Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 119:52
I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.
52. I have remembered thy judgments which have been from ancient times (LXX , cp. Luk 1:70), either (as generally in the Psalm) the Divine ordinances or principles of right revealed from ancient times, which are true and sure in spite of all the scoffers’ ridicule: or perhaps here, the judicial acts by which those ordinances have been maintained and vindicated in the course of history, and which will in due time descend upon the scoffers of the present.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I remembered – In my troubles.
Thy judgments of old – The word judgments here seems to refer to the divine dealings, whether expressed in the law of God, or in the actual administration of his government over the world. The words of old do not seem here to refer to the eternity past, as the phrase sometimes does now, but to the constancy and uniformity of the principles of the divine administration. The psalmist remembered that the principles of that administration had been always the same; that the law of God was always the same; and that, therefore, he might confide in God. What God had done formerly he would do now; the favor which he had shown in times past he would continue to show now. In the trials of life, in the changes which occur, in the apparent wreck of things, in the fearful prospect of disaster and ruin at any time, it is well for us to think of the unchanging principles which mark the divine dealings. Under such an administration, all who put their trust in God must be safe.
And have comforted myself – I have found consolation in this. When all else seemed to fail, it was a comfort to reflect that an unchangeable God presided over the affairs of people. We could not put confidence in a God given to change.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 119:52
I remembered Thy judgments of old, O Lord; and have comforted myself.
A blessed field lot memory
The Divine Word may be looked upon here–
I. As a field for memory.
1. A refreshing field. What flowers bloom, what fruit clusters, what salubrious air breathes here.
2. A large field. It goes back through eternity; it begins with the creation, it embraces the human race, it runs on through centuries into the interminable future.
3. An imperishable field.
II. As a source of comfort.
1. By the presentation of examples. Noah, Abraham, Moses, Job, Daniel, Paul, etc.; and more,–Christ, the model of all virtue, enduring affliction, overwhelming and undeserved.
2. By the revelation of principles. It teaches that the afflictions of good men are not penal but disciplinary, not sent in anger, but in fatherly love (2Co 4:17). (Homilist.)
The Divinely memorable
I. The memorable in the Divine conduct to man. Thy judgments. Whatever the Almighty does is memorable, and ought to be remembered. But there are some things in His conduct to man most strikingly memorable.
1. Some things with man generally. The deluge, the confusion of tongues, the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah, the exodus of the Jews, the destruction of Jerusalem, etc.
2. Some things with man individually. Every man is conscious of some memorable event in his life; especially,–if he is a Christian,–his conviction, conversion, etc.
II. The memorable in the Divine conduct remembered by man. I remembered. Sad to say, the memorable things in the Divine conduct to man are not generally remembered.
1. This is unnatural. How unnatural it is for a child to forget interpositions in the conduct of the loving father. But how much more unnatural go forget the wondrous works of God in His dealings with our race and with ourselves.
2. This is ungrateful. Ought we not to remember the self-sacrificing deeds of our benefactors? This indeed we generally do, we rear monuments to those whom we consider to be philanthropists. But how ungrateful to forget the wonderful mercies of God.
3. This is pernicious. Forgetfulness of God leads to moral deadness, gross carnality, black atheism.
III. The remembrance of the memorable in the Divine dispensation blest to man. And have comforted myself. The memory of what God in past times has done for His people is adapted to administer comfort under the trials of life.
1. He has always granted strength according to need (Isa 25:4).
2. He has always fulfilled His promises. (Holimist.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 52. I remembered thy judgments of old] The word judgments is here taken for providential dealing; and indeed kind treatment; that which God showed to the Hebrews in bearing with and blessing them. And it was the recollection of these judgments that caused him to comfort himself.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thy judgments of old; thy former and ancient dispensations to the children of men in punishing the ungodly, and protecting and delivering thy faithful servants, whose experience is my encouragement.
