Luke 1:79

79 To give light to them that sit in darknesses and in the shadow of death; to direct [to dress] our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1:79 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 1:79

To give light to them that sit in darkness
God's elect among the Jews, who were not only in a state of unregeneracy, which is a state of darkness, ignorance, and unbelief; but in the darkness of the legal dispensation, and at this time under more than ordinary darkness and ignorance; having lost the knowledge of the righteousness of God, and of the spirituality of his law, the true sense of the Scriptures, and right notions of the Messiah; being led by blind guides, the Scribes and Pharisees;

and,
were as it were also,

in the shadow of death;
in a state seemingly irrecoverable, when Christ, the great light arose, and shone upon them; and communicated spiritual light, life, and heat unto them; see ( Isaiah 9:2 ) compared with ( Matthew 4:13-16 ) though Christ is also a light, to lighten his chosen ones among the Gentiles, ( Luke 2:32 ) but the Jews seem chiefly to be intended here:

to guide our feet into the way of peace;
which we knew not: not that he came to teach us how to make our peace with God, but to make peace for us, by the blood of his cross; and so by his Spirit and word, lead us into the true way of enjoying spiritual peace here, and eternal peace hereafter.

Luke 1:79 In-Context

77 To give science of health to his people, into remission of their sins;

78 by the inwardness of the mercy of our God, in the which [in which] he springing up from on high hath visited us.

79 To give light to them that sit in darknesses and in the shadow of death; to direct [to dress] our feet into the way of peace.

80 And the child waxed, and was comforted in spirit, and was in desert places unto the day [and was in desert till the day] of his showing to Israel.