Psalms and Songs, Part Three.

Psalm One hundred and one….(verses 1-8)

The Serving Man

Of merciful judgement I will sing,                   To You O Lord, my God and King;                     Help me at home be kind and good,                Help me behave just as I should;                    Stop wicked things and keep my eyes,           From those who show and say such lies!       Help me to turn them off at source,                And let my mind stay  on Your course,           Help me to hear no gossiping word,               And take no notice what others heard,        I want to be Your  faithful one,                                    And follow truly, God’s  dear Son.

1.  Verses  1-8

a. What is the Psalmist singing about here?    (verse 1)

He is singing about God’s love and justice.

b.   People love to talk about God being a God of love (thinking that He will overlook their wrongdoings), but what do they forget that goes hand in hand with God’s love?   (verse 1; Isaiah 9:7)

God’s justice and judgment go hand in hand with God’s love….it is because of God’s holiness that He CANNOT overlook sin and disobedience, but must judge it. His love cannot overlook sin, but it has provided a way of escape which each person must take for themselves.

c.  What was the Psalmist’s desire here? What do we tend to do at home?       (verse 2)

He wanted to behave wisely and in a mature manner at home with a perfect heart….home is the place where we relax and let our guard down and show what we really are. We are often more grumpy with our families than we are in the work place and this ought not to be so!

d.  What other temptations are there at home? What do we read and look at? (verses 3-4)

Today, more than at any other time in history, the temptations of the world are right there at home at the flick of a switch where no-one else can see us. Women’s magazines grovel in the mire of gossip and scandal….what we look at and what we read show where our heart is.

e.  What else did the Psalmist find abhorrent? How do we react to this?  What other modern invention contributes to this?                        (verse 5)

He refused to listen to idle gossip or take part in it, no matter how tempting it was. The telephone can be used for this….let’s ask ourselves if the information we pass on, or listen to, is for God’s glory and we won’t get into trouble!!

f.  What does Paul advise us to think and talk about?      (Philippians 4:8-9)

Only what is good, pure and truthful; things that encourage in the Lord and things that are lovely and right.

g. What sort of friends did the Psalmist cultivate?      (verses 6-8)

Those who were faithful and truthful….he refused to have anything to do with those who spread tales and who were untrustworthy, and got rid of everything that was wicked and evil.

h. How do we cultivate a godly attitude? Where does it start?          (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:22-24)

It starts with our hearts and minds….we have to make a conscious decision to follow the Lord and cleanse our minds of all filth and rubbish by putting off the “old man” and putting on the “new man”. We do this by presenting ourselves to God and asking His help….it will not be easy, and it will not come quickly, but we are to persevere, and it WILL happen. This is one request that God will never refuse to grant.

Psalm One hundred and two….(verses 1-28)

      The Worried Man

Hear my prayer and let my cry,           Be heard by You who art on high                                      My days are like a wisp of smoke      Or like dry grass, so easily broke;                                    I’m like a pelican or owl,                     A sparrow or a lonely fowl,                                                   I’ve eaten ashes for my bread,         I feel as though I’m nearly dead!                                         My days are but a fading leaf              Or shadow thrown e’en though so brief;                      But You O Lord always endure,          Your memory forever sure.                                                   Those who come shall praise the Lord, As their prayers to heaven soared,                            Sin no more holds in its grasp          Those who once were in its clasp,                                     Now they show and sing His praise,   Will keep on for eternal days,                                          For You have laid the heaven and earth,  Which will perish as little worth.                            But You O Lord remain the same,       We give You praise for Your great Name,                   You are the same, will never end,       You are my Saviour, Lord and Friend!

1.  Verses  1-28

a. How was  the Psalmist feeling here?                  (verses 1-3)

He was feeling down in the dumps and very depressed. .

b.   What is the result of being depressed?      (verses 4-11)

One feels all dry spiritually and all shrivelled up, and that God has deserted one. We don’t feel like eating physically nor feeding on the Word, which then creates a vicious cycle. Nobody sympathises with a depressed person who is completely wrapped up in self pity.

c.  How can we pull ourselves out of this situation ?         (verses 12-17)

By turning our thoughts to the Lord and what He has done in the past and will yet do in the future; to think of His blessings that He has given us and to spend time in prayer and thanksgiving. There is always something to be thankful for.

d.  What important thing can we do for those who follow behind us….our children and grandchildren?        (verse 18)

We can write down our experiences of God’s faithfulness in times of doubt and trouble, and can make sure they have the benefit of what we have learnt. If they take notice, they will then avoid those pitfalls and praise God for their leading.

e.  What overall thing has God done for mankind?       (verses 19-20)

He watches and knows everything that is happening on earth and sees and hears the groanings and praises of  His people. Those who look to Him, He releases from the prison of sin and gives them eternal life.

f.  What are these people then able to do?      (verses 21-22)

They are able to preach about the Lord and praise His Name.

g. How was the Psalmist feeling?      (verses 23-24a)

He felt at the end of his life and about to die.

h. What did he recognise even when he was in this state?          (verses 24b-7)

He knew that God was from everlasting past to everlasting future; that God had created all things and that even though they would eventually perish and change, God would continue the same as always.

i.  What else would continue?        (verse 28; John 5:24; 6:47)

God’s people will continue on and be established….those who believe on Jesus Christ will have everlasting life.

j.  What confidence can we have in God’s eternal being?      (verse 27; Malachi 3:6a)

He is the Lord and will never change what He is or says.

 Psalm One hundred and three….(verses 1-22)

The Blessed One

The Lord I’ll bless with all my soul,    For He has saved and made me whole,                       He’s given me all that I need,              And blessed me in His Word and deed;                   Forgiven all my sin’s disease,             And from its dreaded grasp now frees.                           He satisfies with all that’s good,         So I can praise Him as I should,                                             I am renewed from day to day,            And soar like eagles in His way,                                        He judges in His righteousness,         And saves His own who are oppressed.                          The Lord is merciful to me,                 His patient grace is great to see,                                      Forgiven sins I don’t deserve,             Nor all the glories in reserve.                                              His mercy is so great and high,          As great as earth is from the sky,                                        As far as east is from the west,          My sins are gone and I am blest.                                           He pities all my weakest ways,            He knows my frame for all my days.                                   I cannot last much more than grass,   That withers once the wind has passed.                          But  God’s great mercy and His love, Comes upon me from  above,                                            To  those who keep His covenant,        And in His ways have truly went,                                     The Lord in heaven has His throne,    And rules in glory o’er His own,                                      The angels bless Him in their strength, His ministers and hosts at length,                              So how can I do any less,                    Than  with my soul the Lord to bless!!

