What is the meaning of Psalm 119:42? Then I can answer • The psalmist has just asked the LORD for His “loving devotion and salvation” (Psalm 119:41). With that grace in hand, he looks ahead confidently: “Then I can answer.” • Scripture often links God’s prior action with our subsequent response (Exodus 15:1; 1 John 4:19). God’s deliverance equips believers to speak up. • The sequence matters. First God supplies mercy, then the believer speaks; it underscores dependence, not self-reliance (Psalm 18:1–3). him who taunts • The “taunter” is the skeptic, enemy, or mocker who questions faith (Psalm 42:3; 1 Samuel 17:26). • Taunts aim to unsettle trust in God. Yet throughout Scripture the faithful answer ridicule with truth, whether Nehemiah rebuilding the wall (Nehemiah 4:1-6) or Jesus before Herod (Luke 23:8-11). • The verse assumes opposition as normal for the godly (2 Timothy 3:12). Expecting it prepares the heart to respond rather than react. for I trust • Confidence is not in personal wit but in faith grounded in God’s character (Proverbs 3:5-6). • Trust converts knowledge into living assurance. Because the psalmist relies on the LORD, his reply carries weight; his inner stability answers the outer sneer (Isaiah 26:3-4; Hebrews 10:35-36). • Trust also guards speech, keeping it measured and hopeful instead of defensive (Colossians 4:6; 1 Peter 3:15-16). in Your word • The ultimate foundation is God’s revealed Word—firm, unchanging, sufficient (Psalm 119:89; Matthew 24:35). • By rooting his answer in Scripture, the psalmist aligns with Jesus, who countered every temptation with “It is written” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). • God’s Word provides both the content and the authority for a faithful reply (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Human arguments fade; Scripture stands. summary Psalm 119:42 pictures a believer equipped by God’s steadfast love to face scorn with a calm, Scripture-shaped reply. Opposition is real, yet trust in the LORD and confidence in His unfailing Word turn taunts into opportunities to testify. |
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