Today’s passage: Psalm 59

Helpful thoughts:

• Verse 3 reminds us that persecution comes for the right that we do and/or believe.  People don’t persecute Christians for doing wrong things.  They persecute Christians for doing/believing right things.  Isaiah 5:20
• No matter how mighty or powerful man may feel he is, God is stronger.  To think that man could even come close to God’s ability and power is laughable.
• The men who are acting sinfully in this Psalm show off and talk big trying to get things for themselves.  David uses his mouth to sing praises to the real source of strength.

Questions to consider:

1. How can we learn to not allow people to intimidate us?  When they start talking in a way to amplify themselves, to what does the Bible compare them?
2. What is true of every person that we might fear?  How do they compare to God?  Even if we gain the favor of a loud-talking self-centered person, how long will that last and what would we gain from it?
3. If David had tried to outsmart these men, bark louder, or flex his muscles in response, would he have been any better? How was David’s approach to these men better than beating them at their own game?

Today’s passage: Psalm 58

Helpful thoughts:

• The little “g” gods in verse 1 could have been translated as “lords”, as in leaders of people.
  • These leaders would have seen themselves as mouthpieces for the gods, and they judged their people crookedly.
• The request for God to break their teeth in their mouth is referring back to the illustration of the venomous bites of a serpent.  David is requesting that God remove from them their ability to hurt anyone in their positions of power.
• David looks forward to what God has promised in Revelation 19:11-21.  Our hero and David’s hero is Jesus Christ!

Questions to consider:

1. Is there anything new under the sun?  Has the world been rid of injustice?  When will justice finally be served?  When will everything finally be made right?  Who will resolve this conflict?
2. What will mankind say is true after the final battle? (Verse 11)  How does this compare with Philippians 2:9-10?
3. Knowing that this is how God intends to bring final justice on the earth, where should we put our hope and trust?  Who is the only One who can make everything right?  Who can’t?  Therefore, what should be our primary mission as the church?  (Matthew 28:18-20)  How are we doing at keeping this our priority?

Today’s passage: Psalm 57

Helpful thoughts:

• The answer to the troubles David was facing was the exaltation of God.
• His enemies (In this case, Saul and his followers) fell into the trap they set for David because they think the answer to their troubles is the elimination of their “troubles” (Namely, David).
• Even though it seems Saul was in the wrong and David was in the right, David cries out to the Lord for mercy (Verse 1).  Saul was not David’s biggest problem.

Questions to consider:

1. What was David’s greatest problem?  What is our greatest problem?  What has God done about it? (Romans 5:8)
2. How then does the exaltation of God, the exaltation of Christ bring resolution to our fears and bring a calm and rest in the midst of our tribulations?  Why is it better (More powerful and effective) to exalt Christ than it is to constantly seek to put out every fire, expecting a trouble free life?
3. Who, in addition to you, misses out on seeing Christ exalted when we choose/prefer the “putting all the fires out” method?  How does Christianity start to look like “Just another religion” when we take that route?

Today’s passage: Psalm 56

Helpful thoughts:

• God knows and cares about the sufferings of His children.
• The worst that man could do to any of us can not compare to the good that God has promised!
• If you are in Christ, God has already delivered your soul from death.
  • John 8:51 – Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.

Questions to consider:

1. When we are afraid or anxious, where might we be tempted to turn?  What do we want first and the most?
2. Did David suggest that God was going to remove all of his troubles?  With what truths did David counsel himself?
3. How/Why can we serve and worship the Lord during difficulties?  How does our service and praise help us in the midst of hard times?

Today’s passage: Psalm 55

Helpful thoughts:

• We can pray more than three times a day.  In verse 7, David is claiming to pray, as we would say, around the clock…or “Without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
  • Prayer is only powerful because we pray to a powerful God.
• Proverbs 29:5 – “A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.”
• “If God is for us, who can be against us?”  Check out Romans 8:31-39!

Questions to consider:

1. How does the immutability of God (God never changes) give you encouragement and hope?
2. Why was David compelled to pray so much?  What might a lack of prayer in our lives indicate?
3. How do we have to view other people in order to begin flattering and backstabbing?  How would “loving your neighbor as yourself” keep you from doing those things to others?  How would loving your neighbor help you to pray for them and prepare you to forgive after they have hurt you?

Today’s passage: Psalm 54

Helpful thoughts:

• The people of Ziph informed Saul of David’s whereabouts in both 1 Samuel 23 and 26.
• After pointing out that his enemies do not “set God before themselves”…David sets God before himself.  David meditated on the attributes and the works of God.
• God had made a specific promise to David.  Therefore, David could be confident while trusting in the Lord and make offerings by his own free will as opposed to trying to barter with God for a favor.

