65. You have dealt well with your servant,
O Lord, according to your word.

66. Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
for I believe in your commandments.

67. Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I keep your word.

68. You are good and do good;
teach me your statutes.

69. The insolent smear me with lies,
but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;

70. Their heart is unfeeling like fat,
but I delight in your law.

71. It is good for me that I was afflicted,
that I might learn your statutes.

72. The law of your mouth is better to me
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

HOW CAN SUFFERING BE GOOD?

Do you like to suffer or be afflicted? Of course not! No one does. But God’s ways are higher than ours and our call as followers of Jesus is to walk by faith, and in all our ways to acknowledge God (i.e., bear witness to His goodness) rather than to walk by sight and to lean on our own understanding (2 Cor. 5:7; Prov. 3:5-6).

Our primary challenge in this Age could be summarized simply as learning to eat from the right tree — the Tree of Life — free from the curse of the Fall (Gen. 2-3). The alternative, woven deeply into the fabric of fallen flesh, is an instinct to trust in ourselves and eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Hebrew word for “good” is tov (טוֹב), beginning with the letter teth (ט), and a form of this word is used six times in this stanza. Specifically, it is translated well in verse 65, it’s translated good in verses 66, 68 (twice), and 71, and is translated better in verse 72.

Furthermore, whereas “goodness” is ascribed as a trait or attribute of God in verses 65, 68 (twice), and 72, David uses this word to describe how God has treated him in verse 66. In verse 71 David uses this word to describe the value of his own affliction and the suffering that resulted.

Now this is shocking. Suffering is good?! Reread verse 71. How can this be? Well, David provides the answer in verse 67 when he explains the good fruit from his bad circumstances. Before he was afflicted, David says he went astray. The word translated affliction in verses 67 and 71 is indeed the same Hebrew word. Perhaps David realizes his tendency — just like ours — to lean on our own understanding, walk by sight, and stumble as a result (just read Psalm 51 for another example of David describing his stumbling and turning after the debacle with Bathsheba!). This stumbling or going astray in verse 67 is contrasted with David’s ongoing commitment to keep or obey God’s Word.

Beloved, even in your difficult or unpleasant circumstances, God is good, He is for you, and He is working all things together for your tov (good; Rom. 8:28)! Trust Him and don’t let go of your faith — He will never let go of you! Don’t give up hope because God’s love is surely better than life (Ps. 63:3). Jesus overcame death so you can be with Him and experience His tov-ness, His goodness, forever.

Hebrew Treasure excerpt written by Thomas Boehm.
From The Psalm 119 Journey by Steve Allen, ©2022.
Used with permission.