Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
The Divine lamp
God’s Word as a lamp is--
I. Ever needful. Man needs a guide through life. His mental eyes are dim, and the road is drear, intricate, and dark.
II. Always available. It Suits every path in life. The path of the young and aged, the celibate and the married, the rich and the poor, the merchant, statesman, and philosopher, etc.
III. All-sufficient. It throws light on every conceivable step in life, and the light is clear and sufficient. None need stumble anywhere who hold it before them.
IV. Inextinguishable. It burns as brightly in the hands of the youngest disciple to-day as it did in the hands of the old patriarchs. It is a quenchless light. The advancing intelligence of humanity will never supersede its necessity or dim its lustre. (Homilist.)
God’s guiding light for heavenward travellers
I. It directs the intending traveller to the starting-point--to the point whence he must set out on his heavenward journey. It takes him to the Cross, it bids him look to Jesus, and then to set out with holy resolution for the celestial city.
II. It warns the traveller--having now commenced his journey--of the perils that will beset his path.
III. It shows the traveller how he may safely advance along his journey step by step. It is not only “a light to the path,” showing which is the right way, but a “lamp to the feet,” showing whether the traveller is keeping in that path. This step-by-step help it furnishes by laying down general principles to be faithfully and conscientiously applied by the Christian (Romans 12:1). By plying him with motives, the force of which, if he is a Christian, he must feel (1 Corinthians 6:20), in all the details of his life, and by giving specific precepts, as notably is done in the closing portions of some of the epistles (Ephesians 4:1-32., etc.).
IV. It assures the traveller that the hoped-for termination will be reached. It is important there should be light on the traveller’s starting-point; of equal importance that there should be light on the goal at which he hopes to arrive. If this be shrouded in darkness he will lack the stimulus of expectation to hold on his way. He will be ready to halt by reason of the discouragements and difficulties he meets with. (J. F. Poulter, B. A.)
The lamp of the Word
I. Every man has a path of his own. God has undoubtedly fashioned our hearts alike; that is, there are certain broad resemblances which every heart bears to every other heart. There are also equally well-known and accurately marked differences. Each man possesses the same elements, so to speak, but has them in different proportions. Contend as we may, our natural bias, our education, our position, the general and trivial events of our lot, do help to make our paths, which seem outwardly parallel, like two lines running side by side, yet as two lines still, separate and distinct.
II. Our paths are manifestly divergent; yet in one respect we find them alike: they are often shrouded in gloom.
1. The very lamp itself sometimes perplexes. “The Word of the Lord tries” us: its principles, its promises, even its facts.
2. Perplexity arises from duty. We feel great difficulty in coming to any decision; not because we are reluctant to obey, but because we cannot quite see which has the first and Superior claim.
3. Perplexity comes from bereavement, and comes to all of us, sooner or later, from this source. We find it hard, in the first paroxysm of sorrow, to see anything but harshness in our loss. We think of others we could have better spared.
III. In all our darkness God’s Word supplies the true illumination. “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” This light is pre-eminent. God has not left us without other aids to lessen the darkness. Reason is a light kindled by Jehovah Himself. Companions are as lights. But this light of God’s Word stands before all other lights. Reason helps; this helps reason. Companions help; this helps companions. When we are ready to receive them, there are no words that they can utter so cheering and so full of comfort as the words of God. (J. J. Goadby.)
Human life
Three thoughts are here suggested concerning human life.
I. It is a walk. “My path.” In this walk--
1. There is no pausing. “Every beating pulse we tell leaves but the number less.”
2. There is no returning. Every step takes us into the new and unknown.
II. It is a walk requiring light. The path of our life is not only very intricate, but, morally, very dark. Black clouds of ignorance, sensuality, and superstition obstruct the rays of sun and stars.
III. It is a walk for which light is provided. (Homilist.)
Religion the constant guide and friend of man
Wouldst thou then make religion the guide of thy life, wouldst thou have her truly to be a lamp to thy feet and a light to thy path?
1. Combine her with all thy occupations. Ask her often, ask her particularly on every critical and doubtful occasion, and ask her always in the sincere intention of following her precepts: how thou shouldst regard and prosecute thy affairs, in what dispositions thou shouldst conduct them, what views thou shouldst have in them, how thou shouldst begin and finish them, what thou shouldst do and omit at every time, in every place, according to the particular emergency?
2. Let her be thy constant companion in society, thy counsellor in thy intercourse with others. Ask her how thou shouldst regard, judge of, treat mankind, thy brethren, how thou shouldst be disposed and behave towards them.
3. Let her be thy friend and companion in solitude. There hearken the more attentively and sedately to her suggestions, her doctrines, her encouragements, her consolations, her demands. There grow more and more familiar with her and ever enjoy more completely the happiness of this familiarity. Accompanied by her, solitude will never be a burden, never seem tiresome or tedious to thee. Informed and enter-rained by her, the solemn hours of silence will be thy most delightful hours of recreation.
4. Let her be the partner in all thy joys and pleasures. She would by no means oppose or disturb thy joys and thy pleasures.
