Psalm Fifty….(verses 1-23)

                                               The Sufficient One

The Mighty God has called today, He calls the earth to go His way;                                               God’s voice is heard from Zion’s tower, He shows from heav’n His mighty power;            God calls to those give Him thanks  This means far more than cash in banks;                    Call on Me in troubled days, I’ll deliver in all your ways,                                                                   To Me you will all glory give,  Remember this the days  you live”.                                             The wicked hate my laws and rules, They are no more than silly fools;                                They go with thieves and prostitutes,  And from their mouths come evil fruits;               Dirty jokes,  and sland’rous lies. One day I’ll  show before all eyes,                                        Stop and think before you  die, Remember Me to glorify;                                                               Give me praise and speak aright  Then you’ll be saved and see My light! 

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1.  Verses  1-23

a.   What does David say about God here?              (verse 1; Genesis 1:14-16)

God is the mighty One who created all things…He spoke and it was done! He created the sun, moon and stars just by speaking! We cannot comprehend it.

b.  What is God’s greatest creation of all?                  (verse 2; Ephesians 5:25-27)

It is His people of all ages that make up the city of Zion…God in Christ gave himself for His people; He has set them apart from other people, and cleanses them so that they become without spot in His sight. Verse  two says it is the perfection of beauty, and  in  Ephesians it says that God’s people are glorious. Let us BE now what we ARE!

c.   How does God’s holiness show itself ?     (verse 3; Exodus 3:2-6; Hebrews 12:29)

God’s holiness is so great that it is like a fire that consumes every bit of evil and surrounds Him. Evil cannot exist in the presence of God.

d.  What shows God’s righteousness?         (verses 4-6)

The heavens above and creation around proclaims that God is right, true and mighty.

e.   What does God say in this next passage about sacrificing to Him ?        ( verses 7-13)

He says that He really doesn’t want or need the sacrifice of animals….after all, all the animals in the world are His by right of creation, man can’t do anything to help God.

f.  How does the writer to the Hebrews expand on this thought?             (Hebrews 10:3-14)

He says that the blood of animals will never take away sin, it only covered them for a year. It is only the blood of Christ that can take away man’s sin and give him a clean and fresh start, and this can only work as a person acknowledges his need of this.

g.  What does David go on to say that a person should do?           (verse 14; 107:22)

We are to give God the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and to see that we keep our promises to Him.

h.   What is God’s response to this?               (verse 15)           

God wants His people to call on Him when they are in trouble….this is a two way thing, people and God. When people rely on God,  He will deliver them from their trouble and then they will give Him praise and thanksgiving for having intervened on their behalf. This makes us stronger in our faith

i.   What are the characteristics of those who don’t follow the Lord?      (verses 16-20)

They say one thing and do another; they hate being told by God what to do; they go along with thieves and immoral people; they can’t speak the truth and slander others.

j. What does God go on to say about these people?                (verses 21-22)

They say that God won’t see what they are up to; they drag Him down to their level; He says that they should stop and consider where they are heading as in the end there will be no escape from destruction.

k.   What wonderful truth do we see in verse 23?   

Those who have a thankful spirit towards God are in fact glorifying Him, and God will show them His salvation.

Psalm Fifty-one….(verses 1-19)

                                                          The Contrite Man

Have mercy on me O God my King, As to you now, my sin I bring;                                           Wash me thoroughly and make me clean, For it’s against You, my sin has been;               My inward part needs truth to show, Make me  now more white than snow.                Create in me a cleaner heart, Don’t cast me out , give me a part;                                                   I need Your Holy Spirit’s joy,  Your songs will then my tongue employ,                                    You do not want burnt offerings given, But a contrite heart and spirit riven,                       The sacrifices of righteousness, My soul can now, God freely bless. 

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 1.  Verses  1-19

a.   What explanation is given in the heading of this psalm? Who was Bathseheba?   (2 Samuel 11- 12:24)

David wrote this psalm of contrition and repentance after Nathan the prophet had been to him and exposed  his sin before God  in committing adultery with Bathsheba, murdering her husband and then marrying her.

b.  What was David’s cry to God for? What was his great need at this point?  (verses 1- 2)

He cried for God’s mercy in the face of his great sin, and to have his sin blotted out.

c.   What was David ready to admit ?                   (verse 3)

He was ready to admit his sin and his need of cleansing from it.

d.  Who is all sin against?         (verse 4)

All sin is against God.

e.   How universal is sin today ?        ( verse 5; Romans 3:23)

ALL have sinned….sin is in us right from birth, and always has been since Adam’s fall.

f.  How can we be cleansed from our sin?             (Romans 10:9-10; 1 John 1:9)

By admitting we are a sinner and need a Saviour; by believing that Jesus Christ died for our sins and telling others of our conviction; then as we slip up and fall during our life, to confess it to God and He will always cleanse us on the spot.

g.  What is one characteristic that God looks for in a person?           (verse 6)

He looks for a person to be truthful….not just outwardly, but also on the inside. Without being truthful, a person will never admit they are sinful and need a Saviour.

h.   What did David feel the need of?               (verses 7-10)           

He desperately wanted to feel clean in God’s presence again after doing these dreadful things….he wanted God to cleanse him, to blot out all his sins, and to give him a clean heart with a right spirit in him.

i.   What did David not want to happen?               (verse 11)           

He didn’t want God to throw him out or to take away His Holy Spirit from him.

j. What could David NOT do while he was in an unforgiven state?                (verses 12-13)

He didn’t have God’s joy, nor could he talk to others about the Lord.

k.   When David was right with God once more, what was he able to do?      (verses 14-15)

He was able to sing praises to God once  more.

l. What is the first sacrifice that God wants more than anything else?      (verses 16-17)               

God wants a broken and contrite heart; He wants people to turn to Him.

m.  What can a person offer to God today after turning to Him? (verse 17; Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 13:15)

We must present our whole self to God (body, mind and spirit)  as a living sacrifice before the other sacrifices of righteousness which include praising Him and doing good to others. In other words, we must live for Him, with Him at the centre of our lives.

 Psalm Fifty-two….(verses 1-9)

                                                             The Mischievous Man

Why do you boast in mischief O man? Speaking in lies with a tongue that ran,                Talking evil more than good, Saying things more than you should!                                        God hears the words you speak each day, He’ll root you out and stop your way.               The righteous see and are afraid, They’ll say  “This man has never made,                           Our God his strength because he’s rich, He’ll likely end in evil’s ditch!”                                   But they are like the olive tree, That bears much fruit for all to see,                                            In God’s great mercy they do trust, For He is good and great and just!

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 1.  Verses  1-9

a.   What explanation is given in the heading of this psalm? Who was Doeg?   (1 Samuel 21:7; 22:9-22)

Doeg was the chief manager of Saul’s farm animals, and he told Saul  how the priests had given David food when Saul was chasing him. This caused Saul to kill all the priests but one, and David felt responsible for this slaughter.

b.  What characteristics does David see in the wicked men?                 (verses 1-4)

They are proud, boastful and lying people

c.  What judgement could David see for Doeg and others like him?                 (verse 5)

They will suffer God’s judgement and He will have the last say in their lives.

d.  What should be the righteous person’s attitude to this?         (verses 6-7)

They should take note and be careful they don’t fall into the same trap of disobedience that the “wicked” have.

e.   What are the righteous people likened to ?        ( verse 8a)

They are likened to a green olive tree…one that is fresh and flourishing.

f.  What was David’s testimony?             (verse 8b-9)

He said he would trust in God and praise Him for ever; he recognised God’s hand in protecting him.

g.  David had seen the disaster that came upon all the priests….how do you think a believer should react in the face of disasters that affect other people?           (verse 9)

It has happened, and there is nothing that can be done to bring things (or people) back…all we can do is help where we can and continue to praise God.

Psalm Fifty-three….(verses 1-6)

                              The Foolish Man! 

The fool has said, “No God for me!” He clean forgets that God can see, All his sin and iniquity, For there are none who do good!

God looks down from heaven’s height, To see if any seek His light,  But all they do is fret and fight, For there are none who do good! 

No-one seeks His glorious face, None seek His mercy or His grace, They still their evil always chase, For there are none who do good!

God gives salvation to the meek, He gives it free to those who seek,  Those who see themselves as weak, Who seek Him as they SHOULD!

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 1.  Verses  1-6

a.   How does David describe a person who says there is no God?                     (verse 1a)

As nothing more than a FOOL!

b.  What follows on from a person saying there is no God?                 (verse 1b)

They have no boundaries or moral guidelines, and only do what is wrong and evil.

c.  What was God looking for in people? What did He find?   (verses 2-3; Genesis 6:5-6)

God was looking for people who would follow Him, but there were none.

d.  What were the people’s deeds and actions likened to?         (verse 3; Isaiah 64:6)

They are likened to filth, and filthy rags, with no-one doing good.

e.   What does the New Testament add to this thought ?        ( Romans 3:23)

It says that ALL have sinned…..there are no exceptions.

f.  What do people who don’t follow the Lord do to His people?           (verse 4)

They are scornful of them and persecute them when they have a chance.

g.  How will they feel when they see God begin to work?           (verse 5)

They will be greatly afraid.

h.   What was David’s great desire?               (verse  6)           

He wanted to see God’s salvation coming out of Zion.

i.   When did this happen?               (Luke 1:30-33; Galations 4:4-5)            

When God’s time was right, He sent His Son into the world to redeem sinful people.

 Psalm Fifty-four….(verses 1-7)

                                                                 The Helping One

Save me O God, by Your great name, Keep me for ever just the same,                                     Hear my prayer and what I say, For wicked men oppress each day.                                         God helps me now, upholds my soul,  Help me to keep Him as my goal;                                   My sacrifice to Him I bring, For all His help, His praise I sing!

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1.  Verses  1-7

a.   What is the heading for this psalm? Who were the Ziphims (Ziphites)?     (1 Samuel 23:14-15, 19-20)

David was on the run from king Saul and he wrote this psalm when the Ziphites were plotting to deliver him into the king’s hand to be killed.

b.  What was David’s main theme of his prayer here?                 (verse 1)

Save me O God! I need your help!

c.  What did he go on to ask for?                 (verse 2)

Hear my prayer O God and listen to what I say.

d.  How did he regard those who were against him?         (verse 3)

They were strangers and oppressors who had no regard for God.

e.   We see how the first half of this psalm was about his needs…how does the tone of the psalm change now?        ( verse 4a)

He takes his eyes off his enemies and looks to God as his Helper.

f.  What did he take comfort in?           (verse 4b)

The fact that God was with him and with  those who encouraged him.

g.  Who did this for David? What do we see about their conversation?           (1 Samuel 23:14-18

Jonathan, Saul’s son was David’s best friend, and he encouraged David in the Lord, and they made promises to each other.

h.   How strong was David’s and Jonathan’s  attachment?               (2 Samuel 1:25-26)           

They had a wonderful friendship that came first in David’s life.

i.   Even though David had this wonderful friendship with Jonathan, who came first in David’s life?               (verses 5-6; 18:1-3)           

The Lord came first in David’s life…he trusted in Him with all his heart.

j. What did God do for David?                (verse 7)

He delivered him out of his troubles and from his enemies.

Psalm Fifty-five….(verses 1-23)

                                                         The Depending Man

Hear my prayer and do not hide, Attend to me as I abide,                                                                 I must confess I am afraid, Oh do not for my fear upbraid;                                                                     I wish that I could like a dove, Fly away to You above;                                                                         Leave behind sorrow and fears,  And those who cause my grief and tears.                              My very friend despised me sore, A man my equal and much more.                                          But You will save me when I call, And lift me up when I do fall.                                                     I’ll pray each morning and each night,   And for me You’ll surely fight.                                    My so called friend spoke smooth and fair, But never meant a word he’d share.                 I’ll cast my burden on the Lord, And He will save me from the sword;                                  From wicked words and sinful thoughts,  And give me peace which I long sought.

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1.  Verses  1-23

a.   What was troubling David at this time?     (verses 1-3)

He felt that his enemies were rising up and overwhelming him.

b.  How was he physically feeling as a result of these fears?                 (verses 4-5)

It was giving him heart pains and he was full of fear and horror.

c.  What did he feel like doing?                 (verses 6-8)

He felt like flying away to someplace far away from all his troubles!

d.  Where was this problem based?         (verses 9-11)

It surrounded him in the city and he couldn’t get away from it.

e.   What really hurt David more than anything?        ( verses 12-14)

It was his best friend who had turned against him….he thought he could trust him; why, they even went to the house of the Lord together!

f.  Who was this best friend who he thought he could trust?     (2 Samuel 15:12,31; 16:23)

It was David’s counsellor, Ahithophel who left David and went over to David’s son Absalom when he was seeking to take the kingdom from his father.

g.  David was quite bloodthirsty…what did he call for God to do to his enemies?           (verse 15)

He prayed that they would be destroyed and go to hell!

h.   What was David’s recourse in this situation?               (verses 16-20)           

He could only pray to God and he did this three times a day continually.

i.   What confidence did David have at this time?               (verse 19)           

He was confident that God would hear and answer him.

j. What happened to Absalom as a result?                (2 Samuel 18:5-15)

God saw to it that he was killed in battle in a most unusual way in spite of David’s love for him.

k.   David was still thinking about his friend who had defected to Absalom…what does he say here  about him?      (verse 21)

He said that he never meant what he said to him….his intentions toward David were for evil.

l. What message is there for us today here?      (verses 22-23; 1 Peter 5:7)                

To give our worries and cares to the Lord and to leave them there….He will see to the results. We trust, God acts….easier said than done!

