Psalm 119:82

Today we plunge more deeply into the darkness of this octave of Psalm 119 that Charles Spurgeon called “the midnight of the psalm.”

Psalms 119:82  Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?

The psalmist needed comfort.  Thomas Manton wrote the following about our need for comfort:

“Comfort is necessary because a great part of our temptations lies in troubles, as well as allurements.  Sense of pain may discompose us as well as pleasure entice us.  The world is a persecuting world as well as a tempting world.  The flesh troubleth as well as enticeth.  The Devil is a disquieting as well as an ensnaring Devil.”

Therefore, we need strength, encouragement, help, and support, all of which are wrapped up in that word comfort. 

In asking the Lord “when wilt thou comfort me?” the psalmist was acknowledging God as the Source of comfort and rightly so, since God is “the God of all comfort” (2Corinthians 1:3).  Now the God of all comfort uses the Scriptures to comfort His children (Romans 15:4).  So the psalmist was rightly expecting to find comfort in the word of God.  God’s word was his comfort in his affliction (Psalm 119:50).  However, the comfort of the Scriptures that he looked for was delayed in coming, so long delayed that his eyes were failing for it. 

Fail – To fall off in respect of vigour or activity; to lose power or strength; to flag, wane; to break down; fig. of the heart.  Of the eyes, light, etc.:  To grow dim.

He was losing his power to find comfort in the word of God.  If there was any comfort in the Scriptures for him, it seemed as if his eyes were unable to see it.  He was in darkness of soul.  It was as if he were going spiritually blind.

Now it says a lot for a man when he so loves his Bible and so much expects comfort from it that he will keep looking for it until his eyes wear out.  But we do have a breaking point, a point where we grow so weak through affliction that we despair of ever finding comfort.  There are times when we may prayerfully read our Bible regularly, but for some reason its message does not seem to reach us.   Sometimes our experience is echoed in these passages:

Psalms 77:2  In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

3  I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

4  Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

5  I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

6  I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

7  Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?

8  Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?

9  Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.

Psalms 88:6  Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.

7  Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.

8  Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

9  Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

If it is any comfort to you to know this, then know that I, whose calling is to study and teach the Scriptures, have times when the comfort of those Scriptures is beyond my reach.  Although I read the words, it is as though I am staring into a void.  I put my Bible down as comfortless as when I opened it.  I go to God asking for help and rise from my knees as burdened as when I knelt to seek relief.  I sometimes feel shut up and shut out.  But, thanks be to God, it has been my experience that just about the time I think I can hold out no longer, the Lord comes through with a word of comfort to carry me forward.  It is said of our Lord:  “And therefore will he wait, that he may be gracious unto you” (Isaiah 30:18).  Charles Bridges wrote:  “He waits – not because he is reluctant to give, but that we may be fitted to receive.”  The Lord knows just how to time the gift of His comfort.  You may think He is just wearing you down, when He is really stretching your capacity to endure.  By withholding relief, He is really strengthening you.  It works like that in physical exercise.  You strengthen your muscles by working them to the point of muscle failure. 

Are your eyes failing after the comfort of God’s word?  If so, you are likely nearing the point when the light will break forth and you will find the comfort that will turn your night to day, your mourning into dancing, and your heaviness into praise.