Yesterday’s Victory Call was posted late – if you missed it go to www.americaskeswick.org/victorycall to view it.

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. Psalm 119:18

Recently I was memorizing Psalm 119:18 in the ESV which is different than how I first memorized it in the NIV – “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” At first glance the differences seemed minor but the more I meditated on the ESV phrasing the truth gripped me at a deeper level. 

First the difference between seeing and beholding.  You cannot behold something without seeing it but you can surely see something without beholding it.  The definitions of both words allow for deeper understanding but in the general use of the word “see”, I believe most of us to consider seeing as something we do with our eyes.  “to perceive or detect as by sight”i But to “behold” something has a deeper, richer sense beyond simply seeing something.  To behold: “to gaze upon”ii   Would you agree there is a subtle difference between seeing the stars and gazing at the stars?  I suggest there is a similar difference between seeing things in God’s Word and beholding things in God’s Word. 

Behold wondrous things…there is a component of mystery and miraculous to those things wondrous.  To behold wondrous things does not necessarily mean I will understand the mystery but perhaps that I will appreciate it and be awed by things in His Word. 

Out of your law… when I first read this, it seemed like awkward phrasing.  KJV and ESV say “out of your (thy) law.” The NIV version says “see wonderful things in your law.”  NASB and NKJV say “from Your law.”  “That I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”  Perhaps the difference is oh, so subtle, but to see things in God’s law sounds like we see them and leave them on the page, feeling good but not changed.  But to behold wondrous things OUT of the law sounds more proactive in that we not only behold the wondrous things but they leave the pages of Scripture and settle into our hearts and minds, changing us for His glory. 

I would like to start each of my devotional times with this verse as a prayer to God that my time in His Word would reveal more of Him to me and that it would change me to be more like Him.  I trust it would be your prayer as well.

Blessings, Diane

i http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/see accessed 1.28.13ii http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behold accessed 1.28.13