The Believer's Joy

Extract

The Believer’s Joy – Robert Murray M’Cheyne

1. The Believer’s Prayer for Divine Teaching “Open Thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law” Psalm 119:18.

The law of God here spoken of is the Bible. In the days of David, the Law, or the five books of Moses, formed the greater part of the Bible, and so the whole was often called the Law. So, in the first Psalm, “His delight is in the law of the Lord.” At verse 97 he says, “O how love I Thy law, it is my meditation all the day.” And here, “Open Thou mine eyes,” & c.
The wondrous things seem to be the great things of an eternal world — he had turned his enquiring eyes upon the wonders of nature, sun, moon, and stars, mountains, trees, and rivers. He had seen many of the wonders of art; but now, he wanted to see the spiritual wonders contained in the Bible. He wanted to know about God Himself in all His majesty, purity, and grace. He wanted to learn the way of salvation by a crucified Redeemer, and the glory that is to follow. These were the wondrous things David wanted to see.

“Open mine eyes.” — David was not blind — his eye was not dim. He could read the Bible from end to end, and yet he felt that he needed more light. He felt that he needed to see deeper, to have the eyes of his understanding opened. He felt that if he had nothing but his own eyes and natural understanding, he would not discover the wonders which he panted to see. He wanted Divine teaching — the eye-salve of the Spirit; and therefore he would not open the Bible without this prayer, “Open Thou mine eyes!”

I. We need Divine Teaching to see the Wonders of the Bible. This is plain from the few that are converted under the Preaching of the Gospel. “Many are called but few are chosen,” has been the rule from the earliest times. If human teaching could reveal the wonders of the Bible, then all who are taught by man would believe; but this is far from being the case. Noah was a preacher of righteousness; alas, with how few did he prevail. Isaiah Complains, …