it is the light coming from Him who is our life; not merely because it
vain: but when the full light has come, then all these will become as impossible as they have always been inexcusable.
It will, too, be all reality. Other lights have gone out, or misled us, or proved but a wild flash that came and went, we knew not whence or whither; but this light of Jehovah is as real as it is undeceiving. We shall not feel, when enjoying it and looking round upon the glories which it shall light up to us, as if we were dreaming. When casting our eye around, we shall be able to say with a deeper meaning than one overcome with joy is represented as doing:—
"This is the air; that is the glorious sun;
This pearl he gave me; I do feel and see it;
And though 'tis wonder that enwraps me thus,
Yet 'tis not madness."
How true, how real, how excellent, how unchanging must that be which is called "Jehovah's light!" How much more than a recompence for the darkness of the darkest life on earth, to have that light, to walk in that light; nay, "in that light to see light!" (Ps. 36:9.)
2. It is called "the light of the living" (Ps. 56:13); not merely because it is the light coming from Him who is our life; not merely because it is light-giving life, or as the Lord calls it, "The light of life" (John 8:12); but because it is truly the light of men alive from the dead. And, without entirely restricting it to one aspect, we may say that the expression, "light of the living," mainly refers to the resurrection. For the argument, in that verse of the Psalm referred to, is manifestly this—"Thou hast delivered my soul from death." David speaks as one who has risen with Christ, and who knows that he has done so—"he that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." But then he speaks also as one still treading a rugged path, and liable to stumble; therefore, looking back to past love, he adds, "Wilt thou not deliver my feet from falling?" for he feels assured that He who has