Psalms 119:18

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

Open {H1540} thou mine eyes {H5869}, that I may behold {H5027} wondrous things {H6381} out of thy law {H8451}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Open my eyes, so that I will see wonders from your Torah.

Berean Standard Bible

Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law.

American Standard Version

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

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 119:18 presents a profound and humble prayer from the psalmist, who, despite being deeply immersed in God's law, recognizes the inherent human inability to fully grasp its divine depths without supernatural assistance. It is a fervent plea for God to grant spiritual insight, enabling the psalmist to perceive and understand the extraordinary, awe-inspiring truths and hidden wisdom contained within His divine instruction. This verse encapsulates the essential principle that true comprehension of God's Word is not merely an intellectual exercise but a spiritual revelation, dependent entirely on divine grace.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalms 119:18 initiates the Gimel stanza (verses 17-24) within the longest psalm in the biblical canon, Psalm 119. This psalm is an elaborate acrostic poem, meticulously structured with each of its 22 stanzas (corresponding to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet) comprising eight verses, all of which begin with the same Hebrew letter. The entire psalm is a sustained, passionate meditation on the multifaceted nature of God's "law" (Torah), encompassing His statutes, precepts, commandments, testimonies, and decrees. Following the Beth stanza (verses 9-16), which emphasizes the purity and preservation of one's way through adherence to God's Word, verse 18 shifts to a direct petition for divine enablement, acknowledging that even sincere devotion requires God's active intervention to unlock the deeper spiritual realities embedded within His revelation. It sets a tone of dependency and anticipation for the profound insights that follow.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In ancient Israel, the "law" (Torah) was far more than a legal code; it was the foundational revelation of God's character, His covenant relationship with His people, and the blueprint for a blessed life. It encompassed divine instruction, teaching, and guidance for every facet of existence—moral, social, ritual, and spiritual. The study and memorization of the Torah were central to Jewish life, passed down through generations. Scribes and teachers dedicated their lives to its preservation and interpretation. The psalmist's prayer reflects a deep cultural reverence for the written Word of God, recognizing it as the ultimate source of truth and wisdom. Yet, it also subtly acknowledges that even within a culture steeped in the Torah, its spiritual essence could remain veiled without divine illumination, highlighting the need for a personal, Spirit-empowered engagement with the text.

