BEAUTIFUL ILLUMINATION
Opening Prayer
I praise You, Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth. Reveal to me fresh insights from Your Word as I read it now.
Read PSALM 119:129–152
פ Pe
129 Your statutes are wonderful;
therefore I obey them.
130 The unfolding of your words gives light;
it gives understanding to the simple.
131 I open my mouth and pant,
longing for your commands.
132 Turn to me and have mercy on me,
as you always do to those who love your name.
133 Direct my footsteps according to your word;
let no sin rule over me.
134 Redeem me from human oppression,
that I may obey your precepts.
135 Make your face shine on your servant
and teach me your decrees.
136 Streams of tears flow from my eyes,
for your law is not obeyed.
צ Tsadhe
137 You are righteous, Lord,
and your laws are right.
138 The statutes you have laid down are righteous;
they are fully trustworthy.
139 My zeal wears me out,
for my enemies ignore your words.
140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested,
and your servant loves them.
141 Though I am lowly and despised,
I do not forget your precepts.
142 Your righteousness is everlasting
and your law is true.
143 Trouble and distress have come upon me,
but your commands give me delight.
144 Your statutes are always righteous;
give me understanding that I may live.
ק Qoph
145 I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord,
and I will obey your decrees.
146 I call out to you; save me
and I will keep your statutes.
147 I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I have put my hope in your word.
148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promises.
149 Hear my voice in accordance with your love;
preserve my life, Lord, according to your laws.
150 Those who devise wicked schemes are near,
but they are far from your law.
151 Yet you are near, Lord,
and all your commands are true.
152 Long ago I learned from your statutes
that you established them to last forever.
Read full chapterNew International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’1
The psalmist continues with his exuberant praise of God and the manifold richness of His Word. We would do well to pray for a hint of the revelation and enthusiasm that this writer has about the depths and value of Scripture! Verse 130 declares: ‘The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.’ The word ‘unfolding’ literally means ‘opening’. When God ‘opens’ His Word to us, it gives the light of illumination and understanding to the simple.
This can be understood as ‘the revelation of your words’, meaning the giving and receiving of them so that they can be read, which itself is an extraordinary gift. It can also be understood as ‘the interpretation of Your words’. This is about hermeneutics – the understanding and application of these words in our lives.
Finally, it can be understood as ‘the entering of Your words into the heart’, in the sense of such profound meditation and treasuring that God’s words become part of who we are and enter the very core of our being. Each of these nuances speaks of a profound opening of God’s Word to us today.
As Psalm 119 draws to a close, the prayers for deliverance become more frequent. The psalmist is honest about his weaknesses, as well as his mistreatment at the hands of various enemies. It seems that he uses these painful circumstances as a springboard into praise, into recalling God’s promises. This is not pie-in-the-sky spirituality, but an honest retelling of the highs and lows of walking with God. Yet even the most challenging of times becomes an invitation into further wonder at God’s beautiful Word.
Apply
Ask the Holy Spirit to open His Word to you today. Read, study, memorize and meditate so deeply that it enters into your heart and becomes part of you.
Closing prayer
May I truly delight in Your Word, my Lord. Let it sink deeply into my heart so that I can live it.
1 John 8:12
Book and Author Intros
Extras
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.