Job 14:16 reads as follows in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures:
“But for now, you keep counting my every step; You watch only for my sin.”
Interestingly, the New American Standard version reads as such:
“For now You number my steps, You do not observe my sin.”
Looking through a number of translations, about half seem to say that God watches for our sins while the other half says God does not look for our sins.
So, what it the point here?
The point of this verse is stating that God is interested in us, he cares about what we do, thus He “numbers our steps” or takes not of our life and actions.
Since we are all sinners, and since he takes note of ALL our actions, he also will take note of our sins. It is not watching for our sins with the purpose of judging us for such, but that he takes not of what we do or do not do, good or bad.
That he does not scrutinize us to judge for sins we commit is brought out in Psalm 130:3:
“ If errors were what you watch, O Jah, Then who, O Jehovah, could stand?”
Jehovah does not look for our errors to punish us. He does take note of our actions because we are precious in his eyes. And, by those actions, we can make him glad or cause him pain.