Today’s passage: Psalm 68:20-35

Helpful thoughts:

• A reminder of the theme from the first 19 verses of this psalm: The Lord helps the helpless and He leads captives to freedom.
• Our God is a God of salvation.
• Our God is a God of justice.
• Our God who is awesome, powerful, and a giver of strength, will be worshiped and served by the nations of the earth.

Questions to consider:

1. Why is God not going to “strike your head”?  How is God your God of salvation?  Why are you no longer an enemy of the Lord?
2. How does the promise of God’s victory and the global worship of the King of Kings give you rest from your anxiety/fear?  How can it help you to be bold as your share the Gospel with others?
3. If someone isn’t interested in the Gospel, if they don’t want to hear or repent, what part are they going to play in this psalm?  How can we kindly but boldly communicate the truth of God’s command for all people everywhere to repent? (Acts 17:30)

Today’s passage: Psalm 68:1-19

Helpful thoughts:

• The old adage “God helps those who help themselves” and Psalm 68 don’t go together.  “God helps the helpless” is a much more biblical statement.
  • Those who say “We see” remain blind… (John 9:35-41)
• Our adversaries may seem daunting to us.  But before God, they are like smoke in the wind or like wax in a fire.
• Verse 18 is quoted in Ephesians 4:8.
  • All people are captive in their sin, and God the Son descended to purchase our freedom! (Romans 5:8)

Questions to consider:

1. What keeps us from wanting to acknowledge that we are helpless?  In what ways are we helpless?  How do these truths increase your joy in the Lord?
2. How would viewing those who want to hurt us or oppose us through the lens of the truth of Scripture allow us to actually seek to help them and show them kindness? (Romans 12:14-21)  What do they need the most?  Do they deserve to hear the Gospel any less than you or I did?
3. How often does God “bear us up” (Verse 19)?  When does God let you out of his hand (John 10:27-29)?

Today’s passage: Psalm 67

Helpful thoughts:

• Verse 1 refers back to the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6:22-27.
• This psalm gives a reason for this blessing on Israel…the fruit that should come from Israel’s receiving of this blessing.
• This psalm reveals that this “yielded increase” is God’s doing from beginning to end.  God is the giver grace, salvation and gladness.

Questions to consider:

1. In what way has the prayer of this Psalm already been answered?  Why do you know of the saving power of God?  Where are you?  Who are you?  How did these truths and blessing and salvation come to you?
2. In what way does the prayer of this Psalm continue on today?  Why should we continue to pray that the nations be glad and sing for joy?
3. When is the work of the church done?  Once you become a Christian, what do you automatically also become (Matthew 28:19-20)?  From whom must the nations hear of God’s saving power through Jesus Christ?

Today’s passage: Psalm 66

Helpful thoughts:

• David encourages Israel (And all the earth) to sing praises to God because:
  • He brought Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.
  • He brought Israel through the times of trouble and testing and into a time of abundance.
  • He heard and answered David’s prayers.
• When we sing to God, we should seek to sing of His glory, and seek to sing gloriously (Verse 2).  God is worthy of our best.
• We have in this psalm an example of God allowing trials and testing, and then the right response of following up with worship.  God rules by His might forever, on our good days and on our bad ones.  Resolution is coming.

Questions to consider:

1. What does true thanksgiving and gratitude do to our conversations with others throughout the day?  How might our sincere praise of God result in opportunities to share with others?
2. If you were to say, “Come and see what God has done,” what would you be most excited to share?
3. David needed to remember his vows (Verse 13) after God had provided.  Are there ways that God has been faithful to you and answered your prayers that perhaps you have forgotten as new challenges have come?  How can remembering those times encourage you and build your faith in God’s promises?

Today’s passage: Psalm 65

Helpful thoughts:

• It is only right to praise the Lord.  It is wrong to not praise Him.
• God’s powerful display of common grace (Depicted in verses 6-13) requires every person on the face of the earth to come to Him for help and provision, whether they admit it or not.
• All benefit from God’s kindness in the things of the earth.  Some are chosen, atoned for, and saved to fully enjoy and be satisfied with the goodness of God.

Questions to consider:

1. How does this Psalm turn the argument of God not being loving toward those who are not saved on its head?  How patient is our God with all people?  How many of us deserve salvation?  How many of us deserve rain, sunshine, the harvest, breath in our lungs, etc.?
2. What is the hope of the people of Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, North America, Australia, etc.?  Who is their only hope?
3. How gracious is God to hear our prayers, atone for our sins and allow us to enjoy and be satisfied in Him forever!?

