Psalm 119:52

The verse we take up today is sandwiched between two verses, both of which speak of things that stressed the psalmist. Verse 51 speaks of the stress of being had greatly in derision by the proud. Verse 53 speaks of the horror that took hold of him because of the wicked that forsake God’s law. The psalmist was stressed by what the wicked were doing to him and by what they were doing to God’s law. Now the verse we consider today shows us how the psalmist was comforted in the midst of this stress.

Psalms 119:52 I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.

The psalmist found comfort in remembering God’s judgments of old. First off, let’s understand that God’s judgments refer not only to his punishment of the wicked for their wickedness, but it also refers to God's rewarding of the righteous for their righteousness. When God either punishes or rewards, He is judging; this is an act of judgment by the Lord.

2 Chronicles 6:23 Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.

The Bible is a book of history. It records the dealings of God with men from the beginning of time to the generation of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a period of about four thousand years. It also prophesies of how God will deal with men for the remainder of time until the end of the world and then into eternity. In the history recorded in the Bible we find example after example of God’s judgments. We see Him recompensing the way of the wicked in such events as the flood of Noah, the destruction of the Sodom and Gomorrah, the plagues of Egypt, the final overthrow of Pharaoh and his chariots in the Red Sea, the chastisement of David for his adultery, the captivity of Israel by the Assyrians, the fall of Judah to the Babylonians, and the subsequent fall of Babylon, to name a few. We also see the Lord rewarding the righteous in the translation of Enoch, the deliverance of Noah and his family through the flood, the raising up of Joseph to a position of power second only to Pharaoh, the provisions God made for virtuous Ruth, the protection of David from the pursuits of Saul, etc. It was from this history of God’s judgments that the psalmist drew his comfort in the midst of the persecution of the righteous and the abandonment of God’s law by the wicked.

The judgments of God show us that there is a limit to how far wicked men can go in their wickedness before God puts a stop to it. This is a comfort to a God-fearing man. I even derive comfort from knowing God judges His children for their wicked ways as He did David. That means that God puts a curb upon my own sin. If He did not to do so, I would destroy myself. Were not the Lord in the business of restraining wicked men by his judgments, they would long since have destroyed God’s word and His people from this earth to say nothing of destroying each other. For when men have no regard for the righteousness of God’s law, no one is safe.

In addition, the history of God’s judgments confirms the truth of these two verses:

Psalms 58:11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

Ephesians 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

By remembering God’s judgments of old God’s servants are assured that in the end righteousness pays off though for the present they may be suffering on account of it. The remembrance of this is a great comfort. It encourages us to continue doing good.

One reason we can derive such comfort from remembering God’s judgments of old is that the Lord doesn’t change.

Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

He continues today to judge men as He did then. It is as we sometimes sing in church: “And the God that lived in the olden times is just the same today!” It is here we find comfort.

Remembering the judgments of old executed by our immutable God we may join the psalmist David in praying this prayer:

Psalms 7:8 The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. 9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

Now the next thing I wish to point out in this verse is extremely important. Observe that the psalmist said that remembering God’s judgments of old, I…have comforted myself. To comfort oneself is to strengthen oneself, to encourage oneself. Now God gives His people ministers of the word of God and one of their jobs is to comfort His people.

1 Thessalonians 3:2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

And believers have a responsibility to comfort one another.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

It is a grand thing to have other people in our life who can comfort us. But we have a responsibility to remember what we have been taught so that in times of distress we can comfort ourselves. We need to be able to reach down into the storehouse of our own knowledge and find that which will impart strength and encourage us. You see, you can and ought to become your own therapist so that you are not so completely dependent on others to help you with your struggles!

To be able to comfort yourself is a sign of spiritual maturity. Make it your goal to be like David. When the wives and children of David and his men had been carried away captive by the Amalekites, and his men spake of stoning him, and David was “greatly distressed” – who wouldn’t be under those circumstances - it is written that David “encouraged himself in the LORD his God” (1Samuel 30:1-6). David was able to comfort himself. God grant us grace to remember His judgments of old that we may comfort ourselves in times of distress.

Psalm 119:51

We continue today with our meditations taken from the octave of Psalm 119 entitled Zain

Psalms 119:51 The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.

Derision is the action of deriding. So let’s define the word deride.

Deride – To laugh at in contempt or scorn; to laugh to scorn; to make sport of, mock.

The man of God writes in this psalm of the yearnings and experiences of God’s chosen and redeemed family, who keep His law. One of those experiences is to be the object of derision, to be laughed at in contempt, to be made fun of.

Note that the ones who hold them in contempt are called the proud. Anyone who would make fun of a person for fearing God has a very high opinion of himself; he is very full of himself. His expression of contempt for God’s servant is in reality an expression of contempt for God Himself and His holy law. No greater expression of arrogance can be imagined than to thus boldly mock the Almighty God of heaven and earth, Who holds in His hand the breath of every living thing. The Lord has but to nod and that arrogant fool would be reduced to nothingness. Yet he dares to defy the living God and mock His chosen ones with the very breath His Maker gives Him.

