568_The illuminating power of the Word of God (Psalm 119:129-136) Psalm 119:129-136 Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. 130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. 131 I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments. 132 Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name. 133 Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me. 134 Redeem me from man’s oppression, that I may keep your precepts. 135 Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. 136 My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law. Have you ever walked into a dark room and fumbled for the light switch? For a few moments, everything feels uncertain. You’re aware of the furniture, but you can’t see where it is. You take hesitant steps, afraid of bumping into something. Then, the moment you flip the switch, the entire space is transformed. What was once confusing and shadowy is suddenly clear. You can move freely because you see things as they truly are. In many ways, this is what happens when the Word of God enters our hearts. It brings light into places where confusion and darkness once ruled. It shows us the truth about ourselves, about God, and about the world around us. C. S. Lewis once wrote, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” The same could be said of the Word of God. We don’t only read Scripture to see it, but through it, we learn to see everything else. God’s Word doesn’t just inform us; it transforms how we perceive reality. Psalm 119:129–136 gives us a window into this transformative power. The psalmist here isn’t engaging in mere intellectual reflection—he’s describing the heart-level experience of encountering God through His Word. His words carry awe, longing, and deep devotion. He begins with a declaration of wonder: “Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them.” (v.129). The psalmist has discovered that the Word of God is not ordinary literature. It is wonderful—filled with divine beauty and depth. Every time he reads the testimonies of God, he is filled with awe. His heart is captivated. That sense of wonder compels him to keep them, to treasure and obey them. When was the last time you felt that kind of wonder as you opened your Bible? We live in an age of distraction, where even sacred things can become routine. But when we approach Scripture with the same reverence as the psalmist—with an awareness that we are hearing the voice of the Creator—it changes how we read. The Word becomes not just a text to analyze but a revelation to adore. Then the psalmist uses one of the most beautiful metaphors in Scripture: “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” (v.130). Picture a curtain being pulled back to let
