"LIGHT" IN THE PSALMS

Borchert provides a good introduction to this subject when he writes that “for the inspired writers, light is tied inseparably to the powerful presence and activity of God as the ultimate source of the first creation. Moreover, at a time when the sun, moon and stars were worshiped as deities, the Bible rejects such worship and represents light and the luminaries as part of creation...While the Bible does not teach a metaphysical dualism of two eternal deities [as did Zoroastrianism and Manicheanism], the writers certainly employ the themes of light and darkness.

“The Psalms and the wisdom literature of the OT contain many references to these themes. In reflecting on his life in God, the psalmist rejoices that God is his light and his salvation (Ps. 27:1), that the encompassing darkness of night is not to be feared because light and darkness were both under God's control (139:11-12), and that God is his fountain of life in whose light we see light (36:9). Therefore he begs God to support his cause by sending out divine light and truth to lead him (43:3).”

An anonymous author writing in The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery adds the following: “The first thing that biblical writers note about physical light is...that God made it. In contrast to the pagan impulse to deify the heavenly bodies for their light-giving properties, the writers of the Bible consistently separate light from its Creator, making it an index to the divine instead of deity itself. The greatest example is Psalm 148, where the sun, moon and stars are commanded to praise the Lord.

“ In the elemental world of the Bible, People live in close correspondence to the daily cycle of sunrise and nightfall...Thus it is in the early morning that...God protects his holy city (Ps 46:5, dawn being the customary time to attack a city)...Not surprisingly, the poets of the Bible give us the most rapturous pictures of the life-giving and illumination properties of physical light. The nature poetry of the Bible and psalms of praise are the greatest repository: God has 'prepared the light and the sun' (Ps 74:16 KJV); God covers himself 'with light as with a garment' (Ps 104:2 RSV); God's omnipresence is so powerful that 'darkness is as light with thee' (Ps 139:12 RSV).”

Selman highlights yet other verses in Psalms: “Light emanating from other light-bearers is treated...as 'his [i.e. God's] lightning' (Ps 97:4; cf. 77:18), by which God lights up the world...God...can even make night shine as bright as day (Ps 139:12)...The idea of God as the provider of light was a regular feature of Israel's worship. God's gift of light in the Exodus and the desert is highlighted in the Psalms (Ps 77:18; 105:39)...Several passages speak of 'God shining on his people,' usually in the context of temple worship (Ps 76:4)...The Aaronic blessing has also influenced a prayer for worldwide blessing in Ps 67:1, which is one of several prayers for God's face to shine. The anticipated consequences in all these prayers are quite general ranging from deliverance in trouble (Ps 31:16; Dan 9:17) to increased knowledge and of his ways (Ps 67:2; 119:135)...In some contexts, the meaning of light given to the eyes is defined more precisely...it can refer to moral and spiritual understanding derived from God's word (Ps 19:8; 119:130) [and] hope for those in trouble (Ps 13:3; 18:28)...”

Hahn: “In the LXX [Greek Septuagint] lamprotes stands for the Heb. no'am in Psa. 90:17. The word no'am means pleasantness of favor with no intrinsic conception of brightness. These words are important theologically since, in certain contexts, they indicate that God manifests himself as light and hence is a source of illumination, though Yahweh himself is rarely found as the subject of one of these vbs. (see 2 Sam. 22:28; 'my God lightens the darkness'; cf. Ps. 18:28, where, however, the vb. is photizein)...the future of the covenant people is radiant with light and life (cf. 36:9...), while that of the godless is dark...”

“Apart from natural phenomena, light is used in Scripture of...the favor of God, Ps. 4:6..; the illuminating power of the Scriptures, Ps. 119:105; and of the judgments and commandments of God..; the guidance of God, Ps. 112:4, etc.” (Hogg and Vine)

Anderson states: “'Light' ('or) is a frequent symbol of blessedness and life (6:13), or of Yahweh himself (27:1)...'Light' can be symbolic of all that is good (56:13, 97:11)...'in thy light' [in 36:9] may mean 'to live', as in Job 3:16; Ps. 49:19, and it may refer to a full and satisfying life; Dahood, as might be expected, sees here a reference to the reward of eternal life...It brings to mind (by implicit contrast) also the other possibility: the Sheol existence in the land of gloom and deep darkness (Job 10:21).”

The above examples only begin to hit the highlights regarding what the Psalms have to say on this subject. But for those who want to dive deeper in a more systematic manner, the following provides a more or less complete list of Psalm passages which specifically mention the subject of light:

Psalms 4:6; 13:3; 18:28; 19:8; 27:1; 31:16; 36:9; 43:3; 46:5; 49:19; 56:13; 67:1-2; 74:16; 76:4; 77:18; 90:17; 97:4, 11; 104:2; 105:39; 112:4; 119:105, 130, 135; 139:11-12