Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 119:55
I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.
55. The constant recollection of the Lawgiver and all that He has revealed Himself to be, is the most powerful motive to observance of His laws.
in the night ] Cp. Psa 119:62; Psa 1:2.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night … – I have thought on thee in the night, when on my bed; I have done it in the night of calamity and sorrow. See the notes at Psa 63:6.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 119:55-56
I have remembered Thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept Thy law.
Thought
It is the glory of man that he can think. We conquer Nature by thought. Thought has stretched out its hand, reached the clouds, caught the lightning, made it stand quivering at our side, ready to waft through rocks and oceans our messages to the ends of the earth. Still more, thought can create new universes. Thought gave Milton his paradise, and Dante his hell. Thank God for the power of thought!
I. A grand subject for thought. Gods name is Himself; and what is He? The Infinitely Wise, Good, Holy, and Mighty One, the Cause, Means, and End of all things in the universe but sin, the Alpha and the Omega. He is the most quickening, the most invigorating, and the most ennobling Subject of thought. By thinking on Him we rise to the true ideal of being, and in no other way.
II. A fine season for thought.
1. Night is the season of quietude.
2. Night is the season of solemnity.
3. Night is the season of reality. Thoughts that come to us in the night seem far more real than those that come in the day. It is the season when the material gives way to the spiritual.
III. A noble result of thought. The highest and the only true end of thought is to lift us into conformity with the Divine will. Thought upon Him will stamp us with His image and bear us into His presence, where there is fulness of joy. (Homilist.)
The effect of keeping Gods law
I. The keeping Gods law promoted by remembering Gods name. The name of God includes all the attributes of God. If, for instance, I remember the attributes of God, I must remember amongst them a power before which every created thing must do homage, which hath called into existence whatever moves in the circuits of the universe, and which might in an instant reduce into nothing all that arose at its summons; and if I couple with the memory of this Power the thought that the undying principle which I carry within me must become hereafter an organ of infinite pleasure or of infinite pain, subject as it will be to the irreversible allotments of this Power, what is there which can more nerve me to the work of obedience than the remembering Gods name? For does it not necessarily involve the remembering, that to disobey is to arm against myself throughout eternity a Might before which all creation must bend? And if this be sound reasoning when applied to the power of God, it will equally hold good when justice is the attribute remembered. Let us suppose a man to have mused in the night on the justice of the Creator, so that there shall have passed before him all the instruments of retribution, and he shall not be able to cheat himself with those false delusions which at other times have been woven out of the idea of uncovenanted mercies–will the morning find him as reckless as before, as determined to pursue a course that must end in death? The direct and distinct tendency of the remembrance is to the producing obedience; and therefore in regard of justice, as well as of power, the remembering Gods name stands closely connected with the keeping of Gods law.
II. The keeping the law rewarded by keeping the law. I have kept Thy law. This I had because I kept Thy precepts. Now, we do not doubt that there is given to every true Christian just that portion of grace which is requisite for the duties appointed him of God. But although without the grace nothing can be done, and with the grace all may be done, it does not follow that because the grace is bestowed the work will be accomplished. Two men may receive the same portion of grace, just as two servants may receive the same number of talents. There may be industry in the one, and watchfulness, and earnestness; in the other there may be comparative indolence, and remissness, and carelessness. What shall be the consequence? The one improves Gods gift, and therefore grows in grace; the other neglects Gods gift, and either therefore he is stationary, or he goes back. Grace emanates wholly from God; but, nevertheless, growth in grace depends much upon man. Obedience is like faith–it gathers strength as it goes. We know, indeed, and we tell you again and again, that whatever strength we have in spiritual things comes wholly from God; but a man may be idle, though he may be strong, and a Christian may be remiss, though he have grace. If we do not stir up the gift of God which is in us, we shall drag on languidly and heavily along the path of life, scarce conscious of any of our privileges, harassed continually by doubts and conjecture, surrounded by a darkness which shall perplex and confound us. You are bidden by St. Peter to give all diligence to make your calling and election sure. We must: run not as uncertain, and we must fight, not as one that beateth the air; out of those efforts of obedience shall evidence continually spring of our acceptance with God; with greater and greater clearness shall we read our title to mansions in the skies; we shall be happier, and fuller of confidence, and more assured of an entrance at death into everlasting glory. Tell me, then, whether it will not be true, that there is a reward in obedience, and that this reward consists in further obedience; and all according to the experience of the psalmist–I have remembered Thy name, O Lord, etc. (H. Melvill, B. D.)
In the night season
There is a widespread belief that the powers of evil are especially alert and mischievous during the night hours; that is that the darkness is peculiarly the sphere of malignant spirits, whose realm is the outer darkness of the universe, and whose present occupation is to tempt mankind and do all they can to frustrate the coming of the kingdom of universal righteousness, into which they can never enter.
I. It is reasonable for us to associate the night hours with the powers of evil.
1. The psalmist points out how the wild beasts move about in the dark seeking their prey, and return to lie down in their dens at the day-break. They are the figure and type of evil spirits who go forth especially at night to persuade men to sin.
2. Temptations come to many people more strongly and seductively at night than in their waking hours.
3. Under the cover of the night men commit many crimes. The darkness is friendly to their misdeeds.
II. The psalmist in many places tells of his devotions in the hours of the night. Every night he waters his couch with his tears. In the night he communes with his own heart and searches out his spirit. At midnight he rises to give thanks for Gods goodness. One might multiply the illustrations, and in every case find this spiritual thought appropriate to them, that by availing oneself of the night hours for prayer, meditation and penitential self-communing, one carries the soul-warfare into the enemys country, as it were.