Psalm Fifty-six….(verses 1-13)

                                           The Tested Man

Be merciful to me, O God, My enemies o’er me have trod;                                                             When I’m afraid I’ll trust in Thee, I will not fear what comes to me.                                               Every day they take my words, Thy peck at me like hungry birds!                                            You know my ways and all my fears, And in Your bottle go my tears;                                      But I will love and praise Your word, With it my soul I’ll undergird;                                              In You alone I’ll put my trust, I’ll give You praises as I must;                                                             For You’ve delivered me from death, And given me my life and breath.

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1.  Verses  1-13

a.   What is the heading of this psalm? When did this happen?    (1 Samuel 21:10-15)

It says that David wrote these words when he went to Gath with king Achish there; he thought he would be safe from Saul there, but  the people turned the king against him.

b.  How did he feel  after realising this?                 (verses 1-2)

He felt he was going to be swallowed up by his enemies, both in Gath and outside of it.

c.  What did he tell God and himself?                 (verses 3-4)

He told the Lord that he trusted in Him, and he was determined that he wouldn’t be afraid.

d.  David had put himself in this position, and sometimes we do the same….what can we do about it?         (verse 4b, 11)

We have to put our trust in God to get us out of this situation, and remain strong in faith that He will sooner or later. Then learn and remember not to do the same in the future.

e.   What did David feel that those around him were doing?        ( verses 5-6)

He felt that they were continually plotting against him and watching everything he did.

f.  What thought comforted David in this time?     (verse  7)

That God would deal with them in the end.

g.  What did David feel that God had done with his tears? What else do we read about God keeping a record of?           (verse 8; Malachi 3:16)

David felt that God had kept a record of his tears and fears; Malachi says that God keeps a record of everything we say.

h.   What does it seem happens to our words?   Why?  (Matthew 12:36; Romans 14:12)           

It seems that they never disappear because one day we will have to give an account to God of them all! It seems that they will all come rolling back out of the past to our mind and we will have to confess them to  God.

i.   What confidence did David have in God at this time?               (verse 9)           

He knew that his enemies would turn and leave him alone when God was working.

j. What did David break out into in the next three verses?                (verses 10-12)

He was full of praise and trust in God.

k.   What was the reason for this praise?      (verse 13)

God had delivered him from his enemies and kept him from falling into deeper trouble.

l. What should our prayer be in times like these?                            (verse 13b)               

That we might continue to walk in God’s light and not get ourselves into any more trouble such as we have been delivered from.

m.    Thinking back to the circumstances of this particular trouble of David’s, what can we learn from it? (1 Samuel 21:10-15)

David put himself in this situation because he was afraid of Saul….he wasn’t trusting God enough to deliver him from Saul, and we often try to help God out and get ourselves in a worse mess by doing so! We should learn to TRUST God more!

Psalm Fifty-seven….(verses 1-11)

                                          The Saving One

Have mercy on me O my God, And spare me from Your fearful rod;                                              In Your wings I’ll safely fly, And to You every day I’ll cry.                                                            From heaven You will surely send, And save me from the wicked men.                                   You are exalted far above, Your glory shows Your light and love,                                               My heart is fixed on You alone, To You I’ll sing in purest tone.                                                     Your mercy reaches to the clouds,  Your glory all around enshrouds.

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1.  Verses  1-11

a.   What is the heading of this psalm? When did this happen?    (1 Samuel 22:1-22)

This time David was hiding in the Cave Adullam when Saul went into the same cave and David could have killed him, but he spared him. Afterwards Saul sort of apologised, and David went his way safely. This psalm tells how David was feeling after that episode.

b.  What is David saying to the Lord here? What does he liken God to?                 (verse 1)

He is asking God for mercy, and likens Him to a mother bird who shelters her chicks under her wings for safety.

c.  How was David feeling once he got away from Saul?                 (verses 2-3)

He knew it was God who had kept him safe and said he would continue to call on Him because of His mercy in delivering him.

d.  What did David feel his enemies were like?         (verse 4)

He felt they were like lions ready to eat him, and like he was in the midst of a fire ready to burn him up; among men who had teeth like sharp weapons and a tongue like a sharp sword.

e.   What else did he feel they were doing figuratively?        ( verse 6)

He felt they had set a net to trap him and were digging a pit for him that they were in themselves!

f.  What did David switch his thoughts to in spite of all this? Can we do this?     (verse 5)

In the middle of his fears, he turned his thoughts to the God of heaven and to His glory. We can do the same when we are surrounded by these things….to turn our minds to the Lord will bring peace.

g.  What does David do in the last half of this psalm?           (verses 7-11)

He was determined to set his mind on the Lord and to sing praises from morning till night.

h.   What two attributes of God does he mention here?            (verse 10)           

His mercy and His truth

i.   What was exhibited by Jesus Christ when He was here?               (John 1:14, 17)           

He was full of grace and truth….there was no shadow of anything wrong in Him

Psalm Fifty-eight….(verses 1-11)

Those who always tell lies,  Will find there’s nothing to rely,                                                        Like the snake hiding in the grass, their life will quickly pass,                                                     God will judge all those in the earth, who’ve been like this since their birth.

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1.  Verses  1-11

a.   What is this psalm primarily about?    (verses 1-11)

It is mainly about wicked people.

b.  When does a person become wicked?                 (verse 3)

We are born that way…people only think of themselves right from birth! No-one has to teach a young child to say “No”!….they have to be taught what is right.

c.  How does the New Testament back that thought up?                 (Romans 3:23)

It tells us that ALL have sinned and come short of God’s standard of glory.

d.  What do people seem to know instinctively about God?   (verse 11; Colossians 3:24-25)

That He will reward those who do good, and punish those who are bad.

e.   What fact have people never faced, neither in olden times or  today?        ( Micah 6:8)

That they have to do things God’s way, which is to humble themselves to walk with Him first, and THEN do good.

f.  How does God view an unrepentant person’s good works?     (Isaiah 64:6)

As no better than filthy rags.

Psalm Fifty-nine….(verses 1-17)

Deliver me from my enemy, O God defend from those against me,                                             You will laugh at those like this, At those who cannot say they are His,                                    Of your grace and mercy I will loudly sing, My God and my Mighty King.

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1.  Verses  1-17

a.   What is the heading of this psalm? When did this happen?   (1 Samuel 19:11)

It was one of the times David had been playing his harp to calm Saul down and he threw his javelin at him. David escaped and Saul had men stalking him at his house.

b.  What did David make  the theme of this psalm?                 (verses 1-3)

He was praying for deliverance from these men who were seeking to kill him for nothing that he had done….just on king Saul’s jealous orders.

c.  What did he take comfort in?                 (verses 4-10)

The fact that he could ask God to help him and keep him safe.

d.  We read here about God laughing at those who take no notice of Him….what other time do we read of God laughing at people?         (verse 8; 2: 2-4)

When rulers of  people throw God out of their councils and refuse to acknowledge Him.

e.   Can you think of any recent example of this?       

When all the leaders got together to discuss what they could do about Global Warming! There were immediately the coldest winters ever experienced all around the world. So they changed the name of it to Climate Change and still think they can control the weather! God just laughed at this and sent a volcano to spew enough ash to bring all the airlines to a standstill.

f.  How does David end this psalm?     (verses 16-17)

By singing God’s praises and looking to Him for His defence.

Psalm Sixty….(verses 1-12)

O God, You punish Your own,  But never them will disown,                                                             You will give us help from trouble, Man  only gives out  froth and bubble

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1.  Verses  1-12

a.   What is the heading of this psalm? When did this happen?   (2 Samuel 8:1-6, 13-16)

When David was king and Joab the captain of his army; there had just been a great victory for David’s army

b.  How was David feeling  in the beginning of this psalm?         (verse 1)

He seems to have been depressed and felt that God wasn’t with them, and was asking for God to be with them again.

c.  What did he turn his mind to?         (verses 2-4)

The things that God had done for His people….how God had made the earth to shake, how He had already shown His people hard things, and how those who feared Him had the banner of truth to display.

d.  How can we apply these things to ourselves?         (68:19; 103:2)

We can think of all the benefits that God has bestowed upon us and give Him thanks for them.

e.   What is the greatest benefit of all that God has given us?  (116:12-13; Ephesians 1:3)

The salvation that we have in Jesus Christ and all the blessings that go with it.

f.  What did David realise after his outburst?     (verses 5-6a)

That God HAD heard him and would deliver him….he was going to rejoice after all!

g.  He then lists all the nations he had overcome in verses 6b-9….who does he give the glory to for this?           (verses 10-12)

Even though he felt that God had deserted them, he had no-one else to turn to….it was only God who could give him these victories.

h.   What realisation can we fall back on?            (verses 11-12; 23:4)           

God will see us through all our troubles, and will be with us in all the shadows we face…man’s philosophies cannot help when we are faced with REAL trouble.

Psalm Sixty-one….(verses 1-8)

O God, hear my prayer, my cry, You are the Rock that is higher than I,                                   You shelter me far under Your wing, so I can only Your praises sing.        

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1.  Verses  1-8

a.   How does this psalm begin?   (verse 1)

David was crying out to God for help and comfort.

b.  What analogy does David use here?                 (verses 2-3)

When he felt overwhelmed, then he felt that God was his Rock and shelter, like a strong  tower in the face of the enemy.

c.  What two pictures do we see next?                 (verse 4)

We see God’s tabernacle, and the picture of a mother bird sheltering her chicks….both were sheltering places for David.

d.  What lesson can we get from this?         (John 15:10)

These  places of shelter in God are available to each one of us, but they are only effective if we stay close to Him, if we “abide” in Him. An umbrella is no good while it is closed up, it has to be opened up to keep us from getting wet!

e.   What was David realising here?        (verses 5-7)

Everything he had was given to him by God…his kingdom and his very life, as well as God’s mercy and truth which he had received.

f.  How does David finish off this psalm?     (verse 8)

By praising God and keeping his vows.

Psalm Sixty-two….(verses 1-12)

                                  The Rejoicing Man

O my God, I seek for Thee, To find you in the Sanctu’ry.                                                                     To see Your power and Your might, Your glory and  eternal light ;                                          Your loving kindness every day, I see as I go on life’s way.                                                                  My soul you surely satisfy, I joy in You for You are nigh.                                                                         I think of you and meditate, When in the night I lie awake;                                                       You’ve been my help I can rejoice, I’ll praise You with my heart and voice.                           But those who seek me to destroy, Will have no life or earthly joy.                                                   You are my God, I’ll glorify, In You rejoice, for You are nigh.

                                   ***   ***   ***

1.  Verses  1-12

a.   How does David open this psalm ?   (verse 1)

He was stating two facts…he was relying on God, and his salvation was from Him.

b.  What does he say about God next?                 (verse 2)

God was his only Rock, salvation and Defence, and because of this he was not greatly worried by his enemies.

c.  Can we say this today? What does Paul tell us?                 (Philippians 4:6)

We can put our trust in God to the same extent that David did, and take all our cares and concerns to Him in prayer.

d.  What does David say about those who don’t follow the Lord?         (verses 3-4)

They attack others (whether physically or verbally) and will end up like falling fence or wall; they gossip and exaggerate abopu8t others, saying one thing and thinking another.

e.   Who is the only dependable One we can rely on?        (verses 5-7)

God is the only One…He is as dependable as a Rock and we need not worry about anything when we depend on Him.

f.  What can we do?     (verse 8)

We can trust in Him at ALL times, and pour out our heart to Him…He is our Refuge from all troubles.

g.  How reliable are people? Can you think of cases where these verses are very true today?  (verses 9-10)

People are not reliable at all, especially when it comes to money….there have been so many cases of men promising to invest your money wisely and then taking off with it. They cannot be trusted.

h.   Is it wrong to be rich? What is the danger in having a lot of money?      (verse 10b; 1 Timothy 6:6-11)           

It is not wrong to be rich, but we are not to set our hearts on having or getting money, because the love of money is the root of all evil….it can take the place of God in our lives and can cause us to neglect Him.

i.   What are we to remember in connection with all this?  (verses 11-12; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15)           

Everything we have has come from God, and we are accountable to Him for what we do with it.

Psalm Sixty-three….(verses 1-11)

                                                  The Thirsty Man

O  God, You are my God indeed, You give me all I really need                                                              I thirst for You in every way, Naught else will  satisfy my day;                                                       Your glory and  Your wondrous power, Are seen in every waking hour;                                        I’ll praise You  every day I live, For all the blessings that You give;                                           You are my help, I will rejoice, And praise you with my heart and voice;                                   Help me O Lord, to follow You, In all I say and all I do!

                                                         ***   ***   ***

1.  Verses  1-11

a.   How does David feel at the beginning of this psalm?   (verse 1)

He is seeking for God with a yearning like that of a thirsty man….he feels dry and shrivelled up.

b.  What causes a person to feel like this?                 (John 4:13-14)

Neglecting the things of God will cause a dryness….being too busy or putting other things first; not reading the Word or fellowshipping with other believers, all contribute to this feeling of dryness until it seems the norm. Only Jesus Christ can give the water of life that satisfies a person’s soul.

c.  What do we NOT see when we neglect God’s Word?                 (verse 2)

We don’t see God’s glory or power in the affairs of men.

d.  What response do we give when we see these things?         (verses 3-4)

We cannot help but praise and glorify God as we contemplate His goodness to us.

e.   How did David feel when he had been meditating on the things of God? (verses 5-6)

His soul felt satisfied and full, just as his body  felt after a good meal!

f.  What picture do we see in verse 7?     (57:1; 91:4)

The picture of a mother bird flying above the young, sheltering and protecting them with her wings.

g.  How do we stay protected by God?                  (verse 8)

By staying close behind Him and not straying outside His ways.

h.   Who can glory in God?      (verse 11)           

Those who rejoice in Him, and acknowledge Him; those who continue in lying can’t.