Today’s passage: Psalm 64

Helpful thoughts:

• Mankind in his wickedness is convinced he is making progress and accomplishing something worthwhile, while he is bringing judgment on himself.
• God’s judgment will seem as though it came suddenly, out of nowhere.
• The role of the righteous (Those who are in Christ by the grace of God) is to wait patiently and expectantly.
  • No man or political party will ever be able to make everything right.
  • God can… and will.

Questions to consider:

1. Why is it so good and right to cry out to God when it looks like the wrong side is prevailing?
2. When things aren’t going well, what do I tend to rejoice in?  Where do I tend to seek refuge?  Whom do I desire to exult?  If those things are not God, how effective have they been? Did they bring me joy?  Were they worthy of exultation?
3. When will God, once and for all, fulfill the hope of this psalm?  How can you remember that we win, even when it looks like you are losing?

Today’s passage: Psalm 63

Helpful thoughts:

• God is beyond worthy of our every desire, longing and interest.
• This truth does not automatically result in our pursuit of Him.  David had to choose.  He resolved to praise, be satisfied, remember, meditate on and cling to God.  The fruit of this resolve gave David even more reason to continue in his endeavor!
• David’s enemies’ sinful conduct and end are given as a contrast.
  • David gave himself to beholding the glories of God and was satisfied.
  • Others gave themselves to selfish ambition, and they were consumed.

Questions to consider:

1. How could this Psalm be compared with 2 Corinthians 3:18?  Does considering/meditating on the glories of God and the truth of the Gospel produce growth and fruit in believers?  How?
2. How could this Psalm be compared to John 4:13-14 and the story of the Samaritan Woman?  If we try to quench our thirst with other earthly things, what will always result?
3. How do God’s holiness, righteousness, power, love, and Christ’s sacrifice (among many other attributes) compel you to love and obey Him with joy?

Today’s passage: Psalm 62

Helpful thoughts:

• God is not a last resort rock/salvation/fortress.  He is the only one.
  • This includes ourselves.  The idea of finding strength within ourselves to overcome is contrary to this Psalm, to the Word of God.
• Increased success, popularity and wealth could be the greatest temptations on the earth.
  • There is no lasting joy or strength in these things.
  • There will be people who give no true respect as a result of these things…only expectations and manipulation from those who desire to benefit from your success, popularity and wealth.

Questions to consider:

1. How does a verse like James 4:14 (What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.) affect your view of your inherit inner strength?  How does seeing ourselves as weak, seeing God as ultimately strong and then resting in Him enable us to endure all things (Philippians 4:13)?
2. Why does elevating my view of self end up being my downfall?  How would viewing myself as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-3) bring about a life of joy?
3. How should a Christian treat a person who is “successful” (Like a professional athlete, a wealthy businessman, a celebrity)?  What do they truly need?  How might many others be treating them?  How could you offer them something different and life-giving?

Today’s passage: Psalm 61

Helpful thoughts:

• When David felt far from God and lacked personal strength, he believed that God could hear his prayer and he desired fellowship and protection in God.
  • God was not enabled to hear only because David believed.  That is how Santa Claus works in the movies…that is not how God works.
• David’s desire was to be in the house (Tabernacle/Tent) of the Lord (Verse 4).
• Even if I became a king, God would still be “higher” than me.  He is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings.
• Verses 6-7 are fulfilled in King Jesus!

Questions to consider:

1. How does a right view (a high view) of God help us to grow in our prayer, in our worship, in our desire for righteous living?
2. Why should we love to be in church?  If church isn’t a place of rest, encouragement, growth, learning, repentance, then what is wrong?  (With me? and/or In the church?)
3. How can Christ’s eternal reign encourage you to persevere even when you feel like you are at the end of the earth…or at the “end of your rope”?

Today’s passage: Psalm 60

Helpful thoughts:

• The last several Psalms have been written in times when David was not yet king, being hunted by Saul.  Psalm 60 is written as King David is about to lead Israel on one of his first military campaigns.
• The early verses of this Psalm give an overview of the history of Israel through the time of the judges and Saul’s reign.
• With this Psalm, David calls on Israel to once again fear the Lord and asks God to once again bless Israel.
  • God answers in the affirmative (2 Samuel 8)!

Questions to consider:

1. Who was in control of Israel’s successes and their consequences?  To whom did David attribute the quaking of the land?  Why was David right to not blame God or be upset with Him for Israel’s difficulties?
2. Who gives the “banner of truth” and who displays it?  (See verse 4.  Check the NASB or the footnote in the ESV for the translation, “That it may be displayed because of truth.”)
3. What is the result of the display of the banner of truth?  How does truth bring deliverance? (Think Gospel first!)