Remembering God’s Word

Psalms 119:49-56

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.

Remembering God’s word.  God remembers His word to us in His promises, and we remember His word by keeping it.  His scriptures are our hope, what we absolutely rely upon in all times and circumstances.  They are not a wish of what we desire to have, nor something to be dismissed by disbelief and disobedience.  No, these reliable words are all we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) and are as certain as the rising and setting of the sun each day or the gravity holding our feet fast to the ground.  The proud who have God in none of their thoughts or considerations, they hate those who have this certainty, but that is not to persuade us to leave the path of righteousness for their approval or to lessen the attacks.  No, we are set on pilgrimage (Psalm 84:5) in following God, and our hope remains in Him according to His word.  We find comfort in reading through the scriptures to really appreciate His working for His people, and gain great assurance there.  We may find ourselves hating the wickedness of man (which we once were part of as Ephesians 2:1-2 and Colossians 3:6-7 humble us by reminder), but then recall that in the end of the story of creation, fall, and redemption there is justice in the glorification to come.  Vengeance is God’s, and He will certainly avenge us and Himself then.  Instead, we take this example of the psalmist to sing of God’s ways in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with praise to Him who sits on the throne in absolute control of all.  His way is our pilgrimage, our path forward through life in Christ.  We remember and meditate on who He is and all He does and will continue to do, and we obey His word in honor and worship as living sacrifices to ourselves and desires.  These have become ours as well, because we honor Him in following His words of life; He honors those who honor Him (1 Samuel 2:30).  May we strive to continue following in willing obedience to the truth by faith (Romans 1:5) in remembering God’s word.