Psalm Sixty-four….(verses 1-10)

                                                           David’s Prayer

Hear my voice, O God, in prayer, Keep me from my fear and care;                                  Preserve my life from all who kill, From all who wish me naught but ill.  

                                                              ***   ***   ***

1.  Verses  1-10

a.   What does David start and finish this psalm with?   (verses 1, 9-10)

He begins and ends God.

b.  What is the middle of it concerned with?                 (verses 2-8)

It is concerned with those who were seeking to down David.

c.  We know that David was actively chased by Saul, and then later by his own son Absalom, but in what way was he concerned with here?                 (verses 3-4, 8)

He was worrying about those who were saying bad things about him, gossipping about, and slandering him.

d.  Are Christians sometimes guilty of this?         (James 3:1-10)

Yes, we are guilty of this as well, and it ought not to be.

e.   Where does this sort of talk lead to?        (Galatians 5:15; James 3:14-15)

It only serves to pull down and not build up; it is giving place to the devil and the flesh..

f.  What did David go on to say about the end results of this sort of talk?     (verses 7-8)

God will deal with it, and they will end up devouring themselves….others will keep away from them.

Psalm Sixty-five….(verses 1-13)

                                                                    The Blessed Man

Praise waits for Thee and vows are paid, To Thee shall come all flesh that’s made.          You purge our sins and bless us free, In awesome ways You answer me!                                   In confidence I seek Your face, As all do  in the sea and space;                                                   Your strength sets fast the mountain top, And by Your voice the waves all stop;              You water all the hills and earth, As seeds are sown and beasts give birth,                                The sheep are fed and crops are reaped, Blessings on men are freely heaped!

                                                                           ***   ***   ***

1.  Verses  1-13

a.   What is David’s confidence at the beginning of this psalm?   (verses 1-2)

He knew that God was hearing his prayers and he praised Him for it.

b.  What did he have assurance of? How can we have this same assurance?     (verse 3; Acts 16:30-34; Romans 10:9)

He knew that whatever came against him, God had forgiven his sins. We can have this assurance too by believing what God says….if we believe and confess that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, and then show this by a complete change in our life, then we are saved!

c.  In what way are people blessed by God?                 (verse 4; Ephesians 1: 3-4)

People are blessed because they have been chosen by God to receive spiritual blessings….they have taken the time to think of these things and to repent of their sins. God’s physical blessings are poured out upon all people, but do they thank Him for them? But His spiritual blessings only come on those who look for them and go in for them, they don’t just happen automatically.

d.  What awesome things has God done for all people?         (verses 5-13)

All people of the world can see God’s creation and the wonderful way it follows a yearly pattern , season following season, and how the earth responds to rain

Psalm Sixty-six….(verses 1-20)

                                                         The Praising Man

All you lands praise God above, Sing forth His honour and His love;                                        Praise for all His awesome deeds, As He provides for all men’s needs;                                      He took His people through the sea, And cares the same for you and me!                                  O bless the Lord in song and praise, For He protects in all our ways.                                         He tests and tries and brings us through, And gives us everything anew.                                    I called on Him in trouble sore, And He delivered me the more.                                                     I’ll tell you all that I have learned, How He preserved and never turned.                                But if my sin I’ll not confess, Then God will hear me less and less.                                             But God WILL hear my contrite prayer,  And once again His mercy share.                                 Blest be His Name for all His grace, As day by day I seek His face

                                                       ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-20

a.   What are people all over the world encouraged to do?   (verses 1-2)

To sing and praise God for all His wonderful works!

b.  What should everyone say in regard to God and His works?     (verse 3a)

People should acknowledge the awesomeness of God and His creation; instead they scoff at the idea of a Designer and Creator and say it all just happened with a big bang!  They are happy to acknowledge “mother nature” but refuse to admit there is a Father God.

c.  What is going to happen one day?     (verse 3b; Philippians 2:9-11)

The enemies of God ( and those who are sitting on the fence)  will have to submit to Him and acknowledge that His Son, Jesus Christ is Lord of all and bow down before Him.

d.  What is going to happen in that day?         (verse 4; Revelation 4:11-13)

Everyone on earth (and in the grave as well) and all creation will worship and praise God.

e.   What does history show us?        (verses 5-7)

It shows us the way God has worked with people in the past, and the great things that He did….what He once did will be done again; God is not finished with man yet!

f.  What are we to remember to do? Why?     (verses 8-9)

We are to remember to bless and praise God continually because He holds our very souls and guides our feet if we look for it.

g.  What does God do to His people at times?     (verses 10-12a; Hebrews 12:5-9)

God tests His people to prove them, just a  natural father corrects his children, so God brings these things to correct us..

h.   What is the result of this testing that God gives His people?      (verse 12b-15; Hebrews 12:10-11)           

The end result is that we know God better having proved His faithfulness in times of trouble; we are the richer for these experiences, and we will give God the sacrifices He is looking for in our lives.

i.   What are we able to do after these times of testing?               (verses 16-17)           

We are able to tell others about God from our experiences, and to praise Him for what He has done for us.

j. What serious statement did David make next about praying?                (verse 18)

God cannot hear or answer our prayers if we are hanging onto some secret sin that we know we should get rid of.

k.   What could David say in regard to himself?                           (verses 19-20)

He knew that God HAD heard  him and would answer his prayer for the best.

Psalm Sixty-seven….(verses 1-7)

                                            The Extolling Man

God be praised in all the earth, As we sing His utmost worth,                                                         May I daily praise His  Name, And His people do the same.                                                            Then will they be glad and sing, And  to Him their praises bring;                                                God will all His people bless, As they in turn their sins confess.

                                                      ***   ***   ***

1.  Verses  1-7

a.   What is David asking the Lord to do? What was the second part of this request a part of?   (verse 1; Numbers 6:23-26)

He is asking for God’s blessing to be upon them…this was part of the blessing that the priests were to give the people of Israel.

b.  How did this blessing help the people ?     (verse 2)

It reminded the people that they were God’s people and showed this to the other nations around.

c.  What did it stimulate the people to do?                 (verses 3-5)

It stimulated all people everywhere to praise God, and gave joy and gladness to them.

d.  What did the people see about God here?         (verse 4b)

That He is a righteous Judge and Ruler.

e.   In what other ways does God bless His people?        (verses 6-7)

He blesses them physically as well as spiritually, with good crops and flourishing land,

Psalm Sixty-eight….(verses 1-35)

                                                  The Glorious One!

Let God arise, drive off His foes, The wicked perish with their woes;                                           The saved are glad and will  rejoice,  And sing to God with all their voice;                                 Extol the Lord and lift Him  high, Praise His Name for He is nigh.                                        Before Your people O our God, You have through all the desert trod;                                        You send the rain which all men need, And do for them most mighty deeds.                   You’re like a dove with silver wings, With golden feathers, cooing sings,                                 In purity as white as snow, With many angels Thou dost go.                                                        You ascend to heaven’s heights, Circled there  by its pure light .                                                       We bless You for Your benefits, And all your many gracious gifts;                                               For our salvation freely given, Which takes us to our home to heaven.                                  You will keep us from our foes, Who will sink into their woes.                                                       You will give Your people peace, With delights that never cease;                                    Awesome are Your holy ways, We bless You daily with our praise.

                                                           ***   ***   ***

1.  Verses  1-35

a.   How did David feel about his enemies?               (verses 1-2)

He wanted them to be driven away like smoke from a fire and as wax melts before heat.

b.  What did he want the righteous people to do ?     (verses 3-4)

To be glad and rejoice and to sing praises to God.

c.  What is significant about the name of God here?     (verse 4 b; Exodus 6:2-3, 6)

It was part of the revelation of God Himself…Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had not known God by this name,  but knew him as God Almighty. But in Moses’ time, God revealed himself as Jehovah, the Delivering One.

d.  What do we know God today as?         (Ephesians 4:4-6; 1 John 5:7)

As the three-in-one God….God the Father, God the Son (or the Word) and God the Spirit.

e.   What other aspect of God do we see here?        (verses 5-6)

He cares for those on their own, those families who have lost the head of the house.

f.  What was David remembering in this next section?     (verses 7-17)

He was remembering how God took the people from Egypt, and how He led them through dangers to their new land.

g.  What is the prophecy here about?                  (verse 18; Acts 1:9)

It is about the Lord Jesus going back to heaven….He is the One who has destroyed the power of sin  which has held men captive ever since Adam’s time.

h.   What is the greatest benefit  that God has given to His people?      (verses 19-20; 116:12-13)           

It is His great salvation from the power of sin. All other benefits stem from this fact.

i.   How does David finish up this psalm?               (verses 32-35)           

In a great song of praise to God for His strength and awesome power towards His people.

Psalm Sixty-nine….(verses 1-36)

                                                                         The Despised  One

     Looking through the Curtain of David’s Sufferings to see our Lord Jesus’ Agonies…..

Save me O God, and hear my  cry, For the water’s deep, and I sink in mire,                                I am weary with crying, the floods overflow, My throat is parched, and I feel full of woe. Not My will alone, but Thine be done!

Those who hate Me without a cause, Are mighty and strong, without God’s laws;           But I will restore what I took not away, I have borne reproach for God that day.              Not My will alone, but  Thine be done,

My brothers hate Me and shut up their ears, They reproach Me each day, and see not My tears;  The drunks all sing as they fill up their cups, The zeal of God’s House has eaten Me up. Not My will alone, but Thine be done!

My prayer is to God to keep me from this, Deliver me please, from the sneer and the hiss, The reproach and dishonour, the spitting and shame, No one takes pity, but all give the same. Not My will alone, but Thine be done!

They gave Me gall and vinegar to drink, I’m taken as far as agony’s brink,                       Their eyes are blind, they see not at all, Their sin in the end will cause them to fall.   Not My will alone, but Thine be done!

The humble will see, be glad and rejoice, Will lift up their hearts, and sing with their voice, For all the suffering, shame and disgrace, They now will for ever see His dear face. God’s will WAS done in that blessed One!

***   ***   ***

1.  Verses  1-36

a.   How was David feeling at the beginning of this psalm?               (verses 1-3)

He was feeling utterly miserable, with nothing solid to stand on; he felt as though he was totally overwhelmed with misery.

b.  We know that these were the feeling of the Lord Jesus Christ in the garden of Gethsemane when He was facing having to pay for man’s sin….what does David go on to say that especially applies to Christ too ?     (verse  4)

There were so many that hated Him without a cause, but He was restoring that which He didn’t take away.

c.  How does that last phrase particularly refer to Christ?     (verse 4 b; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 45-49)

He restored the capability of man to have fellowship with God. It was Adam’s sin that broke that fellowship, and Christ’s death and resurrection that restored it.  He was the only man who wasn’t born with that sin nature and who never sinned in His entire life.

d.  How do we know the next two verses don’t refer to Christ?         (verses 5-6; Hebrews 9:14)

Because the psalmist is saying that he had sinned before God and we know that Christ NEVER sinned; He had no sin and could NOT sin

e.   In what ways did Christ bear reproach of people and had reason for feeling shame?        (verse 7; Mark 15:24, 28-32)

When He was hanging on the cross half naked (if not fully naked) with two criminals and all the rulers were mocking Him.

f.  How did David feel about his family? What are we told about the brothers of Jesus?     (verse 8; John 7:2-5)

David felt that he was a stranger to his own siblings, and we are told the the brothers of Jesus didn’t believe in Him either before the time of the cross.

g.  How did David feel about God’s house? What are we told  in the New Testament about this particular verse?                  (verse 9; John 2:13-17)

David’s greatest desire was to build a proper house for God, it was all he could think about at one stage, and he made great preparation of materials for it. When Jesus found that the temple court was being used as a cattle yard, He cleaned it out with a great fiery attitude. His disciples immediately thought of this verse in the psalms

h.   We  are seeing that many of the verses in this psalm speak of the Lord Jesus…when and how was verse 12 fulfilled?      (Mark 15:23, 29-31)           

While He was on the cross the soldiers offered Him wine to dull the pain, but He refused it. They were mocking Him and couldn’t say anything good about Him.

i. What is the theme of this next passage?               (verses 13-18)           

David is asking once more for God to hear him and to be delivered from the trouble that he is in.

j. What was the time that Jesus Christ  was begging God to deliver Him from?                (Mark 14:32-41

In the Garden of Gethsemane He was in great agony at the prospect of what lay ahead and He begged God to remove it from Him. It didn’t happen because there was no other way to redeem man from his sin.

k.  What comment can you make on the next two verses ?       (verses 19-20; Matthew 26:37-38)

David was feeling the reproach of others very deeply, but it was nothing to what Jesus Christ felt when all His friends left Him, and most of all when His Father turned his face from Him at the cross….there was no-one He could turn to for comfort.

l. What was David  doing when he wrote verse 21?          (verse 13b Matthew 27:48)               

He was actually prophesying the very thing that happen to Jesus Christ on the cross.

m.    What is the contrast between David’s attitude to his enemies and what the Lord said about His? (verses 22-28; Luke 23:34)

David wanted God to step in and destroy his enemies, but Jesus Christ called out for God to forgive His because they didn’t know what they were doing.

n.    What How does David finish up this psalm?      (verses 29-36)

He ends up by praising God, and saying that those who are humble in heart will join him in this.

o.    What has happened as a result of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross?       (Revelation 5:8-14 )

Those who have humbled themselves and called on His Name are now able to praise God and they will be part of the myriads of people in a time to come who will do this.

