Light and Truth

Scripture Reading: Psalm 43

This Psalm freshly captured my attention through the musical adaptation of its words in a song written by Sandra McCraken, “Send Out Your Light.” What is meant by light and truth in verse 3? Are light and truth synonymous? Do they mean the same thing using different words or are light and truth two different things?

I do wish I had a certain answer. I have read several scholars and there isn’t a broad consensus. Some think they are essentially the same thing. Light is truth and truth is light. Others consider them to be similar but not the same. They would suggest that light is related to the Person of God, His character, and nature, while truth is the Word of God.

Since the Psalmist doesn’t tell us, we are left to come to our conclusions. We shouldn’t be too dogmatic about the possible distinction. What we can say with certainty is what is needed – always – is light from God to guide us through this dark world. And though we can’t say with absolute certainty that the Psalmist had God’s Person and Word in mind, we can say that we do receive light through both. The Word of God is a “lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path.” Jesus is the Light of the World.

What we can also say with certainty is this prayer is one we should adopt and regularly pray for ourselves and others.