1.  Verses  1-22

a. What is the Psalmist calling on himself  to do here?  What does this entail?                (verse 1)

He is reminding himself to bless the Lord with his whole heart…this is to praise and give thanks to God for all He has done for him; not only that but it entails full obedience to what one knows. We can’t “bless” the Lord when we are holding back some area of our life from Him.

b.   What does he not want to forget?                            (verse 2)

He wants to remember all God’s benefits to him.

c.  What is the first and main benefit that God offers to all mankind?   (verses 3-4a; 68:19-20; 116:12-13)

It is the benefit of salvation, knowing forgiveness of sins and freedom from God’s judgment.

d.  What other benefits follow behind the first one?        (verses 4b-5; Ephesians 1:3)

He crowns us with  his loving kindness and mercy and every spiritual blessing He has that we need. The whole of Ephesians 1 lists all the blessings that God gives His people!

e.  As far as Israel was concerned, what oppression were they released from?            (verses 6-7)

The oppression of being slaves in Egypt under hard bondage.

f.  What characteristics of God do we see here?      (verses 8-10)

He is merciful and gracious, slow to get angry with plenty of mercy.

g. What does God do with the sins of His people when they have confessed them ?  (verses 11-12; Isaiah 38:17b; 44:22; Micah 7:19b; Hebrews 8:12b)

He removes them as far as the east is from the west (note it is not from the north to the south!); He puts them behind His back; He has blotted them out completely; He has thrown them into the depths of the sea, and He will never remember them again! Whatever God does, He does thoroughly!!

h. What attitude does God have towards His people? Why?          (verses 13-16)

God pities His people because He knows their weaknesses and that they are only a transient creature….like a flower that blooms and is then gone.

i.  What is the contrast between man and God in this respect?        (verses 17-19; Revelation 1:8, 17-18)

Man has a beginning, God has no beginning and no end; God always has been and will always be….we cannot understand it, we just have to accept this as a fact….God says it, I believe it, and that settles it!

j.  What is the result of this fact? Who/what  is to do this?                      (verses 20-22; Revelation 5:11-13)

God is to be blessed by all His creations, from the highest angels, to the rest of His servants in obedience to His word, and all the creatures and things that are in existence….everything is to bless , praise and thank God. He is the greatest….there is no-one higher than He.

Psalm One hundred and four….(verses 1-35)

                                             The Imaginative  One.

O bless the Lord, for He is great,  On Him alone, my soul does wait;

He wears His garments bathed in light,  His glory see both day and night.

He is no bound by time or space,  He’s far above this earthly place!

His angels serve midst flaming fires,  With  joyous grace that never tires;

He laid foundations of the earth,           And gave the streams  and rivers birth;

The oceans have a bound to keep,        And stay in places very deep.

The beasts and birds all have their place,  All things are set before His face;

All this was made as place for man,    All this was part of God’s great plan.

The trees are there for all to use,        For birds to nest and fruit to choose;

The seasons too, with heat and cold,  The days and nights when lions bold,

Go forth to eat and then to rest,          While man goes out to work his best.

This is according to God’s plan,           For all on earth including man.

The ocean too is host to all,                The fish therein, both great and small,

Upon its breast the ships are tossed,  Without Your hand all would be lost;

All  these things still come and go,      Your creation high and low.

You still rejoice in all You’ve made,      In all the earth that You have laid.

The least that man can do is sing,       Your praises loud and to You bring,

The homage of a thankful heart,         And meditate in times apart.

We bless You Lord with all our soul,   For You have cleansed and made us whole,

So praise the Lord all ‘neath the sun,  Exalt His name, the Holy One!

1.  Verses  1-35

a. Read this whole psalm through at once….what is it basically about?  (verses 1-35)

It’s all about the things that God has created and the order that He has given them.

b.   How does he begin?         (verse 1)

The same way that he did in the last one….by saying “Bless the Lord, O my soul”

c.  What does this show us?   (Psalm 30:4; 69:30)

That it is imperative for God’s people to sing His praises and give Him thanks.

d.  How does he go on to describe the Lord?   (verses 2-4; 1 John 1:5-7; Revelation 21:23)

As being surrounded by light….we know that God IS light so the light comes from within His very Being….nothing  impedes God….He is all powerful, and He has made the angels to do His bidding instantly.

e.  How are the angels described? How does the New Testament expand this thought? (verses 6-7; 34:7; Hebrews 1:13-14)

The angels are described as being His ministers, and the New Testament says that they minister to God’s people. Psalm 34 indicates that each believer has an angel attending them and protecting them.

f.  We hear people talk about the end of the world, but what part of it do we see here that will never be destroyed?      (verse 5; 2 Peter 3:10-12)

The foundations of the world will never be destroyed, so that even if God’s judgment burns up and dissolves all the surface, the foundations will remain to be rebuilt.

g. What was the earth covered with in the beginning? What happened to all of that?  (verses 6-9; Genesis 1:1-10)

The earth was completely covered with water in some shape or form, and God spoke the dry earth out of it, sending the water into oceans and seas that have boundaries and limits.

h. Have you ever wondered why streams always start high in the hills and mountains? What do we learn here about that?          (verses 10-15)

This is how God has ordained it to be, so that the water runs downhill to water the plains and make things grow for the use of man and beast..

i.  What do we see in this next passage? How does the Psalmist react to this knowledge?  (verses 16-24)

We see how God has appointed all creation to interact with each other and within itself….animals act by instinct which God has given them, and man has his part to play in going out to work to till the ground and earn his living by various means. The Psalmist bursts into praise for all God’s wonderful knowledge and wisdom in creation.

j.  How do you feel about men who film and make documentaries about these wonderful things of  nature, and yet give all the credit to evolution and none to God?                      (Romans 1:19-22)

They are so smart and clever in what they do, yet they are fools in not acknowledging God as the Creator, and God will judge them one day for this. He is the One who has given them the knowledge and ability to make these documentaries, yet they completely ignore Him….how sad!

k.   What comment does the Psalmist make about the sea and ocean?  (verses 25-30)

The sea is made for sport and commerce….God has made it all to feed and sustain itself….if He didn’t, it would all collapse and be destroyed.

l.  How does God feel about all these things He has created? (verses 31-32; Genesis 1: 31; Revelation 4:11)

He takes great pleasure in it all and rejoices as He sees it functioning according to plan.

m.   What should man’s response be to all of this?                (verses 33-35)

We should meditate on His doings and rejoice and sing praises to Him for all of His wonderful works!

