Sermon Cloud

Theme: Hope and comfort in affliction comes by remembering God’s works and God’s word. 

A good memory brings comfort & produces commitment. 

The psalmist is in the midst of affliction and is in the process of waiting on God for deliverance. However, in the midst of his waiting He calls on God to remember His Word, and he himself is comforted by remembering the past works of God on behalf of His people; and by remembering God’s nature and character. The remembrances and thoughts of God that comfort the psalmist and strengthen his love for God and hatred of wickedness, are all centered around God’s word. 

The whole psalm, show a person who is completely absorbed in God’s word and in His relationship with YHWH. It exudes tenderness and trust on the part of the psalmist. 

 in remembering God’s word the psalmist finds consolation and resolve to remain faithful to YHWH.  

Three benefits of a good spiritual memory (of a good memory)

The psalmist displays three ways he finds comfort and joy in his affliction: 

Comfort in God’s remembering His servant (49-51)

Comfort in remembering God’s past deliverances (52-54)

Comfort in remembering God’s Name (55-56)

Comfort in God’s remembering His servant (49-51)

(49) (Qal impv) “Remember” - he is not saying that God has spiritual alzhiemers, or that somehow God is forgetful or absent minded - in Scripture this carries the notion of ‘remember to bless,” in the sense of acting in accordance with His lovingkindness and covenant faithfulness. Gen. 8:1; 19:29; 30:22 Ex. 2:24; 32:13 (Moses pleads for God to remember His own promises and covenant) Deut. 9:7-8. 

 “you have made me hope” - his rest in affliction is the fact that God will be faithful to His word. 

74 - same expression of trust in the midst of affliction; 

81 - trust though his soul languishes; 

47 - it is the drive that motivates him when he first wakes out of bed. 

Job 13:15 “Though He slay me, I will hope (or, wait) in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.” (14:14; 29:21)

Ps. 31:24 - produces strength and courage

Illustration: 

Gen. 32:9-12 provides a great illustration as Jacob strengthens himself by remembering God’s promise. 

1 Sam. 13:8 - Saul provides a contrast; his failure to wait on the Lord revealed His heart and cost him the kingdom. 

The point is this, that in all the struggles and troubles of this life the psalmist finds his refuge, his strength in his faith in God’s word. 

Hope implies a waiting for something that we don’t yet have (Rom. 8:24). 

God does not work on our timetable and often not according to our wisdom. 

ILLUST: Our coming to Newtown. 

The ability to wait patiently on the Lord becomes a spiritual discipline, a matter of faith and daily reliance. Hope is only as stable as the object we hope in, to hope in God and His Word is a sure foundation (Rom. 15:4-5, 13; Matt. 5:18; 2 Tim. 3:16).  

For the Christian hope, is grounded in the Person of Jesus Christ and the salvation that is secured and will be revealed in Him (1 Pet. 1:13). 

Eph. 1:18 “Hope of His calling”

Col. 1:23 “Hope of the gospel”

Col. 1:27 “Hope of glory”

1 Thess. 5:18 “Hope of salvation”

Titus 3:7 “Hope of eternal life”

**Heb. 6:18**

Sometimes, when we have no affliction in our lives we lose the sense of this hope because we are so comfortable here. So, God brings us affliction to remind us of our true hope in Him, and to display our hope before a watching world. 

(50) “Affliction” here is probably suffering from the persecution he receives because of his godliness. However, the reality of a heart in distress because of the circumstances of life transfers over to a wide variety of issues - struggles in relationships, financial issues, family issues, health issues; the point is that he finds comfort in affliction because God revives the downcast soul that turns to Him and to His Word. 

The greater our affliction the greater the impulse to get lost in the God’s all sufficient Word. 

 (piel/pf/3fs) “comfort/console” - the term in the Niphal is often translated as “be sorry” “regret” “repent” 

Job 6:10 “This is still my consolation, and I rejoice in unsparing pain, that I have not denied the words of the Holy One” - comfort, peace of conscience is found in fidelity to the commandments of the Lord. 

In what way has the word “revived” him? 

He is in affliction, persecution on account of his faith, affliction that caused inner turmoil, anxiety, and unrest. 

Other uses by the psalmist: 

17 “Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word.”

25 “My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word”

37 “Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me according to Your word.’

40 “Behold, I long for Your precepts, revive me through Your righteousness”

77 “May Your compassion come to me that I may live, for 

88 “Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth”

93 “I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me”

107 “I am exceedingly afflicted; revive me, O LORD, according to Your word”

116 “Sustain me according to Your word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope”

144 “Your testimonies are righteous forever, give me understanding that I may live’ 

149 “Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness, revive me, O LORD, according to Your ordinances”

154 “Plead my cause and redeem me, revive me according to Your word”

156 “Great are Your mercies, O LORD, revive me according to Your ordinances” 

159 “Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness” 

175 “Let my soul live that it may praise You, and let Your ordinances help me” 

Also:  138:7; 143:3, *11; 49:10 - relates it the life that will endure unto eternity; 69:33; *71:20; 80:18; 85:6

What is the promise that has revived him? The promise is simply all that is contained in God’s Word. 

God’s promise to vindicate the righteous over the wicked. 

God’s promise to restore and strengthen those who take refuge (=trust) in Him. 

