Tuesday, July 01, 2014

Psalm 119:18

Psalm 119:18

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law

a. NLT: Open my eyes to see, the wonderful truths in your instructions.

b. NIV: Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

c. Young’s Literal Translation: Uncover mine eyes, and I behold wonders out of Thy law.

d. Amplified Bible: Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

e. Septuagint: Unveil thou mine eyes, and I shall perceive wondrous things of thy law.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: Unveil my eyes that I may perceive wonders from Your Torah.

1. “Open thou mine eyes…”

a. open [1540 * galah][Strong: a primitive root; to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal:--+ advertise, appear, bewray, bring, (carry, lead, go) captive (into captivity), depart, disclose, discover, exile, be gone, open, X plainly, publish, remove, reveal, X shamelessly, shew, X surely, tell, uncover.]

b. eyes [5869 * ‘ayin][Strong:  probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, + think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, + displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, + think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).]

c. The Psalmist is not referring to his physical eyes but his spiritual eyes. He is referring to spiritual insight, revelation. We were created with spiritual senses just as we were created with physical senses. [For more see notes in 1 Peter 2:2 & Isaiah 55:2.]

2. “…that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”

a. behold [5027 * nabat][Strong: a primitive root; to scan, i.e. look intently at; by implication, to regard with pleasure, favor or care:--(cause to) behold, consider, look (down), regard, have respect, see.]

b. wondrous [6381 * pala’][Strong: a primitive root; properly, perhaps to separate, i.e. distinguish (literally or figuratively); by implication, to be (causatively, make) great, difficult, wonderful:--accomplish, (arise...too, be too) hard, hidden, things too high, (be, do, do a, shew) marvelous(-ly, -els, things, work), miracles, perform, separate, make singular, (be, great, make) wonderful(-ers, -ly, things, works), wondrous (things, works, -ly).]

1). This Hebrew word is used many times to describe the miraculous things God has done as well as the natural creations He has made.

a). Psalm 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

b). Psalm 107:8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

2). Institute Of Creation Research Daily Devotional: Wondrous indeed is the marvelous universe God has created. “Hearken unto this,” we are challenged, “stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God” (Job 37:14). And as we “consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained” (Psalm 8:3), we can only “stand still” in awe at God’s infinite power. We are even more amazed as we study the intricate complexity of living creatures—especially human beings. “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works” (Psalm 139:14). God’s omniscience is more wondrous than even His omnipotence. Then there is His miraculous ordering of history for the accomplishment of His purposes. “We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done” (Psalm 78:4). But even greater than the wondrous world He created or His wondrous works in history are the wonders of God’s written Word, for “thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name” (Psalm 138:2). Note the testimony of the familiar 19th Psalm: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” But then: “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul” (Psalm 19:1, 7). As far as God’s works in history are concerned, God’s Word was completed before history began, and will endure after the present world is gone. “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). There are “wondrous things” without end in “thy law,” and we will continue discovering them forever. HMM

c. out of thy law [8451 * towrah][Strong: a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch:--law.]

1). In this verse though the Psalmist is not referring to the marvelous and wonderful works of God in creation or His miracles. He is referring to the wonderful things God has placed in His word, Covenant promises, His secrets He wants man to know but man has to search them out.

a). Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

b). Matthew 13:34, 35 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

2). The Apostle Paul prayed that the church would be given a spirit of wisdom and revelation that we would “see”, that we would truly know the truths of this Covenant.

a). Ephesians 1:15-23 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

3). We will only be established in what has been revealed to us.

a). Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

b). Mark 4:23, 24 [Amplified Bible] If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend.
4:24 And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you—and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.

4). Institute Of Creation Research Daily Devotional 5/2/2010 The word "law" (Hebrew torah), as used in the psalms, actually refers to all the revealed Scriptures. We may well understand it today to mean the entire Bible. And we can indeed behold wondrous things in the Word if we have eyes to see and hearts to believe by the grace of God. The adjective "wondrous" is often used to describe God's mighty miracles in Egypt and elsewhere (e.g., Psalm 106:22 "Wondrous works in the land of Ham"). This would indicate that there are many evidences of divine origin that can be gleaned from the Scriptures, if our spiritual eyes are open to discern them as we search. This 119th Psalm itself illustrates this truth. It has 22 stanzas (keyed in turn to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet), each with eight verses (the number eight representing new life, since eight suggests a new beginning after the "completeness" represented by the number seven). In each stanza, each verse begins with the same Hebrew letter--aleph, the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet, in the first stanza, beth in the second stanza, etc.--and the 176 verses (i.e., 8 times 22) of the psalm (the longest chapter in the Bible) have 176 references to the Holy Scriptures. The great theme of the psalm is, therefore, the wonder and power of the life-giving, written Word of God. As the Lord Jesus was raised from the dead on the "eighth day," and as there are eight other instances of the dead being restored to life in the Bible, there are eight different Hebrew words used for the Scriptures in the psalm. Life through the Word! This is also the testimony of the gospel of Christ, revealed in "the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15). HMM

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