Psalm One hundred and five….(verses 1-45)

                                              The Guiding One

Give thanks unto the Lord above,       The One Who is the God of love,

Sing  to Him, and to Him bring,          Your praises to the glorious King;

O glory in His holy Name,                   Give Him now, much praise and fame,

Seek the Lord, His strength to use,     Seek His face and on Him muse;

Remember every wondrous deed,       That He has done for Abram’s seed!

He is our only Lord and God,              He uses judgment’s righteous rod;

His covenant with Israel made,           His laws from everlasting laid,

There were not many, but a few,         He took them to a kingdom new

He kept them safe and gave them food, He over-ruled and did them good;

Joseph first, then Moses too,              Who led and told them what to do;

The plagues behind, tests lay ahead,  The wilderness before them spread.

He gave them all that they did need,   From water fresh and bread to feed;

The rock He smote, the waters came, And still today, He works the same!

He leads His own with joy and song,  As on life’s way they move along;

His laws still stand in perfect love,     As we now serve our Lord above!

1.  Verses  1-45

a. Read this whole psalm through at once….what is the Psalmist talking about? (verses 1-45)

He reminds the people of the mighty works of the Lord, and then gives a run-down on the history of Israel on their travels from Egypt to the Promised Land.

b.   What are people called on to do here?  What is the final instruction to do?   (verses 1-5; 2 Peter 3:1-2)

To give thanks, call on His name, tell of His deeds, sing to Him, glory in His Name, rejoice in Him, seek His face in everything….in other words to REMEMBER all God’s wonderful works for His people.

c.  All these are positive things…what will they do for one’s soul?      (1 Corinthians 14:12; Jude 1:20-21)

They will edify and build up….not only one’s self, but also encourage others.

d.  Where does the Psalmist begin with his encouraging here?        (verses 5-11)

He begins with God’s promises to Abraham, reminding his listeners that they are eternal and God will never go back on them….because of man’s sin and disobedience, they will often not be straightforward, but they will be fulfilled in the end.

e.  How do we see the unlikeliness of them being fulfilled between Abraham and Moses?     (verses 12-23)

There were so few to start with, only the one son of promise from Abraham, then Jacob running off to another land, cheating and being cheated on the way; then the loss of one of his sons. Finally the famine which drove them to Egypt and the discovery of Joseph as the ruler. Then the people becoming nothing more than downtrodden unpaid slaves.

f.  What did God do to make the people want to return to their own land?      (verses 24-26)

The people were becoming complacent with no thought of return until God allowed them to increase in numbers and then be made slaves  He then stepped in and called Moses in the midst of their slavery and misery.

g. What does this next section deal with?  (verses 27-38)

How God brought judgment on Egypt for their treatment of His people, until they were glad to see the last of them.

h. How did God organise the removal of such a large body of people?          (verses 39-41)

He protected and led them with His cloud during the day, and the pillar of fire by night, and supplied food and water for them as they needed it.

i.  In all of this, what was God remembering?       (verse 42)

He was remembering His promise to Abraham to give his descendants this land of Canaan.

j.  What was the whole purpose of God doing this? (verses 43-45; Deuteronomy 28:9; 29:13)

That He might have a people for Himself who would praise and worship Him.

k.   We know that this has not been wholly fulfilled yet because of man’s failures and sin, but how is it being fulfilled today towards this goal? When will it be realised?   (Matthew 28:19-20;  Titus 2:13-14; 1 Peter 2:9-10)

We see the Gospel being sent out into all  the world by many different means, and a people being gathered together for God….His special people who give praise, thanks and worship to Him.

Psalm One hundred and six….(verses 1-48)

The Patient One.

In everything we praise our Lord,       For He is good, His Word our sword;

We’re blest indeed for He is good,      He helps us walk the way we should;

For as He worked in days of old,         And saved Isra’l with hand so bold,

Their enemies they left behind,           But other woes they soon did find!

His works forgot, they lusted more,    They tempted God with whining sore,

Until He granted their request,            Which really wasn’t for their best.

They envied Moses in the way,            And made a calf of gold one day,

Their God forgot with all His works,   They soon became the worst of jerks!

His land despised, His word they spurned, They cried and whinged, and from Him turned.

In anger then, God sent disease,         To show how much He was displeased;

The people went from bad to worse,   And worshipped gods which were a curse,

Rebellion rose within their hearts,      They joined those near and had a part,

In heathen ways which God abhorred,   They clean forgot their God and Lord!

They followed gods which were a snare, And sacrificed their children there.

No wonder God was angry till,                        He brought them low and yet they still,

Refused His Word and turned away.   When once He heard them weep and pray,

He turned again with pitying love.      Today He looks down from above,

And when we say “May God be blest”,  He gives to us eternal rest.

Lets us then praise God our King,      And to Him all our praises bring!

1.  Verses  1-48

a. What is the Psalmist remembering and doing here?                (verses 1-2)

He is praising the Lord as He remembers His goodness and mercy

b.   What does God do for His people?        (verses 3-5)

He blesses all those who seek His face, and gives them salvation and favour so they can rejoice in Him.

c.  What does the Psalmist go on to say next?      (verses 6-7)

He goes on to confess that the nation of Israel had sinned and not understood exactly what God was doing around them in Egypt….they continually doubted and provoked Him with their unbelief.

d.  What did God continue to do for the people?        (verses 8-11)

He saved them from the Egyptians and took them across the Red Sea safely.

e.  How did the people react to God’s protection and provision all the way through the wilderness?     (verses 12-22)

They alternated between praise and complaints; they kept forgetting God’s protection and provision and whined and moaned about the conditions and their earthly leaders (Moses and Aaron); they continually forgot what God had already done for them.

f.  Do we find ourselves doing this? What should all this remind us of? (Hebrews 3:8-12; 13:7, 17)

To not complain before God….to remember that He knows our complaining spirits, whether it be about our circumstances or our fellow believers!

