The unfolding of your words gives light;

it imparts understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130

The famous acrostic Psalm 119 continues to grow in my heart as one of my favorite parts of Scripture. The psalmist’s meditations upon and applications of God’s word—the Bible—are limitless in their depth and scope. If you give sustained reading and reflection to these eight-stanza sections one-by-one, I believe you can grow to share my love for this marvelous ode to God’s written revelation.

I appreciate the ESV’s (and NASB’s) translation: the unfolding of your words. Even as you read the simple sentence its meaning shines. As God’s word is read, heard, or taught and explained, it is as if the original scroll itself is being unfolded. When we get it. When conviction comes. When one’s heart is strangely warmed—as was John Wesley’s—the sense of understanding and encouragement and wonder is remarkable. J. Alec Motyer explains that the word translated “unfolding” means literally, “door, opening.” He suggests “the meaning may be that when the word opens like a door, the light of the Lord floods through. This is part of the supernatural quality of the word” (NBC, 1994). Yes! Indeed!

Therefore, us regular folks receive instruction, understanding, teaching, revelation, and wisdom. My heart and soul is filled with the divine food of the One who can sustain the weary with a word. And in the process we learn how to live and think and act and conduct ourselves in the process.

PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, for the Bible, your holy word. Please make it a lamp unto my feet and a light into my path. May I hide your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.