The Psalms used to be the Christian’s love songs- ballads of the people of God. They once were so widely sung that non-church goers knew them, even though they didn’t know which Psalms they were. In all the churches of a time well past the Psalms were memorized. Each believer has a favorite or two, or three. We delight in and find comfort and strength in the identification and wide range of emotions they represent. By far, one of the most beneficial Psalms also happens to be the longest – Psalm 119. This Psalm is arranged according to the Hebrew alphabet, and each letter contains eight repetitions. Back in the early 18 th century, the father of Matthew Henry required both he and his sister to take a verse of Psalm 119 each morning and meditate on it. Take their time and see what God was saying to them through that verse. By the time they were through with the Psalm, 176 days would have passed. Philip Henry then told his children to go back and begin a second time following the same procedure. His belief as to the outcome was, ” that it will bring you to be in love with all the rest of the Scriptures.” Wouldn’t that be something to see in the lives of born again believers today!
The 105 th verse states: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. ” The Psalmist, whom I believe to be David, said that the Word of God is a lamp and a light. He did not say that it is like a lamp and a light! The Word of God gives direction to our lives as nothing else can. It is similar to the atlas that is taken or the computer printout when a trip is planned to places that we have never been before. We read and follow it so that we will not take many extra hours to get to our destination, or get turned around and wind up in some other place. For every wrong turn we have taken in the Christian life, the lamp stood ever ready to keep before us the right path to take. Did you ever wonder what the “.way to escape.” of I Corinthians 10:13, was? It was, and still is the lamp, the Word of God applied to your temptation, questions, or circumstance. The lamp of the Psalmist illuminated the path alone, with its rocks, and holes, and roots. It provided just enough light to side step many dangers, but keeps him on the path and away from unknown dangers. I learned to ride motorcycles in the deserts of California . On one particular night we decided to ride up into the hills and back down again. It was pitch black, with only a quarter moon to give us light. None of our trail bikes had lights on them. I couldn’t figure how we could see anything once we got in amongst the trees and shrub bushes, but the moon lit the trail. We rode and rode for hours and made our way back to the campsite. It was a thrilling adventure to experience, one I have never forgotten. Next morning, our leader decided to take us back along the same route for us to see what we rode on. The sun illuminated everything. We had ridden along some of the most treacherous area of the region. There were numerous rims, with steep drop offs of hundreds of feet. There were large rocks that would have torn up our bikes had we gone off the trail as well as small brush that would have flattened our tires in a second. The light we had wasn’t very much that night, but it was totally sufficient to show us the path. As long as we stayed on the trail that the light illuminated, we were safe.
You already know the application don’t you? If you would use your lamp in all things, and follow the instructions from that lamp, you will be safe, and in God’s will. You don’t have to know all things, experience all things, or see all things to make it through. You need merely God’s Word, the lamp before your next step and the light before His will for your life. Use your lamp!