g. How do we overcome this complaining spirit?    (1 Corinthians 10:31;  Isaiah 43:7)

To ask ourselves if we are giving God glory by saying these things! We must remember that this is our sole purpose in life….to give Him glory and thanksgiving.

h. What must we be careful of when making requests of God? (verse 15; Philippians 4:6-7)

We must remember that God knows what is best for us…we are to give thanks for the answer BEFORE we get it, and then we will have God’s wonderful peace in whatever happens. If we keep pestering Him, He may grant our request which will NOT be for our ultimate good   .(e.g. a parent giving a child a knife to play with)

i.  What point had God got to with them? What stopped Him doing this? (verses 23-27; Numbers 14:10-38)

God was tired of their complaints and disobedience and felt like destroying the lot of them there in the wilderness, only for Moses interceding for them.

j.  What did the people do that was even worse than their complaining? What did it take for God’s anger to abate this time?  (verses 28-31; Numbers 25:1-13)

They began to take on board the gods of Moab and commit immorality with the heathen women of that land….it was only when Aaron’s son destroyed the ringleaders that God’s anger abated. Even so, many thousands died as a result of their sin.

k.   What did they continue to do down through the ages?   (verses 32-46)

They continued to wander away into idolatry, and then come back to the Lord when the enemies overcame them, until God’s patience finally ran out and they were taken captive away to Babylon

l.   What is the final cry in this psalm?   (verses 47-48)

It is a cry to be saved and to be gathered back from the heathen so they could praise and thank the Lord once more.

m.   What did Psalmist recognize about God in the end?   (verse 48)

That God is eternal and is to be blessed by His people.

Psalm One hundred and seven….(verses 1-43)

                                               The Delivering  One.

Give thanks to God for He is good,     Give thanks to Him just as one should;

He’s called  His own from many lands,  Delivered them from sin’s strong bands;

He’s led them forth to a great place,   Where Him they  worship face to face;

O praise His Name for He is good,      Praise His Name just as they should!

He satisfies the hungry soul,              He’s made us new, and now we’re whole,

We freed from sin and death’s dark shade,  For He has all our debt now paid!

When we cried, He heard our voice,    Gave us a song and we rejoice;

O praise His Name for He is good,      Give thanks to Him just as we should!

The gates of brass are cut in half,       He frees us now to sing and laugh,

Once we were fools and bound in sin,            But now we’re healed and whole within;

His Word is true, and He is good,       O praise Him now, just as we should!!

The sacrifice of thanks we give,          No matter where we work or live.

Those in ships see all His work,          From sun to rain and stormy murk;

The seas rise up, cause men to call,   And God delivers from it all,

O praise the Lord for He is good,        Praise Him now, just as we should!!

He gives the rain our food to grow,    The fruit and all the crops to mow;

He blesses all the cows and sheep,     They multiply for those who keep;

All on earth from high to low,             Can see His blessings as they go.

The righteous see it and rejoice,         And sing to Him with heart and voice,

The wise will see and understand,      God’s loving kindness in the land!!

1.  Verses  1-43

a. How does the Psalmist begin this psalm?                (verses 1-2)

He is saying to those who are redeemed to give thanks to the Lord for His goodness and mercy.

b.   What did God have to do to the people to bring them to this point?   (verses 3-8)

The people were scattered from their own country and being in distress, were brought to the point of crying out to God for deliverance….they still needed to learn to praise God for His goodness and wonderful works.

c.  What wonderful thing does God do for those who get to the lowest point? (verses 9-14)

He will satisfy the hunger in their soul, and deliver them from the chains that bind them because of their rebellion, when they cry to Him once more.

d.  What stage had the people got to? What were they classed as? How can we relate to this? (verses 16-20; Ephesians 2:11-22)

They were totally helpless to release themselves and were classed as fools because they had brought all this on themselves. It was only God that could bring them out of this situation. We were in a similar situation before coming to know the Lord….helpless and hopeless! Now He has brought us into all the promises He made to Israel and we as Gentiles are made one with them through the blood of Jesus Christ.

e.  What are we now able to do?     (verses 21-22)

We are able to thank and praise the Lord for His goodness and wonderful works…God looks on this as a sacrifice because it takes time and effort to consciously do this.

f.  What is the next scenario the Psalmist speaks of? How can we relate to this?    (verses 23-31; Hebrews 12:11)

He is talking of sailors who see the sea in all its storms and how they are often buffeted in situations beyond their control. In the same way we are often in situations that resemble storms, in that things are beyond our control and we have no-one to turn to other than the Lord. How welcome the harbour and quiet waters are to the sailors, and how we should give thanks to the Lord when we come through into quieter times!

g. What is the next picture of?       (verses 32-38)

If we forget the Lord in our daily lives we become like a dry and barren land yielding no fruit. But when we exalt and praise the Lord as we should, then we are like a fruitful land with plenty of water that is yielding crops and nourishing its people.

h. What do those around observe in this situation?          (verses 39-43)

They see that God blesses His people when they obey His word….those who are wise will follow suit and will understand  and experience first hand the blessings of God.

Psalm One hundred and eight….(verses 1-13)

The Victorious Man

O God my heart is fixed indeed,                      On You the One who meets my need,

To You I come with song and praise,              For all Your mercy all my days.

For it is great above the skies,                                    To You O Lord, my praises rise;

For You’re exalted high above,                       You are alone the God of love;

For all the nations round about,                      Are naught to You without a doubt;

You ARE our help from ages past,                  Man’s help is vain and will not last;

Through God we shall do valiantly,                 And cast away each enemy.

1.  Verses  1-13

a. What attitude does the Psalmist have in this psalm? How should we be?        (verses 1-2; 2 Thessalonians 2:15)

He is steadfast and diligent, determined that nothing will stop him praising God. We too should be steadfast in the things of the Lord…know what we believe and Who we believe in!

b.   When is the best time of the day to do this?      (verse 2)

If you are a morning person, the best time of the day is first thing before the bustle of the day begins; but for those who function better at night, they have to set aside a time to praise the Lord. The psalmist seemed to be a morning person.

c.  What was the Psalmist’s aim? Why?     (verses 3-4)

He wanted to sing God’s praises among as many people as he could because God’s mercy and truth knows no bounds.

d.  What was the point of all this?                 (verses 5-6)

It was to exalt God’s name and to see that through this His people would be delivered.

e.  What does this next section show us?     (verses 7-11)

That God is still in control of the nations, even though they don’t acknowledge Him.

f.  What confidence did the Psalmist  (and we) have?    (verses 11-13)

We can all on God in our troubles and He will tread down our enemies, whether they are physical, mental or spiritual.

