How is God's Word a lamp to my feet (Psalm 119:105)?

But you will remember that in the same verse from which I have already quoted, the word of God is compared to a light as well as to a lamp. The verse reads, "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps. 119:105). You will observe that the lamp is useful for the feet, while the light shines upon the path. For the word of God not only supplies direction for your next step, but also the principles which should govern your conduct generally. The light shines on the way ahead of you.

Now in a spiritual way the word of God is said to be a lamp to the feet (Psalm 119:105), and if you neglect to make use of its light you will stumble woefully. But there is no reason why a Christian should take a single step in the dark. The Lord Jesus said, "I am the light of the world: he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). And it is by His word that the Lord affords you direction how and when to take the next step.

We have an instance of this guidance by the word of God in the case of the Jewish exiles who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. The people desired Ezra the scribe to read aloud to them from the book of the law that they might learn what the will of God was (Neh. 8:1). They found therein that they were commanded to keep the feast of tabernacles just at that time of the year (Neh. 8:14). The commandment of the Lord shone as a lamp for their feet (Prov. 6:23); and the people at once obeyed His word.

The word of God gives you a sort of bird'seye-view of the path before you. Its light shows you what to do, as well as what not to do; what to follow as well as what to shun. This is helpful for it tells you what is expected of you daily.

(v. 105) In the last section the Word filled the heart; in this it is acknowledged as a guide to the feet; and not only does the Word keep the feet from evil, but it marks out a path for the saint through this world.

The believer does not walk in darkness because he has God's Word as a lamp to his feet and a light to his path (v. 105). A lamp is a confined light, and this is applied to the details of his waLuke The light is for all his path, so that the believer is well provided for. Verse 106 however, is not the language of a believer today, as it will no doubt be in the millennium. Yet it does represent the purpose of heart that should characterize every believer. Though "afflicted very much" (v.107), this is no deterrent, but a means of stirring the believer to desire genuine reviving in consistency with the Word of God. And he is moved to pray that God will accept the freewill offerings of his mouth. Is there any doubt that such a prayer will be answered? Indeed, it is accompanied by the desire that God would teach him His judgments. Of course, God will answer this too.

191 It is remarkable to how many things the word applies. In the last section the heart and affections were engaged in it for its own sake, leading to wisdom. Now it is a guide to our path through the world in which we walk, a very different service. It "is a lantern to my feet and a light to my path." This it is. It is the means of a right walk, not merely because it sets the heart right, but as casting light on this world; yet not merely light on this world, such as it is, but on our path through it. So Christ does not merely detect by practical righteousness, but he that follows Him has the light of life. It shews the path of the law, to us of divine life, through the world. But withal it never loses the character of obedience; here of course in Jewish form: "I have sworn and will perform it: I will keep thy righteous judgments"; yet here, I think, with a decided moral estimate of their character in contrast with man and the world. It is not testimonies here, which is for oneself; righteous judgments are the contrast of God's ways and man's ways.

We have first the steadfast purpose of heart which underlies all true obedience. And this is based upon the consciousness of what the Word is, — a light shining amid the darkness of the world, and which reveals the footpath, sure if narrow, through it. The path is not dark, if the world is; and the wayfarer resolvedly undertakes it: he will keep the judgments of righteousness, the decisions of God as to good and evil which largely (but not wholly) define his way.

We may be assured there will never come a day in the history of the Church on earth, however dark and difficult, when there will be no light in God's Word to guide the believer who desires to walk in the path of obedience. Through ignorance or self-will we may miss the path, through lack of devotedness we may be indifferent to it, for want of faith we may shrink from it, but none the less light for the path is there for those who seek it and desire to walk in obedience to the Word.

The idea of giving direction is seen at once in this well known verse: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” We all realise that we need help and direction in our Christian life and walk day by day. How do we get this help and direction? Only through the Word of God.

We are instructed elsewhere that the whole of the Bible is a lamp to our feet (Ps. 119:105). We do well to put this into practice — that is, to honestly turn to God’s Word and seek His instruction and guidance as found therein, and to do so on a daily basis and in every situation.