Psalm Seventy….(verses 1-5)

                                                             The Needy Man

Make haste to help me, O my God, As through this life I now have trod;                                  Let those who have my soul abused, Be full of shame and most confused;                              But those who seek You shall rejoice, And praise You with their heart and voice;                 In my need I cry to Thee The One who will deliver me!

                                                               ***   ***   ***

1.  Verses  1-5

a.   What was David desperate for here?               (verse 1)

He wanted God’s help and deliverance above all else.

b.  What does David pray about for his enemies?     (verses 2-3)

He wants to see them ashamed and confused and be turned away from him.

c.  What should our attitude be to those who despise and harass us?     (Romans 12:18-21)

We should treat them kindly (even if we don’t feel like it!) and it will show them  that we are different from other people.

d.  What should characterise God’s people?         (verse 4; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18)

A spirit of rejoicing, thankfulness, praise and helpfulness.

e.   What does David go back to again in the last verse?        (verse 5)

His need for God’s help and deliverance.

f.  How can we BE what we should be? (verse 8; Philippians 4:1, 13, 19; Colossians 2:6-7)

Only with God’s help….it is not within ourselves to be good and kind like we should be! We are to ask  the Lord to help strengthen us to do what we should and be what we should be. We have received Christ as our Saviour, and it is up to us to follow Him and his ways…we are to root ourselves in His teachings as the apostles show us in their letters.

Psalm Seventy-one….(verses 1-24)

                                                          The Elderly Ones

In Thee O Lord, do I put my trust, For You are righteous, holy and just;                                 Deliver my soul, and keep me today, Help; my feet to walk in Your way.                               You are my hope O God of my youth, You help me to walk in the way of truth.                  You’ve kept me from the day of my birth, Will continue to keep while I’m on this earth. You are my refuge,… will never forsake, E’en though the enemy my peace seeks to take.  In You I will hope and evermore praise,  Give thanks for salvation all of my days.          Now I am old and grey-headed too, Show me just what You want me to do,                           You’ve  brought me through many troubles sore, No doubt there will still be many more!  Help me to praise You as I ought, Remember what Your Word has taught;                            And as I think of all that You’ve done, Help me the race before me to run,                             Make my lips be glad and rejoice, Praise and sing with tuneful voice.

                                                         ***   ***   ***

1.  Verses  1-24

a.   What was David reiterating  here?               (verses 1-2)

He was saying that how much he trusted in the Lord and how much he wanted God’s help and deliverance above all else.

b.  How does David regard God?     (verses 3-5)

God was his Rock, Fortress, and only Hope….he turned to no-one else.

c.  How long had David had this hope and confidence for?     (verses 5-9)

All his life from the time he was born until his old age.

d.  How do we know that David had this strong faith and trust in God when he was young? (verse 17; 1 Samuel 17:31-51)

Because he was fearless as a youth when he saw the king saying that he had already killed a lion and a bear with the Lord’s help, and that God would help him kill the giant too.

e.   How old was David when he wrote this psalm? How old was he when he died?     (verse 18a; 2 Samuel 5:4)

He was old and grey-headed; he was only seventy when he died..

f.  Did David ever feel that there was a cut-off age for talking of the Lord? What about for us when we get old?    (verse 18b; 92:12-15)

David still intended to speak up for the Lord, and we too can do this in various ways no matter how old we get. Those older folk can be still fat and flourishing in the things of God and be an encouragement to others.

g.  Words seem to fail David as He thought of God’s greatness…what does he say?      (verse 19)

God’s righteousness and greatness is beyond all things…. there is no-one else to compare him with!

h.   Did David allow his desperate situations to drag him down permanently?        (verses 20-21)

No, he always had faith that God would bring him back, and in fact increase his greatness.

i.  How does David finish off this psalm?             (verses 22-24)

By praising God with a song, and talking of God’s righteousness….he refused to be overcome by his enemies’ attitudes towards him.

j.  How are we as believers, to be continually even in older age?      (Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:16)

We are to sing and make melody in our hearts to the Lord, and speak of Him to others in encouragement.

Psalm Seventy-two….(verses 1-20)

                                                         God’s Great Son

God’s righteous Son in judgement reigns, His judgement is nevermore in vain;                  He gives His people perfect peace, His care of them shall never cease;                                They in turn hold Him in awe, As they know Him more and more;                                                He helps the poor who to Him cry, When they live and when they die;                                      His name endures ever more, His glory goes from shore to shore                                                Let us his people praise his Name, And spread abroad His Royal Name!

                                                           ***   ***   ***

1.  Verses  1-20

a.   What is the theme of this psalm?               (verses 1-20)

David is extolling the virtues of God’s Son.

b.  Who do we know as God’s Son?     (Matthew 1: 20-23; John 3:16)

Jesus Christ is God’s only begotten Son who is His well-beloved…we know him as the Saviour of the world.

c.  What sort of judgement does He judge people with?     (verses 2-4)

With absolute righteousness….He is totally fair and right in His judgements.

d.  What right has Jesus Christ got,  to judge people? (Galatians 2:20b)

He gave His life to save people and if they ignore Him, or refuse to respond positively to this, He has every right to judge them.

e.   How long is mankind under His jurisdiction?      (verse 5)

As long as creation lasts!

f.  What are the blessings that God’s Son  showers upon people?    (verses 6-7; John 4:10, 14)

He not only gives physical rain, but He gives spiritual rain that revives those who take advantage of it…He is the Water of Life that satisfies man’s thirst for ever and makes them flourish in the things of Himself.

g.  What else does God’s Son do and have?      (verses 8-11)

He has jurisdiction over all things….all people and all creation….all will come under His rule and reign and those who don’t like it will still have to bow before Him and serve Him.

h.   What does He do for those in need?        (verses 12-14)

He delivers, provides for, and redeems them….He sees all that is done to them. He will vindicate them and reward them in a time to come, and appreciates what they go through for Him.

i.  Verse 14 talks about how He (the King’s Son) redeems the “needy”….how does this redemption come about?             (verses 14-15)

It is only possible because He is a living Saviour who rose from the dead, and as people pray to Him and read His Word they get to know Him more and more in a personal way.

j.  What does He do for His people as they get to know Him?      (verse 16; 1:1-3)

They grow in Him and bear fruit for Him.

k.   What is the end result of this Son of the King?        (verses 17-19; Philippians 2:9-11)

There is no end! He lives for ever, and people are blessed in Him and all will acknowledge Him in a day to come….this is all the work of God and gives glory to Him.

l.  How does David finish this psalm up?             (verse 20)

He says he has finished his psalms, this is the last one!

m.  What do you see and feel after studying this psalm?          

We see what a great work God’s Son has done for the human race, and how it is up to us to respond and give Him the glory!

Psalm Seventy-three….(verses 1-28) 

   The Enlightened Man

Surely God is good to His own, To those who truly follow His Son;                                                 But when from Him my eyes I take, It  was my first and great mistake.                                         I sometimes envy  those with wealth, Those who gain  by secret stealth;                               They seem  to have more than their needs, No matter how corrupt their deeds;               They say  that God won’t know their thoughts, That He won’t see what they have wrought,                  I let these things fill me with care, I thought that life was far from fair, Until I saw them through God’s  eye, And saw what happens when they die,                       They knew not what would lie ahead, That they would feel when they were dead,     Destruction, dread and awful fear, All because they  would not hear!                                           I was sorry then and sorely grieved, Because I envied and felt peeved,                                      Now I know I have what’s best, I have peace and joy and rest;                                                         You will hold me by the hand, Give me strength and help to stand.                                                There is no other I desire, In You I stand, will never tire,                                                                     Help me O God to you draw near, I trust in You and have no fear!

                                                                     ***   ***   ***

1.  Verses  1-28

a.   What is the theme of this psalm?               (verses 1-28)

The contrast between those with God and those without Him.

b.  What was the psalmist feeling here ?     (verses 1-3)

He was recognising God’s goodness in comparison to his own envious feelings.

c.  Who was he envious of? How did he view them?     (verses 3-5)

He was envious of the rich people around him and how they didn’t seem to have troubles like he did.

d.  What are the characteristics of these people?         (verses 6-10)

They are proud, having more than heart could wish for, corrupt and wicked, and think they know it all.

e.   What is their response to God?      (verses 11-12)

They treat Him as of no consequence, and as though He knows nothing!

f.  How did the psalmist find his own attitude was becoming?    (verses 13-16)

He was becoming totally discouraged, thinking what was the use of following the Lord.

g.  What made him change his mind? What did he begin to understand?      (verses 17-20)

He began to understand things from God’s viewpoint,  and what was going to happen to them in the end.

h.   How did his thinking change after this?        (verses 21-22)

He realised his thinking had been foolish and sinful, and he confessed it.

i.  What else did he begin to realise?             (verses 23-26)

He realised that these things he was envious about were nothing compared to what he had in the Lord….he knew he had the Lord for his guide on earth with a glorious prospect ahead of him in heaven.

j.  What is the contrast for those who don’t know God?      (verse 27; Romans 6:21-23)

They will perish and be destroyed for ever…..the wages of sin is death!

k.   What should our attitude be after thinking about these things?        (verse 28)

It is good for us to draw near to God and put our trust in Him.

l.  How does David finish this psalm up?             (verse 20)

He says he has finished his psalms, this is the last one!

m.  What do you see and feel after studying this psalm?          

We see what a great work God’s Son has done for the human race, and how it is up to us to respond and give Him the glory!

Psalm Seventy-four….(verses 1-23) 

                                  God’s  Enemies.

Why have You cast us off, our God, The sheep which on Your pasture trod?                       Your enemies roar and seek to destroy, Your people no longer have any joy;                     It’s  not that You cannot lift Your hand, And save all those within the land,                         The enemies reproach, and blasphemeYour Name, Your people feel so full of shame         O Lord arise and plead Your cause, And save Your own from death’s wide jaws.

                                                       ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-23

a.   What is the theme of this psalm?               (verses 1-23)

The psalmist is calling on God to remember His people who are suffering persecution.

b.  What does he specifically call God’s people here ?     (verses 1-2)

He refers to them as the sheep of His pasture; His congregation, His inheritance and His redeemed.

c.  What are God’s people today referred to as?     (John 10:16; Galations 3:26, 28-29)

God’s people are all His sheep, no matter what time frame or background; all who believe in Jesus Christ are God’s children….there are no divisions according to race or gender…all are one in Him.

d.  What were (are) God’s enemies doing to His people?         (verses 3-9)

They cut down and destroy all the places of worship; they think that by destroying places of worship they have beaten the believers. They don’t realise that the REAL church is an inward thing and can’t be destroyed.

e.   What does the psalmist say about God here?                        (verses 10-17)

He calls on Him to save His people….He is their King who brings salvation to His people. His creation proves Who He is.

f.  What do the enemies of God say about Him?                        (verse 18)

They reproach Him, and blaspheme His Name.

g.  What are these last verses about?      (verses 19-23)

It’s a prayer to God for deliverance of those who are oppressed for His sake; to remember His covenant He has made with them, and to show His power to those who continue to reproach Him.

 Psalm Seventy-five….(verses 1-10) 

                                                               God’s Judgements

We give You thanks and praise Your name, Your wondrous works proclaim Your fame;  Promotion comes from You alone, Your knowledge is above all known,                                 You put some down, and others raise, Men will see and will them praise;                                  But we Your praise will always sing, To You alone our praise we’ll bring!

                                                      ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-10

a.   How does the psalmist begin this psalm?              (verse 1)

He is giving thanks to God for His wonderful Name and works.

b.  Who appears to be talking next ?     (verses 2-3)

God is saying He will judge uprightly, and that He is in charge of the earth

c.  What characterises the foolish people?     (verses 4-5)

They are boastful and stubborn.

d.  What important thing must we remember about those in high places?         (verses 6-7; Romans 13:1)

God allows them to be there, and we have to be subject to them until they contravene God’s laws.

e.   Who has the final say in the affairs of men?     (verse 8)

God does and He is the final Judge….the wicked won’t get away with anything.

f.  What can we, as God’s people, do?                        (verse 9)

We can sing praises to Him for ever, starting NOW.

g.  What does God do in the final analysis?      (verse 10)

He will destroy the wicked and exalt His people.

Psalm Seventy-six….(verses 1-12) 

                                                                      Our Great God.

God is known throughout His land, He breaks the arrows of the wicked band                    None are glorious or excellent as He, Neither mountains or the greatest sea;                     He  causes all His foes to sleep, And  will His own so safely keep.                                                The wrath of man backfires on him, God’s judgement falls, full to the brim                         Let those around pay every vow, As to the King they fall and bo.w

                                                       ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-12

a.   Why are Judah and Israel separated here?      (verse 1; 1 Kings 12:19-20)

After King Solomon’s death, the people of Israel had split into two kingdoms, each with their own king.

b.  What did David call Jerusalem ?                         (verse 2)

He called it Zion, but the name never stuck for common usage.

c.  What did the Psalmist  say about God?     (verse 4)

That He was more glorious and excellent than the mountains.

d.  What is God able to do with His enemies?         (verses 5-9)

He can disable them; even to putting them to sleep…no-one is able to stand against Him!

e.   What do we often find happens  in cases where man tries to manipulate God?                        (verse 10)

Their deeds backfire on themselves and they are worse off.

f.  What are we to remember in connection with God?                        (verses 11-12)

We are to remember that when we make vows (promises), we are to pay them and stick to what we say….God will deal with those in authority in His awesome power.

