Comfort In Affliction

• Psalm 119:50

The Heidelberg Catechism opens with it’s first question under Lord’s day 1. It asks, “What is your only comfort in life and in death.” It responded

That I am not my own, but belong-body and soul, in life and in death – to my faithful saviour, Jesus Christ.

• He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has delivered me from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my father in heaven, in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

  Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, also assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him

I will slightly change the question and ask, what is your only Comfort in your Afflictions? I am doing that because this morning I want us to consider for a title; Comfort in Afflictions. The title obviously is coming from the text we just read: “This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life” (v.50). We will consider two sub titles, Reality Of Affliction and Response To Affliction

Like me, I am hoping that this sermon will bring comfort to anyone dealing with any kind of sorrow. If not today, maybe one day you will remember it and be helped. And most especially for those who have come to faith in Christ, Christ himself will be our comfort in all trials, temptations and sorrows.

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;

take it to the Lord in prayer!

Can we find a friend so faithful

who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

take it to the Lord in prayer!

The Reality Of Affliction

The word affliction in the original language is rendered by words like trouble, depression, misery, poverty, sorrow. As we read through this Psalm, we see the reality of affliction in the life of the Psalmist. In fact, the beautiful and moving words of Psalm 119 were not written in a time of comfort or ease. The v.51 is a picture of the Psalmist afflictions: “The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law” The Psalmist is a man constantly under attack. He is mocked for his faith. Last week we saw he was taunted (v.42). Today we see he was derided, another word for mocking. You and I will be mock and persecuted for our beliefs. But like the Psalmist, we must hold to the word of God: “but I do not turn away from your law”

In fact, it is clear the Psalmist wrote his words under different kinds of trouble and affliction. Almost every stanza has words of affliction from the Psalmist. Constantly you hear him voicing out his affliction in this Psalm (vv. 23, 28, 61,69, 95). These are just a few pointers of affliction I listed in my study. But as you read further in the Psalm, you will encounter all instances of affliction the Psalmist encountered.

What does this teach us? Affliction, trouble, misery, sorrow in life is real. And nobody is exempted from such. Every single one of us will experience numerous periods of affliction. And I believe there is none of us here who hasn’t experienced any affliction yet. You really will have had an easy life if you have not encountered any problems.

All of us, without exception have experienced an affliction. And just to inform you, so long as you are alive, it hasn’t ended. Afflictions will continue coming. Job 5:6-7 teaches the reality of affliction strongly

For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground,

but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.

You and I by being human beings, affliction is our lot. The verse 6 means that affliction are not random things that happen to us. Rather, it’s a part of being human. Once you are born, you have been thrown into the arena of affliction.

The New Testament equally teaches us about the reality of afflictions. “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). “Count it all joy when you fall into various temptations” (James 1:2), “…do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1Peter 4:12).

Brethren, afflictions is part of life and as I have already said, we are all going to have our fair share. And I believe everyone of us have indeed already experienced some of our fair share.

There is something instructive I want to point out to us. Affliction is not only personal sorrow or misery. When God’s word is attacked, when God’s word is abused and when the truth of the gospel is twisted, we must feel sorrow and sadness. That is the point of v 53: “Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law.” The Psalmist gets angry when the word of God is abused. If you are comfortable with the rot and abuse going on in the name of Christianity, then perhaps you haven’t encountered the truth yourself. If we are afflicted by disobedience to God’s word, we will be interested in getting involved in spreading the truth. We will engage, we will correct and defend the truth whenever we encounter it’s abuse.

Now about personal afflictions, what do you do in times of affliction and sorrow?

Response To Afflictions

Trust In God’s Faithfulness

The Psalmist in his affliction takes comfort in the promise of God: “This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” (v.51) In his affliction, he turns to the promise of God. What is the promise of God? This is simply God’s word. To the Psalmist, it could be a word spoken to him directly. It could be a promise given to him. Commentators have commonly assigned Psalm 119 to David. If that is the case, the promise could be some of the words God spoke to him concerning his house. He was promised an everlasting throne and rest from all his enemies (2Samuel 7). If we go with David as the author of Psalm 119, then we could say that David in his affliction, looked up to the promise of God. He held to the covenant God made with him.

The language then of this Psalm is Trust in God’s faithfulness. When faced with trouble, David knew God’s promise will be fulfilled despite his affliction. He takes comfort. He has hope. The verse 49 is instructive: “Remember your word…” This phrase is a covenant language that points to God’s faithfulness to his covenant. It is not an indication that God forget, but rather God acts. The Psalmist therefore appeals to God’s faithfulness because he has put his hope in God’s word. The next phrase of the verse says “in which you have made me hope”

Now for us today, this hope and trust is not in a personal word God has spoken to us, but rather his promise in his revealed and written word. What has God promised us? Eternal life in through faith in Jesus Christ. Peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. He has promised to provide for his own and to protect. Dear friends” Where is your hope? Is your hope in the faithfulness of God or in your strength and abilities. Maybe you have connections you can fall on in life. Maybe your hope is in your family background. Maybe you have a job that pays you well. Or your hope is in your bank account. But what gave the Psalmist hope is the promise and word of God. And that is where you and I have to put our hope and trust. In God’s faithfulness.

The Bible records a number of instances when the concept of God remembering is used. And it always points to God fulfilling his promise to his people

When applied to the Lord, the word remember means “to pay attention to, to work on behalf of.” He “remembers” to do us good and give us His blessing. He remembered Noah and delivered him (Gen. 8:1); He remembered Abraham and delivered Lot (Gen. 19:29); He remembered Rachel and Hannah and enabled them to conceive (Gen. 30:22; 1 Sam. 1:19). Remembering is not recalling, for God never forgets; it is relating to His people in a special way. The psalmist prayed that God would use the Word to work on his behalf. The writer had hope because of the promises God had given to him, and he prayed that those promises would be fulfilled.