Psalm One hundred and nine….(verses 1-31)

The Burdened Man.

Don’t hold Your peace, O God of praise,        The wicked overwhelm my days,

They compass me with words of hate,            Against me every day they prate.

They’ve done me evil for my good,                 I cannot love them as I should,

For Satan stands at their right hands,            Oppressing me in tightening bands;

I wish them nothing good at all,                      I wish they’d trip and heavy fall,

I wish they’d suffer like I do,                           Their day of birth would surely rue!

They curse and scheme against my soul,       To do me wrong is their one goal.

But do for me, O God my Lord,                       Deliver me with Your sharp sword,

I’m sad and needy, wounded  sore,                 I’m weak and tossed, and oh so poor!

My flesh has gone, reproached am I,              They shake their heads as they walk by.

I take it Lord as from Your hand,                    Upon Your promises I’ll stand,

To You O Lord I’ll give my praise,                   The poor You save in all their ways .

1.  Verses  1-31

a. How did the Psalmist feel in this psalm?      (verses 1-5)

He felt completely overwhelmed by the wicked men around him

b.   What did he then proceed to do?                    (verses 6-20)

He gives a list of things he wanted to happen to those who were against him!

c.  We can see some of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ portrayed here, but what is the contrast of His attitude to His enemies compare to the Psalmist’s ?     (Luke 23:34)

He prayed for forgiveness for His enemies because they didn’t know what they were doing.

d.  What is the Psalmist praying for here?         (verses 21-29)

He is asking for deliverance and help, and that his enemies would be ashamed in the end.

e.  What did our Lord Jesus say as He contemplated all the suffering that was ahead of Him?   (Luke 22:39-45)

He prayed that it would be taken away from Him, but for God’s will to be done if it couldn’t be….He only wanted to do God’s will.

f.  Looking back over these verses we have already seen, which ones show  a similarity to the life and  sufferings of Christ?      (verses 1-29)

Verse 2….the wicked and deceitful were always after Him                     (Luke 11:53-54)

Verse 3….His enemies hated Him without a cause.                                (John 15:18-25)

Verse 4….He gave Himself continually to prayer                                               (Luke 6:12)

Verse 5…  They rewarded Him evil for good, and hated Him.                 (John 15:24-25)

Verse 25…He was  reproached by others.                                             (Mark 15:29)

Verse 27…It was all part of God’s plan for man’s salvation                     (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)

g. How does this psalm end? How did our Lord feel when it was all over?  (verses 30-31; Isaiah 53:10-11)

It ends with praise to God….God was well pleased in the end…sin’s penalty had been paid and He was satisfied with the result. Salvation was now not only possible but also complete.

Psalm One hundred and ten….(verses 1-7)

                                                The Victorious  One.

The Father told my Lord in heav’n,                 “To you the throne I’ve freely giv’n,

Your enemies are Your footstool                    And You will o’er them firmly rule”;

Your rod of strength will come from Zion,      You’ll rule o’er them as Judah’s lion;

Your own shall see Your mighty power,         Your beauty shines from morning’s hour.

The Lord has sworn , ne’er to repent,             For You were like Melchisedek sent.

The Lord will strike in righteous wrath,          Cut evil down as grassy  swath,

Bodies dead will fill the place,                                    The battle’s won before His face;

He’ll drink the brook of victory,                      Exalted  high for all to see!! .

1.  Verses  1-7

a. Who is speaking to who in this first verse?  (verse 1; Matthew 22:41-46; Acts 2:33-36)

The Pharisees  thought it was David who was making this statement, but in actual fact it was God the Father speaking to His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ….we have this verified by Jesus Christ  Himself.

b.   Where does God send His deliverer from? What do we understand this city is?     (verses 2-3; Hebrews 12:22-24; Revelation 19:11-16)

God sends his ruler from Zion…we see in the Hebrews passage that “Zion” refers to God’s heavenly city of Jerusalem which is made up of all His people down through the ages…when this city is complete, Jesus Christ comes forth with the armies of heaven to judge all those who do not belong to Him.

c.  What do we see next?      (verse 3)

We see the willingness of people to acknowledge God’s power and holiness in the freshness of each morning and their youth before the disappointments of life harden them off.

d.  What promise is God making here?     (verse 4)

That His Sent One will be a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

e.  Who was Melchizedek?      (Genesis 14:18-20; Hebrews 7:1-4)

Melchizedek was the king of Salem (meaning Peace) and also a priest of God who appeared to Abraham and gave him food to revive him and his army and blessed him in the name of the Lord.  Abraham recognised his  priestly position and gave him tithes in thanks to God for his victory.

f.  How do we know there is more to Melchizedek than just being a king and a priest?     ( Hebrews 7:9-27)

We are shown in Hebrews that Melchizedek was a foreshadowing of the Lord Jesus Christ as God’s great High Priest…the priests from Aaron’s line fell short of God’s standards, and the Lord Jesus was His perfect priest after a different order. We are told nothing of Melchizedek’s beginning or end, and this is a picture of the eternal Son of God who made the one perfect sacrifice that brought salvation to all mankind.

g. What do you think these next verses refer to?    (verses 5-7; Revelation 19:11-13)

They are talking about the final judgment when the Lord Jesus Christ goes out to judge all those who haven’t acknowledged Him or turned to God.

h. What is the main thing for us to do in the light of all this? How do we do this? (John 3:36; Romans 10:9)

To make sure that we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, confessing our sins, and this gives us a personal relationship with Him….then continue to walk with Him every day.

Psalm One hundred and eleven….(verses 1-10)

                                                The Wonderful  One.

I’ll praise the Lord with all my heart,              Within the church we’ll come apart,

His works are great, we see them round,        In them our souls daily abound.

His righteousness endures for e’er,                Full of honour without compare;

His works are wonderful to see,                      Will last throughout eternity;

Compassionate and gracious too,                   In all His deed to  me and you;

He supplies our every need,                            Shows  His every mighty deed.

