Today’s passage: Psalm 136

Helpful thoughts:

• This palm is often used in “arguments” over repetition of lyrics in worship songs.
  • Two observations concerning this:
    • There is a place for repetition and this psalm is an example.
    • There are 150 psalms and only one of them has this level of repetition.
• The repetition this psalm contains is a glorious one.  The steadfast love of God endures forever!
• The example of God’s steadfast love is a recounting of Israel’s liberation from Egyptian bondage and God provision for the in the wilderness.
  • This provides a narrative recounting of God’s past love and then a response of hope in God’s enduring covenanted love going forward.

Questions to consider:

1. How long will God’s steadfast love endure?
2. Where have you seen God’s steadfast love in your life?
3. What has God promised us in His word that we can have all confidence in because of the nature of His love?

Today’s passage: Psalm 135

Helpful thoughts:

• The reader is encouraged to praise the Lord, and then the psalmist tells us why we should.
• We become like what we worship.
  • Matthew 13:10-17
• There is no god like the one true God!

Questions to consider:

1. What are the given reasons Israel should praise the Lord related to His attributes (Who He is and what He is like)?
2. What are the given reasons Israel should praise the Lord related to what He has done (Or what He will do in the future)?
3. How does thinking about who God is and what He has done for us through Christ move our hearts to worship?

Today’s passage: Psalm 134

Helpful thoughts:

• This is the final song of ascents, songs to be sung by those journeying to Jerusalem for worship.
  • It is a fitting concluding song.
• In the first two verses, the congregation sings to the servants of the temple (“who stand by night in the house of the Lord”) to bless the Lord.
• In verse 3, the temple servants sing a response, “May the Lord bless you from Zion.”

Questions to consider:

1. What does this psalm remind us of concerning worship?  We can certainly worship alone at times, but what place does corporate worship also have in our lives? (Ephesians 5:19-21)
2. What appears to be the effect of corporate worship in this psalm?  Why is it fruitful to worship together?
3. How is God described in verse 3?  What truths come to mind when we consider the God who made all of heaven and earth would bless a specific people from a specific city?

Today’s passage: Psalm 133

Helpful thoughts:

• Oil ran down the head and beard of Aaron when he was consecrated for service.  This image in verse 2 is communicating how the unification of God’s people around their God-given purpose will result in them fulfilling their calling.
• The dew of Hermon falls to the valley below, causing the vegetation to grow.
• God’s calling is not just on individuals, but on a people.  Today, the church must function together in unity.

Questions to consider:

1. What must the church be united in? How can you as an individual promote and help maintain right unity?
2. Who has given us our identity and purpose?  How can we know if we are united in the right thing?
3. What will be the fruits of unity in the church?

Today’s passage: Psalm 132

Helpful thoughts:

• This is a Messianic Psalm.
  • Jesus Christ is the One who will sit on the throne forever.
  • Jesus is the “horn to sprout for David.”
  • Jesus is the “anointed” (“Messiah”).
• The Davidic Covenant recounted here can be found in 2 Samuel 7:4-16.

Questions to consider:

1. How did David’s hope in the presence of the Lord motivate his actions?  Why did David desire to build the temple?
2. In what ways was God’s response to David’s desire far better than what David had hoped?
3. Who is Jesus?  He is our savior, God the Son…and what else?  What does this Psalm teach us about Him?

Today’s passage: Psalm 131

Helpful thoughts:

• This would be an excellent psalm to memorize if you struggle with anxiety.
• In verse 1, David speaks of his need for humility.
• In verse 2, David speaks of the contentment and rest we can have simply being with God, regardless of what is going on around us.
• The overall point of the psalm could be said this way, “I can’t fix this.  This is above my ability.  I will rest with my Heavenly Father and know that He will make all things right in the end.”

Questions to consider:

1. What might be some areas of concern that you have been trying to handle or be occupied with?  How could God be using it to make you more like Jesus?
2. What desires do we have to give up in order to truly rest in God?  When we are anxious, what do we want to have happen that we feel we can’t live without?
3. What has Christ already given to us that we could never have obtained on our own?

Today’s passage: Psalm 130

Helpful thoughts:

• When we know we have sinned, we can cry out to and wait for the Lord with eager anticipation!
• God is merciful, forgiving, he loves us with a steadfast love, and He is our Redeemer.
• When rightly appreciated, these truths draw us to God and toward a pursuit of pleasing Him in righteousness.

Questions to consider:

1. How can this psalm encourage you to confess your sin to God and ask His forgiveness?  Why is it important we do that?
2. Why does the forgiveness of God cause us to fear Him more (Verse 4)?  The fact that God has to forgive us and is willing to forgive us teaches us what about Him, about us, and about our relationship with Him?
3. What was the cost which was paid so that we could enjoy this forgiveness and fellowship with our holy God?  How do we know to long for and hope in Christ as we read verses 7-8 from our perspective in the church age?

Today’s passage: Psalm 129

Helpful thoughts:

• In contrast to Psalm 128, this psalm speaks of the ill that would come from the Lord for the wicked, those who have afflicted Israel.
• The God-fearing farmer in Psalm 128 will eat the fruit of the labor of his hands.  The wicked in Psalm 129 will have empty hands and arms when he goes to gather the produce.
• God is seen as the one who is truly righteous and who was preserved Israel through her times of affliction (Verse 4).

Questions to consider:

1. Who is the “me” from verse 1?  Who does the second half of verse 1 imply the “me” is?  How does that help us think about who “I” am or who “we” are today?  How much of your perceived identity is connected with the church?  Is church a place people go, or is it who we are, or both?  Why?
2. How could verses 2-4 be compared with the life and work of Christ?  How was we afflicted and yet prevailed?  How did His righteous service and sacrifice cut the cords of the wicked to free His people?

Today’s passage: Psalm 128

Helpful thoughts:

• This psalm is written as a blessing for those who fear the Lord.
• The aspects of blessing that are desired for the god fearing man in Israel at the writing of this psalm are productive work, a faithful wife, and children in good fellowship with the family.
• These blessings are not just to be viewed as an individual, but as part of a larger community (Verses 5-6).
  • Whatever blessings we might receive from the Lord, they aren’t to be seen as simply a transaction or repayment for our good deeds.  Instead, we fear the Lord because He alone is God, and then we and our community joyfully benefit from the good gifts He gives.

Questions to consider:

1. If we were to read this psalm as a checklist for God to keep when we do right, what would go wrong?  What might our checklist look like?  What if our checklist of blessing was different than the blessings God had in mind?  If we think God owed something to us for our own righteousness, would we be fearing the Lord or understanding grace?
2. When a God-fearing man or woman does receive blessing from the Lord, what would their response probably be?  How would they view the blessing?
3. Though the blessings in verses 2-3 are truly special, why does it make sense to see them as examples and not something all should expect?  What are other blessings that God gives to people who fear Him?  What blessings can you be thankful for today?