Psalm 119: Nurturing Passion for God
How to Seek Comfort in God
Psalm 119:49-56
God says that those who trust Jesus Christ will face trials. We will face sickness, financial pressure, hurt from friends, persecution.
But God not only says we will face trials, he also says that when we face trials, he will give us comfort. But too often we ignore what God says about how to receive his comfort, and seek comfort the same way that everyone in the world seeks comfort -- ways that do not focus on God. So we –
- Look on the bright side
- Take our mind off our problems by going to the movies
- Think of how it could have been worse
- Think of how others have bigger problems
But this is how everyone in the world seeks comfort – and these approaches have nothing to do with God. But God calls us to seek comfort in him, and that’s loving of God, because God’s comfort is far more satisfying than any other comfort.
So this morning we are going to talk about how to seek comfort in God. That’s the point of Psalm 119 verses 49 through 56. Let’s turn to Psalm 119 verses 49 through 56. If you need a Bible, please raise your hand and we will bring one to you. Psalm 119 is on page 513 in the Bibles we are passing out.
Let’s look at what he says, starting in v.49 --
49 Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.
51 The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law.
52 When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O LORD.
53 Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law.
54 Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning.
55 I remember your name in the night, O LORD, and keep your law.
56 This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts.
What situation is the psalmist facing? He tells us in vv.50-51. Let’s read them again –
50 This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.
51 The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law.
In v.50 he says he faces an affliction. That means he’s facing some trial, some problem, some difficulty. And in v.51 he tells us what that problem is – insolent people who are deriding him, mocking him, making fun of him.
And notice that he says even though they deride him, he does not turn from God’s law. This might show that they are mocking his faith in God, his love for God’s Word, his obedience to God.
So it’s clear that the author faces a painful trial. And so his heart would have longed for comfort. And that’s true of all of us when we face trials -- we long for comfort.
And the author knows that real, heart-felt comfort is found only in God. So how does he seek comfort in God? In these verses I saw eight ways he seeks comfort in God. Let’s go through them one by one.
First, he asks God to remember his word. You can see that in v.49 –
49 Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope.
Notice that he starts by turning directly to God and talking with him. This is not because he was good enough to turn to God. No. But the animal sacrifices taught him that God would provide a way for him to be forgiven. And what the animal sacrifices point to is Jesus Christ. Which means that whenever we trust Jesus we can always turn to God, confessing our sins, and God is running toward us with joy.
So he turns to God and asks – remember your word – remember your word in which I have hoped. And that word “hope” shows that he’s thinking of God’s promises, because that’s the part of God’s Word we hope in.
Maybe he’s been hoping in Genesis 50:20 – where Joseph says that what his brothers meant for evil, God meant for good. Which means that even when others hurt us, God has purposefully allowed that in order to bring us great good.
Maybe he’s thinking of Psa 28:7 – “the Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.” So the Lord promises to strengthen us when we face trials and afflictions and difficulties.
So he has been hoping in God’s promises, and here he asks God to remember these promises. Now why ask God to remember his promises? It must be that God has not yet fulfilled these promises.
So he prays – remember your word. Fulfill your promise. I can see him with the scroll open in front of him – Father, you said you purposefully allow people to do evil things in order to bring great good. Here are people doing evil things to me. Don’t forget your promise! Bring great good out of this!
Father, you said you would be my strength, but I’m still weak. But I’m waiting on you, I’m looking to you. Don’t forget your promise! Strengthen me!
So the author asks God to remember his word.
Second, he seeks comfort in trusting God’s promises. You can see that in v.50 –
50 This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.
This is the key verse in this section. Read it again: “this is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” Where does he turn for comfort? He seeks his comfort in the life that comes from God’s promises.
He does not seek his comfort in raiding the refrigerator. Or losing himself in a novel. Or in calling and complaining to a friend. Or in thinking of how it could have been worse, or in looking on the bright side.
No. He seeks his comfort in the life that comes from God’s promises. When you face a trial, open up God’s Word, find helpful promises, and pray over those promises. When you do that -- those promises will give you life.
Thursday I was feeling overwhelmed. But God brought to mind the promise of Isaiah 64:4 – that God works on behalf of those who wait on him. Which meant that as I looked to God, waited on God, prayed to God – God would be working on my behalf in all these areas about which I was feeling overwhelmed. And as I prayed over that promise – the Holy Spirit came upon me and brought me life, strength, peace, and confidence.
So seek comfort in God’s promises.
Third, he does not let the trial cause him to turn from God’s law. You can see that in v.51 –
51 The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law.
Maybe they were mocking his devotion to God’s Word. Maybe they were saying – put the scroll away. What good is that?
But whatever they were saying, however they were causing him heartache – he did not turn away from God’s law. He kept the scroll open in front of him.