5. Let her be also thy friend and comforter in affliction. (C. J. Zollikofer.)
My lamp
In the text the Word of God is compared to a lamp or lantern such as that which is carried on dark nights in country places in all lands.
I. Like a lighted lantern on a dark lonely journey it is a pleasant companion. A lamp cannot, indeed, talk with us, or even listen to our voices, but its cheerful light, close by us, and going on continually with us, takes away our loneliness, and we feel that “a light is pleasant company.”
II. The Word of God is a protection against danger
III. The principal value of a lamp is that it shows us the way: and it is in this respect especially that the truth of God is most precious to us. (R. Brewin.)
The Bible a lamp
There are many kinds of lamps, all of them having different uses and yet all of them intended to give light, but in very different places. Let us look at a few of them.
1. There are beacon lamps. Out upon the coast, here and there, all along there are these lamps. They are lighted as soon as it grows dark. As the ship comes up the channel, these lights, all of them different, show the captain of the ship where he is, and he knows by their help how to steer the ship so as to get to port in safety. God’s Word does all this. It shows men the true way, and keeps them from wreck and death. I have heard of men putting strange lights on the rocks, so as to mislead the sailors, and then the doomed ship has coma ashore and been lost. Now there are spiritual wreckers, who want to have you and What you have got. These wreckers have false lights, the word, not of God, but of man. Shall I show you two or three of these false lights? When a boy or girl does not wish to go away from school or chapel these wretches will sneer, “I would not be tied to my mother’s apron string!” But what says the beacon? See it how it flashes. “Forsake not the law of thy mother.” Another of these false lights is, “It’s only once.” “Just this once, I won’t ask you any more.” Ah! you are in peril if you listen to this. Look to the beacon. “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not!” There is yet another of these false lights I will show you. When you are hearing the preacher, and are beginning to think you had better be a Christian while young, the wreckers will show their false light: “Plenty of time yet.” But what says the beacon? “I love them that love Me, and they that seek Me early shall find Me.”
2. Did you ever hear of what are called hurricane lamps? There is a kind of lamp so made that you might carry it in the wildest of storms, and the strongest wind could not blow it out. Now, the Word of God is a hurricane lamp--it will not blow out. Oh! how Satan has tried in times of persecution; but you know when the Word of God gets into a man’s heart there it sticks. You may, some of you, before you die, be persecuted for your religion. You may have to smart for being lovers of God, but don’t be afraid. The Bible was made, like the hurricane lamp, to stand the storm. Not so with the schemes and plans of evil, they shall all be put out.
3. The Bible is an invalid’s lamp. When people are ill, and have to lay awake all the night in pain, they don’t want to be left in the dark; and yet, they, don’t want any glaring light. They want a cheerful, yet soft light, and there are parts of the Bible just suited, such as “The Lord is my Shepherd.” “Let not your hearts be troubled.” “Came out of great tribulation.” “I will give to him that is athirst.” “Neither shall there be any more pain.”
4. The Bible is a signal lamp. You have noticed the signals at night, when you have been in the train. There they are, white, green, red. Do you know what white means? “Come on!” Yes, that is it; and the Bible says to those who are doing right, “Come on, you are on the right track; come on. All is well. Go ahead!” But what does the green light say? “Caution! Slowly! Beware!” Yes; when the driver sees that he knows that it will be wise for him to slacken speed, and look about him. And so says the Word of God, when it sees that there is need for caution. When a man is wanting to be rich, and there is some danger that he may be tempted to make money at the risk of his soul, then the lamp signals: “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” “They that will be rich fall into temptation.” But can you tell me what the red light means? “Stop!” “Danger!” “Shut off the steam!” Yes, all of these. Oh! how the Bible calls out to men. If people would but mind the red light of Scripture we should have a great deal less of sin and sorrow. (T. Champness.)
The wonderful lamp
I. What sort of a lamp is the Bible?
1. It sheds wonderful light.
(1) The length of time during which it has been shining. When Adam sinned, the Saviour who was afterwards to come was like kindling one little thread in the wick of this lamp. And then, as other parts of the Bible were written, the lamp burned brighter and brighter, till Jesus came and the New Testament was finished. And now for near two thousand years this lamp has been fully lighted and burning all the time.
(2) The distance to which it shines. All the way from heaven to earth.
(3) The power with which it shines, No tempest that ever beat, no wind that ever blew, no atmosphere, however foul, can put it out.
2. It yields wonderful comfort.
(1) Under the trials of life.
(2) In the prospect of death.
3. It affords wonderful safety. This world is like a great coal-mine, and all its inhabitants are like miners. The sins that abound here are like this dangerous gas, and, when they come in contact with our evil passions, violent explosions are often produced, and great damage is done. We need a safety-lamp to show us where the dangers lie, and help us to escape from them. And just such a lamp we have. The Bible is a safety-lamp which God has invented for this very purpose. It will always warn us when danger is nigh, and show us how we may escape it.