His works are always right and true,               His commands not hard to do,

Forever they will surely stand,                                    Redemption is free from His hand,

Reverend is His Holy Name,                            By Him alone salvation came

To fear the Lord is wisdom’s start,                 By knowing this we have a part,

In understanding all His ways,                                    In this we give enduring praise!

1.  Verses  1-10

a. What was the Psalmist doing here? How are we to do this?   (verse 1)

He is praising the Lord everywhere he goes. We are to do  this too, and make sure we do it wholeheartedly.

b.   What do we see about the works of the Lord here?     (verses 2-4a)

His works are great and looked for by all who have pleasure in Him; His work is glorious and wonderful.

c.  What are the characteristics of God’s works?       (verse 4b; 86:15)

His graciousness and compassion surround all that He does….He is full of mercy.

d.  What does the Lord do for his people?      (verses 5-6)

He supplies all their needs and remembers His covenant with them; He shows them His power.

e.  What do we see about God’s works here?       (verses 7-8)

His works are true and judge people’s sins…everything He says is true and certain for eternity.

f.  What is the most wonderful thing that God has done for people? ( verse 9; John 3:16;2 Corinthians 5:18-21)

Giving His Son to bring salvation and forgiveness of sins; reconciling all those who come to Him with Himself.

g. What are the three sections of the last verse?        (verse 10)

To fear the Lord is to have wisdom; all who obey Him have a good understanding of Him; we will be praising Him for all eternity.

h. What does all this mean to you?   Think this through honestly.  (Luke 16:19-31)

If we don’t turn to the Lord, confessing our sins, we have no wisdom at all! We could ask ourselves if we want to spend eternity praising Him or being tormented….if we are honest with ourselves, there is no comparison or option.

Psalm One hundred and twelve….(verses 1-10)

                                                The Trusting Man.

In understanding God above,                          We learn of His enduring love,

His commands are our delight,                       For they are true and good and right!

Our children too will blessed be,                    As in His Word, God’s blessings see;

Wealth and riches cannot buy,                        These blessings that God gives from High.

God’s light will  shine  through all  the murk, Compassionate in ev’ry work.

In kindness he will  lend to all,                                    Guides his affairs so he won’t fall.

Evil tidings he won’t fear,                               For His Lord is ever near;

He gives to those who are in need,                 He is remembered for his deeds,

He’s not afraid, his foes disperse,                  For they are under God’s great curse.

1.  Verses  1-10

a. What is the Psalmist doing in this psalm?       (verse 1)

He is saying how blessed the person is who trusts in the Lord and delights in His Word.

b.   What do we see about the families of those who trust in the Lord?     (verse  2)

If they follow the Lord, they too will be blessed.

c.  What sort of riches and wealth do those who follow the Lord have?     (verse 3)

They have the wealth of knowing the Lord for ever and the riches of a happy home; they may not necessarily have financial wealth although to know the Lord is to have peace of mind which is far greater.

d.  What does an upright man have that others don’t have?      (verse 4a)

He has light in his soul….he knows why he is on earth and where he is going when he leaves it.

e.  What characteristics do we see that the upright man has?     (verses 4b-5)

He is patient and gracious, compassionate and righteous…he is kind and will lend to those in real need, but will also have discretion in doing this….he won’t be a sucker for all who come begging.

f.  What else do we see about these sort of people?      ( verses 6-8)

They will be staunch in their beliefs, not afraid of bad news, trusting in the Lord steadfastly.

g. Do people miss out by being kind to others?       (verse 9)

No, they will still have enough as long as they continue to do this and whatever they do will prosper.

h. What do those not like this think about him?     (verse 10)

They don’t like it, and will speak wickedly about him, but they won’t be happy in the end. They will say he is pushing his barrow for his own ends, but they themselves will have no peace.

i.  What did our Lord Jesus have to say about people?    (Micah 6:8; Matthew 7:17-23; John 14:6)

We see in Micah that people are happy to do good deeds (being just and honest, and kind to others,) but they refuse to humble themselves to walk with God which is the main criteria. Matthew tells us that everyone is known by their fruits (deeds) and it is only those who do God’s will who will get to heaven, not all those who do good things. Many people do good things but they don’t do God’s will which is coming to know His Son who is the only way to heaven. The criteria is “What do you think of Christ?”

Psalm One hundred and thirteen….(verses 1-9)

                                             The Excellent One.

The Lord is worthy to be praised,       We see His might and are amazed;

Blessed be His Name for e’er,             Sing His praises everywhere.

The Lord is higher than the sky,         None else is like the One on High;

Yet on the earth He sees us all,           Raises up the ones who fall.

Though so high, He always sees,        Things on earth and sky and seas.

1.  Verses  1-9

a. What is the general feeling of this psalm?     (verses 1-9)

One of praise to God for Who He is and what He has done….there is none other like Him!

b.   How does this psalm open?     (verse  1)

By praising the Lord whole heartedly.

c.  What is the Psalmist specifically blessing here?      (verse 2)

He is blessing the Name of the Lord.

d.  What does he go on to say about this?      (verses 3-4)

The Lord is worthy to be praised continually because He is so great and high.

e.  What do we see going on in heaven concerning this?      (Revelation 4:8-11)

Heaven is a place where every being continually praises God for all He is and all He has done and is doing.

f.  Even though God is so high above the creatures He has created, what does He do?        ( verse 6; 2 Chronicles 16:9;  Matthew 10:29-31)

He keeps an eye on everything He has made, and misses seeing nothing….God knows everything that is going on everywhere!

g. What unlikely things does God take notice of?   (verses 7- 9)

He particularly sees those who are in need, and those who long for children and are unable to have them.

Psalm One hundred and fourteen….(verses 1-8)

The Providing One.

When Israel went from Egypt’s land,              Taken out by God’s great hand,

The sea was parted and they went,                 Across its bed as God had meant;

The Jordan too was driven back,                    Nothing more the people lacked.

The mountains leapt like skipping rams,        The little hills like frisking lambs!

The earth  a-shook when God did speak,        And rocks brought forth a gushing creek!

