Pensée juive sur Les Psaumes 119:59

We read in Vayikra Rabbah 35, "what is the meaning of the verse in Psalms 119,59, "I concentrated on my path, but I returned my feet to Your statutes?" David said facing G'd: "though I had planned certain activities, saying that I would go to such and such a place, I found myself winding up going to synagogues and houses devoted to Torah study." Rabbi Hunna said in the name of Rabbi Chiyah: "as soon as I consider the rewards for performing mitzvot and contrast them with the loss incurred when committing a transgression, I turn my feet towards Your statutes." Rabbi Menachem, son-in-law of Rabbi Eleazar, said: "When I consider the rewards offered for observing the commandments of the Torah in this portion of the Torah, and I contrast them with the penalties threatened for non observance, I turn my feet toward Your statutes." Rabbi Chiyah in the name of Rabbi Yochanan said: "I consider the list of blessings and the list of curses. The blessings range throughout the letters of the aleph bet, whereas the curses commence with the letter vav and continue to the letter heh. Not only do the curses appear in the reverse order, but the message is that if we but deserve it, the curses will also be converted into blessings. This is the meaning of the words "if you will walk in My statutes."

On making a personal accounting of one's duties to G-d
The author says: Since our previous discussion dealt with the essentials of repentance and its conditions, and making a spiritual accounting was one of those conditions, I saw proper to follow with a clarification of the matter of making an accounting with oneself, because this contains matters to arouse oneself for things beneficial in both worlds, as David, peace be unto him, said: "I reflected on my ways, and turned my feet unto Your testimonies" (Tehilim 119:59).

As David said: "to do your will, O G-d, I desired" (Tehilim 40:9), and one should imagine to scrutinize himself with the analogy I preceded at the beginning of this way regarding speaking with a (human) king, and that he should ever keep this on his mind - then he will find zeal in his limbs for the acts of service, with G-d's help, as we introduced from the words of David "I considered my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies, I made haste, and delayed not, to observe Your commandments" (Tehilim 119:59).