Psalm 119 has the distinction of being the longest chapter in all of the Bible. Composed of 176 verses it is larger in size than 14 Old Testament Books and 17 New Testament Books. It’s 176 verses are broken up into 22 stanzas, one stanza for every letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. The Fourteenth Stanza begins with the Hebrew letter NUN (pronounced “noon”), which looks like what you see on the left. Nun looks kind of like a burning candle. Psalm 105 emphasizes the light of the believer. Let’s read together:

Read Together Psalms 119:105 Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.

1 Why Do I Need A Lamp And A Light? Frank and I were out walking today (I need to get fit) on Riverwalk when we saw a lady slumped over in her car. Concerned we went and knocked on her window. She roused up, and opened the window, telling us she had a headache and was resting. I apologized for disturbing her, but noted we were concerned. Then we asked if we could pray for her. She replied “I’d really like that”. Praying for her, the Lord seemed to comfort her, and we continued on our walk.

Darkness and Distress comes to every life. We all suffer.

The Prophet Job, a man who was perfect and righteous, who feared the Lord and turned away from evil (Job 1:1) said:

Job 30:26 When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.

Our Lord Jesus cried from the Cross of Calvary …

Psalms 22:1 …. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? …

and the Prophet Jeremiah discouraged cried out …

Lamentations 3:19-20 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. {20} My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

Trials come on us all. Do they have a purpose? Yes, they do.

Adrian Rogers gave the following illustration. “I read about a man who had a very fine dog who loved the water. One day the dog was playing in the lake and the man decided to leave. He called the dog, but the dog wouldn’t come. He called him several times; he wouldn’t come. It was a well-trained dog, but he just would not come. The man finally threw a stick out in the water. When the dog saw it, he swam over, got the stick, and came back and laid it at his master’s feet. It just may be that God has given you a burden because He can’t get your attention. He wants you to come and lay it at your Master’s feet.”

When the trials come and the darkness seems to close in it is God’s Word that gives us light in the midst of darkness. It is His Word that gives us light and hope. God saved us by His Word, and feeds us by His Word. God saved you for His glory. He took clay vessels that were without honor, and through the offering of His own Dear Son He caused us to be born again. For this reason the Apostle said:

2 Corinthians 4:5-7 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. {6} For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. {7} But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We who believe and have called upon the Name of Jesus are saved from eternal damnation – not because we are worthy – but because He is worthy. We who have called on the Name of Jesus exist to glorify God. You exist for God’s glory!

God made us in His image and in His likeness. We were made to live for Him, to glorify Him. When trials come they are the darkness that drives us to the Light of His Word. You, dear Christian, are earthen vessels, jars of clay. When a potter makes a jar of clay he takes the clay through several processes. First he kneads the clay, pressing and pressuring all air out of it. Second he forms the clay by forcing it into the shape that he wants it to be. Third the clay must be air dried until it becomes what is called green ware Once it is air dried, the potter must kiln fire the green ware until it hardens into the unglazed pot. Lastly glaze is put on the pot, and it is placed into the kiln once more. At each stage the useless clay is placed under tribulation, but tribulation is not meaningless or fruitless, but it draws the clay toward the goal of being a work of art. Dear Christian, you are God’s work of art! “O LORD, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou art our Potter, and we are all the work of Thy hand.” (Isaiah 64:8) The trial has purpose. The Apostle Paul said:

Romans 5:1-5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: {2} By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. {3} And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; {4} And patience, experience; and experience, hope: {5} And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

We glory in tribulations for we know that they have purpose.

2 Darkness Drives Us To The Lamp Of God’s Word.

Psalms 119:105 Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

A lamp is a tool that has absolutely no purpose in the daylight. If you’re walking in the light of the day it would be foolish to carry a lit lamp or a burning flashlight. It’s redundant. The wrong time to look for a flashlight – or a book of matches and a candle – is when the lights are out!