But the truth is that every trial can make us turn from God’s Law, because we can are angry at God for allowing the trial. And so, in our anger, we ignore him, we don’t open the Bible, we don’t seek his face.
But trials should not make us angry at God. Trials bring sorrow. There’s nothing wrong with that; and God will sorrow with us. But trials should not make us angry, because God has told us he will allow trials to come our way – and that he will use them to bring us great joy in him – and that he will give us all the grace we need to handle them.
So don’t let trials make you angry at God so you turn from God’s Word. Listen – the only place you are going to find real comfort is IN God’s Word.
Fourth, he reflects on how God has been faithful to his rules from ancient times. You can see that in v.52 –
52 When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O LORD.
He thought about for thousands of years God has given people rules and commands – and that when they followed his rules, even when that meant trials, God was faithful to them.
Maybe he thought about how God had commanded Noah to trust him and build an ark. That brought Noah trials. But Noah trusted God through trials, and built the ark. And how God was faithful to Noah.
He might have thought about how God had commanded Abraham to go to a land he did not know about. This brought Abraham trials – but Abraham obeyed God, and God was faithful to Abraham.
So as he thought about the rules God had given his people – the trials he had led them into – and how faithful God had been to them -- he would have been comforted
So take time to think of how faithful God has been to his people for thousands and thousands of years – and let that comfort you that God will be faithful to you as well.
Fifth, he feels anger at the way God is dishonored. You can see that in v.53 –
53 Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law.
Please don’t misunderstand. This does not mean we can get mad at everyone who hurts us. So here’s what this means.
I’m pretty sure that the wicked people here are the ones he mentions in v.51 who deride and make fun of him. But God, who is perfect in wisdom, love, and goodness, has called us NOT to make fun of each other. So they are standing before a perfectly holy and good God and forsaking his law.
And so the psalmist is angry – not at how they are dishonoring HIM, but at how they are dishonoring GOD. Now he would also have had compassion on them, and would have longed that they turn back to God. So sometimes (not always, but sometimes) in our trials there is a place for anger at how God is being dishonored.
And when that’s the case go ahead and express to God how you are angry that he is being dishonored. That also can bring comfort.
Sixth, he worships while remembering that his life here is temporary. That’s in v.54 –
54 Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning.
God’s statutes have been his songs. So as he goes through this trial, he stops and sings worship songs full of Scripture to God. This is not to make him forget his problems. This is to help him trust God with his problems.
And as he sings he remembers that his life here is a life of sojourning. The Hebrew word “sojourning” describes a temporary resident. So the author understands that he is just a temporary resident here on earth – that his home will be with God after death forever.
And that would have been comforting, because our ultimate joy is to be in the presence of God forever, and no trial on earth can touch that. No health trial, financial trial, relationship trial, marriage trial – no trial on earth can touch the joy we will have in God forever.
Seventh, he sets his heart on God’s name. That’s in v.55 –
55 I remember your name in the night, O LORD, and keep your law.
Trials feel much worse at night. That might be why he goes out of his way to remember God’s name at night. God’s name refers to his character, who he is, what he is like. So maybe before he went to sleep, or if he woke up during the night, he would intentionally set his heart on God’s name – which means setting his heart on God’s attributes --
God, you are sovereign over everything.
You have forgiven me in Jesus Christ.
You are rejoicing to do me good with all your heart.
You are flawlessly wise.
You will give me everything I need.
Think of how comforting that would be!
And then eighth, he recognizes how God is helping him be faithful. That’s in v.56 --
56 This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts.
He sees that through this trial he has experienced the blessing of keeping God’s precepts. He has been praying, setting his heart on God’s promises, and trusting God.
And he reminds himself that this ability to keep God’s precepts did not come from himself – it has fallen to him, which I think means it came from God.
So he’s saying – thank you, Father, for giving me faith. Thank you for turning my heart to you. This did not come ultimately from me – it is a gracious gift from you. So thank you.
That would also have brought him great comfort.
Questions?
So what does this mean for us? Here’s my challenge. Every time you face a trial, as soon as you can pull out these eight verses, read them over, and take each step he takes. As you do that, God will do for you exactly what he did for the author – he will pour his comfort upon you.
Hudson Taylor was a missionary to inland China in the 1800’s. And tragically, his wife of 12 years suddenly became sick and died. Here’s how he experienced God giving him comfort --
God only knows what my wife’s passing means to me. Twelve years of such unbroken spiritual fellowship, united labor, mutual satisfaction and love …
But no language can express what He has been and is to me during this hard time. Never does he leave me; constantly does he cheer me with his love.
His own rest, his own peace, his own comfort he gives me. Often I find myself wondering whether it is possible for her, who is taken, to have more joy in his presence than he has given me.
That’s the kind of comfort God alone can give. So seek your comfort in him.