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully articulates several core themes prevalent throughout Psalm 119 and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Divine Revelation and Spiritual Illumination**. The psalmist's plea, "Open thou mine eyes," is a recognition that human understanding is inherently limited and that true spiritual insight into God's truth is a gift from God, not solely an achievement of human intellect. This resonates with the New Testament understanding that the [Spirit of God reveals the deep things of God](/1_corinthians/2-10 "1 Corinthians 2:10 - The Spirit Reveals God's Depths"). Secondly, the verse highlights **The Richness and Wonders of God's Word**. The "wondrous things" (Hebrew: *nifla'ot*) imply that God's law is not merely a collection of rules but a treasure trove of profound, awe-inspiring truths about God's character, His purposes, and the path to genuine life. It suggests that the Word contains hidden glories waiting to be unveiled. Finally, it emphasizes **Human Humility and Dependency on God**. The prayer itself is an act of humility, acknowledging the psalmist's spiritual blindness and utter reliance on God to remove the veil that hinders deep spiritual apprehension, echoing Paul's prayer for the [eyes of understanding to be enlightened](/ephesians/1-18 "Ephesians 1:18 - Prayer for Spiritual Enlightenment").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Open (Hebrew, _gal'_):** The verb גָּל (*gal*) means "to uncover," "to reveal," or "to roll away." It implies that the "wondrous things" are not absent from the law but are present yet hidden or veiled from natural human perception. The psalmist is asking God to remove this covering, to make visible what is currently obscured. This suggests an active divine intervention is required to access the deeper spiritual realities within the text.
* **Wondrous things (Hebrew, _nifla'ot'_):** The term נִפְלָאוֹת (*nifla'ot*) is derived from the root פָּלָא (*pala'*), meaning "to be wonderful," "to be extraordinary," or "to be incomprehensible." It is frequently used in the Old Testament to describe God's miraculous deeds, His awe-inspiring acts of power, or His incomprehensible nature (e.g., [Exodus 3:20](/exodus/3-20 "Exodus 3:20 - God's Wonders in Egypt")). Here, it is applied to the truths within God's law, indicating that these truths are not mundane or superficial but are profound, extraordinary, and capable of evoking awe and wonder, just like God's mighty acts.
* **Law (Hebrew, _Torah'_):** The Hebrew word תּוֹרָה (*Torah*) is often translated as "law," but its meaning is far broader, encompassing "instruction," "teaching," "direction," or "revelation." It refers to God's complete divine instruction for His people, not merely a set of legal statutes. It is the comprehensive body of divine truth that guides life, reveals God's character, and points to His purposes. The psalmist desires to behold the "wondrous things" *out of* this divine instruction, implying that the Torah itself is the inexhaustible source of these profound revelations.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Open thou mine eyes":** This is a direct, personal petition to God. The "eyes" here are not physical but spiritual, representing the faculty of understanding, perception, and spiritual discernment. The psalmist acknowledges a spiritual blindness or a veil that prevents full comprehension of God's truth, recognizing that only God can remove this impediment and grant true insight. It is a humble admission of human inadequacy in the face of divine revelation.
* **"that I may behold wondrous things":** The purpose clause "that I may behold" indicates the desired outcome of the opened eyes. "Behold" (רָאָה, *ra'ah*) means more than just to see; it implies a deep, perceptive understanding, an apprehension of truth. The "wondrous things" are the extraordinary, awe-inspiring, and miraculous truths, insights into God's character, His plans, and the profound wisdom embedded within His revelation. These are not superficial observations but deep spiritual realities that transform the beholder.
* **"out of thy law":** This phrase specifies the source of these "wondrous things." They are not external to God's instruction but are contained *within* it. The psalmist believes that God's Torah is pregnant with glorious, hidden depths that can only be fully accessed through divine illumination. It emphasizes that the Word itself is the vessel of these wonders, waiting to be unveiled by God for the receptive heart.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is **Metaphor**, where the physical act of "opening eyes" serves as a metaphor for granting spiritual insight and understanding. This implies that spiritual truth, though present, is veiled from natural human perception, requiring divine intervention to become discernible. The phrase "wondrous things" functions as **Hyperbole** or **Emphasis**, underscoring the extraordinary, awe-inspiring, and inexhaustible nature of the truths contained within God's law. It elevates the divine instruction from mere rules to a source of profound, miraculous revelation. Furthermore, the direct address "Open thou mine eyes" is an example of **Apostrophe**, where the psalmist directly addresses God, creating an intimate and personal tone of prayer and dependency.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 119:18 is a cornerstone verse for understanding the dynamic interplay between divine revelation and human reception. It posits that while God has revealed His truth in His Word, true spiritual apprehension of that truth is not automatic but requires an act of divine grace. This highlights the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit, who illuminates the Scriptures, making them spiritually alive and comprehensible to the believer. Without this divine illumination, the "wondrous things" remain hidden, reducing the Word to a mere collection of historical facts or moral codes rather than a living, transforming encounter with God Himself. This verse therefore calls believers to approach Scripture with humility, prayer, and an expectant heart, trusting that God delights to unveil His glories to those who seek Him in His Word.

