The next three stanzas of Psalm 119, found in verses 65-88, deal with suffering and affliction and persecution. And yet, this first section is perhaps one of the most comforting passages in all of Scripture. Take a look at these verses in Psalm 119:65-68:

In this world there is a lot of pain and suffering. It’s a consequence of the Fall, and we cannot escape it. That has led many to question why, and even further, to question why God would allow such suffering, and even questioning whether or not God exists. While those are legitimate questions, they fail to account for the totality of what Scripture teaches. There is a purpose to suffering, as difficult as it may be.

There are several reasons why suffering exists. This is a deep and probing questions, and not one that can be answered adequately in a few brief words here. First, as mentioned, it is a result of sin and the Fall. It simply happens. We live in a broken world, and it will not be fixed until that day when Jesus returns and it is created anew.

Second, suffering can be instructive. We can learn more about ourselves and how we are to grow in our character and Christlikeness. In Romans 5:3-4, Paul tells us that “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” We can rest assured that we can grow through such times.

Third, there is suffering where the only purpose may be to bring God glory through it. In John 9, the man born blind suffered in this way for the purpose of revealing the glory of God when he was healed. We long to attribute such suffering to sin, or something we have done wrong, but Jesus clearly denied that idea in this case.

Fourth, some suffering is meant for the purpose of correction. God uses the consequences of this fallen world, and our own sins, to draw us back to him and the narrow and true path he wants us to follow. This may be the most obvious reason suffering exists, and is what the psalmist is referring to in this passage. He recognizes that God is using suffering and affliction to draw him back to God’s ways, teaching him to understand and obey God’s Word.

That’s what these first four verses speak of. The psalmist, just like you and me, has fallen astray, perhaps intentionally, perhaps not. As a result, God has allowed the consequences of his actions to draw him back to the Word of God. When his own judgment failed him, and affliction occurred as a result, he discovered the right way to live within God’s Word.

However, while the concept of suffering and affliction is the main thrust of these three stanzas, it’s not the only point the psalmist draws out. In this ninth stanza, verses 65-72, the word “good” is found at the beginning of fives separate statements. This is a revealing fact about the goodness of God. When God uses our sufferings, even those difficult things can be good, because God is good. Let’s look at the three uses of “good” in this passage in turn.

Verse 65 – Do good to your servant according to your word, O Lord.

In this instance, the psalmist is calling out one of the main character attributes of God: his goodness. He’s asking God to continue to do good, regardless of what it might take to reveal that goodness.

Verse 66 – Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.

The psalmist knows that his own judgments have led to erroneous ways, and have led him astray. However, knowledge of God’s ways will lead to better judgment, and he will grow as a result. So the psalmist desires to be taught, regardless of what it might take to instruct him.

Verse 68 – You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.

This verse is a foundational statement of the inherent goodness of God’s nature. Because he is good, everything he does is also good. It’s interesting that again, the psalmist connects this goodness with learning God’s Word.

There are two more verses that convey the concept of God’s goodness, found in the second half of this stanza. We will look at those in detail next week. In the meantime, I think this is sufficient to keep our minds occupied in wonder at the goodness of God, don’t you?

Question: How have you experienced the goodness of God? How did that goodness draw you back to his Word? You can leave a comment by clicking here.