Psalm 119: Focus On God's Word Pt. 142 Study The Word So You Can Remember It.

Psalm 119:49-56  ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. 50)  This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. 51)  The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law. 52)  I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself. 53)  Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law. 54)  Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. 55)  I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law. 56)  This I had, because I kept thy precepts. 

We have been studying Psalm 119 for quite a while. It is a profitable study because it puts a spotlight on the glory of God's Word.

The "ZAIN" section of this Psalm has a theme of remembering. The Psalmist remembered God's Word. 

He remembered the glorious moral judgments God gave to Moses and remembered Jehovah's wonderful, holy name.

Bible study lays the right foundation for remembering. 

2 Timothy 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The word "remembered" means to recall God's truth into our mind and thoughts. This seems simple enough, but it implies that we have been reading the scriptures, meditating upon them and even committing them to memory. 

Thus, the act of remembering means we bring the scriptures that are stored in our heart and mind, into the forefront of our thoughts. 

However, we cannot expect to remember truth from God if we seldom read our Bible.

The act of remembering reminds us that it is our great privilege and duty to read, meditate on and memorize the Word God gave us. 

Thus, we must "study" the scriptures by making haste and exerting ourselves to diligently read the scriptures. We must study God's Word with the intent to understand what God is saying to us. 

He wrote 66 books for us to read, so it is clear that God wants us to hear and understand His truth. 

Remembering what God said brings hope  to the Psalmist, just as it will to you and me. 

The Spirit of God teaches us & helps us remember truth. 

John 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

This is a familiar text but one that is full of encouragement and promise to all believers. Jesus is teaching us that the Holy Ghost will teach us all things. 

The word "teach" refers to didactic instruction taught by an subject matter expert to students willing to hear and learn. The Greek word also means imparting moral guidance to those who hear. 

Psalm 119:89  LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Didactic teaching is firm, fixed and unchanging. In this example, it fits perfectly because the Scriptures are eternal, unchanging truth from the God who does not change (Malachi 3:6). 

The Word of God is settled forever. It is eternal truth. It is truth that cannot be added to or subtracted from. It is firmly fixed, and absolute truth that condemns a world filled with lies and rejection of God's truth. 

Luke 12:11,12  And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: 12)  For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. 

Jesus promised that His apostles would be empowered to give a testimony to their accusers because the Holy Spirit would teach them what to say. 

In this case, the very Author of the scriptures is our Teacher. The Spirit of God inspired all the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. 

The phrase "bring all things to your remembrance" show that the Holy Spirit is going to come along side each believer to quietly remind us, by bringing back into our thoughts the very truths He instructed us in.

Many good lessons about Jesus Christ are taught to us by the Spirit of God, when we study the Word. We may forget some, but He will bring back to our minds those truths when we need it. 

Isaiah 59:21  As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever. 

Remembering God's Word brings hope. 

Psalm 31:23,24  O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. 24)  Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. 

"Hope" is having confidence in all the promises of God. It is having the highest degree and expectation that His good promises will come to pass just as He said in His Word. 

Hope is a willingness to patiently wait for God to fulfill His promises, with full expectation that He will do so. 

Remembering God's Word comforts us.

John 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 

The word "Comforter" refers to the Holy Spirit who lives in each regenerated heart, to lead us to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth. He will give us divine strength needed to enable us to undergo trials and suffering on behalf of Christ's kingdom

What does the word "comfort" really mean? It means to strengthen our inner man, to reinvigorate our heart, and to cheer our spirit. It is strengthening our mind when depressed or troubled. 

When we comforted we find relief from depression, or affliction. We find respite from distress of mind, an easing or quieting of anxiety caused by troubles, agitation or affliction. 

Being comforted revives our weary hearts and renews our new man in Christ. 

God's Spirit is also our indwelling Comforter. What a blessing from our Father to put His Spirit into each born again child of God. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

Three times the Psalmist speaks of remembering the scriptures from God. 

We cannot remember something from the Bible if we do not read our Bible diligently, or is we seldom read it.

How much time do we really spend reading and studying God's Word? Do we spend more time reading other things? Do we spend more time doing other things? 

Why not make reading and studying the scriptures our highest priority? We know that God always blesses us when we commit the time and energy to read and study His Word. 

When the hard times of life come our way, what we read and study from God's Word will comfort us. We will have hope because we trust God's promises to us. 

Bob