Psalm 119:49-64

Psalm 119:49-64

We come to the seventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Every verse in this section begins with the Hebrew letter Zayin. In this section we see a man who is comforted by the Word of God.

“comfort in my affliction” (50)

“I take comfort” (51)

We all need comfort. Let’s look at how this saint related to the Word of God at a time when he needed to experience the comfort of God.

1. He was familiar with the Word of God (49).

“remember your Word” This is a prayer for God to remember His Word. He doesn’t think God is forgetful. This is simply a way that we are to pray. When we pray like this we are showing God that we know His Word.

The promises of God have made the Psalmist hope. God does not cause us to hope to let us down. The Psalmist showing His understanding of God’s Word points God toward the promises.

Do you know the Word of God well enough to pray in this way? We cannot expect to be comforted by the Word if we do not know the Word. Hope will escape us if we do not know the Word.

God wants us to remind Him of His Word because it shows we have done our part. We have sought Him through the Scriptures. We are not lazy saints waiting on God to do everything for us.

2. He was comforted in affliction (50).

How is he comforted? The promises of God give him life. “Life” refers to a refreshing, an invigorating.

Where does your comfort come from? Many find it in:

A bottle

A relationship

Money

A hobby

Those things can only bring a temporary comfort.

The promises of God do not work apart from faith. If we have faith in God’s Word we will:

Come to our senses when sorrow seeks to overwhelm us.

Think of a particular truth or verse from God’s Word.

Make a choice to believe God’s Word in our discomfort.

There is a process.

3. He was determined in ridicule (51-52).

“Insolent” are the arrogant, proud.

“deride me” they insult me.

Context suggests the insulting is the result of the Psalmist trusting in the Word of God.

When insulted he does not turn away from the law of God.

Have you noticed that few people attack the Koran?

Few people attack the Buddhist holy book (The Tripitaka).

The Bible is ferociously attacked. Many today are compromising because they are:

Embarrassed at what the Bible teaches

Unsure of what the bible teaches

Unable to contradict the lies of the enemy

We must be determined in ridicule to stand on Scripture.

“When I think of your rules” What is his response? He takes comfort.

When the enemies think of God’s Word they are not comforted. They are angered. The Word of God condemns sin, idolatry, etc.

Some may think if they believe the bible they will lose friends, influence. That may be try. If you don’t believe the Bible, you will lose comfort.

Comfort concerning your sin

Comfort concerning death

Comfort concerning hope

If we want the comfort that Scripture brings, we must be willing to withstand ridicule.

4. He was angered at hypocrisy (53).

“Hot indignation” anger.

“the wicked who forsake your law” This refers to Jewish people who had forsaken the Law. How can you forsake it if you have not had it? The Gentiles did not have the written word of God. The Psalmist knows those in his own community who have forsaken the Word of God.

We forsake the Word of God when we refuse to live according to it. There are many who identify as Christians but do not seek to obey Scripture. Many of these even go to church on a regular basis. This is hypocrisy.

The Christian should not be satisfied with a hypocritical religion. If we say we love God we should seek to live by His Word.

5. He was encouraged through the Word (54).

It’s important we are not overcome with anger. Hypocrisy should anger us but not to the point that the anger takes over our life.

“Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning”

Does sojourning refer to a physical place or a symbolic one? Either could be the case here. The truth is the Christian will always feel like a pilgrim in this world. How are we encouraged in a world we feel we do not belong?

The Psalmist worshipped through song. These songs were derived from the Word of God. It is important that we:

Have Psalms memorized

That we have hymns memorized

Songs that reflect the Word are a true source of joy. They are a great benefit to us. As Baptists we have many hymns that we can meditate on:

The Old Rugged Cross

Victory in Jesus

What a Day that Will Be

There are not many encouragers in this world. You will often need to encourage yourself. It is easy to by using the great songs of our faith.

