Psalms 119:65-72 65 TETH. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Jehovah, according unto thy word. 66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge; For I have believed in thy commandments. 67 Before I was afflicted I went astray; But now I observe thy word. 68 Thou art good, and doest good; Teach me thy statutes. 69 The proud have forged a lie against me: With my whole heart will I keep thy precepts. 70 Their heart is as fat as grease; But I delight in thy law. 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; That I may learn thy statutes. 72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me Than thousands of gold and silver.

When we were still children in school, most of us preferred field trips to sitting still and listening to classroom lectures. However, believers would probably all prefer to learn our lessons from the textbook of God’s Word rather than on a field trip of trials. But the truth is that there are some things we learn best through experience.

Although trials are not always the result of sin, they do play a big corrective role in our lives. The heavenly Father may use them to draw our attention to sins we have tolerated, overlooked, or accepted as normal. These could be habits, attitudes, activities, or anything else that is not God’s absolute best for His child. No matter how trivial we may think it is, no sin should have a place in a believer’s life.

At other times, the Lord may be showing us we need to release something that’s not necessarily sinful but nevertheless is preventing us from reaching our God-given potential—perhaps a relationship, our goals and ambitions, a job, or a home. It could be a reminder to prioritize Him over our desires so that we might know and love Him more.

If we never had any troubles, we’d continue in what’s comfortable, easy, and enjoyable but would end up missing God’s best for our life. That’s why the psalmist said, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” ( Psalms 119:71 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; That I may learn thy statutes. ). Any hardship that drives us to God and His Word is good for us. That’s because what we gain in knowing the Lord is worth so much more than all the wealth, power, and fame the world could offer us.

Bible in One Year: Psalms 145-150 Chapter 145 1 I will extol thee, my God, O King; And I will bless thy name for ever and ever. 2 Every day will I bless thee; And I will praise thy name for ever and ever. 3 Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised; And his greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall laud thy works to another, And shall declare thy mighty acts. 5 Of the glorious majesty of thine honor, And of thy wondrous works, will I meditate. 6 And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; And I will declare thy greatness. 7 They shall utter the memory of thy great goodness, And shall sing of thy righteousness. 8 Jehovah is gracious, and merciful; Slow to anger, and of great lovingkindness. 9 Jehovah is good to all; And his tender mercies are over all his works. 10 All thy works shall give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah; And thy saints shall bless thee. 11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, And talk of thy power; 12 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, And the glory of the majesty of his kingdom. 13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And thy dominion `endureth' throughout all generations. 14 Jehovah upholdeth all that fall, And raiseth up all those that are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all wait for thee; And thou givest them their food in due season. 16 Thou openest thy hand, And satisfiest the desire of every living thing. 17 Jehovah is righteous in all his ways, And gracious in all his works. 18 Jehovah is nigh unto all them that call upon him, To all that call upon him in truth. 19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; He also will hear their cry and will save them. 20 Jehovah preserveth all them that love him; But all the wicked will he destroy. 21 My mouth shall speak the praise of Jehovah; And let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever. Chapter 146 1 Praise ye Jehovah. Praise Jehovah, O my soul. 2 While I live will I praise Jehovah: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. 3 Put not your trust in princes, Nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; In that very day his thoughts perish. 5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in Jehovah his God: 6 Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that in them is; Who keepeth truth for ever; 7 Who executeth justice for the oppressed; Who giveth food to the hungry. Jehovah looseth the prisoners; 8 Jehovah openeth `the eyes of' the blind; Jehovah raiseth up them that are bowed down; Jehovah loveth the righteous; 9 Jehovah preserveth the sojourners; He upholdeth the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked he turneth upside down. 10 Jehovah will reign for ever, Thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye Jehovah. Chapter 147 1 Praise ye Jehovah; For it is good to sing praises unto our God; For it is pleasant, `and' praise is comely. 2 Jehovah doth build up Jerusalem; He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. 3 He healeth the broken in heart, And bindeth up their wounds. 4 He counteth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by `their' names. 5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. 6 Jehovah upholdeth the meek: He bringeth the wicked down to the ground. 7 Sing unto Jehovah with thanksgiving; Sing praises upon the harp unto our God, 8 Who covereth the heavens with clouds, Who prepareth rain for the earth, Who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. 9 He giveth to the beast his food, `And' to the young ravens which cry. 10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: He taketh no pleasure in the legs of a man. 11 Jehovah taketh pleasure in them that fear him, In those that hope in his lovingkindness. 12 Praise Jehovah, O Jerusalem; Praise thy God, O Zion. 13 For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; He hath blessed thy children within thee. 14 He maketh peace in thy borders; He filleth thee with the finest of the wheat. 15 He sendeth out his commandment upon earth; His word runneth very swiftly. 16 He giveth snow like wool; He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes. 17 He casteth forth his ice like morsels: Who can stand before his cold? 18 He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: He causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow. 19 He showeth his word unto Jacob, His statutes and his ordinances unto Israel. 20 He hath not dealt so with any nation; And as for his ordinances, they have not known them. Praise ye Jehovah. Chapter 148 1 Praise ye Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah from the heavens: Praise him in the heights. 2 Praise ye him, all his angels: Praise ye him, all his host. 3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: Praise him, all ye stars of light. 4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, And ye waters that are above the heavens. 5 Let them praise the name of Jehovah; For he commanded, and they were created. 6 He hath also established them for ever and ever: He hath made a decree which shall not pass away. 7 Praise Jehovah from the earth, Ye sea-monsters, and all deeps. 8 Fire and hail, snow and vapor; Stormy wind, fulfilling his word; 9 Mountains and all hills; Fruitful trees and all cedars; 10 Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and flying birds; 11 Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth; 12 Both young men and virgins; Old men and children: 13 Let them praise the name of Jehovah; For his name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and the heavens. 14 And he hath lifted up the horn of his people, The praise of all his saints; Even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye Jehovah. Chapter 149 1 Praise ye Jehovah. Sing unto Jehovah a new song, And his praise in the assembly of the saints. 2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. 3 Let them praise his name in the dance: Let them sing praises unto him with timbrel and harp. 4 For Jehovah taketh pleasure in his people: He will beautify the meek with salvation. 5 Let the saints exult in glory: Let them sing for joy upon their beds. 6 `Let' the high praises of God `be' in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the nations, And punishments upon the peoples; 8 To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: This honor have all his saints. Praise ye Jehovah. Chapter 150 1 Praise ye Jehovah. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power. 2 Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness. 3 Praise him with trumpet sound: Praise him with psaltery and harp. 4 Praise him with timbrel and dance: Praise him with stringed instruments and pipe. 5 Praise him with loud cymbals: Praise him with high sounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that hath breath praise Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah.