Psalm 119:49-64 NKJV
ז ZAYIN
49 Remember the word to Your servant,
Upon which You have caused me to hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction,
For Your word has given me life.
51 The proud have me in great derision,
Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.
52 I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord,
And have comforted myself.
53 Indignation has taken hold of me
Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
54 Your statutes have been my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage.
55 I remember Your name in the night, O Lord,
And I keep Your law.
56 This has become mine,
Because I kept Your precepts.
ח HETH
57 You are my portion, O Lord;
I have said that I would keep Your words.
58 I entreated Your favor with my whole heart;
Be merciful to me according to Your word.
59 I thought about my ways,
And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
60 I made haste, and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.
61 The cords of the wicked have bound me,
But I have not forgotten Your law.
62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
63 I am a companion of all who fear You,
And of those who keep Your precepts.
64 The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy;
Teach me Your statutes.
In our reading for today from Psalm 119:49–64, the psalmist expresses deep trust in God’s Word during seasons of suffering. He pleads with God to remember His promises—because those promises are where the psalmist finds hope and life, even in hardship.
When we face affliction, it’s tempting to turn inward or give in to frustration. But in today’s word, we’re reminded that God’s Word is not only true—it’s comforting. Verse 50 says, “This is my comfort in my affliction, Your word has given me life.” The Word of God isn’t just instruction; it’s nourishment for the soul.
Even when surrounded by opposition or surrounded by the proud (v. 51), the psalmist holds firm. He doesn’t retaliate—he reflects. He remembers God’s laws and sings His statutes even in the night (v. 55). That’s powerful: worship becomes a refuge, not just an act of praise.
Verse 64 sums it up beautifully: “The earth, O LORD, is full of your mercy; Teach me Your statutes.” Despite pain or confusion, the psalmist sees the love of God in everything. It reminds us that even when life feels uncertain, God’s love and Word remain steady. God’s love is not limited or distant—it fills the earth. It surrounds us, even when we can’t feel it. And the psalmist longs to know God more through His Word—not just to learn facts, but to walk in God’s ways.
As Christians, we know that all of Scripture points us to Jesus—the Word made flesh. In Him, the promises of God find their “Yes” (2 Corinthians 1:20). He is the ultimate expression of God’s mercy and steadfast love. When we are weary or overwhelmed, we remember: Christ has conquered sin, defeated death, and walks with us through every valley. Like the psalmist, we turn to the Word not just for answers, but for life, hope, and communion with the One who never fails.
Let us pray: Gracious Father, Thank You for the promises in Your Word that give us hope and sustain us in every season. Fill our hearts with gratitude and trust, for the earth is filled with Your mercy. Amen.