(1) Outline (Kel)
I. He recognizes that the law is his light and vows to obey it (105–106).
II. He laments his present affliction that ensnares him and calls for divine help (107–110).
III. He joyfully will follow God’s testimonies (111–112).
(Kel) The distinctive motif of this psalm is stated in the first verse: “Your word is a lamp to my foot, and a light for my path.” As Kirkpatrick puts it, the psalmist knows the value of God’s law as the guide of his life and resolves to keep it...On the other side, the world is enveloped in darkness because of the presence of evil and what it produces. Kidner stresses that the concern here is for truth for moral choices... the temptation of Christ Jesus (Matt. 4) is a fitting illustration of light from the word in a place of snares. Because God’s word is a light, the psalmist has taken an oath to obey it
(2) repeated ideas:
a) Darkness v.105, the suffering/danger comes from the wicked people v.107-111. In v.21, the wicked (arrogant) people v.21 persecuted the psalmist because of the psalmist's zeal to the Word of God (Kel).
b) The psalmist vowed and solemnly sworn to keep God's Word v.106, asked God to teach him His words v.108, determined to obey God's word all the times, to the very end v.112.
(3) Reflection: When did the world give us pressure to be like them and give up our zeal to the Word of God? When you want to pay back anger with anger? When secular books teach you to find answers of your marriage with psychology's method not from God's Words? May God's words be a lamp and our light.
The way the psalmist asked God to let His Word be his light was from "reviving" him with His Word v.107, and "teaching" him His Words v.108. Are we willing to be revived and be taught?
Audrey
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