* [Ephesians 1:18](/ephesians/1-18 "Ephesians 1:18 - Prayer for Spiritual Enlightenment")
* [1 Corinthians 2:10](/1_corinthians/2-10 "1 Corinthians 2:10 - The Spirit Reveals God's Depths")
* [Luke 24:45](/luke/24-45 "Luke 24:45 - Jesus Opens Minds to Scripture")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 119:18 serves as an enduring model for how believers should approach the sacred Scriptures. It challenges the notion that Bible study is merely an intellectual exercise or a duty to be performed. Instead, it elevates it to a spiritual encounter, a profound interaction with the living God. This verse calls us to cultivate a posture of humility, acknowledging our inherent spiritual blindness and our desperate need for God's supernatural intervention to truly grasp His truth. It encourages us to pray fervently for divine illumination every time we open our Bibles, asking the Holy Spirit to remove the veils of our own biases, assumptions, or spiritual dullness, so that we might behold the "wondrous things"—the glorious insights into God's character, His purposes, and His will for our lives. When we approach the Word with such a prayerful and expectant heart, we position ourselves to receive transformative revelation, allowing God's truth to penetrate beyond the mind and into the very core of our being, leading to deeper worship, obedience, and Christlikeness.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How often do I consciously pray for divine illumination before engaging with God's Word?**
* **What "wondrous things" might I be missing in Scripture due to a reliance on my own understanding rather than God's revelation?**
* **In what ways does this prayer challenge my current approach to Bible study, and how can I cultivate a more dependent and expectant heart?**

### FAQ

**Is "wondrous things" referring to miracles or spiritual truths?**
Answer: While the Hebrew word *nifla'ot* (wondrous things) often describes God's miraculous acts in the Old Testament, in the context of Psalms 119:18, it primarily refers to the profound, awe-inspiring spiritual truths, insights into God's character, His purposes, and the deeper wisdom embedded within His law. The psalmist is not asking to see physical miracles performed by the law, but to perceive the miraculous depth and glory of the divine revelation itself. These are truths that evoke the same sense of awe and wonder as God's mighty deeds, highlighting the extraordinary nature of His written Word. Just as God's acts are wondrous, so too are the truths He has revealed in His [Torah, which is perfect, reviving the soul](/psalms/19-7 "Psalm 19:7 - The Perfection of God's Law").

**How does this prayer relate to diligent Bible study? Does it negate the need for human effort?**
Answer: Psalms 119:18 does not negate the need for diligent Bible study; rather, it complements and elevates it. The psalmist's deep immersion in the law throughout Psalm 119 demonstrates a profound commitment to studying and memorizing God's Word. However, this verse acknowledges that human intellectual effort alone is insufficient to grasp the spiritual depths of divine truth. Diligent study is our human responsibility—to read, meditate, memorize, and analyze. Divine illumination is God's gracious provision—the Holy Spirit's work to open our spiritual eyes, enabling us to truly "behold" and understand the "wondrous things" that our natural minds cannot perceive. It's a partnership: we apply ourselves to the Word, and God applies His Spirit to our hearts, revealing its spiritual power. As [Paul says, the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him](/1_corinthians/2-14 "1 Corinthians 2:14 - Spiritual Discernment"), emphasizing the need for divine enablement.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 119:18 finds its ultimate and most glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The "law" (Torah) that the psalmist longed to understand is not merely a collection of ancient rules but a revelation that ultimately points to and is fulfilled in Christ. He is the very embodiment of God's "wondrous things," the [Word made flesh](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh"), the ultimate revelation of God's character and purposes. The "wondrous things" the psalmist sought to behold are fully unveiled in the person and work of Jesus, who is the [fullness of grace and truth](/john/1-17 "John 1:17 - Grace and Truth Through Jesus Christ"). Just as the psalmist prayed for his eyes to be opened to the wonders of the law, Jesus Himself opened the minds of His disciples to understand the Scriptures, showing them how [everything written about Him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled](/luke/24-44 "Luke 24:44 - Jesus Explains the Scriptures"). It is through Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit whom He sent ([John 14:26](/john/14-26 "John 14:26 - The Holy Spirit Teaches All Things")), that believers today can truly behold the "wondrous things" within the entire biblical narrative, seeing how it all testifies to Him ([John 5:39](/john/5-39 "John 5:39 - Scriptures Testify of Jesus")). The veil that once obscured the true meaning of the Old Testament is now [lifted in Christ](/2_corinthians/3-14 "2 Corinthians 3:14 - The Veil Removed in Christ"), allowing us to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.