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Psalm 119:65-72
Everything worthwhile in life costs something, whether it is money, time, commitment, service, or payment by some other means.
The same is true with Christian growth, maturity, and godliness.
We are quick to say that we want to grow as believers, that we want to mature and become more Christlike.
But do we truly understand the price this requires?
Some vital spiritual lessons can only be learned through suffering.
If it is true that Christ, God’s perfect Son, learned obedience through suffering, how much more is it true of us as sinful human beings?
The author of Psalm 119 was passing through the painful furnace of affliction when God’s Spirit inspired him to write this marvelous song.
Because of his faithfulness to God’s Word, he was suffering fierce persecution from his neighbors as well as from the officials of the land in which he lived (vv.
22–23, 42, 51, 61).
In this division of Psalm 119, he declared gratitude for his suffering.
By recognizing what God had done through his affliction, he confessed that the affliction was good for him and that God was good in allowing it to enter his life.
No one wants to suffer, and no one enjoys pain.
In fact, most people will never view their suffering the way this grateful psalmist viewed his.
But when we recognize that God is working in our lives through affliction, our perspective toward suffering changes significantly.
I. God is Good
Psalm 119:65–67 (KJV)
65 TETH.
Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word.
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge: For I have believed thy commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: But now have I kept thy word.
Even though the psalmist was suffering the anguish of persecution, he recognized God’s goodness in his life.
The Lord had kept His Word faithfully throughout each difficult day.
God had strengthened His servant’s confidence in Scripture and, through his suffering, purified his life.
A. He Has Kept His Word
Thank Him for fulfilling His promises (Word) in your life
65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word.
The psalmist glorified God, even though he was bent low by the crushing burden of persecution.
He thanked the Lord for fulfilling the promises of His Word.
He declared gratefully that the Lord had dealt well (asah to be) with him, had performed or accomplished good in his life.
He was able to see beyond his painful mistreatment to the wonderful work God had performed in him through suffering.
Some translations read “do good to your servant,” as if the psalmist was making a request of God.
However, dealt(KJV) or do (Other versions) is a perfect verb in the Hebrew, indicating a completed action.
The psalmist was not asking God to do good for him; he was stating that God had already accomplished good for him.
B. He Will Teach You
Ask Him to teach you knowledge and good judgment
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge: For I have believed thy commandments.
The psalmist did not want to miss any additional work that God might do through his affliction.
Therefore, he asked the Lord to continue teaching him knowledge and good judgment.
He went on to confess that he had believed God’s commandments.
That is, he had trusted and followed what God had taught him thus far through His Word.
In making this statement, he implied that he would continue to follow all that the Lord would teach him.
C.
There Is Benefit in Affliction
You turned from sin and now obey God’s Word
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: But now have I kept thy word.
The fires of persecution had purified the soul of this godly man.
Through his affliction, God had done a marvelous work in his life: God had used the psalmist’s suffering to cleanse him of remaining sin in his heart (Job.
23:10; Is. 48:10; 1 Pe.
1:7).
Earlier in Psalm 119, the psalmist dealt with his tendency toward covetousness.
He confessed his affection for things of no eternal value and asked God to ignite new life—His life—in his spirit
Psalm 119:35–38 (KJV)
35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; For therein do I delight.
36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, And not to covetousness.
37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; And quicken thou me in thy way.
38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, Who is devoted to thy fear.
Also, and this important to understand:
God did not cause His servant to be persecuted.
He did not bring about the psalmist’s mistreatment as a means of discipline for his sinful heart.
However, He used the affliction to produce holiness in His tormented child.
God worked through the suffering to accomplish His holy purpose, bringing good from the evil that men intended against His servant
“Thou has dealt well with thy servant” verse 65 said.
What a wonderful and powerful statement!
The psalmist did not say, “Lord, you have been unfair to me,” or,
“Lord, you have dealt harshly with me,” or,
“Lord, why are you doing this to me?”
To the contrary, he recognized the good things God had done for him through his suffering.
Someone asked C.S. Lewis, "Why do the righteous suffer?" "Why not?" he replied.
"They're the only ones who can take it."
By focusing on God’s faithfulness to His Word, this dedicated man was able to say that the worst ordeal of his life had been good for him (v.
71).
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; That I might learn thy statutes.
When we are entangled in a painful trial or if we find ourselves the target of persecution, we need to be aware that God wants to work in our lives through it.
We should open our hearts to God, submitting ourselves to whatever He wants to do in us.
When we are able to recognize God’s gracious hand at work, we will be able to rejoice in our trials.
God will enlighten us to see that we will emerge from the furnace of affliction more godly than when we went into it.
II.
God’s Teaching is Good
68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
69 The proud have forged a lie against me: But I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.
70 Their heart is as fat as grease; But I delight in thy law.
Witnessing God’s goodness to him through his suffering inspired the psalmist to long for more instruction from the Lord.
He asked God to continue teaching him His Word.
A. Because He Only Does Good
68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
The psalmist confessed his faith in the holy character of the Lord.
Even though he was suffering intense persecution, he reemphasized the fact that God is good and that everything He does is good.
Notice again that he did not blame, question, or doubt the Lord.
Experiencing God’s goodness through his affliction actually reinforced the fact that God has a purpose for everything He permits to enter our lives.
Every affliction, every challenge, and every trial—even persecution is an opportunity for God to reveal His goodness to us.
B. Because It’s What You Need
69 The proud have forged a lie against me: But I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.
70 Their heart is as fat as grease; But I delight in thy law.
The psalmist’s proud or arrogant persecutors were wicked people who smugly ignored God’s laws
They were telling vicious lies about him (v.
69).
He described their corrupt hearts as being fat as grease, that is, hard, callous, and insensitive (v.
70a).
Still, the devoted psalmist refused to let his tormentors’ cold-hearted ways affect him and his faith in God.
In spite of their efforts to destroy him, he continued to delight in God’s law (v.
70b).
He longed for God to teach him His Word because he needed to know God’s commandments and to hold to them even when being persecuted.
Like this psalmist, we should have teachable spirits.
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