Psalm 119:105

Context

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, and all 176 of its verses take the word of God as their theme. It is an acrostic (alphabetic) poem of 22 stanzas of eight verses each, following the order of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet; all eight verses of each stanza begin with the same letter. Verse 105 opens the stanza that begins with the fourteenth letter, nun (verses 105–112). Throughout, the psalm alternates among several terms for God's word, including law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments, and word.

In the same stanza the psalmist says that he is "afflicted very much" (v. 107), that "the wicked have laid a snare" for him (v. 110), and that his life is continually in danger (v. 109). The confession of verse 105 is thus spoken from a perilous path.

Interpretation

• As a lamp lighting a single step: The small oil lamps of the ancient world could not light up distant places; they illuminated only the next step ahead. On this basis, a widely known interpretation holds that God's word does not reveal the blueprint of one's whole life at once but illuminates the step to be taken today.
• As a confession of the authority of Scripture: Protestants cite this verse as one of the proof texts for the principle of sola scriptura ("Scripture alone"), which holds that the standard for faith and life is found in Scripture (see Five Solas). It is read together with 2 Timothy 3:16–17.
• As love for the whole of the word: The "word" in the text refers primarily to the Torah (God's instruction), but the church has also applied it to the whole of Scripture and has further connected it with Christ, the Word made flesh (John 1:14; 8:12).

Questions of Application

Some caution against using this verse to justify opening the Bible at random to find answers for personal decisions such as career or marriage, noting that the light of the word is given through the teaching and wisdom of Scripture as a whole. The verse is also connected to discussions of the sense in which Scripture is without error (biblical inerrancy).

In the Korean Church

The verse is a staple text for Bible Sunday sermons and for occasions encouraging reading through the Bible and quiet time devotions, and it frequently appears on Bible covers and as a church motto. A worship song with the same lyrics is also widely sung.

Related Passages

• Psalm 119:97–104
• Psalm 19:7–11
• Proverbs 6:23
• 2 Timothy 3:16–17
• 2 Peter 1:19