Today’s passage: Psalm 102

Helpful thoughts:

• This is a psalm of lament.  The writer is suffering, crying out to God, and striving to see their suffering in the context of God’s purposes in eternity.
• Verse 10 could be an acknowledgment of personal sin and its consequences or perhaps a simple awareness that everything is under God’s control.  Either way, the psalmist is aware that God is sovereign and can make the suffering stop and has chosen to allow it to continue.
• Our sufferings and our successes come and go.  We change frequently (And by God’s grace, we progressively become more like Christ).  But, God never changes.  He is the same forever.
  • Our hope in the future does not rest in the faithfulness of man.  What hope would that be?
  • Our hope in the future depends on the immutability of God.  He is good.  His promises are sure.

Questions to consider:

1. Did anything the psalmist write surprise you?  Was there anything you might think twice about before saying it to God?  What does the presence of lament in Scripture teach us about our ability to approach the Lord and His patience with us in our suffering?
2. If we are thinking of something critical or despairing and instead of saying it, we pray a peaceful happy prayer, is God not aware of what is in our hearts?  What does being honest with God do for our own souls and thinking process?
3. Why is the immutability of God (God never changes) such an important doctrine?  How does it make Him different than us?  How does it ground our hope and faith?

Today’s passage: Psalm 101

Helpful thoughts:

• This psalm was written by David as he prepared to become king over Israel.
• David desired to practice what he required.  He wanted to possess a heart of integrity and he wanted to employ people with hearts of integrity (Verse 2 and 6).
• One of God’s intended purposes for government in this world is to punish evil (1 Peter 2:14).

Questions to consider:

1. Just because we know David did not keep these hopes/commitments perfectly, does that mean it was wrong to write them down and aspire to follow them?
2. What would make David’s commitments good or bad?  What would make them wise or foolish?  His passion?  His feelings or his heart?  Or God’s revealed Law?
3. Did David keep these commitments?  Was David without sin?  What is his standing and righteous record in eternity (By God’s grace)?  (Psalm 3:8)

Today’s passage: Psalm 100

Helpful thoughts:

• The service God calls us to is not a begrudging service.  We get to serve with gladness!
• Goodness is, “The doctrine that God is the final standard of good, and that all that God is and does is worthy of approval.” – Wayne Grudem
• God has made us.  We are His.  AND, God has redeemed us.  We are His!
  • 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Questions to consider:

1. What important truths about God are written in this psalm?  What are we to know about Him?  What does that knowledge necessitate in response?
2. Though it would be right for the entire world to serve and praise God right now, when will this psalm be truly followed?  When will the whole world worship the Lord?
3. How does verse 3 simplify our perspective and enable us to have joy in service in the midst of the stress of life?  When we are tired, stressed, aggravated in our service, what kinds of things are we thinking about that elicit those emotions?  How could the picture of being sheep in God’s pasture possibly alleviate those struggles?

Today’s passage: Psalm 99

Helpful thoughts:

• Just as praise and joy are fitting given the victory the Lord provides (Psalm 98), trembling at His power is also a fitting response.
• The Lord is set apart from all His creation (Holy).  There is no one like Him!
  • For a good read on the holiness of God, check out this book by R.C. Sproul.
• The Lord executes (Administers) justice and righteousness (Verse 4).  And the Lord forgives and avenges wrong-doing (Verse 8).

Questions to consider:

1. Why is God’s name “Awesome?”  What truths about God inspire awe and worship?
2. What does verse 9 call on the reader to do in response to who God is?  Why is this right?  How does right exaltation and worship of the Lord change your perspective and actions in the every day/every moment of life?
3. How does God administer both justice AND righteousness?  How does the Lord both forgive AND avenge sin?  What role did Jesus Christ (Our King and Suffering Servant) play in making these apparent contradictions possible? (Galatians 3:13, 2 Corinthians 5:21)

Today’s passage: Psalm 98

Helpful thoughts:

• We sing and we shout triumphantly because the Lord has won the victory!
  • Because our faith rests in the Lord’s victory, the church can/should be a place of joy and eager expectation.
  • “Where the benefits received are infinite, the praises cannot be extravagant.” – W.S. Plumer
• The whole earth is welcomed to join the victory celebration.
  • Ephesians 2:11-16
• Christ’s coming and the pursuit of holiness and righteous judgment will result in everlasting joy.

