Psalm 119:123

As we come to today’s verse of Psalm 119, we encounter the psalmist experiencing again something he expressed in verse 82:  the failing of his eyes.

Psalms 119:123  Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.

In verse 82 his eyes were failing for God’s word as a source of comfort.  Here his eyes were failing for God’s salvation and for His word.  The psalmist was obviously in the throes of trouble.  In verse 82 he was looking for some comfort.  In today’s verse he was looking for deliverance.  His trouble has dragged on so long and he looked for relief for so long that his eyes were losing their power to look any longer.  His eyes were failing. 

And his eyes were also failing for the word of God’s righteousness.  He read in his Bible and heard from his teachers the promises of God to deliver His people.  And he knew that the word He read and heard was the word of God’s righteousness, the word of a God Who is Himself righteous and Who is, therefore, righteous in all that He says and does.  He is a God Who never errs and Who cannot lie.  His judgments are “true and righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:9) and worthy of our complete confidence.  If He promises to saves us, He will save us.  But where was the promised salvation?  Why was deliverance so long in coming?  Commenting on this verse Matthew Henry wrote:  “It is often the infirmity even of good men to be weary of waiting God’s time when their time has elapsed.” 

If you find yourself feeling like the psalmist, let me give you this word of comfort:  even though your eyes fail for God’s salvation and His word of righteousness, His word of righteousness will never fail.  The failing is happening on your end, not on His.  He has said in the word of His righteousness:  “I will not fail thee” (Joshua 1:5).  He has said He will not suffer His faithfulness to fail (Psalms 89:33).  And it is written of Him that “His compassions fail not” (Lamentations 3:22).  Therefore, His salvation is sure, even though it be delayed.  So if your eyes are failing for God’s salvation, here is what you need:

Hebrews 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

Habakkuk 2:3  For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.    

Furthermore, if you are in such a state as the psalmist was, let me give you this advice:  When you pray tell the Lord that you are waiting for the word of His righteousness.  Pit His righteousness against your doubts and despair.  Always acknowledge that He is right, no matter what may be wrong in your life.  This is putting everything on Him and what He has promised to do about it. 

And may you find comfort in these words taken from a psalm that is a prophecy of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Psalms 69:3  I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.

That is Jesus talking, dear reader.  His eyes also failed as He waited for God’s salvation.  And look where He is today!  He is even “at the right hand of the throne of God” where there are “pleasures for evermore” (Hebrews 12:2; Psalm 16:11).  And so shall you be.

Revelation 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.