Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
(Psalm 119: 18).
Psalm 119:18 is a most favored verse. You open my eyes, Lord. Let me see the wondrous things from Your law, from Your Word, and from Your testimonies. Our physical life can distract us. Our own personal perspective of events can close our eyes to the wonders that are God’s, yet everything made gives Him glory. One can never hope to think at the depth of thought that God does (His thoughts are far above ours), but in reading His Word, He reveals His greatness and renews the heart. The Bible is an all-time bestseller—the roadmap to get us all from Earth to Heaven through Jesus. Everything written in the Bible is God-breathed, Inspired by the Holy Spirit, and instructive about Jesus. Begin each study of scripture with a prayer and behold the wondrous things God desires to teach. Delight in His words. He knows what you need even before you ask. He knows where you are and how you got there. He alone knows the plans for what comes next. It is His pleasure to share Himself with each of us.
You may recognize Psalm 119 as the longest song and the longest chapter in the whole Bible. It is an acrostic poem, using every letter in the Hebrew alphabet to begin a stanza, which gives each letter eight lines to praise the word of God. There are only a few lines in the whole chapter (176 verses) that do not speak of God's judgment, statutes, testimonies, or law. The writer is most often thought to be King David, but there is nothing to confirm his authorship. It is generally agreed that this long song was written over a long period of time. Regardless, the author consistently chooses to delight in the words of God and is renewed by their blessing. Abundant blessings for an abundant life!
Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
Let’s start with recognizing that God created us. Without Him, we would not exist! But more than our physical frame was created. The writer honors the work of God in making his body and giving him life but also acknowledges that his thoughts and his soul are also uniquely created. He asks for God to enlighten his mind so that he can learn more about the intent of his maker. We are created in the image of God, each with unique idiosyncrasies and our own gifts and talents. It was God’s hands that designed and molded us into the being that we are, and it is God that gives us understanding and purpose. God wants to be known, and we were created with a desire to reach for Him.
They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.
May we, as Christians, live our lives so that other believers, those who fear God, can be glad to know us. May our relationship with God encourage others. Pray that they may see the goodness of God in our lives and glorify the Father. The plan is to live a faith that will ever be a beacon of hope in a world of despair. His word is truth. What He says He means. His truth should always be present in us and be manifested in our choices and actions.
75 I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me
Here’s the groundwork that must be laid before any good work can be done in the life of a believer: you must believe that God is right. We trust that God is right whether or not we can understand His perspective. That is what it means to trust the Lord. That being said, the truth of God is not only faithful, meaning it stays the same for eternity and can be relied upon, but it also causes us some pain.
When I am wrong, God’s word corrects me. Consequences from Him follow my actions. The Bible promises that “God works all things together for the good for those who love and serve Him,” that includes the good and the bad that come into our lives. There’s a false and evil assumption that has gained popularity in the church today that if God is a Good Father, He will protect you from all the unpleasant parts of life. It’s simply not true. God will use hard things, consequences, and even unfair situations to draw you closer to Him and to teach you what you need to know for eternity. He is a very Good Father, one who loves and corrects His children and who walks with them through difficulty, teaching them how to live righteously.
76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
The merciful kindness of God is the result of a God who intimately knows us and tenderly cares for us. In mercy, He sends relief when we pray to Him in our darkest times. “It is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom,” in other words, God is not cruel, and He is not out to get you. The record in the Bible of His works is evidence that God desires to do things for His children that are beyond our ability to even dream. I am comforted by the thought that I’ll have hard days, impossible days, dark days, but especially on those days, God is still merciful to me and faithfully kind. I’ll also have blessed days, bright days, successes, and growth, and in those times, I want to be sure that I acknowledge that all of it is coming from the hand of a Father who keeps His word.
77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.
I expect the goodness of God, not because I deserve it, but because of the character of God. I believe that God has planned out my days, not because of my importance, because of His tender mercy and because of His attention to detail. The creator of the universe is the keeper and protector of it, also. He’s writing the story of the ages, and He has invited us to be a part of the script. I live today because He willed it to be so. I will live for eternity because it was His will to provide a way. God wants to be known, but He also knows you and is invested in your life. Delighting in the word of God is more than liking to study the Bible. It happens when you realize that there are treasures contained in the record of God’s goodness. When we read the inspired word of God, knowing that the author loves us, it is not a chore but a delight to spend time interacting with Him.
78 Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.
There are many times when I have made an error in judgment and many times that I have sinned and needed to repent, but some of the hardest times for me to navigate have been those times when I have been judged for motivations that I didn’t have and accused of things I didn’t do. Sometimes, people decide we are guilty because of their own evil imaginations, and they have no desire to actually know the truth about us. It’s hard to react appropriately when you feel like you’ve been labeled falsely, cheated, or lied about. The world will not always treat you fairly. Jesus promised that, “in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
The right reaction to the attacks of those who hate God’s people and hate God’s word is found in this verse. Recognize that the battle is not really against you, and it is not your concern. Give it to God. Instead, fix your mind on what God has to say and meditate on His truth. God will deal with our enemies, and He knows when we are abused, misunderstood, and accused without cause. Peace comes from turning it over to Him and doing what He has taught us to do instead of focusing on those who wrong us.
79 Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.
80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.
The psalmist’s desire is to be surrounded by believers who revere God, as he does, and who can speak the truth of God’s goodness to him. It is easier to walk with God when you aren’t walking alone. My heart becomes “sound”- secure and settled, when I surround myself with other believers, and we encourage one another by praising the Lord. “That I be not ashamed” is a phrase that means “Don’t let me embarrass myself by falling into sin.” God created the church because we are far stronger together than we are alone. The plan is to keep each other from “being ashamed.” It is vitally important that you choose to surround yourself with people who love the Lord and respect His authority, people who care enough to correct you instead of silently watching you fall. I need fellowship with those who will remind me of God’s word and who care enough to know me and help me apply His word to my life. I need to hear those testimonies that will spare me the pain of making the wrong choice and show the wisdom of doing things God’s way. We need each other. Never forget that!
Study Questions:
How is studying God’s word a delight?
How should a Christian respond to being attacked unfairly?
How can the Word of God afflict a believer?
What have you learned from relationships with other believers that helped you walk closer to the Lord?
Thank you for studying with us! God bless!