As we are troubled by the problems of the world — and by those we have brought upon ourselves — a question lingers in our minds: When will God comfort us by removing all these struggles that are smothering us? The psalmist also questions God from this perspective, even while knowing that God will never forsake him under any circumstances. As we journey through this psalm, may the Holy Spirit help us find an answer to this widespread and long-held doubt that clouds the mind of every person.
The Promises Of God
My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
but I have put my hope in your word.
My eyes fail, looking for your promise;
I say, “When will you comfort me?”
Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget your decrees.
Psalm 119:81-83 (NIV)
The Psalmist’s soul faints as he longs for the salvation of God, revealing that God’s salvation has not yet come, despite his lengthy wait. This resonates with many of us, for without truly understanding the meaning of salvation, we wait upon God and eagerly desire to be filled by His Spirit, yet so often feel a void in our lives, having never fully experienced the peace of God. We frequently declare that our hope rests in His Word, yet in reality, our hope is scattered across various sources this world offers, rather than being anchored in His Word alone. Though we claim to have hope in His Word, that hope tends to revolve around the fleeting pleasures of this world, rather than in God’s abundant peace.
We expect God to fulfill His promises in ways that satisfy our sinful desires, rather than seeking to understand their true meaning — which speaks of the forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal life that awaits us. When we fail to understand His promises in this true sense, whatever other fulfillments we expect from God will not come to pass, because God works to accomplish His purpose in our lives, not to gratify our personal desires. Through this Psalm, knowing that God desires to fulfill His will in our lives, we ought to set aside our own ambitions and make room for the Holy Spirit to accomplish God’s purpose within us.
People Trouble Me Without Cause
How long must your servant wait?
When will you punish my persecutors?
The arrogant dig pits to trap me,
contrary to your law.
All your commands are trustworthy;
help me, for I am being persecuted without cause.
They almost wiped me from the earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts.
Psalm 119:84-87 (NIV)
The Psalmist questions God about how long he must wait to see God avenge his enemies. Throughout his Psalms, the Psalmist’s prayers often seek vindication from God—that God would protect him and exalt him in the sight of his enemies. What the Psalmist fails to perceive in his petition is this: if God were to deal with his enemies, how would they be able to withstand God lifting up the Psalmist and vindicating his cause?
Furthermore, when we find ourselves expecting God to vindicate us against our enemies, we must understand that God did not avenge those who crucified and killed His own Son. Instead, He poured out His agape love upon them, and despite their disobedience, He forgave their sins through the obedience of His Son — our elder brother, Jesus Christ. Why, then, should God punish those who have hurt us? Expecting Him to do so, or assuming the downfall of our enemies, reflects a lack of understanding of the true nature of God’s love.
The Psalmist complains that, contrary to the law of God, people trapped him with false accusations. While the Psalmist acknowledged the faithfulness of God’s love and commands, he could not understand why people were coming against him without reasonable cause. What the Psalmist failed to recognize was the ongoing spiritual warfare that every child of God encounters with those who do not know God — and that he needed a deeper understanding of this battle rather than a special shield from it. God does not promise to give us a cover that allows us to live in this world free from trouble.
Many believers acknowledge the truth of Jesus’ words — that there will be troubles in this world — yet fail to grasp the full meaning of what He said. Jesus assured His followers that though there are troubles in this world, He has overcome them, and because of this, we too shall overcome them. In other words, God gives His children the opportunity to overcome the troubles of this world, just as His Son did. However, we have misunderstood this, believing instead that troubles will simply remain in our lives and that God has promised His children a trouble-free life on this earth.
Yet the Psalmist insists that even at the verge of being wiped off from the face of the earth, he did not forsake the precepts of God. To achieve this, we must set ourselves apart from evildoers — not by analyzing their every word and action, but by drawing near to our Father God. In the life of Job, we see this lived out powerfully; Job did exactly this and became an instrument in God’s hands, ultimately becoming a blessing to his very accusers. The Psalmist, though he had received such instruction and recorded those decrees in his very first Psalm, was unable to apply God’s instructions practically in dealing with his worldly enemies.
We too have read God’s many instructions to stay away from evildoers, yet we remain among them and expect God to rescue us. Unless we willingly choose, by our own free will, to distance ourselves from the wickedness of this world, God waits for our repentance, allowing us to pass through many troubles in the meantime. Many believers interpret this as God having laid a path of suffering before them, believing that if they endure these troubles, they will receive their reward in His Kingdom. However, this kind of thinking is a deception of the devil, for God desires that we overcome these troubles while we still live on this earth — just as His Son did.
God’s Love Preserves Our Lives
In your unfailing love preserve my life,
that I may obey the statutes of your mouth.
Psalm 119:88 (NIV)
The Psalmist revealed a truth about God’s love by calling upon God to preserve his life through His unfailing love. Undeniably, only the love of God can sustain our lives on this earth, enabling us to exchange our mortal nature for immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53–54). When God fills our hearts with His love, we are not made immune to sin; rather, when we truly love our Father God — who loves us beyond measure — we find ourselves leaning on Him to understand and obey His statutes. Willingly obeying His statutes keeps us away from sin. This, in turn, helps us exchange our perishable bodies for the heavenly and imperishable.
This portion of the Psalm is grouped under the Hebrew letter “כ” (Kaph), which carries rich meanings such as “bowing down” or “the palm of the hand.” It directs us to shelter ourselves in the hollow of His hands and to be immersed in His agape love forever. The beloved song “Till the Storm Passes Over” by Mosie Lister beautifully speaks of standing in the hollow of God’s hand and asking Him to keep us safe until the storm passes by. Some may sing this song viewing the hollow of God’s hand as a temporary or transitional refuge — a place to wait until they are freed from the troubles they face on this earth. However, we must understand that the storms of this world will not simply pass away; they will return again and again, in many forms. Therefore, the wisest decision we can make is to remain in the hollow of His hand for all the days of our lives — where His love continuously drenches us.
Heavenly Father, when I am troubled by those who cause me harm without reason, grant me the understanding that their weakness and their lack of knowing You lie at the root of what I am enduring. For in their weakness, they believe that what they do is right in Your sight. Lord, with this understanding anchoring my heart, help me to stand firmly in the hollow of Your hand — now and always — until the glorious day I meet You face to face. Amen.
The Jordan Valley 
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