Meditation
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
And a light unto my path.”
--Psalm 119:105
Psalm 119 is a remarkable Psalm. It is the longest Psalm. It is also an acrostic Psalm. It is broken up into twenty-four sections. Each of these twenty-four sections contain eight verses. Each of these eight verses in each section begins with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The entire Psalm brings the child of God from the first letter to the last of the Hebrew alphabet. This feature was given by the Holy Spirit to help the child of God memorize this Psalm.
Also remarkable is that this careful attention and length the Holy Spirit has devoted to the single subject of this Psalm, the law of God. The Holy Spirit has also given the Psalm to fit perfectly into the heart and the mouth of the child of God. Its many words of praise for God’s law are written for the believer to take into his heart by faith and confess with his lips.
So this verse is meant to be the wonderful confession of the child of God concerning the help that he receives from the law of his God. He blesses that law which is such a blessing to him. He praises the God who has given to him such a law for his spiritual well-being as he walks in this world of darkness.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
How he needs this light!
Without this light he is in total darkness. There is no path before him to see, no path to take. There are only slippery places where he is unable to stand or walk. There are pits for him to fall into, from which there is no escape. There are hidden snares and traps set for his destruction. Everywhere are obstacles to catch his feet, to make him trip and fall.
There is darkness that hides any kind of pathway. There is also darkness within. Within is confusion and perplexity. Within is bewilderment. So many ways and paths present themselves. So many possibilities and so many desires present themselves. There are ways to shun. There are ways to choose.
In this darkness so great one blessed light shines: “thy word.”
That word is of God. This word is the word that has come from God as the God of His people. To them He has given it in the blessed light of His grace. He has given for their profit and their advantage. Gladly they receive it, rejoicing in its light. It is His light to chase away all their shadows. It is powerful to clear away all their confusion. It is clear to illuminate all their pathway. It opens the way before their feet, for them to walk in.
This praise of God’s law as light for the individual child of God is here most practical.
It is not merely light to shine about, to chase away the darkness. It is not merely shone around to be able to see what is around. Nor is it such a light as to shine forth into the darkness, to scatter away enemies and predators. Nor is it here the kind of light that show there is nothing about to fear, giving a sense of safety.
It is light to walk by.
It is a lamp that sends its glow about the feet. The child of God is able to see exactly where his feet are. He can see them step by step, and every step of his way. Are his feet secure? Are they in safety where he goes? He is assured by the word of God that is a lamp unto his feet.
The word of God is a light to send its rays along all his path. It illuminates his path clearly, showing him all the way that he must go. It shows every danger to avoid. It shows his path from beginning to end. This light upon his path fills him with the confidence of his way. It gives him the assurance of his complete safety as he walks on it. It provides the hope of the end that he is sure to reach, eternal fellowship with the God who has blessed him with this light to be a lamp unto his feet and unto his path.
Blessed is the word of God that is “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”!
Why?
Because it graciously leads away from myself, to the God of all mercy in His Son Jesus Christ. It keeps me from the hidden snares of proud self-righteousness laid by Satan. It keeps me from self-smugness and self-satisfaction, taking me to the grace of God I so desperately need. I am kept from wandering into paths of the praise of men or the fear of man. The light of His word leads me to the only safety, the gracious acceptance of God by His Son Jesus Christ.
His word is the light that brings me to my Saviour, who is the light of the world. It brings me to Him who is the light for my darkness, the sight for my blindness, the wisdom for my folly, the straight path for my confusion. The grace of the law is that it leads me clearly to the Light who is the end of the law.
In Him who is the light of the world the word of God is the blessed light to show me the way of gratitude. It is the lamp unto my feet and the light unto my path to walk in the right worship of God. It leads my feet to His gracious presence who is the true God, clearly distinguished from all idols. It shows me how to worship Him in the way that is pleasing to Him, glorifying His name and keeping His Sabbath. It shows me how to walk humbly with Him, to love Him in loving my neighbour as myself. His Word keeps me from walking in ways of proud arrogance and hypocrisy.
The word of God is “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,” to lead me to the glory of my heavenly home. It is filled with a multitude of precious promises making clear my eternal destiny. It tells me of that home and its glory as appointed me from before the foundation of the world. It tells me of my perfect conformance there to the image of God revealed in His holy law. It tells me that I shall be made like Him, for I shall see Him as He is. The word of God is also “a lamp unto my feet” to assure me that my way certainly leads there. It has its promises of perseverance certain and sure, of a walk that safely and surely guides my feet through all dangers, toils, and snares to my everlasting rest.
So does this testimony of praise ring true. From the word of God to the hearts of all God’s people, and back from their mouths to the praise of their God must it be declared and proclaimed.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
And a light unto my path.”