1.  Verses  1-8

a. What do we read about in this psalm?     (verses 1-8)

We read about how God  saw to it that the sea and river were dried up for Israel to go across safely…God over-ruled His creation for those special occasions.

b. When did the sea get driven back? What happened at the river Jordan?   (Exodus 14:20-29; Joshua 3:11-17; 4:15-18)

These two events happened as the people of Israel travelled to the Promised Land. God over-ruled the forces of nature in making the Red Sea part to allow the people go over dry shod. When it came time to go across the river Jordan, it was the time of the year when the river was overflowing its banks. As the people followed God’s instructions, and the priests carrying the Ark of the covenant put their feet into the waters of the river, it miraculously stopped flowing and everyone was able to get across safely.

c.   On what particular occasion did the mountains quake? Why?     (verse 7; Exodus 19:18)

When the Lord came down to speak to Moses on Mt.Sinai….His presence was enough to cause the mountain to tremble and quake.

d.  What do we see happens when God steps into the affairs of men?  What was another occasion when a large earthquake occurred?   (verse 7; Exodus 19:17-20;  Matthew 27:50-54)

The earth trembles and shakes at the presence of God. We see this happening at Mt.Sinai when God came down to speak to Moses. It also happened at the very moment that Jesus Christ died on the cross….there was a tremendous earthquake that caused many graves to open and it was at the same moment that the curtain in the temple that separated the holy place from the rest of it was torn from the top to the bottom.

e.  There was one more occasion mentioned in which God over-ruled nature….what was it?   (verse 8; Exodus 17:3-6)

When the people needed water for themselves and their cattle…God told Moses to strike a certain rock and the water would come, and it happened just as God said it would.

f.  This not only provided the people with their much needed water, but it was symbolic of another greater need….what was that?    (John 4:13-14; Revelation 22:1, 17)

People today need the water of life which only Jesus Christ can give through His death on the cross….He offered it to the woman at the well and again still offers it to whoever will accept it. It is a two way thing….He has done His part in providing it, and we must do our part by consciously accepting it…it doesn’t just happen by itself!

Psalm One hundred and fifteen….(verses 1-18)

The Certain One.

To you O Lord, we glory give,                         Help us be true and for You live;

You’re in the heavens high above,                  Showing men of Your great love.

Man’s idols and their gods of gold,                             Can never speak nor have thy told,

Their ears are deaf, their hands are still,         They cannot move nor have a will.

Those who make them are the same,              As they’ll find out to their great shame.

The Lord is Israel’s help and shield,                           For those who trust, His sword He’ll wield;

He’ll bless them all, both small and great,      When they on Him will humbly wait.

The heavens are the Lord’s alone,                  Where He now sits on His white throne

The earth beneath belongs to men,                 Let us praise His Name again!

1.  Verses  1-18

a. Who is the only One worthy of giving glory to?    Why?      (verse 1; John 14:6)

God, the Lord, is the only One who is worthy of glory given by man’s worship….other gods and idols connected with spirit worship only bring fear and bondage. Jesus Christ is the only One who is the Truth, and He proved this by rising from the dead….none of the other great religious leaders are alive today, they are all dead and their tombs are able to be seen.

b. What reason do non-Christians give for not believing in God?     (verse 2)

They say they can’t believe in a God they can’t see, and how can Christians prove there is a God anyway!

c.   What do we see in these verses?        (verse 3; 1 Chronicles 16:24-29)

That God is in the Heavens and is the supreme Being over all things….He is the only One who created all things and we are to give Him the glory for this….all other deities are only idols and useless.

d.  How does the Psalmist describe the idols of the heathen nations? What does Isaiah have to say about them?      (verses 4-8; Isaiah 44: 9-20)

He says they are absolutely useless….they cannot move and have no life, and those who make and trust them are just as silly; Isaiah shows the whole process of making an idol and says that those who do this obviously haven’t stopped to think that with part of the timber they have made this “deity” and with the rest of the same piece of wood they have cooked their meal and warmed themselves at the fire!

e.  Who is the only One worthy to trust? Why?     (verses  9-11)

The Lord is the only One who can help and protect His people.

f.  What else does the Lord do for His people?       (verses 12-15; Ephesians 1:3)

He blesses all those who fear and trust Him, and gives many physical blessings as well as spiritual ones. God is not stingy or mean when He blesses His people.

g.  What else are we told here?         ( verses 15-16)

That God has made everything….the heaven and the earth….but He specifically made the earth for people to live on. No other planet has been discovered that can sustain human life.

h. What are we reminded of in the last verses?      (verses 17-18)

These verses have a double application….those who are dead in sin cannot praise the Lord because they don’t know Him!  Also once we have died, others cannot hear us praising the Lord any longer. So let’s make sure we praise Him while we are alive and encourage others to do the same.

Psalm One hundred and sixteen….(verses 1-19)

                                                  The Gracious One.

I love the Lord for He has heard,         My supplications,  every word,

Because He hears when I call,             And brings me up from depths of gall,

Full of sorrow and of woe,                  He frees me  from my every foe!

He is the Gracious One above,            He is the God of righteous love;

Return unto your rest my soul,           For He’s delivered and made whole,

From death and tears, and feet that fall, He’s delivered from them all.

What can I to the Lord now give,        For the fact I move and live?

I’ll take salvation that’s His gift,         Pay my vows, my voice I’ll lift!

Precious in the sight of God,              Are those who in His ways have trod;

When He calls them to His home,       Never more on earth to roam.

I, Your servant, now will give,             My thanksgiving while I live,

Sacrifice of thanks and praise,            For all You’ve done for me always;

Pay my vows before Your face,           And thank You for Your love and grace!

1.  Verses  1-19

a. What do we see in these first two verses?     (verses 1-2)

We see a two way relationship, a response from a heart full of love for the Lord because of all His goodness and kindness to the Psalmist.

b. Was this because the Psalmist had no problems?     (verses 3-4)

No, he was in dire straits more than once, but he knew he could rely on the Lord to deliver him.

c.   What  characteristics of God do we see next?    (verse 5)

That He is gracious yet righteous, and merciful.

d.  What does God’s righteousness demand?      (Romans 3:23; 6:23a)

God’s righteousness demands the spiritual death of the sinner.

e.  What do God’s grace and mercy do?      (Romans 6:23b)

God’s grace and mercy has provided a way of escape from His judgment…the sin penalty has been paid by His own dear Son. If we choose to ignore this gift which God offers us, then His grace and mercy are null and void for us. God has done His part, now we have to do our part. God can do nothing for a rebellious heart.

f.  Why do you think we sometimes have to be brought low in times of trouble?  (verse 6)

So we will turn to Him and call out to Him.

g.  What do we see in the next few verses?   ( verses 7-8)

