Psalm 119:49-56

The Christian's Golden ABC of the Praise, Power, and Value of God's Word

Zain. PATIENCE IN PERSECUTION AND CROSSES. — V. 49. Remember the word unto Thy servant, the reference being to any of the wonderful promises of God in which He assures His servants of His assistance, upon which Thou hast caused me to hope. This is the proper importunity of prayer, to hold the Lord to His promises, Ps. 27, 8.

V. 50. This is my comfort in my affliction, serving to console and uphold him in his misery; for Thy Word hath quickened me, filled him with new life and strength. The darker the days which come upon the believers, the more eagerly they watch for every ray of light from God's Word.

V. 51. The proud, the arrogant and frivolous mockers, such as are always found where the true children of God are following the precepts of God's holy will, have had me greatly in derision; yet have I not declined from Thy Law, in fact, such mockery causes the believer to cling all the more closely to the Word of God.

V. 52. I remembered Thy judgments of old, O Lord, in this case particularly the decisions of God concerning the condemnation of the godless, and have comforted myself, since the righteous judgments of the Lord according to His Word would be sure to be maintained.

V. 53. Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake Thy Law, that is, he is filled with indignation on account of their wickedness, a holy anger causes him to flare up in zeal for the honor of the Lord and to rebuke the unbelievers with merciless sharpness. At the same time the psalmist is determined to make the Word of God his one rule of life.

V. 54. Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage, that is, while the godless jeer with songs of mockery, he will uphold his courage with hymns of praise as long as he is in this earthly house of his pilgrimage, knowing that a complete change will take place in the heavenly home.

V. 55. I have remembered Thy name, O Lord, in the night, the quiet of which is conducive to prayerful meditation, and have kept Thy Law, he has been faithful to the Word at all times.

V. 56. This I had, that was his special privilege, because I kept Thy precepts, looking to the Word for directions to guide his conduct at all times. Thus the believers are ever rich and happy in the possession of the Word.