II. What should those who have this lamp do with it?
1. Use it themselves.
2. Send it to others. (R. Newton, D. D.)
Lantern lessons
I. This lamp and light guides us. It shows us our lost state, how far we have wandered from God, how sad our condition is, and that we shall surely perish unless we find the way of life. It shows us Jesus.
II. This lamp and light guides us with safety. What pitfalls, what temptations, what snares and covert assaults of the wicked one it keeps God’s people from!
III. This lamp and light guides us with comfort. (J. B. Johnstone.)
The lighted lamp:--
I. For the dark. The Gospel was first brought to our land about the year 600 by a missionary named Paulinus. Eadwine was then king. His wise men gathered to consider the new faith. To many of them its charm lay in the light it throws on the darkness covering men’s lives--the darkness of the future as of the past, To be without light is among the greatest of calamities; to get light after darkness the sweetest of blessings.
II. For our use.
1. This lamp is for the feet. Our museums abound with beautiful lamps taken from ancient tombs. Such-like is an unused Bible by the side of a dead soul. A lamp he has, but sees not, neither does he walk in its light. But all the light the Bible gives is meant to guide you.
2. As it is a light for the feet, you must hold it low. It is not for the head merely, to fill you with curious notions: it is for the feet, to guide you in your actions. The motto of the early Church was, “Hearts on high,” and they might have truly added, “Light and eyes low.”
3. You must use it always. Never live without its light.
III. For a time only. It is a thing of the night, not of the day. (J. Wells.)
The Bible the best parlour light
In parlours all aflash with gaslight, and gleaming mirrors, and blazing chandelier, and candelabra, there may be Egyptian darkness; while in some plain room, which a frugal hand has spread with hospitality and refinement, this one lamp may cast a glow that makes it a fit place for heavenly coronations. God’s lamp hung in the parlour would chill no joy, would rend no harmony, would check no innocent laughter. On the contrary, it would bring out brighter colours in the picture; it would expose new gracefulness in the curtain; it would unroll new wreaths from the carpet; it would strike new music from the harp; it would throw new polish into the manners; it would kindle with light borrowed from the very throne of God all the refinements of society. Oh that the Christ who was born in a barn would come to our parlour! We need His hand to sift the parlour music. We need His taste to assort the parlour literature. We need His voice to conduct the parlour conversation. (T. De Witt Talmage.)
The Bible the best street lamp
When night comes down on the city, crime goes forth to its worst achievements. Not only to show honest citizens where to walk, but to hinder the burglar, and assassin, and highwayman, and pickpocket, we must have artificial lights all over the city. I remember what consternation there was in Philadelphia when one night the gasworks were out of order and the whole city sat in darkness. Between eleven o’clock at night and three o’clock in the morning, in the dark and unlighted places of the town, crime has its holiday. If the lamplighter ceased his work for the week the town would rot. But there is a darkness beyond all power of gaslight. What is the use of police-station, and almshouse, and watchman’s club, if there be no moral and religious influence to sanction the law, and to purify the executive, and to hang over legal enactment the fear of God and an enlightened public opinion. The first want of such a city as that is the street lamp of the Bible. (T. De Witt Talmage.)
The Bible the best store lamp
What is the reason so many who started in merchandise, with good principles, and fair prospects, and honourable intentions, have become gamblers, and defrauders, and knaves, and desperadoes, and liars, and thieves? They did not have the right kind of a store lamp. Why is it, in our day, merchandise is smitten with uncertainty, and three-fourths of the businesses of our great cities is only one huge species of gambling? And why are ten thousand of our business men ridden with a nightmare enough to crush Hercules and Prometheus? It is the want of a right kind of store lamp. Oh, what thrones have fallen, what monuments have crumbled, what fleets have sunk, what statues have been defaced, what barbarisms have been created, what civilization retarded, what nations damned, all for the want of the right kind of a store lamp! (T. De Witt Talmage.)
The Bible the best church lamp
Glorious church lamp, this Bible. Luther found it in the cloister at Erfurt, and he lifted it, until the monasteries and cathedrals of Germany, and Italy, and France, and England, and the world saw its illumination. It throws its light on the pulpit, making a bulwark of truth; on the baptismal cup, until its waters glitter like the crystals of heaven. It strikes penitence into the prayers and gladness into the thanksgiving. It changes into a church John Bunyan’s prison, and Covenanter’s cave, and Calvin’s castle, and Huss’s stake, and Hugh M’Kail’s scaffold of martyrdom, Zwinglius carried it into Switzerland, and John Wycliffe into England, add John Knox into Scotland, and Jehudi Ashman into Africa. (T. De Witt Talmage.)
Light to get home by
In the stress and vicissitudes of our earthly pilgrimage we know it as a lamp for our own difficult way: “Thy Word a lamp unto my feet.” This recalls Charles Kingsley’s phrase. On a dark, misty night he was cheerful, for, said he, “there is light enough to get home.” That is all we really need--light enough to get home--and, if we follow His Word, that at least we shall not miss. We need not too wistfully and anxiously anticipate long futures, but live and walk from day to day in the light vouchsafed. (W. R. Nicoll.)