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
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