זZayin

Psalm 119 is the alphabet walking down the longest chapter in the Bible. Every letter gets eight verses, and every one of those eight verses begins with it. Verses 49–56 are the Zayin stanza — eight lines that all open on ז. Every line stands open below, with one preacher’s comment on it directly underneath.

1. “Remember Your word to Your servant, upon which You have given me hope.”

   Psalm 119:49→

   “, ZAIN.--The Seventh Part. ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant,.... The word of promise made unto him, concerning establishing his house and kingdom for ever; which he desires God would show himself mindful of in fulfilling it, and renew and confirm his faith in it, and give him some fresh assurance of the performance of it, 2Sa 7:”

   John GillExposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)on Psalm 119:49→

2. “This is my comfort in affliction, that Your promise has given me life.”

   Psalm 119:50→

   “We are instructed in all this, but the prophet has already experienced it. He says, "This hope has consoled me in my humility, for your word has given me life." The hope is the hope that God has implanted in him. It has consoled him "in his humility," that is, when he is spurned, mocked, vexed by injustices, dishonored by insults, for he knows that he is soldiering through his present trials. But the hope instilled by the Lord consoles him in these wars endured in his weakness, and he is lent life by the utterances of God.”

   Hilary of PoitiersHOMILY ON PSALM 118 (367)on Psalm 119:50→

3. “The arrogant utterly deride me, but I do not turn from Your law.”

   Psalm 119:51→

4. “I remember Your judgments of old, O LORD, and in them I find comfort.”

   Psalm 119:52→

   “"For I was mindful of Your judgments from the beginning of the world, O Lord, and received comfort" [Psalm 119:52]; or, as other copies have it, "and I was exhorted," that is, received exhortation. For either might be rendered for the Greek pareklhqhn. "From the beginning of the world," that is, from the birth of the human race, "I was mindful of Your judgments" upon the vessels of wrath, which are fitted unto perdition: "and I received comfort," since through these also have You shown the riches of Your glory on the vessels of Your mercy. [Romans 9:22-23]”

   Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalm 119 (430)on Psalm 119:52→

5. “Rage has taken hold of me because of the wicked who reject Your law.”

   Psalm 119:53→

   “Horror hath taken hold upon me - Has seized me; has overpowered and overwhelmed me. I shudder; I tremble; I am afraid; I am filled with distress. Luther, “I am burnt up.” The Hebrew word - זלעפה zal‛âphâh - is from a verb meaning “to be hot; to glow”; and the idea in the word is that of violent heat; then, a glow or burning, as of a wind - the “simoom” of the desert. See Psa 11:6, where the word is translated “horrible tempest,” in the margin, “burning.” The word occurs only in that passage, in the one before us, and in Lam 5:10, where it is rendered “terrible (famine),” in the margin, “terrors,” or “storms.” The state referred to here is that of one who sees the storm of burning wind and sand approaching; who expects every moment to be overcome and buried; whose soul trembles with consternation. Because of the wicked ... - Their conduct alarms me. Their danger appals me. Their condition overwhelms me. I see them rebelling against God. I see them exposed to his wrath. I see the grave just before them, and the awful scenes of judgment near. I see them about to be cast off, and to sink to endless woe, and my soul is transfixed with horror. The contemplation overwhelms me with uncontrollable anguish. Can such things be? Can people be thus in danger? And can they be calm and composed, when so near such awful horrors? No man can look on the world of despair without horror; no one can truly realize that his fellow-men are exposed to the horrors of that abode without having his soul filled with anguish. Strange that all people do not feel thus - that impenitent people can walk along on the verge of the grave and of hell “without” horror - that pious people, good people, praying people, can look upon their friends in that condition without having their souls filled with unutterable anguish. Compare Psa 119:136; Rom 9:1-4; Luk 19:41.”

   Albert BarnesNotes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)on Psalm 119:53→

6. “Your statutes are songs to me in the house of my pilgrimage.”

   Psalm 119:54→

   “THE 119th Psalm is said, by many, to consist of detached sentences and to be rather a casket of gold rings than a chain of united golden links, yet the position of this verse is somewhat remarkable, for the verse before it runs thus— "Horror has taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake Your Law." Most of you know for yourselves what that sentence means, for if you hear a man swear in the streets, your blood runs chill with horror.”

   Charles SpurgeonThe Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1652: “The Singing Pilgrim” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) (1882)on Psalm 119:54→

7. “In the night, O LORD, I remember Your name, that I may keep Your law.”

   Psalm 119:55→

8. “This is my practice, for I obey Your precepts.”

   Psalm 119:56→