What Does the Bible Say About Suffering & Trials?

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

“And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”

“And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.”

“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. breaking: Heb. ascending of the morning”

“The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:”

“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.”

“And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:”

“Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.”

“Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.”

“But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. But: Heb. And as they afflicted them, so they multiplied, etc”

“And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:”

“And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.”

“Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.”

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.”

“And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.”

“But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.”

“But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.”

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

“And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.”

“And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?”

“Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.”

“And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison , and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.”

“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.”

“Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?”

“And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.”

“But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.”

“I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.”

“He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.”

“But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.”

“But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.”

“Then Job answered and said,”

“Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? continue: Heb. lodge”

“The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. be: Heb. add strength”

“Then Job answered and said,”

“But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock. younger: Heb. of fewer days than I”

“My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.”

“By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.”

“He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:”

“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? rage: or, tumultuously assemble imagine: Heb. meditate”

“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,”

“Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”

“He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.”

“Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. vex: or, trouble”

“Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite . O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: words: or, business”

“He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.”

“The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. The wicked: Heb. In the pride of the wicked he doth persecute”

“For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. privily: Heb. in darkness”

“Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.”

“To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? Aijeleth: or, the hind of the morning helping: Heb. my salvation”

“O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. am: Heb. there is no silence to me”

“But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.”

“All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, shoot: Heb. open”

“He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. He trusted: Heb. He rolled himself on seeing: or, if he delight in”

“Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. none: Heb. not a helper”

“Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.”

“They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. gaped: Heb. opened their mouths against me”

“I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. out of: or, sundered”

“My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.”

“For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.”

“I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.”

“They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”

“But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.”

“Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. my darling: Heb. my only one power: Heb. hand”

“Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.”

“For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.”

“The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”

“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. unto: Heb. to the broken of heart of a contrite: Heb. contrite of spirit”

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”

“Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.”

“For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.”

“The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.”

“They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.”

“The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. make: Heb. turn”

“My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?”

“As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? sword: or, killing”

“My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,”

“Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.”

“Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.”

“To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. Altaschith: or, To the chief Musician, destroy not, a golden Psalm of David defend: Heb. set me on high”

“Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.”

“To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.”

“I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. deep mire: Heb. the mire of depth deep waters: Heb. depth of waters”

“I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.”

“They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.”

“O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee. sins: Heb. guiltiness”

“Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.”

“Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.”

“I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.”

“For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.”

“When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.”

“I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.”

“They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards . drunkards: Heb. drinkers of strong drink”

“But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.”

“Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.”

“Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.”

“Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.”

“And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. hear: Heb. make haste to hear me”

“Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.”

“Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.”

“Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. to take: Heb. to lament with me”