By Steve Sering

“Walk by Faith” by Jeremy Camp is a song written out of great suffering. Christian singer-songwriter Jeremy Camp wrote the song during the grieving process of losing his first wife to cancer in the early 2000s. Wrestling with the pain, he questioned God and wondered why her life was taken so soon. The chorus declares, “I will walk by faith, even when I cannot see. Well, because this broken road, prepares your will for me.” It was the broken road of suffering that prepared Jeremy for God’s will to be done in his young life. Losing Melissa was one of the hardest moments of his life. Lying there in the hospital room after she died, left him completely wrecked and devastated. But as he lifted himself up and prayed for strength, God gave him a song to endure. 

The author of Psalm 119 had a song to sing too. It was the Word of God. As was custom during the Old Testament era, the people of God sang Scripture with one another. The book of Psalms is essentially that-the songbook of God’s people. Our passage under consideration is Psalm 119:49-56. Likely King David, he wrote from a perspective of suffering. No stranger to it, the king found refuge in the Word of God. Starting from verse 49, the author knew where his hope came from, the Lord: “Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope.” The source of hope in the Christian life is two-fold. First, our hope is rooted in our relationship with Christ. Without that we would be completely overwhelmed and destroyed by the wiles of Satan and the weight of suffering. Second, our hope is rooted in the Word of God and in the promises of God. During the writing of this passage, the complete canon of Scripture was not yet completed, however, he had enough to garner hope for his heart. Furthermore, in verse 50 the psalmist continues to look upward and onward. The comfort for his affliction came directly from the promises of God. Abundant life flows from a personal relationship with Christ. The ultimate fulfillment of that life is eternal life in heaven. Our redemptive hope is rooted deeply in the promises of God. One such promise is the fact that God will never leave us or forsake us. In the Old Testament, Moses told his protégé Joshua this before taking over as the leader of Israel: “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deut. 31:8). 

Brothers and sisters, it is the presence of God in our suffering that enables us to endure. Verse 51 is a declaration of faith amidst persecution and verse 52 is a personal reminder of the purpose of the Word of God. Just as Charles Spurgeon said, “The sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which the child of God rests his head at night, giving perfect peace.” Proximity to God’s presence fosters God’s comfort. Verse 53 posits an emotion of anger towards the wicked that forsake God’s law. Verses 54-55 are a reminder that God’s promises are a song to get us through the dark nights. David was a sojourner before he was a king, constantly on the run from King Saul. During these experiences, he turned to song to give hope to his heart. Finally, verse 56 reveals the effect of leaning on God’s sovereignty and trusting in his law. When we keep the word of God, we receive God’s blessing. Who wouldn’t want that!? The child of God positions himself for God’s blessing when he obeys the Word. Plain and simple. The fast track to blessing is obedience and the hope to endure is found in a song. To sing God’s Word is an anchor for the soul.

Application Questions:

1. How can you encourage your fellow believers with the Word of God in their suffering?
2. How has God come through in your suffering with your obedience? What song can you sing to get through the dark nights of the soul?