God’s promise to deliver those who trust in Him. 

“Hence, if we meditate carefully on his word, we shall live even in the midst of death, nor will we meet with any sorrow so heavy for which it will not furnish us with a remedy. And if we are bereft of consolation and succor in our adversities, the blame must rest with ourselves; because, despising our overlooking the word of God, we purposely deceive ourselves with vain consolation.”

(51) “the arrogant utterly deride me” - pride is the reigning power of all the ungodly. We must recognize their pride for what it is, a wisdom that despised God’s word, thinks very little of His judgments and power, and “pour contempt on His celestial kingdom.” The righteous must recognize this for what it is and not be intimidated but rather strengthened in faith; we just learn to disregard the reviling and pride of the unregenerate. 

{å (qal/pf/1cs) “I do not incline” - same term used in v. 36, speaking to the Lord, “Do not incline my heart toward …” 

The point is this: no matter how hard the adversaries of the righteous persecute, ridicule, and deride them the righteous have an inner resolve that comes from the Lord, which causes them to remain steadfast in their faith. 

(2) Comfort in Remembering God’s deliverances (52-54). 

(52)

Notice the object of remembrance; in v. 49 it is the psalmist himself, in 50 is the ordinances of God, in v. 55 it is YHWH’s Name. 

(hitp/impf/1cs) “console/comfort myself” (reflexive) - he is here reminding himself of the ways that God has delivered him in the past, and he finds comfort here. Like last weeks mention of Ps. 42 - learning to talk to our selves more than we listen, and the content of our conversation needs to be the truth and sure promises of God’s word. 

God often reminded His people to look back on past acts - particularly redemptive acts - to remember God’s faithfulness and so find comfort in affliction. Those deeds of God that confirm His righteousness and that confirm His Word. 

The psalmist seems to have in mind very personal deliverances to, however. Thus, he sets his mind to remember all of those ways in which.

ILLUST: A prayer journal of God’s answers to prayer. 

Paul reminds us that we are to forget what lies behind and reach forward to what lies ahead - and this is true, in relation to those things that would detract from present faithfulness; 

Past failures or to be confessed and forgotten because they hinder present faithfulness by producing guilt and spiritual ineffectiveness (cf. Eph. 6:1ff)

Past success can be remembered through pride and either  cause on to be sinfully and negligent and lazy in the present because they rest on past laurels - this is self deceiving. Or, they can be deceiving in that one remembers past experiences and basis their confidence of salvation on that rather than present evidence of a changed life. 

Essentially that is all memory of self, it is a self-centered memory; but we are to have a God-centered memory; memory of God’s past faithfulness, God’s demonstrations of power and grace; answers to prayer, sustaining you through a trial, etc. A God-centered memory produces strength, perseverance, joy, encouragement; warning. 

Rom. 15; 1 Cor. 10; Is. 46:8; Lk. 17:32; Num. 15:49-31; *Ps. 105:5; *143:5; *Deut. 5:15; the Passover and Lord’s table are designed to always remind us of God’s great deliverance. 

The problem with a fleshly, or human memory, is that our memory of past events are usually colored by whatever our motive or emotional state is at the time. Our memories can be very unreliable - both good and bad (cf. Ex. 16:3!) and manipulative or our motives. But a God-centered memory is good to be cultivated. 

When you catch yourself doing the other, stop, acknowledge the imperfection of your ability to remember objectively, and submit it all to the sovereign will and purpose of God, and then move on. Use it as an opportunity to turn your focus back on Christ and away from yourself (whether for good or bad). 

(53) 

The memories of God’s faithfulness and blessing produce in the heart a greater love for God and love for righteousness; it stimulates devotion and affection to Him. This is the fruit of a God-centered memory (cf. 136, 158; Ps. 139:19-22). 

It is the fruit of a heart that loves righteousness (Ps. 11:6; John 2:13-17; Rom. 12:9). 

(54) “house of my pilgrimage/sojourning” - that is, this earthly dwelling, his body. He rightly viewed life from an eternal perspective and understood this world and his part in it as temporary and passing. 

This was a common perspective among the OT saints (Jacob before Pharaoh [Gen. 47:9; Heb. 11:9-13]). 

God’s statues, because here are the guiding lights from eternity, those things things that guide him in wisdom and will bear fruit in his heart and life not only here but in eternity. This world is a stopover until we reach our eternal home, therefore God’s word is a delight, because it keeps the mind there. 

Cf. 2 Cor. 4-5; Phil. 3; etc.

Here in this verse, it seems as though he is referring primarily to the comfort he receives from the remembrances of God’s past working on his behalf (cf. 52). 

(55) “I remember Your Name, O LORD” - that is to say all that is associated with His Name. The NLT captures the sense well, “I reflect at night on who You are.” He remembers, considers, thinks about God. 

For us the thoughts of God’s acts are exponentially greater, for we have the knowledge of Christ. 

The result of this devotional attitude is obedience, commitment to God’s law. 

For the Christian it is no less the same; remembering God’s work on our behalf in and through Christ should renew a sense of commitment to Him. 

(56) “this has become [Qal/pf] life to me” is another possible translation. The inward peace and satisfaction of the psalmist is in his keeping of God’s Word - no one can take that from him.