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I. WHAT THE PSALMIST HERE ASKS OF GOD.

1. Something that he wished to enjoy.

(1) Some think he means but one thing: as if he had said, "Send out the light of Thy truth."(2) Others understand it of the Word and Providence of God.

(3) Others, of God's favour and faithfulness.

(4) Others, of the Word of God and His Holy Spirit; or, of the Spirit working by the Word.

2. The manner in which David desired and expected to have the blessing communicated to him for which he prayed. "Send out."(1) This imports that God's light and His truth were, for the present, withdrawn, in a great measure, from David's view; and from the view of such as were witnesses of his condition. They were like a person who retires from view, and hides himself in a secret place; so that, if David had been to consult with flesh and blood, he might have doubted of their existence.

(2) It imports that David still believed in God as a God of light and truth, even when these perfections ceased to be manifested in his behalf. He was assured that God knew all that befell him; and, notwithstanding all, he was persuaded that God would fully accomplish all His promises to him, and to his house.

(3) It imports that when God should interpose for His servant's deliverance, as he confidently expected He would, then he firmly hoped to see the Divine wisdom and faithfulness vindicated from all those aspersions that had been cast upon them.

3. David's earnestness a fervency in this petition.

II. DAVID'S END IN ASKING THAT FOR WHICH HE PRAYS SO FERVENTLY.

1. The more general end. "Let them lead me." He wanted to be guided and conducted by the wisdom and faithfulness of God, not only in his present difficulty, but in every other step of his journey through the wilderness.

(1) Indirectly, this may be said to take place when the providence of God, under the influence of His infinite wisdom and faithfulness, manages all that concerns the person in such a manner as may tend to his spiritual good, and to the accomplishment of the promises of God to him.

(2) But God's light and truth may be said to lead His people more directly and sensibly, when, in His infinite wisdom and faithfulness, He gives them such counsel, instruction and direction as enables them to keep the way of duty, and prevents their turning aside after any crooked ways (Psalm 25:8, 9; Isaiah 55:4).

2. The more particular end for which David begs a manifestation of God's light and truth.

(1) A removal of all those obstructions and hindrances that stood in the way of an attendance upon the solemn worship and ordinances of God.

(2) A being directed and enabled to the acceptable performance of all those preparatory duties that are necessary in order to a regular attendance upon God in solemn ordinances.

(3) A being strengthened by the grace of God, and enabled to attend upon God's ordinances "in a regular and acceptable manner."(4) A being admitted to enjoy that spiritual advantage of which ordinances are the means.

(5) A being brought home, at length, to the full and immediate enjoyment of God in heaven.

III. IMPROVEMENT.

1. For information.

(1) It informs us of the necessary connection between an attendance upon God in His ordinances here, and the full enjoyment of Him in the most holy place hereafter.

(2) How vain and fruitless it is to pay such an attendance upon ordinances as may be attained without any Divine assistance.

(3) How vain and useless all that light is in religious matters which proceeds not from God Himself.

(4) They who would live as Christians ought to have their dependence upon God for leading in every step of their journey through the wilderness as well as in their attendance upon Divine ordinances.

2. For trial.

(1) Are you sensible that it is a duty, indispensably binding upon you, to ascend the hill of God and to enter His tabernacles as you have an opportunity?

(2) Is it real matter of joy and rejoicing to you that God has given you so near a prospect of another opportunity to ascend His hill, and wait upon Him in solemn ordinances?

(3) Do you see the necessity of being brought by God Himself to His holy hill and to His tabernacles? That it is impossible for you to attend upon any ordinance acceptably without supernatural assistance?

(4) Is it your present exercise; and are you resolved that it shall always be your endeavour to set forward in every act of worship, praying to God, as does the royal psalmist in the text, for the conduct and assistance of His light and truth?

3. For humiliation and mourning.

(1) How many are there among us who are altogether careless about being present on God's holy hill or in His tabernacles! A sad evidence that they know little about solid happiness, or about where it is to be found.

(2) How many satisfy themselves with such an attendance upon ordinances as may be attained without any supernatural assistance; and how often are we all chargeable with this sin.

(3) How many are left to follow false lights in attempting to ascend God's hill, and to go into His tabernacle! To what else can it be owing, that "altars are set up against altars" in every corner; and there are so many distinct and opposite societies, all pretending to worship God, and that in His own tabernacles?

(John Young, D. D.)

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KJV: O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

WEB: Oh, send out your light and your truth. Let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy hill, To your tents.