You need the Living Word of God in your life. There are a number of people who call themselves “Christian” but really are not Christian at all. If you are a Christian then the Word is a lamp unto your feet, and a light unto your path. The Word of God is both WRITTEN and BEGOTTEN. The WRITTEN Word is this Bible. The BEGOTTEN Word is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Of Him John wrote:

John 1:1, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. {14} And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

When Israel was founded the Lord wrote His Word on Tablets of Stone and Animal Skins
When the Church was founded the Lord HIMSELF became the Living Word
Israel carried the Word in the Ark of the Covenant
We – His Church – have the Word in our hearts, and are carried by The Word made flesh

The Word Who is God took on Himself humanity. He came to this earth with the express purpose of glorifying God by saving creatures like us. Jesus Christ was born of a virgin. He grew up in Nazareth, a small and nondescript town. At around thirty years old Jesus went out and began to bring glory to God by healing people.

By His Word Jesus healed the epileptic (Matthew 9:8).
By His Word Jesus healed the cripple (Mark 2:12).
By His Word Jesus raised the widow’s son from the dead (Luke 7:16).
By His Word Jesus healed the woman afflicted eighteen years (Luke 13:13).
By His Word the leper was cured of this terrible disease (Luke 17:15).
By His Word the blind were made to see.
By His Word Christ raises the spiritually dead.
And By His Word we are adopted into His Family.

The Scripture declares that Light can only come through faith in His Word. Without Him we are in darkness. With Him we are saved.

Romans 3:23-28 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; {24} Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: {25} Whom God hath set forth to be a {satisfactory covering for sin} through faith in his blood … {26} To declare … his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. {27} Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. {28} Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Light comes when we focus on His Word. Israel came out Egypt by following God as a Pillar of Fire. We follow His Word. We cherish His Word.

His Word is A LAMP. Not our opinions. Not what we think, but what He has said and continues to say. His Word is SINGULARLY A LIGHT unto our path. We follow what He says. His Word is first in our lives. We say with the saints of old:

2 Samuel 22:29-34 For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness. {30} For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. {31} As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. {32} For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God? {33} God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. {34} He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my high places.

What a glory it is to be in Christ, to know that we will rule and reign with Him one day! Glory unto God in the highest! Glory that He would give us such a precious gift!

3 Those Who Are Christ’s Must Not Out Run His Light.

Psalms 119:105 Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

God’s Word is a lamp unto your feet, and a light unto your path. Stay in step with Christ. Stay in step with the Word of God. The Prodigal Son found himself eating the slop of the hogs because he left the blessing of his Father’s lighted home. Jesus bids us to remember that He is the light. He said …

John 8:12 … I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Why do people fail? Why do people get discouraged, depressed, and sometimes – Lord forbid – commit suicide? Because they have not formed a habit of staying in the light. They get off the path where the Word is! They try to lead Jesus rather than be led of Jesus. We are saved by focus on Christ. We are blessed by focus on Christ.

Jesus said “he that followeth Me SHALL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS”. If you’re born again by faith in Christ, stay on the path with Christ. You were saved by believing what Jesus said:

John 14:6 .. I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

You believed that Jesus was the only Way to God and the only Way to life. You trusted His claims, and believed that He suffered, died, and rose again for you. Your faith brought you into the Light. You need to stay in the Light.

You cannot be saved by trusting in Jesus, and then expect to keep on being blessed by trusting in you!

Jesus said:

John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

We are not made for darkness. We are made for the Light. We are made for His light. Listen Beloved: the Lord has said His Word is a lamp unto my feet. He didn’t say “my opinion” or “my feelings” or “what I want to do” or anything else! His Word is a Lamp unto my feet. Jesus said “I am the Light of the world”. He alone must be followed. His Word alone must be read and adhered to. Your prayers flow up to God through Jesus Christ our Mediator:

Hebrews 12:24 …. Jesus the mediator of the new covenant …

If you are born again you will only live a victorious life by walking with the Word. You will only see victory over the darkness by trusting in His Word. You must stay on the path of faith in the Word.

You must remember that God’s Word is the lamp unto our feet, and the light unto our path.

Stay with the Word when your days are bright.
Stay in His Word when darkness falls as night.
Stay on the Path, in prayer draw near
Focus on the Word, not on fear.

Charles Stanley’s grandfather told him, “obey God and leave all the consequences to Him”.

That’s very good advise. God is in control of all things. Obey God. Heed His Word. Obey His Spirit. Trust that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28), and let God take care of the rest. He knows what is best (Isaiah 55:8-9). Climb when God tells you to climb. Rest when He tells you to rest. Stop depending on yourself – cut the rope, and depend on God! May God touch your hearts with His Word!