Psalm 119:18
“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Context
From Psalm 119's third section, this verse turns from keeping God's word to praying for the insight needed to perceive its depth.
What Does Psalm 119:18 Mean?
This verse is a prayer asking God to open the reader's eyes so the wonders within His word become visible. The psalmist assumes something striking: that Scripture holds "wondrous things" that ordinary sight can miss. Truth is present on the page, but spiritual perception is needed to behold it, and that perception is a gift the psalmist asks God to give.
The request "open thou mine eyes" admits human limitation with humility. We can read every word and still not see, the way someone can look at a landscape in the dark and notice nothing. The psalmist longs not merely to gather information but to be amazed -- to "behold wondrous things," the same kind of wonder evoked by God's mighty acts. This makes the verse a model prayer before reading Scripture. Rather than approaching God's word as a flat text to be mastered, the reader comes asking for help to see what is really there. The posture is dependence: understanding comes as God grants insight, and the proper response to what He reveals is awe.
In the Original Language
"Wondrous things" translates the Hebrew pala', referring to extraordinary, marvelous acts, the same word used for God's miracles.
Cross References
“Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.”
- Luke 24:45
“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling.”
- Ephesians 1:18
“But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things.”
- 1 Corinthians 2:10
Application
Begin your reading of Scripture by asking God to open your eyes, expecting to be shown wonders you could not see on your own.