Psalm Seventy-seven….(verses 1-20)                                            

                    The Weeping Man.

I cried aloud to God on High, He heard my call and every sigh,                                                            I  felt that things were most unfair, I was bowed down with all my care,                                  I felt that God forgot me then, I was the most miserable of men!                                            But as I thought what God had done, I remembered vict’ries won,                                             He’s given me salvation free, And pours the rain on land and  sea,                                  Thunder  too comes from  above, He gives all things in His great love.

                                        ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-20

a.   How does the Psalmist open this psalm?        (verses 1-4)

He cries to God to heal his trouble….it was so bad he didn’t know where to turn or what to say!

b.  What sort of questions did the Psalmist ask in his time of trouble ?            (verses 5-9)

He asks if God would forget them for ever; would He be merciful again? Would He forget His promises? Was He so angry that He would never be gracious again?

c.  What conclusion did he come to after asking these things?     (verses 10-13)

He concentrated on the wonderful things that God had done in the past, and focussed on  God’s greatness.

d.  Who were God’s redeemed people back in those days?         (verses 14-15)

The people of Israel, the sons of Jacob and Joseph….the descendants of Abraham.

e.   Who are regarded as the descendants of Abraham now?           (Galatians 3:14, 26-29)

All those who come to God and Jesus Christ  through faith…ALL are one in Christ Jesus, and ALL are the spiritual descendants of Abraham.

f.  What is one thing that man has NO control over, even today?     (verses 16-19)

The waters that surround the earth…the water that comes from above, and from beneath…the floods that cover the land and the great oceans of the world, with the storms, thunder and lightning that make people tremble and shake.

g.  What else did he remember that God did?      (verse 20)

How God led the people of Israel for forty years with Moses and Aaron….they were like a flock of sheep.

h.   What did the Lord Jesus say about this analogy ?        (John 10:11, 14-16)

He said He was the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep….He would gather together into one flock ALL those who turned to Him.

Psalm Seventy-eight….(verses 1-72) 

                                                     The Mighty One. (2)

We will tell our children now, Of all that God has done and how,                                                 He led our fathers all the way, And teach them of these things each day,                                 So that in turn they’ll teach their own, The truths that in their hearts we’ve sown.               We’ll tell the ways that God has led, And how He’ll do what He has said.                         Marvellous things in the past years, In spite of all our doubts and fears.                                We seek to learn that God provides, And in His promises abide;                                                  For this our God is still the same, As when to Israel trials came,.                                                   Let us see we do not make, Israel’s whinges and mistakes;                                                          How often they provoked Him sore, And tried His patience more and more..                      Help us O Lord, Your Word to keep, And not upon us judgement heap;                                     We thank You now for all You’ve done, In giving us Your most loved Son!

                                             ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-72

a.   What is the gist of this psalm?     (verses 1-6)

The Psalmist is telling the coming generation all the wonderful things that God has done in the past and how they in turn are to tell their children. Keeping up the oral history is the most important thing a father can do for his children.

b.  What was the basic attitude of the people of Israel as God took them from Egypt ?     (verses 7-8)

Right from the beginning they were stubborn and rebellious with  hearts that were not right with God.

c.  What characterised the people basically?     (verses 9-11)

Disobedience and rebellion,  not remembering the wonderful things that God did for them.

d.  What wonderful things did God do for these people at that time?         (verses 12-16)

He had them released from the bondage of the slavery of Egypt, and took them through Red Sea miraculously….He led them by a cloud and supplied enough water for all the two million people and their animals.

e.   What was the reaction of the people during this time?           (verses 17-20)

They complained and whined for more than they had, saying that God wasn’t giving them enough.

f.  How did God feel about this behaviour?      (verses 21-31; Numbers 11:1-6, 31-33)

He listened and gave them what they wanted but they were still not thankful for it; God’s anger came upon them and those who were greedy and ate more than they should were struck down.

g.  What was the basic cause of the people’s complaints and behaviour? What was the result? (verses32-37)

The basic cause was SIN and unbelief….their hearts were not right before God.

h.   How did God feel about these people? Why did He bother with them?        (verses 38-39)

God was full of compassion for them and kept His anger in check because He remembered their weakness and that they were only frail human beings.

i.  What is this next section about?             (verses 40-51)

It’s about the ten plagues that God brought on the land of Egypt before the people were allowed to leave.

j.  What did God do for His people as they travelled?      (verses 52-55)

He was their Shepherd, providing , protecting  and leading them all the way to the final sanctuary of their own land.

k.   Does God do this for His people today? What did Jesus say to His disciples?        (John 10:11-16)

God still does that today…our Lord said that He was(is) the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep and who laid down his life for them.

l.  How did His people react to all His care?             (verses 56- 58)

They resented it and rebelled against Him….they went their own way and turned back to the idols of the surrounding  nations, thus breaking the first commandment that He gave them.

m.  How did God feel about their behaviour?     (verses 59-66)         

He was angry with their disobedience and punished them by their enemies whose gods they were following….they were a perpetual reproach.

n.  Who did God choose out of this disobedient people to bring them back to Himself?    (verses 67-72; 2 Samuel 7:8-11,16; Acts 13:22-23)

God chose the tribe of Judah, and David  who had been the shepherd boy and whose heart was always towards the Lord, to be king.

o.  How does this equate with us today?     (Revelation 22:16)         

Because the Lord Jesus said of Himself that He was the offspring of David thus fulfilling the promise that God had given all those years before…..and He is our Saviour! Can we each one say this?

Psalm Seventy-nine….(verses 1-13) 

                                                           The Desolate City

Jerusalem is a desolate heap It has its sins so surely reaped;                                                           A reproach to all, derision and scorn, It has so surely its punishment borne.                         But God is still their salvation sure, He will their sins so surely cure;                                        They give Him thanks and greatly praise, Him for His grace for all their days.                    

1.  Verses  1-13

a.   What is the gist of this psalm?                  (verses 1-13)

It is a lament for the state of Jerusalem  when it was destroyed.

b.  When did this happen and why ?                   (2 Chronicles 36:11-21)

It happened in king Nebuchadnezzar’s time when there was a succession of kings who refused to follow the Lord….they hardened their hearts against the Lord and practised the wickedness of the heathen nations until He allowed them to be taken captive to Babylon so the city could be cleansed of evil.

c.  What was the state of the inhabitants of Jerusalem ?     (verses 1-3)

They were slaughtered and their dead bodies lay in heaps unburied in the streets.

d.  How did those who were left feel about all this?         (verses 4-7)

They asked how much longer God was going to be angry with them, and what about the heathen who had always been against Him.

e.   What conclusion did they eventually come to?           (verses 8-9)

They repented and asked God to forgive and cleanse them.

f.  Are we able to do this when we have messed things up with God?    (1John 1:9)

Yes! God knows our weaknesses and frailties and He has made provision for us through His Son, Jesus Christ …..He has promised that if we confess our sins specifically, He will forgive them and cleanse us.

g.  What do people’s sins cause?        (verse 10; John 15:5-6)

It causes others to say…look at him and he calls himself a Christian! It brings disgrace on the name of the Lord…..those who don’t continue to abide in Him, have their reputation gathered by other people to be burned….their testimony is nil.

h.   Who is the only One who has the right to judge these people?        (verses 11-12)

It is only God who has the right to judge people….He will give them what they deserve.

i.  What should God’s people do?             (verse 13)

They should praise and thank Him for ever.

j.  What is this picture of a time to come?      (Revelation 5:11-14)

Continual praise and worship for being delivered from eternal judgement……men do not give God the glory now that He is entitled to, but it will be made up for then. We do not know how to empty ourselves of our own little concerns and give God the praise that is due to Him now, but we will be able to in a time to come.

Psalm Eighty….(verses 1-19)

                                                          The Shepherd of Israel

Hear me , O Shepherd of the flock, You who only, is my firm Rock,                                                  Save us we pray and turn us again, Turn us once more and save from this pain.              You brought us from Egypt to this good land, And planted us there by Your great hand; Why then are we  all broken and burned, Help us we pray, to once more be turned.     

                                                       ***        ***       ***

1.  Verses  1-19

a.   What is God likened to here?                  (verse 1a; 23:1)

God is .likened to a Shepherd who leads His flock along the way, and provides their every need.

b.  What does it mean when it says God “dwells between the cherubims” ?      (Exodus 25:18-22)

When God gave Moses instructions to build the tabernacle and all that went inside it, the Ark of the Covenant was to have a cherubim (angel with wings) on each end of the lid facing each other and spreading their wings over the top. This box was the symbol of all God’s promises to Israel and how He was with His people at all times. This was where God “dwelt” with His people.

c.  What had happened between the people of Israel and their God at this time ?     (verses 2-7)

They had turned away from following Him and were dabbling with other gods, and God had sent them troubles to bring them back to Himself

d.  What was Israel likened to here?         (verses 8-11)

It was likened to a fruitful and flourishing vine that covered the land.

e.   What state were they now in? What had happened to this wonderful vine? (verses 12-16)

The land was no more flourishing; the hedges were broken down and the wild animals had taken over, and everything was in a state of disarray.

f.  What was needed to bring things back to where they should have been?    (verses 17-19)

The people needed to turn back to God, and call upon His Name once more.

g.  What would this result in?        (verse 19b)

God would save them and His face would shine upon them again.

h.   What do we as God’s people today, have to be careful of?   (1 Corinthians 15:58;1 Timothy 4:12-16)

We have to beware of falling away from God through busyness or laziness or other interests taking His place.

Psalm Eighty-one….(verses 1-16) 

                                                                         God’s Desire

I wanted My people to hear My voice, To sing unto Me, be glad and rejoice;                           To take the harps and sing Me psalms, To call Me in trouble, and be kept from  harms.   They would not hear,  turned from My face, They went their own way, became a sad case I’d have won  their wars, and given them rest, And fed them with wheat and honey the best.

                                                                ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-16

a.   What was God’s desire for His people?                  (verses  1-2)

He wanted them to be joyful and sing and make music to Him.

b.  Does God still have this desire for His people today ?      (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16)

Yes, He does! He wants us to be constantly singing or listening to His songs as we go about our daily tasks. With all the modern aids available to us today, we have no excuse to not do this!

c.  What other things did God ordain for His people? What did this involve?     (verses 3-4)

God ordained that His people gather together at set times  and observe times of feasts and time dedicated to Him. This involved corporate worship and the people getting together.

d.  When did this begin?         (verses 5-6)

It began right from the time they were delivered from the slavery of Egypt.

e. How can we relate this to ourselves today? What bondage have we been delivered from? (Galatians 5:1)

We have been delivered from the bondage of sin and bad habits….in the case of the Jews of Paul’s time, it was the bondage of keeping the law to be saved. We don’t have to EARN our salvation, we just have to ACCEPT it!

f.  What did God DO for His people?    (verses 6-7)

He took their burden away and delivered them when they called on Him.

g.  What happened at the waters of Meribah? Why did God allow this?        (Exodus 17:1-7)

The people had no water there, and they complained saying that God wasn’t with them. God allowed this as a test to show His power in being able to provide for their needs.

h.   What are we to remember when we go through times of testing like this?   (James 1:2, 12-15)

We have to discern between TESTING and TEMPTATION as we know the word. Troubles that we have no control over are TESTINGS and we are to look at them as such; troubles that come on us as a result of our own bad choices and actions are TEMPTATIONS, and we cannot say that  God has sent these…they are consequences we have brought on ourselves.

i.  What was Israel’s downfall?             (verses 8-9)

They took up other gods that were no gods at all….this was breaking the first commandment.

j.  What was the result of this?      (verses 10-12)

The people refused to listen and submit to God….they went their own ways and just got deeper into a mess.

k.   Can you see this happening today in the world?       

Yes! As people throw God out of their system, so society gets more corrupt, and the justice system becomes more of a joke. Human rights take over God’s rights; everyone’s rights cut across other’s rights!

l.  What is the answer to the mess that the world is in today?             (verses 13-15)

The leaders should turn to the Lord with all their heart and reinstate His ways…then He would bless their nation and subdue their enemies. While nations stood up for what is right and just and good, they prospered. But now they have thrown God out of their governments and  school system, and they are feeling disaster.

m.  What is God’s ultimate for people?     (verse 16; James1:17)         

To give them everything that is good, and their every need.

Psalm Eighty-two….(verses 1-8) 

                                                                  God’s Judgements

God rises right  up, above all the others, He stands so high amidst  the brothers.               He defends the poor, gives justice to all, He keeps from the wicked all those who will call;  All of us can be children of His, If only we listen and obey all of this.

