我们向往平静安宁的生活，我们也时常祈求健康、昌盛和成功。
然而，能领我们更亲近神的，却往往是我们面对挣扎和艰难的时刻，这时我们也会更渴望能取悦衪。在这段经文中，诗人希望阐明的就是这个功课。
患难很容易使我们生愤恨，而愤恨则会夺去我们的喜乐。在诗篇119中，我们已经看过诗人经历了敌人带来的试炼，然而，作者并没有因此掉入愤恨的黑洞中，他反而为两件事感谢神。
第一，他已经学会了信赖倚靠神。尽管受到试炼，诗人仍向神表明：“你本为善，所行的也善，求你将你的律例教训我。”
第二，经历患难驱使诗人更亲近神和更深入钻研神的话。他说，我渴望服从神。他对知识和判断力的寻索，带领他确信神的话是无价至宝，他称神的话为“胜于千万的金银”。
我们该怎样面对患难？我们都会经历患难的，它们真的不好受。在困境中 － 不论它们是什么 －当我们在衪的话语中寻求我们需要的安慰和引导时，我们便能够更亲近神了。
主啊，祢本为善，所行的也善；求袮将祢的话语教导我。阿们。
诗篇 119:65-72
65耶和华啊，你向来是照你的话善待仆人。
66求你将精明和知识赐给我，因我信了你的命令。
67我未受苦以先走迷了路，现在却遵守你的话。
68你本为善，所行的也善，求你将你的律例教训我。
69骄傲人编造谎言攻击我，我却要一心守你的训词。
70他们心蒙脂油，我却喜爱你的律法。
71我受苦是与我有益，为要使我学习你的律例。
72你口中的训言与我有益，胜于千万的金银。
"It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees." - Psalm 119:71
We long for tranquil lives. We often pray for health, prosperity, and success.
And yet it is often times of struggle and difficulty that bring us closer to God, along with a greater desire to please him. That’s a lesson the psalmist brings out in this section.
Afflictions can easily result in bitterness, robbing us of joy. As we have already seen in Psalm 119, the psalmist has experienced trials at the hands of his enemies. Instead of tumbling into the black hole of bitterness, however, the writer gives thanks to God for two things.
First, he has developed a trusting dependence on God. Despite his trials, the psalmist confesses to God: “You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.”
Second, the experience of affliction has driven the psalmist closer to God and more deeply into God’s Word. I long to be obedient, he says. And his search for knowledge and good judgment leads him to affirm the priceless value of God’s Word, saying it is more precious “than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”
How do we handle afflictions? We all experience them, and they are not easy. In difficult situations—whatever they may be—we can grow closer to God when we search his Word for the comfort and guidance we need.
Lord, you are good, and what you do is good. Teach us your words. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
