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.