                                                             ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-8

a.   What is God portrayed as in this psalm?    (verses  1-8)

As the Righteous Judge over all.

b.  What is the contrast between Him and earthly judges ?      (verse 2)

Earthly judges judge unfairly and are swayed by the best arguments or bribes.

c.  What sort of people is God most concerned about?     (verses 3-4)

He sees that the poor and needy are most defenceless against evil, widows and fatherless children with no-one to protect or provide for them against those who would take advantage of them.

d.  Why are they often in trouble?         (verse  5)

Because they don’t turn to God for help, but bumble along in the darkness of sin

e. Verse 6 is difficult to understand, but what can we gain from it taken together with what Jesus Christ said about it?             (John 3:3-21;  10:30-36)

This verse is saying that all people are the children of God (by right of creation), but we know that unless a person is born again into God’s spiritual family they will just die like all others who don’t know God personally. Our Lord Jesus quoted this verse to the Pharisees when they were angry with His teaching.  He reminded them that they accepted this statement from this psalm, and yet told Him He was blaspheming by saying He was the Son of God when His works and miracles backed up what He said.

f.  How does this psalm end up?     (verse 8)

It ends up by saying that God will judge all the earth and have a people for Himself.

g.  How does the New Testament back up this thought of God inheriting all nations?  (1 Peter 2: 9-10; Revelation 5:9)

Peter tells us that believers are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a special people who can  sing and tell the praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into His marvellous light: in past times they  were not His people but they are now in Christ, and experience God’s mercy.  The Revelation reference tells us that this great multitude of people in heaven singing God’s praises has been gathered from every nation on earth.

Psalm Eighty-three….(verses 1-18)

                                                                       The Heathen’s Thoughts

O God, don’t keep silent nor hold Your peace, Your enemies make tumult, and never will cease,  They have thrown You out, and plan more strife, They seek to wipe Israel out of all life  Your promise stays true, You’ll have the last say, You are the Most High in every way.

                                                                    ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-18

a.   What is the Psalmist calling on God to do?      (verse  1)

To DO something , and let people know He is seeing what is happening to His people.

b.   What do the enemies of God do to show their hatred?                  (verses  2-5)

They take it out on God’s earthly people, and seek to wipe them from off the face of the earth.

c.  Do we see this happening in the world today?     (6-8)

Yes! We hear the nations all around the Middle East calling for (and planning for) Israel’s demise….they are all descendants of the nations mentioned here.

d.  What is the Psalmist calling for here?         (verses  9-11)

He is calling for God to deal with them in the same way that He dealt with the heathen nations in times past.

e. What is the aim of the enemies of God and Israel?             (verse 12)

They want to take possession of the land of Israel in general and the temple mount in Jerusalem  in particular.

f.  What is the Psalmist calling on God to do?         (verses 13-17)

He is calling on God to destroy them and fill them with shame.

g.  What is the ultimate reason for this?             (verse 18)

So that people will know that God rules and reigns over all men….they cannot defy God and His people and get away with it!

Psalm Eighty-four….(verses 1-12)  

                                                                    The Resting Man

Your house O Lord, is best of all, My heart and flesh cry when I fall;                                        Your court will always make me whole, You satisfy my inmost soul!                                       Sparrows and swallows make their nest, Around  Your altar finding rest.                           Blest are those who seek Your face, Who rest alone in that blest place;                                        I know that You will hear my prayer, And take away my every care.                                             A day with You is best by far, Than being the most famous star.                                                  You are alone my shield and sun, You give good things, yes, every one;                                    To those who walk in all Your ways, And trust in You for all their days!!

1.  Verses  1-12

a.   How did the Psalmist find the presence of the Lord?     (verse  1)

He felt it was the best place he could be!

b.   What was he longing more than anything?     (verses  2-; 27:4)

He longed for God , and likened it to the way even the little birds would find peace and rest for their nests in God’s temple…he wanted the peace and quiet to be able to meditate on the beauty of the Lord.

c.  What is the greatest blessing a person can have ?     (verses 4-5)

To be able to praise God and rely totally on Him, finding strength in Him.

d.  How do they cope in going through the bad times of life?         (verses  6-7; 23:4)

The bad times are only a shadow that cannot destroy (a shadow cannot hurt anyone!) and although there may be sorrow, yet knowing the Lord is with them, can be a strengthening factor. The one with the Lord  can come out BETTER, not BITTER!

e. What is the Psalmist calling for here?             (verses 8-9)

He is crying out for God to hear his prayer and to take notice of his position.

f.  What was his greatest desire?                            (verse 10)

To live in God’s presence rather than to be with ungodly people.

g.  How did he find the Lord’s presence?             (verses 11-12)

It is full of light and glory, and every good thing being available to those who walk with the Lord. They may not  have much of this world’s goods, but they have everything that matters!

h.   What conclusion did the Psalmist come to?                  (verse 12)

O Lord of Hosts, how blessed is the person who trusts in You!

Psalm Eighty-five….(verses 1-13)                                            

                            The Forgiven Man

You’ve looked in grace upon Your land, You’ve cleansed Your own, released their bands;

Your wrath has gone, Your anger done, Revive us now the bad time’s done.

Show Your mercy and Your grace, We’ll hear Your Word and seek Your face;

Mercy and truth have met as one, We see this come in Your dear Son,

Helps us O God to follow You, To always want to do what’s true.

               ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-13

a.   How did God once more view the land of Israel?      (verse  1)

God viewed it once more favourably, and brought the people back from their captivity. God is a God of second chances and new beginnings.

b.   What are we told next that is just as necessary today as then?  (verse  2; 1 Corinthians 15:3)

People still need to have their sins forgiven

c.  How can we be certain that we are no longer under God’s anger and wrath?     (verses 3-5; John 3:36)

By believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and following Him….those who do not actively do this are still under God’s anger and judgement.

d.  What is the Psalmist calling for here?   (verses  6-8)

He is calling on God to show mercy and give salvation

e. God has done His part in providing salvation for all mankind….what does us obtaining this salvation depend on?             (verses 8-9; Ephesians 1:13;1 Thessalonians 5:8-9)

It depends on our response to God….if we ignore Him or actively oppose Him, we have no hope of salvation; if we acknowledge that we are sinners and accept it we have it….it doesn’t just fall automatically on every human being, nor does it depend on us being good. We need an active relationship with God.

f.  The truth is that we are sinners without hope; we need God’s mercy to blot this truth out. Where do we see this mercy and truth met together?       (verses 10-11; John 1: 14,17)

In the person of Jesus Christ ….He IS the Truth, but He is also full of grace and mercy. We must accept what He has done for us to obtain righteousness.

g.  What does God give His people?     (verses 12-1; James 1:17)

Everything that is good and needful for our spiritual growth.

Psalm Eighty-six….(verses 1-17)                                             

                                          The Compassionate One.

Bow down Your ear and hear my cry, Help me to know that You are nigh;                               Be merciful unto my soul, For You have made my spirit whole;                                                       You O Lord are full of grace, Will forgive in every place.                                                               Hear my prayer, to me give ear, And take away my every fear,                                                   You will answer when I call, And hold me up when I down fall,                                                     You are great, do awesome things, Help me to You some glory bring;                                       To me Your mercy is so great, In keeping me from sin’s sure fate.                                             But You O Lord are full of grace, Showing Your mercy in every place.                                          O turn to me and give me strength, In all its fullest breadth and length!

                                          ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-17

a.   How did the psalmist start this psalm?       (verse  1)

By acknowledging his need to God and asking Him to listen to him.

b.   What is he asking God to do here? Why?      (verses  2-3)

He wants God to preserve his soul and to save him because he trusts in Him and cries to Him every day.

c.  What does he ask in addition to this?        (verse 4)

He asks to be able to rejoice in Him as he lifts up his soul to Him.

d.  How does the Psalmist describe God?         (verses 5, 15)

He sees God’s  attributes of mercy and readiness to forgive, as well as His goodness..

e.  Who do these attributes apply to?             (verse 5b)

They apply to those who  respond to Him and call on Him.

f.  What happens to those who never do anything about God, or who actively ignore and rebel against Him?       ( John 3:36b)

God’s anger and judgement will catch up with them in the end because they have never admitted and confessed their sin to Him. We must face these things and examine ourselves in this regard.

g.  What is the psalmist asking God to do for him?       (verses 6-7)

To hear his prayer and to help him when he is in trouble.

h.   What proves that God  (and His  Son, Jesus Christ) is who He says He is?  (verse 8, 10; John 5: 36, 10:37-38)

What He is able to do, His power over nature and disease…. no other deity has this power.

i.  Where and when do we see the fulfilment of verse 9?             (Revelation 5: 9; 7:9)

In a time to come there will be people from every nation who will be part of that great multitude who will stand before God singing His praises glorifying Him.

j.  We have just looked at the need of man, at God’s attributes and might, so what should our response to Him be NOW?      (verses 10-13)

We should acknowledge who God is, and ask for His guiding and leading into His truth, praising Him for all He has done for us.

k.   We might say we don’t know how to pray acceptably, but what can we learn from this passage about prayer?        (verses 10-13)

We can use them as a base for our praying, in thanking and praising God, and asking for His leading and guiding in our lives. It’s no use having dreams about doing great outreach Christian work if our everyday lives are not in order….if we are grumpy or impatient at home, we have to straighten that up first!

l.  What will often happen when we follow the Lord the best we can?             (verse 14)

We will find opposition from non-Christians who try to stop what we are doing for the Lord.

m.  What is the final plea from the psalmist ?   Can we ask for this?     (verses 16-17; Colossians 1:9-12)         

For strength to continue in the way of the Lord. We can ask this  too, both for ourselves and for others we are praying for.

n.  How does this Colossians passage make you feel?  

We should  feel overwhelmed at the resources that are there for the asking!

Psalm Eighty-seven….(verses 1-7)      

                                                 The City of God.

A city is made of people alone, The buildings are there to give them a home,                         The city of God is made of His own, Who are born of His Spirit  and it are grown.              The Lord writes their names within His own Book, And this He will open one day to look.

                                                ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-7

a.   What is God talking about in this psalm?      (verses  1-7)

He is talking about His city of Zion.

b.   What is a city made up of? What are the buildings?                 

A city is made up of people primarily….the buildings are only there to house them. A city without people is a ghost city!

c.  What is the name of the city of God?       (verse 2)

It is referred to here as Zion.

d.  How does a person become a citizen of this city?         (verse 5)

They have to be born there….they cannot just move in.

e.  What did Jesus Christ say to Nicodemus about getting into the kingdom of Heaven?   (John 3:3-16)

He said a person had to be born twice….of water the first time (natural birth) and of the Spirit of God the second time (spiritual birth)….without both births they can never be in the Kingdom of God and this great city of Zion.

f.  How do we know this is what it is referring to here?       ( Hebrews 12:22-24)

Because we are told that believers have their names written in the heavenly Mt.Zion through the blood of Jesus Christ. It is no use arguing with God and saying this sounds dreadful….this is God’s way and therefore the only way. After all, Heaven is His home and He gives the invitation and conditions!

g.  What will God’s people be doing in that city?    (verse 7; Revelation 7:13-15; 22:3)

They will be singing His praises and serving Him continually. Heaven is not a place of doing nothing as some people imagine.

Psalm Eighty-eight….(verses 1-18)       

The psalms cover every range of emotion that we know, from times of heavenly ecstasy to deep worship and prayer….now we have one where the psalmist is in deep despair…….                                    

                Down in the Dumps!

I cry to You, I pray Thee hear, I pray my prayer will reach Your ear,

I’m feeling near to deep despair, I have no-one with this to share;

I feel I am about to die, I’m in despair and ask You why,

I cry again and seek Your face, I feel I have no earthly place.

               ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-18

a.   What is the overall feeling of this psalm?       (verses  1-18)

It is of someone who has reached rock bottom and who has no hope, a person who is full of tears and crying with no-one but God to turn to.

b.   Who can we think of Who was in this state at one stage?  Why?     (Luke 21:42-44; Hebrews 5:6-8; 1 Peter 2:21-24)

Jesus Christ suffered in great despair at the thought of having to go to the cross …there was no-one He could look to, to take His place, and this was so we could be free from the penalty of sin’s judgement. Not even His Father could save Him from this hour of suffering.

c.  What is the Psalmist saying here?        (verses 3-5)

He felt he was nearly dying, and that he was cut off from God’s hand.

d.  When did our Lord Jesus come to this lowest point?         (Mark 15: 25-34)

Between the third and sixth hours while He was on the cross…..His Father (God) forsook Him completely (turned His back on Him) while He paid sin’s penalty.

e.  What is the picture here?   (verses 6-7;42:7)

It is that of a person caught in a large surf on the beach being tumbled over and over completely at the mercy of the waves….this is the point the Psalmist had got to.

f.  What other point had the Psalmist got to?       ( verses 8-12)

He felt he was at the point of death and had no-one to call on for help.

g.  Where did he turn in his time of extremity? Did this help?      (verses 13-18)

He called on God to help him, but it seemed that even God had deserted him….as he felt that God’s anger was surrounding him.

h.   What other picture can we see in this section?  (Luke 22:41-44)

We can see the point our Lord Jesus Christ got to as He contemplated going to the cross to pay for  our sins….He knew God’s anger was going to fall on Him and that His Father would desert Him while this was happening and it was almost more than He could bear.

i.  Even though He was in such agony at the prospect, what was His attitude towards this ? (Isaiah 50:6-7; Luke 22:42; 1 Peter 3:18)

He had set His mind on this course no matter what the cost….even though the thought of it was so terrible, yet He was willing to obey His Father in this as there was no option if mankind was to be saved.

j.  What should our attitude be when in times like this?      (Hebrews 10:23)

We should remain steadfast without wavering, holding to what the Bible teaches no matter what  else we hear or are being taught…..the Bible is our rule of thumb, and if other teaching doesn’t measure up, leave it alone.

