“Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life.” (vs49-50)
The word of God is life producing, so why would we look anywhere else (vs49-50)? He says, “Your word has given me life”. In the beginning, we were dead in sins, and He came to us by the gospel, we believed, and LIFE was the result - eternal life, peace with God, and assurance, as we make Christ known to others. This life was ours freely by the gospel, so why turn away from it to anything else? Maintain your way. Life, all that we need - hope, joy, and peace - are in God’s word. Put your faith there, follow it, and you’ll have the best life possible. Don’t compromise or be moved.
Secondly, the gospel is God’s comforting truth of salvation by the one man Jesus Christ, His verdict that whoever believes on Him shall be saved (vs51-52). He says, “The proud have me in great derision, yet I do not turn aside from Your law. I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord, and have comforted myself”. God’s word declares His judgment of what is right and wrong, even justification by faith, redemption by Another, and Christ the rightful Savior of sinners judged evil and unable to help ourselves. This moves me with joy, as does all of God’s word, because He declares believers righteous and promises us heaven in the End.
Don’t be turned away from the gospel; it declares good news, the comfort of your heart.
Finally, I do keep God’s law, obeying the word of God as commanded (vs53-56). He says, “Indignation has taken hold of me because of the wicked, who forsake Your law. Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. I remember Your name in the night, O Lord, and I keep Your law”.
Don’t be ashamed to confess who you are in Christ and what He has done for you and in you, making you obedient. You don’t obey as much as you want, but you do live for God, and doing so, you know that your prayers are heard, so that confessing what I am - saved by grace and made a willing servant - helps me to confess what God shall do for me, which is show Himself faithful to the End. I can’t say I’m not obedient when God’s word declares that I am. I believe on Christ, and thus I can believe His promise of reward.
Many think it is pious to reject the gospel, saying, “I’m only a sinner”, but it is true humility to receive God’s gospel and say, “Thank You, for doing this for me”.
If you are His willing servant, know that He delights to reward you.
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