Psalm 119:105-112 - A Lamp to Our Feet

Psalm 119:105-112

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
¹⁰⁶ I have sworn and I will confirm it,
That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.
¹⁰⁷ I am exceedingly afflicted;

Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word.
¹⁰⁸ O accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord,
And teach me Your ordinances.
¹⁰⁹ My life is continually in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.
¹¹⁰ The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet I have not gone astray from Your precepts.
¹¹¹ I have inherited Your testimonies forever,
For they are the joy of my heart.
¹¹² I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, even to the end.

Message: A lamp to our feet

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

I am reminded always of Amy Grant's song, "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path. Nothing will I fear, as long as you are near. You are right beside me." Its a fitting verse for this passage, reminding me that the intent of God's word is to give me a personal lamp and then to light my path. As I walk, I can continue to trust Him (v. 105).

As I walk on the path I will keep Your righteous ordinances (v. 106). This is important. This is my pledge to God that he lights and I walk according to his ways. Keep training and those near me to walk in this manner.

The Psalmist writes in v. 107 that he is greatly afflicted. This could be pain and suffering and it could be something affecting his health. Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word. I am revived according to God's word. It keeps me in check. The Word of God encourages me and and revives me, pulling me up from the state of affliction. 

Verse 108 says O accept the freewill offerings of my mouth. Every week, they take up an offering at church. It is an opportunity to take that which is mine and offer it to the Lord for his service. In the way, my mouth can do this as I offer glory, praise, adoration, thanksgiving to God. And once again, the verse says And teach me Your ordinances. Verse 106 says I will keep your ordinance and now it says to teach me. The ordinances of God are always to be on my mind. 

My life is continually in my hand as it reads in verse 109 which means my life is constantly in danger. The Psalmist writes that the reality is his life is in danger. I tend to just coast along and don't see life as being in danger, and yet it is. I am can be at any moment be swept away. Yet I do not forget Your law, so God's word is always on my mind. 

And in verse 110, the wicked have laid a snare for me, The world is laying a snare for me, trying to get me off course, trying to trap me, trying to bring me down. Yet I have not gone astray from Your precepts. This is a message that just keeps getting repeated. His precepts are near and I'm committed to staying close to them. He continues in verse 111 with I have inherited Your testimonies forever, God's testimonies of things that he has done remind me continually. For they are the joy of my heart. God's testimonies is what keeps me going. 

This isn't a momentary thing, but an everlasting part of my life. In verse 112 - I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes forever, even to the end. I will not give up.


Promise: Grant us grace to do what You command God, even when it is difficult.