Psalm Eighty-nine….(verses 1-52)       

                               The Mighty One. (3)

I will sing of the mercies of God for aye, I’ll make known His mercies all my days.

For the covenant of David’s Son, That blessed Holy Eternal One.

His great throne will last for e’er, And His love will falter ne’er,

None can compare with our Lord, To Him we come with one accord.

None else can rule the  raging seas, Nor their foaming waves appease.

The heavens are His, the world is too, Blest are those who Your will do.

Your arm is mighty ,Your hand is strong, Blest are those  who to You belong.

For David You found after Your heart,  And exalted  him  to have a part

You’ve given Your grace to  him for e’er, Gave  him Your Son to have a share,

 Your conv’nant lasts and  will never cease, His Seed lasts always, in certain peace;

 Just as the sun  and the moon in the sky, Witness to this truth that comes from high

 Even though David failed at times,  Even committed some terrible crimes

 Yet God in faithfulness honoured His Word, ,Help me to remember the things  I’ve heard,

 Remember Your Word is true always,  And follow it for all of my days.

               ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-52

a. Quickly look through this psalm…..in the previous one the Psalmist was in deep despair….what is the theme of this one?       (verses  1-52)

A change of outlook, and one of praise to God.

b.   What characteristics of God are shown here?     (verses 1-2)

God’s mercy and faithfulness is clearly shown in these verses.

c.  What is this covenant that God made with David all those years ago? (verses 3-4; Jeremiah 33:15-22)

God promised David that his descendants would always rule over Israel, and that He would never forget them.

d.  How do we see this being fulfilled today?   (Matthew 1:1; 2 Timothy 2:8; Revelation 22:16)

We see it fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ who came from David’s line and who lives forever. David’s line of kings over Judah never fizzled out….it continued until the captivity, and continues for ever in Jesus Christ.

e.  What is the most vast place there is in the universe?           (verses 5-6)

It is that of a person caught in a large surf on the beach being tumbled over and over completely at the mercy of the waves….this is the point the Psalmist had got to.

f.  What other point had the Psalmist got to?       ( verses 8-12)

He felt he was at the point of death and had no-one to call on for help.

g.  Where did he turn in his time of extremity? Did this help?             (verses 13-18)

He called on God to help him, but it seemed that even God had deserted him….as he felt that God’s anger was surrounding him.

h.   What other picture can we see in this section?  (Luke 22:41-44)

We can see the point our Lord Jesus Christ got to as He contemplated going to the cross to pay for  our sins….He knew God’s anger was going to fall on Him and that His Father would desert Him while this was happening and it was almost more than He could bear.

i.  Even though He was in such agony at the prospect, what was His attitude towards this ? (Isaiah 50:6-7; Luke 22:42; 1 Peter 3:18)

He had set His mind on this course no matter what the cost….even though the thought of it was so terrible, yet He was willing to obey His Father in this as there was no option if mankind was to be saved.

j.  What should our attitude be when in times like this?      (Hebrews 10:23)

We should remain steadfast without wavering, holding to what the Bible teaches no matter what  else we hear or are being taught…..the Bible is our rule of thumb, and if other teaching doesn’t measure up, leave it alone.

k.   What does God say about David in this passage?    (verses 19-37; Acts 13:22-23)

He chose David because he sought the Lord with all his heart; He gave David these wonderful promises about his descendants that will never fail….even when they sinned and forsook the Lord, He gave them a way to escape His judgement through His Son. Even when David sinned, God knew that he would turn back to Him in repentance and be restored again.

l.  How do we see this being fulfilled today?             (Acts 13:23)

Jesus Christ was one of the descendants of David, and all who come to Him are part of this inheritance. God said David’s dynasty would endure for ever and God always keeps all His promises.

m.  In spite of these wonderful promises, how does it seem when they sin and turn away from God?     (verses 38-51)          

It seemed that God had forgotten His promises and that they would perish altogether.

n.  How has this been during the last 2000 years?  

After the nation turned their back on the Son of God, their land was completely destroyed and the people were scattered through the world. After WW2 when it seemed they were finished altogether, they were given back their land and once more declared a nation in 1948. Jews have gradually been returning to the land and turning it into a productive place once more…..God has not yet finished with Israel and we will see more of His dealings in the future.

Psalm Ninety….(verses 1-17)       

                           The Sheltering One

I know the wonders of His grace, Because I‘m in God’s secret place.

A thousand years are in His sight, The same as yesterday’s quick flight;

Man’s life is but a fleeting thing, Like blooms which fall or birds that sing.

He sees the secret sins we do, And all the pride which dogs us too.

We may see three score years and ten, Or even eighty, but what then?

Teach us O Lord to watch our ways, As we are here with fleeting days;

For You are all that satisfies, As we are here in time that flies;

Let the beauty of Your grace,  Reflect in deeds and in our face!

               ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-17…..this is said to be a prayer of Moses……..

a. How does he view God?     (verse  1)

As being his dwelling place (or house), somewhere he can live safely  (abide).

b.   What did Jesus Christ say about living in Him (abiding in Him)?     (John 15:4-5)

He said that people cannot bear fruit for God (please Him) unless they are attached to Him like a branch is attached to its vine.

c.  How can we do this?         (John 15:10)

By obeying what He says….if we follow His Word, we will be in His love; if we ignore or refuse to do this, we are not abiding in Him.

d.  How long has God existed?  What does time mean to God?       (verses 2-4; 2 Peter 3:8)

God has always existed, and always been there….this is a concept that humans cannot grasp by reason, but must accept by faith. God lives outside of time….time is connected with the earth spinning around the sun, and is the way man measures life and generations. This is why time means nothing to God.

e.  What is the contrast between God (as in age) compared to man?           (verses 5-6)

God has no beginning and no end….man’s life on earth has a start and a finish, just like a flower that comes out, blooms and then dies off.

f.  What is man’s life in these verses from God’s point of view?       ( verses 6-10; 51:5a; Romans 5:12)

It is brief and sinful….ALL have sinned and need God’s salvation. We only have 70 years to determine where we are going to spend eternity…with God or without Him with Satan.

g.  In the light of all this, what is the wise thing to do?             (verses 11-14)

To realise we are all born in sin and thus under God’s anger, and need to turn to Him to make our life count for Him. Time ceases to exist for us once we are dead, we are then in eternity and past getting right with God which has to be done while we are alive….in other words we have missed our opportunity.

h.   What can we be certain of?        (verses 14-15)

That God will be merciful to us if we come to Him in HIS way (not ours), and that we can be glad for this

i.  What happens when we turn to God and follow Him ?                (verses 16-17)

We can see God working in our lives and are able to present His glory to our families by the way we live….the more we think about God, the more we are able to appreciate what He has done for us and the beauty of His creation, Word and works. The more we do this, the more like Him we become.

Psalm Ninety-one….(verses 1-16)       

                              The Protecting One.

Lord, you have been my dwelling place, Before the days began their race,

The Lord’s my refuge, fortress strong, He’s my  God Whom I belong.

He covers me with feathers of grace, Under His wings is my safe place;

His truth is shelter and my shield; I need not fear what Satan wields;

I’m not afraid of all his darts, Nor of the fears that darkness starts;

E’en when thousands fall by my side, I will remember in Him to hide,

No evil can befall me there, For I am in His angels’ care ,

They will bear me up on high, Where there’s neither care nor sigh;

In His Name I’ll trust and rest, For I know He’ll do what’s best.

I can to Him praises bring,  For He is now my Lord and King!!

               ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-16

a. What is the picture here?                  (verses  1-2)

One of complete safety and protection….no matter what happens to us, we can know that God is with us in the storms of life and that He will bring us through….all we have to do is to trust Him.

b.   What does God particularly protect us from?     (verses 3, 5-6; 1 Peter 5:8-9)

He delivers us from Satan’s snares and traps and we need not be afraid because Satan is a coward….if we stand firm, he will eventually leave us alone.

c.  What is the picture of here?                         (verses 3-4)

That of a young bird venturing out of the nest with dangers all around, and able to run back to be covered with its mother’s wings.

d.  What do we not need  to be afraid of?       (verses 5-8)

Fears at night or dangers during the day….even though others  fall around us, God will keep us safe.

e.  What gives us this confidence?           (verses 9-10)

It is the deep relationship we have with God that gives us this confidence…when we make Him our refuge we can go to Him with all our problems.

f.  What are we told here about the angels?       ( verses 11-12; 34:7; Hebrews 1:7, 14)

The angels are God’s spirits who do His service and keep His people from harm and danger….it seems that each believer has a personal angel even though we are unaware of it.

g.   When was this passage of Scripture misused?                   (Matthew 4:5-6)

Satan quoted these verses to the Lord when tempting him to do something spectacular for His glory.

h.  What is one example of these verses in practice?             (Acts 27:22-25)

When Paul was in extreme danger, God’s angel stood by him with the comforting message of safety.

h.   What is the contrast between these two dangers that surround us? How can we relate this to ourselves today?           (verse 13)

The lion is an obvious danger that we can see and hear, while the adder is a hidden danger ready to bite at any moment;  there are many dangers from the world system that we can foresee and guard against, but there are also hidden dangers that will catch us unawares before we know it with wrong teaching and relationships that come stealthily in.

i.  How and why does God protect us from these ?      (verses 14-15a)

God loves those who respond to Him in a special way, and when they call on Him for protection, He is glad to deliver and keep them.

j.  How does God reward those who belong to Him?      (verses 15b-16;  James 1:12)

He honours those who honour Him and delivers them in their trouble, and gives them the crown of life  and salvation which lasts for ever.

Psalm Ninety-two….(verses 1-15)       

                             The Victorious One.

It’s good to give thanks unto our God, To walk in ways His Son has trod;

 To show His kindness and His love,  And faithfulness  from heav’n above.

Let me sing of all these things, On instruments of many strings;

He gives me gladness in my heart, And triumph to me does impart,

Your works are great, my God and Lord, Your victories, on high have soared!!

Your enemies will go one day, For all their wicked evil ways!

 My enemies too of doubt and fear, Will  all be gone with every tear.

The righteous ones will grow like palms,  And will be kept from all that harms;

 Your presence they will know for e’er, With no lack nor daily care,

They’ll still bear fruit in their old age, And flourish freely at every stage.

 Your works are great, my God and Lord, Your victories, on high have soared!

               ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-15

a. What is the “good thing” to do here?       (verse  1)

It is good to have a thankful heart and attitude and to give thanks to God for all His blessings to us.

b.   How often should we do this?     (verse 2)

Every morning and night.

c.  What is one way we can do this?        (verse 3)

By playing on a musical instrument as well as singing.

d.  What does the Psalmist go on to think about?       (verses 4-5)

He is thinking about God’s wonderful works and how great they are….he is glad as he contemplates them.

e.  How can we relate the next statement to what we hear around us today?    (verse 6)

People who believe in evolution and don’t believe in God as Creator are fools and don’t understand His works.

f.  We know that God is the Creator of all things….what other knowledge has He given to man today?       How does man use this for evil?    (Daniel 12:4b)

God has given man the key of the knowledge of technology in these times and it is flourishing like a crop of grass….there seems no end to it all; man can use it for good and the Lord is using it to spread His word, but evil men use it for their own ends to their own destruction.

g.   What do we see in this next passage about God and His enemies?    (verses 8-10)

God is most high and Lord of all for ever! His enemies will be destroyed and His people will have the victory over theirs.

h.  What enemies do we all have today?     (verse 11; Ephesians 6:12; 1 Peter 2:11)

We have fears and worries that take our minds from God’s promises; we also have the enemy of the “flesh” which wars against our soul. We have to exercise self discipline in many areas to overcome this one….laziness in the things of God is one in particular.

h.   What picture do we see here?           (verses  12-15)

A picture of green and fruitful trees, flourishing in the things of God, even into older age.

i.  How does this come about?                (verses 13, 15; Ephesians 3:17-19; Colossians 2:7)

By having roots deep in the Word of God and in fellowship with Him and His people.

Psalm Ninety-three….(verses 1-5)       

                                                                The Great God.

The Lord is clothed with Majesty great, He is surrounded with strength and state,           His throne is stablished before time began, He existed long before He made man!            The seas are great, they lift up their waves, And thunder aloud as they crash into caves Yet the Lord on High is mightier than they, He is holier than all,  for ever and aye!!

               ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-5

a. How is God viewed here?      (verse  1)

As the One who reigns over all, He is clothed with strength and majesty which surround Him….He has established the world so that it cannot be moved.

b.   How can we relate the fact that the earth will never be moved when we read in other places that it will be dissolved?     (2 Peter 3:7, 10, 12-13; Revelation 21:1)

Just as God took the unformed earth in the beginning to fashion it for human habitation, so He will destroy all man’s works and the earth’s systems, and rebuild it anew for His heavenly people’s habitation. The core of the earth will remain but it will be made anew untainted by sin.

c.  What is everlasting that will never be destroyed?   (verse 2)

God Himself and his throne.

d.  What is one characteristic of a flood and surf?       (verses 3-4)

There is a terrific sound of rushing water.

e.  What is the contrast between the Lord and many waters?           (verse 4)

No matter how mighty water can be, relentless and menacing, yet the Lord is mightier than that!

f.  We always hear about the God of love, but what goes along with God’s love?  (verse 5; Hebrews 9:27)

God’s holiness  and dependability; this does not allow Him to overlook evil…what He has said about judgement WILL come to pass.

 g.   Why do people not like this aspect of God and seldom preach on it?   (Revelation 14:7)

Because it means that man is accountable to God and HAS to do something about it or suffer the consequences….it is NOT a popular topic!

h.  In view of this, how are we to live today?     (1 Peter 1:15-16)

We are to live holy lives, keeping away from all evil and the appearance of it, no matter how much others might mock and tempt us.

