Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 119:105

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And light unto my path." — Psalms 119:105 (ASV)

Your word is a lamp to my feet — This begins a new portion of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Nun (נ n), equivalent to our “n.” The margin here is “candle.” The Hebrew word means a light, lamp, or candle. The idea is that the word of God is like a torch or lamp to man in a dark night. It shows him the way; it prevents his stumbling over obstacles, or falling down precipices, or wandering off into paths which would lead into danger, or would turn him away altogether from the path to life. Compare the notes at 2 Peter 1:19.

And a light to my path — The same idea substantially is presented here. It is a light which shines on the road that a man treads, so that he may see the path, and that he may see any danger which may be in his path.

The expression is very beautiful and is full of instruction.

He who makes the word of God his guide, and marks its teachings, is in the right way. He will clearly see the path. He will be able to mark the road in which he ought to go and to avoid all those by-paths which would lead him astray. He will see where those by-roads turn off from the main path — often at a very small angle, and so that there seems to be no divergence.

He will see any obstruction which may lie in his path; any downward slope or precipice which may be near, and down which, in a dark night, one might fall. Man needs such a guide, and the Bible is such a guide. Compare the notes at Psalm 119:9.