Not only do the proud have God’s servants in derision; they have had them greatly in derision.

Psalms 123:4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

It is hard to imagine any passage more relevant to the age in which we live than the verse we consider today. Observe how much, yea, how greatly the media makes fun of Christianity and its followers. If a television show or a movie has a character that is a preacher, how many times is that preacher presented as a bungling idiot or a crook? Authoritative leaders who enforce righteousness are cast in a dim light. It is they who must be broken. They are the villain.

But over against all this derision, the psalmist states: yet have I not declined from thy law.

Decline – To turn aside, deviate. fig. To turn aside in conduct; esp. to swerve or fall away (from rectitude, duty, allegiance, instructions, etc.).

The psalmist did not let the scorn of the proud intimidate him into backing off from his devotion to God’s law and neither should we. As Matthew Henry pointed out, the psalmist was “jeered for his religion,” but he was not “jeered out of his religion.” He would bear the laughter; he would be the brunt of the joke; he would endure the embarrassment. Because, you see, in the end, it is God and His servants who will have the last laugh.

Psalms 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

Luke 6:21 …Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

The day is coming when the derision of the proud aimed at the righteous will be forever silenced.

Jude 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

But before we leave this meditation today, let us “consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself,” even our Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:3). Today’s verse speaks so plainly of Him. Whilst hanging on His cross bearing our reproach and sin, it was written of Him:

Luke 23:35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. 36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, 37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

He, too, was had greatly in derision by the proud who encircled His cross and poked fun at Him and His claims, and dared Him to come down from the cross. Yet, thank God, He did not decline from the law that required His suffering on that cross. Instead of coming down from the cross, He bore its curse to the death thus fulfilling the law and bringing in our everlasting salvation. Praise ye the Lord!

Psalm 119:50

Today we come to the second verse in the octave of Psalm 119 entitled Zain

Psalms 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

The verse begins with the demonstrative pronoun this. The pronoun this points to a person or thing that is present in space, time, or thought. It especially points to something that has just been mentioned, as is the case here. In the previous verse the psalmist mentioned the word of God to him, upon which God had caused him to hope. The word of God to me that gives me hope is indeed my comfort in my affliction.

Now just what is comfort?

Comfort - Strengthening; encouragement, incitement; aid, succour, support, countenance (appearance of favour).

The psalmist found in God’s word a source of strength, encouragement, and support when he was in affliction. Do you? Does your Bible truly help you cope with the hardships of life? Does it open to you a window of hope beyond what you are suffering? It should, because that is what it was written to do.

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Consider some of the things you can expect from the Lord because He has promised them to you in His word. This is God’s word upon which He has caused you to hope. You can expect Him to supply all your need (Philippians 4:19). When you confess your sins to God, you can expect Him to forgive them and to cleanse you of them (1JO 1:9). As you go through life with its heap of troubles, the Lord has promised to help you, to strengthen you, and to always be there for you (Isaiah 41:10; 43:2; Hebrews 13:5-6). You can count on the Lord to never permit you to be tempted above your ability to bear (1Corinthians 10:13). You may confidently expect the Lord Jesus Christ to come back for you and to take you to His Father’s house where He has prepared a place for you (John 14:1-3). Are not all these things a comfort to you in your affliction?

The reason God’s word was a comfort to the psalmist was because it quickened him. Let’s look again at the definition of quicken.

Quicken – To give or restore life to; to make alive; to vivify or revive; to animate. To give, add, or restore vigour to (a person or thing); to stimulate, stir up, rouse, excite, inspire.

Afflictions have a way of draining us, of wearing us down. They can sap the life out of us. In such a state we need our vigour restored. We need stirring up. And that is what God’s word of hope does for us. Charles Spurgeon wrote: “Troubles which weigh us down when we are half dead become mere trifles when we are full of life.” When the word of God revives you and stirs you up, it strengthens you and helps you, that is, it comforts you. It makes your affliction more bearable. When this happens, then you can say from experience: This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickened me.

And if the word of the Lord is not bringing you comfort, if it is not stirring you up, then you might well ask yourself if you are truly the Lord’s servant. For this verse and the one that precedes it are talking about God’s word to His servant. The benefits of quickening and comfort belong to those who submit to the Lord as His servants.

Let me conclude this meditation with a word of warning. When you are being stressed and drained by the afflictions of life, be very careful about what you turn to for comfort. The devil will be only too ready at those times to offer you sources of comfort that in the end will destroy you. Examples of such faulty sources of comfort would be alcohol or drug abuse, gluttony, gambling, overmuch pleasure, unhealthy relationships, fornication, or adultery, to name some. In all your afflictions, let your first recourse for support be to your God and His word. Wait patiently for Him. Never forget that it is “through patience and comfort of the Scriptures” that we have hope (Romans 15:4, cited above). The Lord will bring relief in due time.

Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

And when the good Lord has tried you in the furnace of affliction and exercised your patience, you will be the better for it. Let this prospect be your comfort in your affliction.

Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.