Psalm Ninety-four….(verses 1-23)       

                                                                     The Avenging One.

Vengeance belongs to You O God, Against all  those who in sin have trod;                             The wicked still will speak hard things, And in the earth their boasting rings.                  They kill, and say that God won’t see, They are filled with pride and vanity.                      The chastened ones are blessed indeed, The Lord will show them what they need;             Who will stand for me today? Against all those who trap my way?                                             Unless the Lord my help had been, His mercy I would not have seen                                               The Lord is my defence always, He is my Refuge all my days!!

                                                            ***           ***           ***

1.  Verses  1-23

a. What is troubling the Psalmist here?     (verses  1-7)

He is concerned about how God’s people are suffering under the rule of wicked men and why it seems that God is doing nothing about it. He is asking how much longer this state of affairs will last for.

b.   What do these wicked men say and think about God?     (verse 7; 10:4-11)

No-one knows, God can’t see what I’m doing and doesn’t do anything even if He does!

c.  How much in fact, DOES God see and know about this wickedness that is going on? (verses 9-11; 139:1-4; 2 Chronicles 16:9a )

The Lord sees and knows everything that we do….nothing is hidden from Him….He is constantly monitoring what is happening on earth.

d.  If we feel that we are having a rough time, what can we tell ourselves? (verses 12-13; Job 5:17; Hebrews 12:5-7)

This is the chastening of the Lord….and ask the Lord  what we can learn from it.

e.  What is the end result of the Lord’s chastening?           (verse 14; Hebrews 12:11)

We are to remind ourselves that God will not throw away His people and that we will be the better for it when it is over.

f.  When it seems that evil men are prevailing, what are we to remember?  (verses 15-19)

That things will get better….we can depend on the Lord to help and to hold up…He will comfort us.

 g.   Who can we place all our confidence in?                   (verses 20-23)

The Lord is our Defence and Rock of Refuge; He will deal with these things in the end.

Psalm Ninety-five….(verses 1-11)       

                                                The Joyful Man

O come let’s sing unto the Lord, Let’s sing a joyful song abroad,                                             We’ll sing with thankful hearts each day, For He’s the Greatest King always.                   He’s made the world, the earth and hills, The sea which goes from rough to still!                O come let’s worship at His feet, And bow down low before His seat,                                        He is our God and we’re His sheep Let’s hear His voice and His fruits reap;                Remember what Israelis saw, And how they tried Him more and more,                                  Because they did not do their best, They could not know His blessed rest.

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1.  Verses  1-11

a. What does the Psalmist say is good?      (verses  1-2)

It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing His praises.

b.   What is one way we can do this and how often should we do it?     (verse 3; Ephesians 5:19-20)

We can use instruments to help in singing songs of praise to God continually (in these modern times we have so many ways we can do this from i-pods, to MP3 players to using CDs etc)

c.  What does the Psalmist recognise about God here?    (verses 3-5)

That He is great and the Greatest King over all, and the fact that He is the Creator who made all things.

d.  How should humans respond to Him ?       (verse 6)

We should worship Him and kneel before Him as our Maker.

e.  What is our relationship to Him?           (verse 7; 100:3)

He is our God, and we are like His sheep who He looks after and shepherds daily.

f.  What is one bad characteristic of sheep? How are we like this?      ( Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23)

They go astray so easily and want their own way….it is in the human psyche to want to do their own thing and disobey. In other words, we are  ALL sinners before God in our natural state.

g.   When was this passage of Scripture misused?    (Matthew 4:5-6)

Satan quoted these verses to the Lord when tempting him to do something spectacular for His glory.

h.  What is one example of this that is mentioned here?   (verses 8-9)

The people of Israel were complainers, always wanting their own way and rebelling against God’s rules.

i.   What was the result of their disobedience and complaining?     (verses 10-11; Deuteronomy 1:34-39)

God was grieved with their behaviour and refused to let them into the promised land for forty years

i.  What is the result of our refusal to obey God and believe in the Lord Jesus ?   (John 3:36b)

God turns away from him and His anger is on him for ever.

 

Psalm Ninety-six….(verses 1-13)

                                                          The Perfect One       

Sing to the Lord new songs each day, Show His salvation along life’s way;                            His glory to the people we’ll tell, For He has done all things so well;                                    Other gods do not a thing, But we to God  our praises bring,                                                             Let’s give to God glory and strength, He’s over all in breadth and length,                          Give to God what’s due  unto His Name, And see we never cause Him shame;                       His holiness is beautiful, His grace and mercy  over all;                                                                  The heathen see all that He’s done, From setting moon to rising sun;                                             The Lord will one day judge this earth, Before it rises in new birth;                                              O give our Lord the glory due, For all He’s done and yet will do!

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1.  Verses  1-13

a. How does the Psalmist open this psalm?      (verses  1-2)

By calling all to sing to the Lord and bless His Name, telling forth His salvation every day.

b.   How can we do this?                    (verse 3)

By declaring His glory to all, and talking of His wonderful creation.

c.  What is the contrast between the Lord and the idols of the world?     (verses 4-5)

He is alive and we can praise Him….other gods are but idols that are dead;  we can pray to God and see results, whereas others cannot respond. Other idols that people have such as sports idols, and making money do not give the soul satisfaction that Christians have as they come together to worship God.

d.  What is God surrounded with ?       (verse 6)

He is surrounded with glory and strength, honour and majesty.

e.  Why can we sometimes not appreciate all this?           (verses 7-9)

Because we don’t take the time to think of these things, we are too busy doing other things….we don’t give the Lord the glory that is due to His Name or bring Him the offering of thanksgiving.

f.  What fact do we often forget, and that non-believers don’t even recognise?      (verse 10)

That even today when the world is so full of evil and turmoil, that God still reigns and is over all….things are moving along in the way that He has ordained towards the final judgment day.

g.   People may not recognise this fact, but what else still obeys the laws God has put in place?                   (verses 11-12; Romans 8:19-22)

God’s creation still follows the patterns He has set in place; not only that, but it has come under the curse of man’s sin by weeds growing rampantly and animals being subject to decay and being eaten by each other.

h.  How do we know this is so?     (verse 13; Isaiah 11:4-9)

Because we have this picture here of an idyllic time to come when animals will all live together in harmony and not kill or destroy each other or humans, and the knowledge of God will be over all things…..there will be perfect peace in every way. This is a time when all creation rejoices together.

Psalm Ninety-seven….(verses 1-12)

                                                        The Marvellous One.  (1)

The Lord will reign and   earth  rejoice, Will sing, be glad and lift its voice,                              Clouds of glory round His face, Righteous judgements fill His place;                                         The earth will shake, and heavens declare, God’s glory will surround Him there;                  He is so high,  above the earth, He alone gives second birth,                                                    Those who love Him, He’ll preserve, And keep them from what they deserve.             Rejoice in the Lord, and sing His song, He’ll keep us from all that is wrong!.

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1.  Verses  1-12

a. What fact does this psalm begin with?     (verse  1a)

The fact that the Lord reigns….He is King over all.

b.   How does the Psalmist perceive God in this passage?    (verses  2-5)

As being the God of Judgment, surrounded by righteousness and with fire to destroy His enemies and all evil.

c.  What will all people see at that time?        (verse 6; Philippians 2:9-11)

All people will see and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord of all and will bow before Him, thus giving God all the glory that is due to Him.

d.  How will all unbelievers feel at that time ?       (verse 7)

They will feel utterly ashamed of how they have ignored the God of Heaven and worshipped other things…everything will be brought into subjection to Him.

e.  How will God’s people feel at this time?           (verses 8-9; Revelation 5:8-14)

They will be glad and rejoice, and give Him all the praise and glory.

f.  What does God do for His people and how will they respond to Him?      (verses 10-11)

God delivers and preserves His people, and gives them the light of His knowledge; in return they hate evil and are glad .

g. What do God’s people do as they remember these things? Can we do this today?          (verse 12)

They rejoice and give Him all the thanks and praise for what He has done for them….yes, we can and should still do this today.

h.  What attribute of God should we always be conscious of which is often forgotten today?  (verse 12b)

We should always be conscious of God’s holiness and His abhorrence of sin. This will stimulate us to lead holy lives before Him, and to not take Him lightly as so many do today.

Psalm Ninety-eight….(verses 1-9)

                                                             The Marvellous One. (2)

His mighty  arm the vict’ry’s gained, On those  who seek, salvation’s rained;                        His people now have joyful heart, As in His family, they now are part,                                   The sea, the world, the floods and hills, Will sing to Him in music’s trills,                               For He comes to judge and make wrongs right, Then all  will see His power and might.

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1.  Verses  1-9

a. What is this new song that we can sing today? What is this marvellous thing that He has done?     (verse 1 ; 40:3;  2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

We can now sing praises to our God…we are new creatures in Christ Jesus  and have been reconciled to God when we accepted His salvation….Christ took our sins on Himself and we are now seen to be righteous before God in Him. Truly, we have much to sing about!!

b.   What do we know about God’s salvation?         (verses  2-3; Matthew 1:21; 28:18-20)

God’s salvation through Jesus Christ is available to all who will receive it, both to the heathen and to Israel….to every nation on earth.

c.  What will the response be in the time to come for this wonderful salvation that He has provided?     (verses 4-9; Revelation 5:8-14)

A tremendous paeon of praise will rise to the Tri-une God for His wonderful salvation ….it has never happened in the history of the earth before, but then will continue for eternity.

d.  In the light of all this, how should we be living now ?       (1 John 2:28)

We are to abide in Jesus Christ, living before Him in all purity as He would have us do, then we will not feel ashamed when we meet Him face to face.

Psalm Ninety-nine….(verses 1-9)

                                                           The Reigning Holy One.

The Lord now reigns, we’ll be in awe, The Lord is great, we’ll Him adore,                               His name is awesome, holy, great, He holds aloft all people’s fate;                                                Call on Him, He’ll answer you, For all He says is wholly true.

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1.  Verses  1-9

a. What do we see about God here?      (verses 1-2; Isaiah 37:16)

He reigns over all from between the cherubims….He is great and high above all people.

b.   What are the cherubims?  (Genesis 3:24;  Exodus 25:16-22; 2 Chronicles 3:10-13; 7:1-4)

The cherubims were angels of the highest order, the guardians of  the way to eternal life; they were portrayed in the tabernacle and also Solomon’s temple and the ark of the Covenant (symbol of God’s promises to His people) was placed under their outstretched wings. When the temple was completed, God’s glory filled the most holy place where the cherubims were, and no man was able to go in there. The cherubims were a symbol of God’s presence.

c.  What is the response of God’s people? Why?      (verse 3)

They praise His great and awesome Name because He is holy.

d.  What are the characteristics of God’s holiness ?       (verse 4)

Equity (total fairness and rightness), fair and honest judgment in total righteousness.

e.  How are we to respond to this holiness of God?    (verse 5; 1 Peter 1:15-16)

We are to exalt and worship Him and to live holy lives ourselves, keeping away from all appearances of evil .

f.  Who were some examples of men who called on God’s name?      (verse 6a)

Moses, Aaron and Samuel  were among those who called on His name.

g. How did God respond to them?          (verses 6b-8)

He answered them from the cloudy pillar and forgave their sin although they had to bear the consequences of it.

h. What are we to do today?          (verse 9)

We are to exalt and worship God, remembering His holiness.

Psalm One hundred….(verses 1-5)

                                                                   The Joyful Man

 A joyful noise make all you lands, Serve Him and then He’ll free your bands;                    The Lord’s our God, and this we know,  we  are His own, so let us show,                                 We are His sheep, He leads each day, Let’s give Him thanks, along life’s way,                  Bless His Name, for He is good, And keep His truths just how we should!

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1.  Verses  1-5

a. We all make choices every day…what is the choice made here?        (verses 1-2)

We can choose to be joyful before the Lord, and to serve Him with gladness. If we are naturally negative, we have to choose to be positive and cheerful

b.   What is one way we can do this?         (verse 2b; Colossians 3:17)

By singing (or listening to songs of praise) and having a thankful spirit.

c.  What do we have to be conscious of continually?      (verse 3; Isaiah 43:7)

The fact that we belong to God…it is He who made us for His own glory. We have to stop and think about what we are doing, whether it will bring glory to God or not.

d.  What animal are God’s people likened to ?   What tendency do these animals have?        (verse 3b; Isaiah 53:6)

God likens people to sheep….they need looking after and shepherding because they have a tendency to go astray and follow each other.

e.  We come back to the main theme of this psalm…what is the foremost thought here?   (verse 4)

To be thankful and praise His Name.

f.  What three attributes of God do we see in this last verse?      (verse 5)

His goodness, mercy and truth.

g. How do we see these also exhibited in Jesus Christ?          (John 1:14, 17)

He was full of grace and truth….it was because of His truth towards sin that He was stimulated to do something about removing it, and it is His grace and mercy that activates what He did in paying the penalty. Now it is up to each individual to accept this personally.

h. How long is this salvation valid for?          (verse 5)

For eternity, forever and ever.

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