July 29, 2026

Hope and Comfort #

Psalm 119:49

Introduction

The Psalmist recounts the blessings of God’s word in his life. While this is a continual theme throughout the Psalm 119, it cannot be emphasized enough. The Bible should be our supreme, ultimate authority in our life.

There are three times the idea of remembering is brought up in this Psalm. Clearly, we need reminders in our life. Paul reminded Timothy

2 Timothy 1:6 — Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

In James we are reminded not to be a forgetful hearer

James 1:25 — But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

So we clearly need reminded, and the Bible needs to be kept at the forefront of our view.

I. Remember the Promises (Psalm 119:49-51) #

• The Psalmist takes opportunity to remind God of His own promises to the Psalmist, which clearly remained in his own view as a hope!

A. Promises of God (49) #

Titus 1:2 — In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

i. We find all the similar concepts: #

• Hope – that word is in both

• Promise clear in Titus 1:2, in Psalm 119:51 “the word unto thy servant”

  • When we were kids, we would say something like, “I give you my word” promise.

• Remembrance – We have the assurance of God’s Promise, which gives us hope!

ii. We find a great truth: “God, that cannot lie” #

• God cannot lie, it is not possible for God to lie!

iii. Personal Acceptance of God’s Promise “unto thy servant” (49) #

• Until you open God’s Word, and personally find, or someone shows you and you accept God’s promises, they are not yours!

  • Personally take God’s Word, and read it for yourself!
  • Find God’s Promises, and accept them as yours! – even if someone shows them to you.

B. Life in the Word (50) #

i. “quickened me” #

• Quickened – made alive; revived; vivified; reinvigorated
• God’s Word, gives LIFE! – Peter said the same:

John 6:68 — Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

ii. Comfort – God gave you life through the Word! #

C. Faithfulness holding to the promises (51) #

II. Remember the judgements (52-54) #

• While judgements certainly is a reference to God’s Word, it is also a reference to God’s action, and Divine judgement against the ungodly!

A. We should be well acquainted #

i. Creation history – where the world came from #

• • Early judgement of sin (World wide flood)
  • Tower of Babel!

ii. Nation of Israel History. #

• • Separation of Israel,
  • Spurgeon put it this way,

The grinning of the proud will not trouble us when we remember how the Lord dealt with their predecessors in bygone periods; he destroyed them at the deluge, he confounded them at Babel, he drowned them at the Red Sea, he drove them out of Canaan: he has in all ages bared his arm against the haughty, and broken them as potters’ vessels. ¹

iii. Comfort, God has not changed!!! #

B. Horrified by sin & wickedness (53) #

• Horror – an excessive degree of fear, or a painful emotion which makes a person tremble; terror; a shuddering with fear – it is accompanied with hatred or detestation.
• What goes on in our society, should break our hearts, and we should fear the judgement of God!

C. God’s Word is a song for us! (54) #

• While we shutter at the wickedness of the world, we can rejoice, and sing praises to God
• His Word is a blessing to us!

III. Remember the Name (55-56) #

• “O LORD” – when you see that all capitals in the Bible, it signifies clearly, it is talking about the one and only almighty God of the universe.

A. A Name represents that person! #

i. The LORD God Jehovah, is the only, Almighty God #

• • In the darkness of night, is the time to remember His Name!
  • In the darkest of storms, and difficulties, that is the time to remember His name!

ii. There is a recurring theme of REMEMBERING GOD! #

B. The fear of God… keeps us straight! #

• There is a fear of the fact that God knows all, sees all.

Proverbs 15:3 — The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

i. When you remember God, remember he is watching #

• • This should remind us to do right!
  • Flock Cameras are going up everywhere, but they don’t have anything on God…. He has always had his eye on everything!
  • Not a single sparrow falls that he doesn’t see!

C. “This I had” (56) #

• What did he have?

  • Life, joy, song, comfort, fear of the LORD, courage,

i. What we have today, comes from the precepts of the Lord! #

• Precept – any commandment or order intended as an authoritative rule of action, a law, mandate

ii. Living by God’s ways, gives us many blessings in life, that are not measured in physical wealth! #