Questions to consider:

1. When David ran away from one enemy, what did he find in his new location?  What will we find if we continue to put all our hope/trust/confidence in people?
2. What promises has God made to you?  What does the Word of God say will come to pass for all those in Christ?
3. How can you put those truths about God and promises from God before yourself to help you remember?

Today’s passage: Psalm 53

Helpful thoughts:

• Atheism is portrayed as intelligent and wise by the world.  In reality, it is utter foolishness.
• The Apostle Paul refers to these words in Romans 3:10-12.
• Outside of Jesus Christ, there is not a single person who will ever be in heaven because they were “good enough.”
  • Not only are we not good enough.  We also would not seek after God outside of His gracious intervention.
  • We want wrong. (The heart)  We do wrong. (Sins of commission)  We don’t do what is right, such as seeking after God. (Sins of omission)
• Check out Psalm 14.  Look for the difference between these Psalms.

Questions to consider:

1. According to this psalm (verse 1 included), is it possible outside of God’s grace to have a good heart?  Who has a good heart?  When we say that someone does have a good heart, how do we come to that conclusion?  Who are we comparing them to?
2. Does a lack of knowledge excuse sinful actions (Verse 4)?  What makes an action right or wrong?  Who makes (made) that decision?
3. Why would those who reject God mistreat believers?  Why would they feel like we are against them when in fact, we are seeking to be kind and truthful? (Think: Knowledge of sin, conviction, the necessity of repentance, coming judgment, etc.)

Today’s passage: Psalm 52

Helpful thoughts:

• This psalm was written Doeg the Edomite in mind.  You can see what he did in 1 Samuel 22:6-23.
• God is the only place of refuge that is truly safe.  Anything else we seek to find refuge in will ultimately hurt us.
• David waited on the Lord.  He knew that his growth would not come through the destruction of others but by the steadfast love of the Lord.  He was willing to remain in the “greenhouse” and allow God to raise him up at the proper time.

Questions to consider:

1. How could Romans 12:14-21 give us guidance when people sin against us?
2. Why do other means of “refuge” bring about destruction?  What do we have to leave in order to find new means of safety?  What has to be true of our thinking in order to decide there is better refuge to be had outside of God?
3. How have you been growing in God’s “greenhouse”?  What is He doing in your heart to make you more like Christ right now?

Today’s passage: Psalm 51

Helpful thoughts:

• This psalm was written by King David in repentance after being rebuked by Nathan after his sin with Bathsheba and having Uriah the Hittite killed.
• A desire to share the Gospel with sinners is preceded by joy in our own salvation.
• Signs of repentance in this psalm:
  • David believed he deserved punishment.
  • He confessed.
  • He knew his sin against God was the chief problem at hand.
  • He did not blame God for his troubles.
  • He believed the only hope he had would come from God’s mercy and grace.
  • He knew changing his thinking would result in righteous living (No longer living in sin).
  • He never said anything about forgiving himself.  God is the judge, not me.
  • He didn’t try to buy God’s favor or pay Him back with religious activity.
  • He acknowledged his sin hurt others, and his obedience would bless others.  His sin wasn’t about him…it was much bigger.

Questions to consider:

1. Do you have joy in your salvation?  Why or why not?  Why should we?
2. Did any of the signs of repentance surprise you?  If so which one(s)? Why was it surprising?
3. Which sign of repentance is the hardest for you?  If applied, how would you (and others around you) benefit from learning and growing in any or all of these areas?

Today’s passage: Psalm 50

Helpful thoughts:

• From verses 5-6: We are counted God’s righteous ones by sacrifice, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!  And we are declared righteous based on the righteousness of our sacrifice.  God is judge!  He says that’s the way it works, therefore, that’s the way it works! (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• God does not get richer when we give.  Everything we have already belongs to Him.
• John 8:31 – “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”
  • John 8:34 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.“

Questions to consider:

1. If God already owns everything, then who is the one who truly benefits when we give?  Who receives and increases in joy when I give with a cheerful, thankful heart?
2. What are the “sacrifices” of our day that people have decided guarantee their salvation?  For instance: Why is it a bad idea to automatically assume that someone who goes to church every Sunday is saved?
3. Who do followers of Jesus follow?  Who do lovers of God love?
4. Why is God worthy of our obedience and thanksgiving?  Where might you be able to grow in giving the Lord your whole heart with joy and thanksgiving?