--Psalm 119:105
Psalm 119 is a remarkable Psalm. It is the longest Psalm. It is also an acrostic Psalm. It is broken up into twenty-four sections. Each of these twenty-four sections contain eight verses. Each of these eight verses in each section begins with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The entire Psalm brings the child of God from the first letter to the last of the Hebrew alphabet. This feature was given by the Holy Spirit to help the child of God memorize this Psalm.
Also remarkable is that this careful attention and length the Holy Spirit has devoted to the single subject of this Psalm, the law of God. The Holy Spirit has also given the Psalm to fit perfectly into the heart and the mouth of the child of God. Its many words of praise for God’s law are written for the believer to take into his heart by faith and confess with his lips.
So this verse is meant to be the wonderful confession of the child of God concerning the help that he receives from the law of his God. He blesses that law which is such a blessing to him. He praises the God who has given to him such a law for his spiritual well-being as he walks in this world of darkness.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
How he needs this light!
Without this light he is in total darkness. There is no path before him to see, no path to take. There are only slippery places where he is unable to stand or walk. There are pits for him to fall into, from which there is no escape. There are hidden snares and traps set for his destruction. Everywhere are obstacles to catch his feet, to make him trip and fall.
There is darkness that hides any kind of pathway. There is also darkness within. Within is confusion and perplexity. Within is bewilderment. So many ways and paths present themselves. So many possibilities and so many desires present themselves. There are ways to shun. There are ways to choose.
In this darkness so great one blessed light shines: “thy word.”
That word is of God. This word is the word that has come from God as the God of His people. To them He has given it in the blessed light of His grace. He has given for their profit and their advantage. Gladly they receive it, rejoicing in its light. It is His light to chase away all their shadows. It is powerful to clear away all their confusion. It is clear to illuminate all their pathway. It opens the way before their feet, for them to walk in.
This praise of God’s law as light for the individual child of God is here most practical.
It is not merely light to shine about, to chase away the darkness. It is not merely shone around to be able to see what is around. Nor is it such a light as to shine forth into the darkness, to scatter away enemies and predators. Nor is it here the kind of light that show there is nothing about to fear, giving a sense of safety.
It is light to walk by.
It is a lamp that sends its glow about the feet. The child of God is able to see exactly where his feet are. He can see them step by step, and every step of his way. Are his feet secure? Are they in safety where he goes? He is assured by the word of God that is a lamp unto his feet.
The word of God is a light to send its rays along all his path. It illuminates his path clearly, showing him all the way that he must go. It shows every danger to avoid. It shows his path from beginning to end. This light upon his path fills him with the confidence of his way. It gives him the assurance of his complete safety as he walks on it. It provides the hope of the end that he is sure to reach, eternal fellowship with the God who has blessed him with this light to be a lamp unto his feet and unto his path.
Blessed is the word of God that is “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”!
Why?
Because it graciously leads away from myself, to the God of all mercy in His Son Jesus Christ. It keeps me from the hidden snares of proud self-righteousness laid by Satan. It keeps me from self-smugness and self-satisfaction, taking me to the grace of God I so desperately need. I am kept from wandering into paths of the praise of men or the fear of man. The light of His word leads me to the only safety, the gracious acceptance of God by His Son Jesus Christ.
His word is the light that brings me to my Saviour, who is the light of the world. It brings me to Him who is the light for my darkness, the sight for my blindness, the wisdom for my folly, the straight path for my confusion. The grace of the law is that it leads me clearly to the Light who is the end of the law.
In Him who is the light of the world the word of God is the blessed light to show me the way of gratitude. It is the lamp unto my feet and the light unto my path to walk in the right worship of God. It leads my feet to His gracious presence who is the true God, clearly distinguished from all idols. It shows me how to worship Him in the way that is pleasing to Him, glorifying His name and keeping His Sabbath. It shows me how to walk humbly with Him, to love Him in loving my neighbour as myself. His Word keeps me from walking in ways of proud arrogance and hypocrisy.
The word of God is “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,” to lead me to the glory of my heavenly home. It is filled with a multitude of precious promises making clear my eternal destiny. It tells me of that home and its glory as appointed me from before the foundation of the world. It tells me of my perfect conformance there to the image of God revealed in His holy law. It tells me that I shall be made like Him, for I shall see Him as He is. The word of God is also “a lamp unto my feet” to assure me that my way certainly leads there. It has its promises of perseverance certain and sure, of a walk that safely and surely guides my feet through all dangers, toils, and snares to my everlasting rest.
So does this testimony of praise ring true. From the word of God to the hearts of all God’s people, and back from their mouths to the praise of their God must it be declared and proclaimed.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”