and chaste, and touching justice and morality they are blameless. Therefore are they happy. They walk in his ways. They attend not only to the great main highway of the law, but to the smaller paths of the particular precepts. As they will perpetrate no sin of commission, so do they labour to be free from every sin of omission. It is not enough to them to be blameless, they wish also to be actively righteous. A hermit may escape into solitude that he may do no iniquity, but a saint lives in society that he may serve his God by walking in his ways.
They also do no iniquity - They avoid all idolatry, injustice, and wrong; and they walk in God’s ways, not in those ways to which an evil heart might entice them, nor those in which the thoughtless and the profligate tread.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
They also do no iniquity - See the notes at 1Jn 3:9. The meaning is, that they are righteous; their character is that they do that which is right. It cannot mean that all persons who are religious are actually and absolutely perfect - for no man would hold this opinion; no one does hold it. It is general language such as is commonly used to describe an upright or righteous man. The declaration is true of all who are the friends of God - or, who are truly; religious - in the following senses: (1) That they are habitually and characteristically righteous; (2) That they intend to do right - for a man who deliberately purposes to do wrong - to lead a life of sin and disobedience, cannot be a pious man. (3) That when they do err, it is not the result of intention, or the design of their life, but because they are tempted; are overcome with passion; are led by the power of their native corruption of heart to act contrary to their better judgment and their true character. See Rom 7:14-17. On the other hand, it is true that a man who is not characteristically righteous; who is not an upright man in his dealings; who is not true, and honest, and temperate, and just, and benevolent, cannot be a child of God and heir of heaven. No exactness of orthodoxy, and no fervour of emotion, and no zeal in the cause of religion, can constitute true piety without this. They walk in his ways - Habitually; constantly; characteristically. They are not merely honest, upright, and just in their dealings with men, but they walk in the ways of God; they are religious.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַ֭ף | ʾaf | also | H637 → | 134 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| פָעֲל֣וּ | faalu | they do | H6466 → | 57 times |
| עַוְלָ֑ה | ʾavlah | injustice | H5766 → | 54 times |
| בִּדְרָכָ֥יו | bidrakhav | in ways his | H1870 → | 707 times |
| הָלָֽכוּ׃ | halakhu | they walk | H1980 → | 1546 times |
אַ֭ףalso
ʾafH637 →134 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
פָעֲל֣וּthey do
faaluH6466 →57 times
עַוְלָ֑הinjustice
ʾavlahH5766 →54 times
בִּדְרָכָ֥יוin ways his
bidrakhavH1870 →707 times
הָלָֽכוּ׃they walk
halakhuH1980 →1546 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 John 3:9Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
it leads to
- 1 John 5:1
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 5:18
We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him.
- 1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
- John 1:13
children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.
- 1 John 2:29
If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.
- 1 John 5:1
Through
1 John 5:18We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him.
it leads to
- 1 John 3:9
Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
- 1 John 5:4
because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.
- Jude 1:24
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—
- 1 John 3:9
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 119; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 6; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
