Psalms 119:49

¶ ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

ZAIN. Remember {H2142} the word {H1697} unto thy servant {H5650}, upon which thou hast caused me to hope {H3176}.

(Zayin) Remember your promise to your servant, through which you have given me hope.

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

Remember the word unto thy servant, Because thou hast made me to hope.

Psalms 119:49 is a heartfelt prayer, a direct appeal from the psalmist to God, grounded in the divine promises. This verse falls within the 'Zain' section of the longest psalm, which is an acrostic poem dedicated entirely to the excellence and importance of God's law, statutes, precepts, and word.

Context

Psalm 119 is uniquely structured, with each of its 22 sections corresponding to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The 'Zain' section (verses 41-48) often speaks of God's mercies and deliverance. Verse 49, therefore, serves as a natural transition, moving from a general acknowledgment of God's goodness to a specific plea for Him to remember and act upon His own promises. The psalmist identifies himself as God's "servant," indicating a relationship of devotion and dependence, and underscoring the expectation that God would respond to His loyal follower.

Key Themes

  • Divine Faithfulness: The core of the plea is not a request for a new promise, but for God to remember and fulfill what He has already spoken. This highlights God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant and His people.
  • Hope in God's Word: The psalmist's hope is explicitly tied to God's "word" (Hebrew: dabar), which encompasses all of God's revealed truth, commands, and especially His promises. It is not a wishful thinking but a confident expectation based on the character of the One who speaks. The verse emphasizes that God Himself "caused" this hope, meaning it is divinely inspired and sustained.
  • Prayer for Remembrance: While God does not "forget" in the human sense, the psalmist's cry for God to "remember" is a plea for Him to act in accordance with His character and commitments. It's a petition for divine intervention that aligns with His established will.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "word" here is dabar (דָּבָר), which is a comprehensive term for God's spoken revelation, His commands, His promises, and His decrees. It carries weight and authority. The phrase "upon which thou hast caused me to hope" uses the Hebrew verb yaḥal (יָחַל), meaning to wait, to hope, or to expect. The causative form (Hiphil) emphasizes that God Himself is the active agent in creating and sustaining this hope within the psalmist. It is a hope that originates from God and rests entirely on His reliability.

Practical Application

For believers today, Psalms 119:49 is a powerful reminder that our hope is firmly rooted in God's unchanging promises. When facing uncertainty, fear, or delay, we can confidently echo the psalmist's prayer, asking God to remember His word to us. This verse encourages us to:

  • Anchor our hope in God's promises: Our trust should not be in circumstances or human efforts, but in the steadfastness of God's revealed truth. The God of hope empowers us through His word.
  • Remind God of His Word in prayer: It is not that God needs reminding, but that we, in our prayers, are aligning ourselves with His known will and expressing our faith in His ability and willingness to act.
  • Live as His servants: Acknowledging ourselves as God's "servant" implies a life dedicated to obeying and trusting Him, knowing that He cares for those who serve Him faithfully, as seen in John 12:26.

This verse serves as an enduring testament to the power of God's word as the ultimate foundation for human hope and a pattern for prayer that appeals to divine faithfulness.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 2 Samuel 7:25

    And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish [it] for ever, and do as thou hast said.

  • Psalms 106:45

    And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.

  • Psalms 106:4

    Remember me, O LORD, with the favour [that thou bearest unto] thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;

  • Psalms 119:81

    ¶ CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: [but] I hope in thy word.

  • Psalms 105:42

    For he remembered his holy promise, [and] Abraham his servant.

  • 1 Peter 1:13

    ¶ Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

  • Psalms 71:14

    ¶ But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

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