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Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

The Book of Psalms

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A Light To My Path

Topic: Truth, Law, & Principle

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Judaism
The Book of Psalms

Wilson, Andrew, editor. World Scripture - a Comparative Anthology of Sacred Texts. Paragon House, 1991, p. 154 [Psalm 119.105].


Theme: The Light of Truth

Commentary by Andrew Wilson, editor, World Scripture

Enlightenment means dispelling the darkness of ignorance… The experience of enlightenment is common to most religions. According to the manner in which Reality is perceived in the different traditions, enlightenment may be either the intuitive grasping of inner wisdom, illumination by the truth of the Word, or direct apprehension of transcendent Reality… [Passages such as Psalm 119.105 compare God’s Word to “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”—AD]

Commentary by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks 

The man who gave the most profound poetic expression to this was undoubtedly David in the book of Psalms… Time and again he calls to God from the heart of darkness, afflicted, alone, pained, afraid: We find God not only in holy or familiar places but also in the midst of a journey, alone at night. “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for You are with me.” The most profound of all spiritual experiences, the base of all others, is the knowledge that we are not alone. God is holding us by the hand, sheltering us, lifting us when we fall, forgiving us when we fail, healing the wounds in our soul through the power of His love.

—Rabbi Jonathan Sacks[www.rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/vayetse/how-the-light-gets-in/].