Psalm 119:75-76

Psalm 119:75-76

(75)  I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

Similar to verse 71 ("It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes."), how do we view affliction? Do we truly believe that God afflicts us in His faithfulness (literally firmness; figuratively security; morally fidelity:)? Because God's judgments are right, and because we are His children, like the best of fathers, He must afflict us to bring us back to His commandments. "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." (Hebrews 12:6-11)

(76)  Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

Merciful kindness - OT:2617 checed (kheh'-sed); from OT:2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety: rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty:

Comfort - OT:5162 nacham (naw-kham'); a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself):

According to thy word - OT:565 'imrah (im-raw'); or 'emrah (em-raw'); feminine of OT:561, and meaning the same:

Thy servant - OT:5650 `ebed (eh'-bed); from OT:5647; a servant:

Are we deserving of God's merciful kindness? But yet, hasn't He promised it?

"Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life." (Psalm 42:8)

"He shall send from heaven, and save from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth." (Psalm 57:3)

"For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds." (Psalm 57:10)

Do we trust in these promises? Do we remind God of these promises? (and thus remind us of the truth of these promises) Do we take comfort in these promises?