III. The night season is a type of those times of desolation, of melancholy and loneliness which all have sometimes to endure. And it is the way in which we bear ourselves in such circumstances which declares the power and reality of our Christian faith.
1. The seasons of sorrow and of despondency are for the most of us veritable night seasons, hours of darkness. And it may be there are more of them than there are periods of sunshine. What then is our conduct in these night seasons?
2. The night season of sin. The only things which our Lord requires for the full pardon of human guilt are honest penitent confession, and genuine effort to amend.
3. The night of isolation, loneliness, it may be of old age, with loss of friends and of such as have taken interest in us hitherto.
4. The night season is the hour of death. What is to be ones solace in the hour of his passing? The thinking upon the name, the holy name of the Redeemer of our souls. (Arthur Ritchie.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 55. I have remembered thy name] Thou art Jehovah; and as our God thou hast made thyself known unto us. In the deepest night of our affliction this has consoled me.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thy name; thy holy nature and attributes, thy blessed word, and thy wonderful works; all which come under the title of Gods name.
In the night, when darkness causeth fear in others, I took pleasure in remembering thee; and when others abandon all business, and wholly give themselves up to rest and sleep, my thoughts and affections were working towards thee.
And have kept thy law; this was the fruit of my serious remembrance of thee.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
52-56. The pious take comfort,when harassed and distressed by wickedness of men who forsake God’slaw, in remembering that the great principles of God’s truth willstill abide; and also God’s
judgments of oldthatis, His past interpositions in behalf of His people are a pledge thatHe will again interpose to deliver them; and they become the theme ofconstant and delightful meditation. The more we keep the more we lovethe law of God.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night,…. In the night of distress and affliction, as Jarchi; or rather literally, in the night season, when on his bed and awake: while others were asleep, he revolved in his mind the greatness of the divine Being; the perfections of his nature; his wonderful works of creation, providence, and grace; his word and ordinances, by which he was made known unto the sons of men; and these he called to mind and meditated upon in the night watches, to encourage his faith and hope in the Lord, and draw out his love and affection to him;
and have kept thy law: though imperfectly, yet spiritually, sincerely, heartily, and from a principle of love and gratitude, and with a view to the glory of God, and without mercenary and sinister ends.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
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.
Here is, 1. The converse David had with the word of God; he kept it in mind, and upon every occasion he called it to mind. God’s name is the discovery he has made of himself to us in and by his word. This is his memorial unto all generations, and therefore we should always keep it in memory–remember it in the night, upon a waking bed, when we are communing with our own hearts. When others were sleeping David was remembering God’s name, and, by repeating that lesson, increasing his acquaintance with it; in the night of affliction this he called to mind. 2. The conscience be made of conforming to it. The due remembrance of God’s name, which is prefixed to his law, will have a great influence upon our observance of the law: I remembered thy name in the night, and therefore was careful to keep thy law all day. How comfortable will it be in the reflection if our own hearts can witness for us that we have thus remembered God’s name, and kept his law! 3. The advantage he got by it (v. 56): This I had because I kept thy precepts. Some understand this indefinitely: This I had (that is I had that which satisfied me; I had every thing that is comfortable) because I kept thy precepts. Note, All that have made a business of religion will own that it has turned to a good account, and that they have been unspeakable gainers by it. Others refer it to what goes immediately before: “I had the comfort of keeping thy law because I kept it.” Note, God’s work is its own wages. A heart to obey the will of God is a most valuable reward of obedience; and the more we do the more we may do, and shall do, in the service of God; the branch that bears fruit is made more fruitful, John xv. 2.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
55. By night I remembered thy name, O Jehovah! As the second clause of the verse depends on the first, I consider the whole verse as setting forth one and the same truth; and, therefore, the prophet means that he was induced, by the remembrance he had of God, to keep the law. Contempt of the law originates in this, that few have any regard for God; and hence, the Scripture, in condemning the impiety of men, declares that they have forgotten God, (Psa 50:22 ; 78:11; 106:21). To rectify this, David exhorts that the remembrance of God is the only remedy for preserving us hi his fear, and in the observance of his law; and assuredly, as often as his majesty occurs to our minds, it will tend to humble us, and the very thought of it will provoke us to the cultivation of godliness. The word night is not intended by him to mean the remembering of God merely for, short time, but a perpetual remembrance of him; he, however, refers to that season in particular, because then almost all our senses are overpowered with sleep. “When other men are sleeping, God occurs to my thoughts during my sleep.” He has another reason for alluding to the night-season, That we may be apprised, that though there was none to observe him, and none to put him in remembrance of it, — yea, though he was shrouded in darkness, — yet he was as solicitous to cherish the remembrance of God, as if’ he occupied the most public and conspicuous place.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Psa 119:55 I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.
Ver. 55. I remembered thy name, &c. ] Breaking my sleep for the purpose, to meditate on thy holy attributes, word, and works.
And have kept thy law
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
name. See note on Psa 20:1.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
night: Psa 42:8, Psa 63:6, Psa 77:6, Psa 139:18, Gen 32:24-28, Job 35:9, Job 35:10, Isa 26:9, Luk 6:12, Act 16:25
kept: Psa 119:17, Psa 119:34, Joh 14:21, Joh 15:10
Reciprocal: Psa 16:7 – in the Lam 2:19 – cry out
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
119:55 I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the {f} night, and have kept thy law.
(f) Even when others sleep.