6. He was reminded in the night (55-56).

“in the night” probably refers just to that. Nights can be long for a sojourner. During my time in Haiti the nights were very dark and very hot. I couldn’t wait for each night to end.

The Psalmist chose to remember the Lord as he lie in his bed. Just as we often have to encourage ourselves we must remind ourselves as well.

He remembers the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord refers to His character/attributes. Without the Bible we can know there is a God. Without the Bible we cannot know what God is like.

Reminding himself of who God is aided him in keeping the law.

“the blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts”. It blessed the Psalmist that he was living obediently. He found comfort in his spiritual maturity. There is no greater feeling than knowing you are living for God.

Notice this section opens with the Psalmist asking the Lord to remember His Word. It ends with the Psalmist remembering the name of the Lord. We often voice that we do not want God to forget us. Do we say “Lord, don’t let me forget You?”

Heth (8th Letter)

In this section I want to show you five things the Psalmist received from His devotion to the Word of God.

1. He received contentment (57).

“The Lord is my portion” Each Jewish tribe was given a portion of land. The only exception was the tribe of Levi. The Levites made up the priests. The Bible said they would not receive a portion of the land but that the Lord would be their portion (Deut. 10:9).

Some have argued that the writer of this Psalm was a Levite. Maybe he was. But the phrase took on a larger meaning. It signifies contentment in the Lord. The writer is overwhelmed with his inheritance. His response to it is obedience to the words of God.

Is God enough for you?

If you learn all that you have in the Lord, He will be. You will be so overwhelmed at His goodness that you devote yourself to Him. Disobedience’s greatest cause is ignorance.

2. He received grace (58).

“entreat” long for, seek after. The Psalmist wants the favor of God in his life. If you are not careful when you read this section, you might fall on the side of legalism. This Psalm does not teach obeying Scripture from a legalistic point of view. The Psalmist assumes he needs the favor of God and knows his receiving it depends completely on the grace of God.

3. He received direction (59-60).

“When I think on my ways” He examines his life. He sees the weaknesses he has. He recognizes his sins.

When you study the Bible sincerely you will always look at your own life. The Bible is a very personal book. It investigates us. It even reveals motives and secret sins.

This could also refer to decisions he needs to make. He is not hasty in his decisions. He thinks them through.

“I turn my feet to your testimonies” This is the direction he wants to go. He wants to follow the will of the Lord. When we study the Bible from a pure heart there will always be some turning to do. Turning away from and turning toward.

“I hasten and do not delay” once he sees the will of God he does not hesitate. There is no other decision to be made. God has made it for him.

Is God directing you or are you directing yourself.

4. He received encouragement (61-62).

“cords of the wicked” When an enemy ties you up. Metaphorically it could refer to any restriction upon a life. The wicked seek to keep the righteous from obedience.

“At midnight I rise to praise you” Think of one captured by an enemy. They sit in a jail cell as Paul and Barnabas were. The Bible says about midnight Paul and Barnabas rose up and began to sing hymns to God (Acts 16: 25). What followed was an earthquake that freed them from their chains.

It was the Word of God that encouraged the Psalmist to praise God in his chains. There will be times you feel like you are in a dungeon. If you don’t know God’s Word, it will be difficult to be encouraged. If you do know God’s Word the Spirit of the Lord will whisper it to you in the darkest of night.

5. He received fellowship (63-64).

“companion” partner, friend

“all who fear you” is the redeemed

They are characterized by fear of God and obedience to His precepts.

The love of God is not only for him. The earth is full of God’s steadfast love. Every born-again person experiences the love of God.

God has blessed us with the fellowship of the church. Too many fail to embrace this blessing. Fellowship of other believers is a gift. The Bible teaches us to meet together and gives us a big list of “one another’s”.

Love one another

Serve one another

Bear with one another

Encourage one another

Fellowship with God includes fellowship with His people. Do you love God’s people? Do you find satisfaction in fellowshipping with them?

God gives us contentment, grace, direction, encouragement, and fellowship.