angela hormberg

Tag: God remembers

  • Psalm 119:49-56

    Psalm 119:49-56

    Zain or Zayin

    Commonplace –

    “I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord; and have comforted myself” (Psalm 119:52).

    Zain is the seventh letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Tishrei is the seventh month in the Jewish calendar. The Feast of Tabernacles, which is a time of remembering, wherein the people build temporary tents to live in as a reminder of the days when the Israelites lived in the desert, is celebrated for seven days during the month of Tishrei. “Tishrei means ‘to look’, highlighting that this is a time of self-assessment” (“Zayin”). Throughout this part of Psalm 119, David remembers. He begins by asking God to remember the words He gave David, which caused David to have hope and comfort, when he was afflicted. David also writes about remembering God’s judgments, statutes and name.

    What was the benefit of David remembering and reminding himself of God’s Word, judgments, statutes and name? “This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me” (Psalm 119:50). Matthew Henry expands on this point.

    “Here is David’s experience of benefit by the word. 1. As a means of his sanctification:Thy word has quickened me. It made me alive when I was dead in sin; it has many a time made me lively when I was dead in duty; it has quickened me to that which is good when I was backward and averse to it, and it has quickened in me that which is good when I was cold and indifferent. 2. Therefore as a means of his consolation when he was in affliction and needed something to support him: “Because thy word has quickened me at other times, it has comforted me then.” The word of God has much in it that speaks comfort in affliction; but those only may apply it to themselves who have experienced in some measure the quickening power of the word. If through grace it makes us holy, there is enough in it to make us easy, in all conditions under all events” (Henry 569).

    Similarly, like David, we can remember the times when God convicted us and sanctified us through his word. These memories can then comfort us, when we are presently enduring a hardship, knowing that God has been faithful in the past and will continue to be faithful now and in the future.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 119.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    “Zayin”. https://bje.org.au/knowledge-centre/jewish-languages/hebrew-alphabet/zayin/ , Accessed 2 June 2025.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • 2025 Rtb: Genesis 8-9

    2025

    Read Through the Bible

    Day 4: Genesis 8-9

    “And God remembered Noah” (Genesis 8).

    What an interesting way to begin the chapter. Does God forget man?

    According to Matthew Henry, “This is an express after the manner of men; for not any of his creatures, much less any of his people are forgotten of God” (Henry 52). Henry cites Luke 12:6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of this is forgotten before God?” and Isaiah 49:15 “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she sould not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.”

    So, if God does not forget man, what do we do with Genesis 8:1? Matthew Henry writes, “Noah himself, though one that had found grace in the eyes of the Lord, yet seemed to be forgotten in the ark, and perhaps began to think himself so; for we do not find that God told him how long he should be confined and when he should be released. Very good men have sometimes been ready to conclude themselves forgotten of God, especially when their afflictions have been unusually grievous and long. Perhaps Noah, though a great believer, yet when he found the flood continuing so long after it might reasonably be presumed to have done its work, was tempted to fear lest he that shut him i would keep him in, and began to expostulate, How long wilt thou forget me? But at length God returned in mercy to him, and this is expressed by remembering him. Note, Those that remember God shall certainly be remembered by him, how desolate and disconsolate soever their condition may be. He will appoint them a set time and remember them” (52). Henry cites Job 14:13 “O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep ,e secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!”

    Henry, Matthew. “Volume 1: Genesis.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg