A double safeguard.
"Lead me in a plain path." This is a wise, humble, comprehensive prayer. Like the entire psalm, it is the language of a heart deeply taught by experience. It asks for a double safeguard—Divine guidance and a plain path. If sure of the one, why ask for the other? Answer:
I. A PATH EASY TO SEE; free from intricacy and obscurity. In the margin, "a way of plainness." The Hebrew word (like our English "plain") signifies "level" (see Isaiah 42:16, "straight"). In a mountainous region the path is winding, often hidden a few yards ahead. On the open plain you see it for miles. As a rule, the straight path in life is the plain path. The same Hebrew word also means "uprightness," "righteousness" (Psalms 45:6). Duty is commonly much more easy to discern than expediency; "What is right?" than "What is polite, worldly wise?" One of the great trials of life is when duty is not plain; duties seem to clash. Then comes in the comfort and strength of thin prayer, "Teach me thy way!" (Psalms 25:5, Psalms 25:8, Psalms 25:9). God's way must be the right way; "and he will make it plain."
II. A SAFE AND EASY PATH; at all events, in comparison with the wrong path. Not climbing the sharp ascent of the Hill Difficulty, nor winding along the slippery edge of temptation, nor descending into the Valley of the Shadow of Death. God cannot always grant this prayer in this sense. Yet Christ teaches us to offer it (Luke 22:40; Matthew 6:13). If, nevertheless, the path by which God sees fit to lead us—either for spiritual discipline and growth, or for greater usefulness—be rough, dark, dangerous; the spirit of this prayer may nevertheless be answered by a larger measure of guidance and strength. "In the mount, the Lord is seen." £ In the furnace is "the Son of God." In Gethsemane, the angel. When "all hope was taken away," God's angel told Paul that all were to be saved for his sake (Acts 27:20, Acts 27:22-24). Be the path what it may, those shall be safe who trust God's leading (Isaiah 35:8; Romans 8:28; Jude 1:24; Proverbs 15:19). This prayer is a prayer against three dangers.
1. Choosing our own way (Proverbs 14:12).
2. Trusting, even in the plainest way, to our own strength and wisdom (Proverbs 3:5, Proverbs 3:6; Jeremiah 10:23).
3. Being left to our own weakness; or distrusting, in the darkest path, God's leading (Isaiah 43:1, Isaiah 43:2).