The Comfort Of God - Bible Witness

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The Comfort of Godpromise, and then it showshow the word sustains usunder affliction, and makesus so impervious to ridiculethat we are moved by theharsh conduct of the wickedrather to horror of their sinthan to any submissionto their temptations. Weare then shown how theScripture furnishes songsfor pilgrims, and memoriesfor night-watchers; and thePsalm concludes by thegeneral statement that thewhole of this happiness andcomfort arises out of keepingthe statutes of the Lord.”We acknowledge that lifeis not without afflictions,yet we desire a life withthe least afflictions and forthis cause different peoplego to different lengthstrying to find a life that isas comfortable as humanlypossible. Few thoughwould turn to the Wordand many would ask “Howcan the Word make my lifecomfortable?” The Psalmist,on the other hand, says inverse 49 that the Wordof God (the most generalterm of all, embracing God’struth in any form, stated,promised or commanded)is the cause of hope in him.By this, he presents God’sWord as effecting a state orbringing out a result in hislife and what the Word ofGod establishes in his lifeis hope. By hope, it bringsexpectation and cultivatespatience and thus throughwhatever he goes through,he can wait for the passageof time being rooted inGod and having comfort inlife. Many times as we gothrough afflictions, distress,dangers, calamities, etc., wefind that when we try toevaluate our circumstances,we cannot understand them,and the many “whys?” leftunanswered discourage,depress and deprive us ofour vigour in life. In viewof this, as we look at Psalm119:49-56 we learn of thecomforting nature of theWord of God.Firstly, the Psalmist affirmsthat the Word of Godquickens him (v. 50), i.e., itis the Word of God thatanimates, enlivens, preserves,refreshes, rebuilds andrecovers him. What canbe noted concerning thenature of God’s Word in itscomforting attribute is thatit relates directly to life’svarious circumstances. ThePsalmist is very personal inthis section. He highlightsthe comfort and hope thatthe Word gives as personal“my comfort” and as relatedspecifically to his condition“in my afflictions”. Secondly,the Psalmist affirms that theword of God fortifies him (vv.51-52), i.e., it is the Word ofGod that keeps him on theright path. In his affliction, ifit were not for the Word ofGod, he would derail becauseof the derision, but the Wordthat comforts also steadieshim. It offers him peace andsafety in that when he recallsits judicial processes and theauthority of God who ordersand determines all things asrecorded in the Word, hisresolve is strengthened andhis feelings and afflictionbecome bearable. Thirdly,the Psalmist affirms that theWord of God inspires him (vv.53-55), i.e., it is the word ofGod that gives him the rightperspective. Many of us getseverely discouraged whenwe look at our circumstancesand find no answers. But tothe Psalmist, through theWord he recognizes that thislife is but a pilgrimage andin the Word he finds songsfor his pilgrimage. In theWord, he finds horror to sin(v. 53) and through the sameword flow melodies thatinspire holiness (v. 54). Histhoughts stay on the Word.This, he describes not in itsprogress but in a summaryform looking at the actionas a whole. The Word whichinspires his pilgrim songs,instructs his pilgrim walkand as such he stays histhoughts on the same Word.Circumstances change, butthe Word remains firm andas he is stayed on the Word,10 Bible Witness
The Comfort of Godhe too remains firm. Finally,the Psalmist reaffirms all inverse 56 and underscoresthe comforting natureof God’s Word. Barnescomments, “This I had,because I kept thy precepts- literally, ‘This was to me’;that is, ‘This has happenedto me; this has occurred.’This joyful remembranceof thy law in the night ofaffliction (Psalm 119:50);this stability and firmnesson my part in keeping thylaw when proud men havederided me (Psalm 119:51);this comfort which I havederived from meditating onthy statutes (Psalm 119:52);this solicitude for the welfareof others (Psalm 119:53); thispeace which I have enjoyedin thy law in the house of mypilgrimage (Psalm 119:54);and this consolation whichI have had in thee in thenight-season (Psalm 119:55)- all these have been grantedto me because I have keptthy statutes; because I havesought to be obedient tofind my happiness in thee.These are the proper fruitsand effects of keeping thelaw of God. Such peace doesit impart; so much does it doto sustain and comfort thesoul.”Thus the Word of God aspresented in its wide rangeof attributes is the believer’spersonal consolation. Thisis so because in its variousattributes, the Wordbuilds up the inner manand strengthens him andgrounds him firmly in thehope he has in God andenables him to grow in graceand in the knowledge of God.When afflictions come, andwhen he goes through darkmoments in life, the sameWord that builds him nowcheers and lights his windingand dark path. This may bebetter illustrated by the storyof the little girl in the train.“Did you ever hear about thelittle girl in the train? Shecouldn’t understand whythe trainman was goingthrough the car lighting thelamps. She said, ‘Mother, itis the middle of the day andthe sun is shining, why ishe turning on those lights?’The mother smiled, andsaid, ‘Wait a bit and you’llsee what the lights are for.’In a moment or two, thetrain plunged into a long,dark tunnel, and then thelittle girl saw the wisdom ofthe lamplighting process.”Maybe that is how manyof us are! Like the little girl,we sometimes do not seethe need of knowing andmeditating on the Word ofGod and to our detriment,it leaves us in darkness andcomfortless when afflictionscome. Dear friend, thatBible of yours containsthousands of verses thatseem very ordinary andunnecessary. You can’t seewhy God has gone to all thetrouble of lighting thoselamps of truth, but someday, you’re going into thetunnel of bereavement, orthe tunnel of temptation,or the tunnel of suffering,and then you will value andappreciate the verses thatappear to be commonplacetoday. Therefore, readit, memorize it, cherishevery word in it, turn to itin every circumstance inlife, let it guide you, directyou, encourage you, rebukeyou, mould you into whatGod would have you be.Let it be your comfort andconsolation, for it has theability to: 1. Strengthen; toinvigorate; to cheer or enliven(vv. 49-50) 2. Strengthenthe mind when depressedor enfeebled (vv. 51-54)3. As law, to relieve, assistor encourage (vv. 55-56).Though we accept that theWord of God is a lamp to ourfeet and a light to our paths,yet many times we do notturn to the light in our timesof darkness. May God grantus grace and understandingto appreciate, know andapprehend the comfortingnature of the Word of God.Bible Witness 11
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The Comfort Of God - Bible Witness

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