In your afflictions and troubles, dear friends, trust in the promises of God. Look also at v 55: “I remember your name in the night, O Lord and keep your law.” The same word remember is used here. But this time, it is the Psalmist who is remembering. He is remembering the name of the Lord in the night. This is a possible pondering or thinking about who the Lord is.

The Bible reveals to us many names of the Lord. And I will encourage us to make some time to study the names of God. Let me share a few with you

Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord Will Provide.

Jehovah-Rapha: The Lord Who Heals.

Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord Our Banner.

Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord Is Peace.

El Roi: The God Who Sees Me.

Now it is possible the Psalmist in his affliction ponders on who God has revealed himself as. The Bible tells us “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” (Psalm 18:10). In your affliction, ponder over God’s name.

Meditate On The Word

In your affliction, fill your mind with God’s word. Meditate on the word. Think about the word. Look at verse 42: “When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O Lord” Another source of comfort for the Psalmist in their affliction is the word of God. When in trouble, think about the word. That will mean meditating on the promises of God.

We have already seen how the word of God is central to this Psalm. The Psalmist hopes in the word. He trusts in the word. He delights in the word, etc. And the only way you and I can trust in the word is when we internalize it. Think about it. Ponder over it. Meditate on it.

Why, because it is your source of comfort in your moment of affliction. Think on the word. Think on the promises. Your affliction may not vanish, but you will be given the strength to go through it. God’s presence will be with you in a special way. Scripture guarantees that.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you (Isaiah 43:2).

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,

for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4)

How much of God’s word have you stored? How much of God’s word will bubble up to you in your moment of difficulty? Brethren, meditating on the word of God is not an exercise left for Sunday school children. It’s an exercise for believers. Think, ponder, ruminate on the word.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Joshua 1:8)

Look again at the words of the Catechism quoted earlier. It’s full of the use of Scripture to communicate comfort to God’s people.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood and has delivered me from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my father in heaven, in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

These words have biblical and scriptural backing. Has Christ paid for all of your sins with his precious blood? Brethren, then this is a course for comfort in any situation you experience. Think of any trouble you may ever encounter. Because of Christ, you can have hope.

Sing The Word

The Psalmist in the midst of his affliction sings the word. We know that in the life of the Israelites, the Psalms was their hymn book. The Psalmist here tells us he sings the word of God. Friends, in your affliction sing, worship. Do you only sing when you come to church? No, our singing should extend beyond the corporate gathering of God’s people. The hymns we sing should register in your mind so you sing them constantly. Maybe we should consider every family having a copy of our hymn book to help us in our private worship.

In your afflictions, sing, worship. This is a biblical mandate: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16). There are three things to sing here: Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs. What does these mean? I read an instructive article on Founders Ministries website which explained these three. The article is titled “Singing Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs” It is written by Ken Puls.

Psalms were the established music of God’s people, sung since the days of the Old Testament in the tabernacle and Temple. By the time of the New Testament the word psalm referred especially, though not exclusively, to the 150 psalms of the Psalter. Paul points us to psalms first, exhorting us to sing the words of Scripture and take them as our pattern….We must value the psalms and not neglect this wellspring of praise in our day.

In the Greek and Roman empires leading up to the time of the New Testament, hymns were sung in praise of heroes and gods. People would celebrate the military victories of great generals and exalt the false gods of mythology in hymns. But as the gospel swept across the known world, the church transformed the hymn into a song in praise to the one true God…. When Paul spoke of singing hymns, he wasn’t thinking “traditional” or reminding the church to include or revive some of the old songs from the past. He had something more radical in mind. Paul encouraged the church to claim the music of the culture and sing it to God’s glory. The hymn is the first example in church history of a secular form of music being captured and claimed for the sake of the gospel—its transformation so complete that today a hymn is most commonly recognized as belonging to the church.

Paul concludes his list with spiritual songs. The term song is a generic term in Greek meaning all kinds of songs. Paul added the descriptive adjective spiritual to narrow its meaning. Not all music is composed for worship or should be used for worship. We are to sing music that is the result of the Spirit God working in hearts and cultures and peoples—music that is sanctified for (set apart for and intended for) God’s glory in corporate praise—music that helps us speak truth to one another, teaching, exhorting and encouraging one another.

On the day my mother passed when I was returning from the hospital from Kasoa, all alone in my car, I put on repeat “Abide with me”. With tears flowing down my face, I sung along. And it brought me great comfort

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;

the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

In the New Testament, we see a clear picture of singing in affliction. In Acts 16:25, we are told Paul and Silas sung hymns to God. Brethren, singing is a powerful tool God has given his people to praise him and also encourage one another. Make a practice of singing Psalms, hymns and Spiritual songs.

Don’t Relent on Obedience

Often when we face challenges or afflictions, we may be tempted to give up or cut corners. Afflictions may cause us to disregard God’s word for personal comfort. But that shouldn’t be the case. We should aim at all times to obey God’s word because it is in the word that we receive our comfort. The Psalmist considers obedience to God’s word a blessing: “This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts.” Do you consider obedience to God as a blessing? We must.

Let me close with the Heidelberg Catechism I quoted at the beginning:

“What is your only comfort in life and in death.”

That I am not my own, but belong-body and soul, in life and in death – to my faithful saviour, Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has delivered me from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my father in heaven, in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, also assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him

The greatest of comfort you and I can ever have is that we belong to Christ and are saved.

Amen