Your word is a lamp for my feet

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." (Psalm 119:105)

I have been reading Psalm 119 for the last couple of days. It is the longest chapter of the entire Bible - containing 176 verses. According to this commentary, the entire psalm "is divided into twenty-two parts or stanzas, denoted by the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet (Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth... like A, B, C, D, etc). Each stanza contains eight verses, and the first letter of each verse is that which gives name to the stanza. Its contents are mainly praises of God's Word, exhortations to its perusal, and reverence for it, prayers for its proper influence, and complaints of the wicked for despising it." It's amazing that every verse (except verses 122 and 132) contains some references to God's Word - here are some examples taken from the first 8 verses:

1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
    who walk according to the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes
    and seek him with all their heart—
3 they do no wrong
    but follow his ways.
4 You have laid down precepts
    that are to be fully obeyed.
5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast
    in obeying your decrees!
6 Then I would not be put to shame
    when I consider all your commands.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart
    as I learn your righteous laws.
8 I will obey your decrees;
    do not utterly forsake me.


So just within these 8 verses, God's Word is described as "the law of the Lord", "his statutes", "his ways", "precepts", "decrees", "commands", and "righteous laws". We are promised that blessings and benefits will follow if we are "walking according to it", "seeking and keeping it", "following it", "fully obeying it", "considering it", and "learning and praising it". I don't know about you - that's enough for a life time! But my experience has taught me that it's about the daily discipline of reading His Word, studying in more depth from time to time, memorizing some of it, and sharing my discovery with others whenever there is opportunity for it. It has become my "Daily Bread", my "devotion", my "Offering", my "love" (expressed in obedience) to my Saviour. God will use this to strengthen my faith. It's the sure way to get to know Him more. I might as well get used to it as that's how I will be spending my eternity doing it!

Verse 105 (the title of this blog) is perhaps the most famous verse in this Psalm. It compares the Word of God to a lamp which gives off light to illuminate the path we travel on. My wife and I love to do our evening walks around our neighborhood. It's a 4.5km loop through many of our favorites landmarks and scenery. As the day is getting shorter (already - it's only the end of August!) we always carry a flashlight. It serves the purpose of not only avoiding dangers on the path but also to alert cars when we cross the road. It gives us time to share what we learn from God's Word and how it relates to the events of the day. Our faith grows together. Thank God for His Word!