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 remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord,…. Either the judgments of God executed on wicked men; as the bringing a flood on the world of the ungodly; the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah; the destruction of Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea; the cutting off of the Canaanites, and dispossessing them of their land: or the providential dispensations of God towards his own people; who sometimes chastises and corrects them, and brings them very low, and then raises them up again, as in the case of Job. These things the psalmist called to remembrance, and revolved them in his mind, which gave him pleasure and comfort:
and have comforted myself; with such thoughts as these, that that God, who had cast down the mighty from their seats, and had scattered the proud in the imaginations of their hearts, and destroyed them, could easily rebuke the proud that had him in derision; and he that had shown himself so good and gracious to his people, when brought low, could raise him out of his afflictions and distresses.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
52 I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.
When David was derided for his godliness he not only held fast his integrity, but, 1. He comforted himself. He not only bore reproach, but bore it cheerfully. It did not disturb his peace, nor break in upon the repose of his spirit in God. It was a comfort to him to think that it was for God’s sake that he bore reproach, and that his worst enemies could find no occasion against him, save only in the matter of his God, Dan. vi. 5. Those that are derided for their adherence to God’s law may comfort themselves with this, that the reproach of Christ will prove, in the end, greater riches to them than the treasures of Egypt. 2. That which he comforted himself with was the remembrance of God’s judgments of old, the providences of God concerning his people formerly, both in mercy to them and in justice against their persecutors. God’s judgments of old, in our own early days and in the days of our fathers, are to be remembered by us for our comfort and encouragement in the way of God, for he is still the same.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
52. I called to mind thy judgments of old, O Jehovah! In this psalm, the judgments of God are generally taken for his statutes and decrees, that is, his righteousness. (417) In this place, in consequence of the qualifying phrase, of old, it is more probable that they refer to the examples by which God has made himself known as the righteous Judge of the world. Why does he say that the law of God has been from everlasting? This may to some extent be accounted for from the righteousness here mentioned not being of recent growth, but truly everlasting, because the written law is just an attestation of the law of nature, through means of which God recalls to our memory that which he has previously engraved on our hearts.
I am rather inclined to adopt another interpretation, That David remembered the judgments of God, by which he testified that he had established his law perpetually in the world, Such a settlement is very necessary for us; because, when God does not make bare his arm, his word frequently produces little impression. But when he takes vengeance upon the ungodly, he confirms what he had spoken; and this is the reason why in civil law penalties are called confirmations. The term accords better with God’s judgments, by which he establishes the authority of his law, as if a true demonstration accompanied his words. And seeing he declares that he called to mind the most ancient of God’s judgments, it becomes us to learn, that if his judgments are not displayed as frequently as we would desire, for the strengthening of our faith, this is owing to our ingratitude and apathy; for in no past age have there been wanting clear demonstrations for this very purpose; and thus it may with truth be affirmed, that God’s judgments have flowed in one continued manner from age to age, and that the reason why we have not perceived them is, our not deigning to open our eyes to behold them. If any one object, that it is contrary to the nature of his judgments to afford consolation to because they are calculated rather to strike us with terror, the answer is at handy — that the faithful are made to tremble for fear of God’s judgments, as far as is requisite for the mortification of their flesh. On the other hand, these supply them with a large source of consolation, from the fact of their learning from them, that God exercises his superintending providence over the human race. Farther, they learn, that after the wicked have reveled in licentiousness for a season, they shall at length be sisted before the judgment-seat of God; but that they themselves, after having patiently combated under such a Guardian of their welfare, can be in no doubt about their preservation.
(417) “The Scriptures, like a true mirror, display the justice of God, in the punishment of sinners, and his goodness, in rendering righteousness.” — Dimock.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Psa 119:52 I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.
Ver. 52. I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord ] This was to have a holy memory, well fraught with profitable matter, such as are examples of God’s dealing with his people and their enemies in all ages.
And was comforted
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
remembered: Psa 77:5, Psa 77:11, Psa 77:12, Psa 105:5, Psa 143:5, Exo 14:29, Exo 14:30, Num 16:3-35, Deu 1:35, Deu 1:36, Deu 4:3, Deu 4:4, 2Pe 2:4-9
Reciprocal: Deu 32:7 – Remember Psa 119:30 – thy judgments Psa 119:43 – for I have
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
119:52 I remembered thy {c} judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.
(c) That is, the examples, by which you declare yourself to be judge of the world.