Questions to consider:

1. In this world, should we ever feel like the Gospel is let-down or a sad reality?  What is the difference between giving a reason for the hope in us (Apologetics, 1 Peter 3:15) and being apologetic (“Sorry”) about what we believe?  What can our posture be toward the world and one another in the church?
2. If holiness brings a state of joy, then who is missing out on all the “fun?”  Are Christians missing out on all the joy the world is having or is it the other way around?  If we aren’t experiencing any joy in Christ, what may be true of the gravitational pull of our hearts and desires?
3. How does the reality of the grace we received in salvation through Christ make this celebration all the sweeter?  If we had simply achieved a “good-enough” status, what would be the nature of our celebration?  What all do we have to celebrate in truth? (John 5:24, Revelation 21:1-5)

Today’s passage: Psalm 97

Helpful thoughts:

• When we look at nature, it is clear we have no control over it, and it all belongs to God.  The extent of God’s power is beyond our comprehension, but the reality of His power and authority can be clearly understood.
• ^“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” – Romans 1:19-20
• Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.  Therefore, those who love Him will learn to hate evil (Verses 2, 10).

Questions to consider:

1. Why does it make so much sense for those who are called, “Righteous ones” to be glad/to rejoice in the Lord?  Where does our righteousness come from? (2 Corinthians 5:21)  If it were not for God’s grace to us through Christ, where would we stand in the context of this psalm?
2. What realities about God, about our standing in Christ, concerning our future, and the eternal purpose with which we can live our lives give us joy and gladness?  What can you praise God for today?  What truths can cheer your heart and/or help you endure hardships today?
3. What does the beginning of verse 1 say?  Does that look like present tense or future or past?  Is it a “hope so” or an absolute certainty?  Why does that matter?  What are the implications of God’s present sovereignty?  How can this comfort our hearts?

Today’s passage: Psalm 96

Helpful thoughts:

• The “People of God” was never intended to be limited to the Hebrew people, nor any other race or ethnicity today. (Romans 4:16-18, Galatians 3:7, Revelation 7:9-10)
• Every other god that this world has ever worshiped is a figment of imagination.  There is only one true God.
• This psalm is a magnificent call to global evangelism!  Every soul on the face of the earth (Including everyone in your home town) will stand before our holy God and needs to hear the gospel message.

Questions to consider:

1. There have been many debates concerning missions and enculturation.  Should missions be stopped in order to “preserve cultures” around the world?  Does culture shape our worship or does our worship shape our culture?  If our country’s culture becomes more and more “post-Christian” will it be wrong to evangelize here too?
2. Who gets to decide whether missions and evangelism is a good idea?  If the entire world says to stop preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, what are Christians to do?  Whom do we obey?
3. Are you obeying?  Who can you be praying for to be saved?  How can you engage in relationships and/or ministries that present opportunities to share Christ?  How are you participating in the mission of the church?  Be encouraged to take the next step of growth!

Today’s passage: Psalm 95

Helpful thoughts:

• The greatness of God is a reality which elicits joy in the hearts of His people.  The simple truth of who God is, and that He has made us His people, is enough to bring about an emotional response.
• If you are in Christ, the one who spoke the universe into existence and has decreed the beginning from the end has placed you under His utterly perfect care!
  • If you are NOT in Christ, be saved today!
• Today, if someone hears good counsel and chooses against it, we might call him “hard-headed.”  The psalmist calls this a hardness of heart in verse 8.
  • By God’s grace, He gives to His children a “heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).  May we remain humble and be learning and growing as the children of God.

Questions to consider:

1. How does this psalm remind us who God is and who we are?  How does this proper perspective help us to view our purpose correctly?
2. Why is it so important to be continually reminded of these truths?  What did the Jews do at Meribah and Massah (Exodus 17:1-7)?  What temptations and worries arise in our hearts when we forget who God is and who we are?
3. If Israel had been mindful of who they were and who their God was, how might their request for water have sounded in Exodus 17?  How do our prayers sound, our interests shift, our concerns fluctuate when we are resting and trusting in Jesus?