We see how God delivered the Psalmist out of trouble, and lifted him up from the depths when he called on Him.

h. What is the Psalmist’s response to this?    (verses 9-11)

He now chose to walk with the Lord and believe Him rather than what other men said.

i. What does the Lord want people to do for His benefits to them?      (verses 12-14)

He wants them to respond to His offer of salvation and to walk with Him for all to see.

j.  How does God regard the death of His people? How should we regard the prospect of our own death?            (verse 15; Philippians 1:21-24)

He regards their death as precious because now they are with Him; we should be like Paul and look forwards to the prospect of being with Christ which is far better!

k.  What does thinking about death bring to the mind of the Psalmist?     (verse 16)

It reminds him of how he belongs to God and how God has brought him into freedom from the slavery of sin.

l.  What are the sacrifices here, that all God’s people are called on to bring Him?  (verses 17-19; Hebrews 13:15-16)

The sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, and paying any vows we have made to God, as well as living a life dedicated to Him.

m.   Why are God’s people obliged to offer these sacrifices?          (1 Peter 2:5, 9)

Because they are a chosen people, and a royal priesthood before God….God has done so much to thank and praise Him for! What priest does not bring a sacrifice to his God? Even in heathen nations this is done, how much more should God’s people do it!

Psalm One hundred and seventeen….(verses 1-2)

                                                       Praise!

O praise the Lord for His great Name,                        All people, nations, praise the same;

His kindness and mercy to us is great,           In giving salvation  from sin’s dread fate;

His truth endures for ever amen,                    He’s worthy of praise, again and again!

1.  Verses  1-2

a. What is unique about this psalm?     (verses 1-2)

It is the shortest psalm of all, having only two verses!

b. What do you notice about who the Psalmist is calling on to praise the Lord?     (verses 1-2)

He is calling on all nations (the world wide group), then on all people (within those nations) and then down to the individual (His mercy to US) to praise the Lord.

c.   What do you see in this?   (verses 1-2; 100:1-5)

That no-one is exempt or has any reason to NOT praise Him….after all, He is the One who has given us life and all that we have.  He is good and all truth, and we are obliged to acknowledge this and give Him thanks for it….the question is, do we?

Psalm One hundred and eighteen….(verses 1-29)

                                               The Dependable One.

O praise the Lord, so good and kind,              Where else could such a One we find?

For He is good and merciful,                           Enduring and dependable;

When in distress , we on Him call,                  He holds me up, I will not fall;

Better far to trust in Him,                                For He is light that’s never dim.

My enemies surrounded me,                           They compassed me like buzzing bees;

The Lord is all my strength and song,            To Him I truly do belong;

His right  hand’s here on my side,                  As daily in Him I abide;

The Lord may chasten for my good,               But I’ll still praise Him as I should!

He is the Stone that is my Head,                     He is the One by Whom I’m led.

This is the day the Lord has made,                 He’s blest us all, our debt He’s paid;

God IS the Lord who shows us light,              He’s brought us out of sin’s dark night.

You are my God, and You I’ll praise,               For You are good to me always!

1.  Verses  1-29

a. What reason does the Psalmist give for being thankful to the Lord?    (verses 1-4)

For His goodness and His mercy that lasts for eternity.

b. Which people were being called on to praise the Lord?     (verses 2-4)

Israel (God’s chosen people), the house of Aaron (the priests), and all who fear the Lord….in other words all who know the Lord have so much to give Him thanks for…their very being and every blessing He gives

c.   What does the Psalmist go on to say?   (verses 5-12)

That no matter what bad circumstances come upon him, God is there to help him and he will not fear what man  can do to him. God is the only One to totally trust….people will let you down but God never will.

d.  What sort of things can “compass” God’s people about today and cause them to fear?    (verses 10-13)

Financial and family problems, ill health in peaceful countries, and in place of political unrest, then there is the fear of war and being arrested for one’s faith.

e.  What confidence does the Psalmist have in these situations?    (verses 13-16)

Even though the enemy thrusts him through, the Lord will protect him and give him peace and a song. He can rest in the Lord knowing that He does valiantly.

f.  What can he do in the midst of trials?    (verses 17-18)

Even though things are going wrong around him, yet he is still able to talk of the Lord.

g.  What is one classic example of this?    ( Acts 16:19-24)

When Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison, yet they still talked of the Lord and sang His praises with the result that the jailer and his family all came to the Lord!

h. What do you think these next few verses mean?  (verses 19-21; Matthew 15:1-9)

We have to be Christians to sing the praises of God acceptably….we have to go in through salvation’s gate otherwise we just become like those who honour the Lord with their mouth but not their heart.

i. What do the next two verses refer to? (verses 22-23; Mark 12:10; Acts 4:10-12; 1 Peter 2:5-8)

There are enough other Scriptures to tell us that these verses are referring to the Lord Jesus Christ and how in spite of His chosen people refusing Him, He is still the Headstone of the Corner of God’s building, the Church….it is all part of God’s plan and is wonderful in our eyes!

j.  What should we remember each morning?     (verse 24)

That this is a new day that God has given us, unblemished and without spot thus far, and give Him thanks for it, going out with joy in our hearts to Him.

k.  What should we be looking for each day?  When was this said publicly?       (verse 25; Matthew 21:9)

We should be looking to the Lord for safety and prosperity…..this was said by the crowd when Jesus Christ went into Jerusalem just prior to the cross. They were publicly praising Him one day and calling for His death the next!

l.  What light has God shown His people? How is this tied in with sacrifice?   (verse 27; 1 Peter 2:9)

God has called us out of  the spiritual darkness of this world into His marvellous light through the sacrifice of His Son , Jesus Christ.

m.   What point does the contemplation of all this bring the Psalmist to?   (verses 28-29)

He is overwhelmed by all God’s goodness and mercy, and is full of praise to Him for it all

n.   What should the realisation of all this bring us to?   (Romans 11:33-36)

Saying with Paul, O the wonders of God! The depth of His wisdom and knowledge is totally beyond human comprehension! We can never reach the bottom of it and can only bow in amazement at the bit we do understand!

o.   What else does all this tell us?    (1 Corinthians 2:9-12)

That we can never while here on earth comprehend all that God has prepared for us, and that we have eternity to discover it all!  We are just like the caterpillar crawling on the ground compared to the butterfly we will become in heaven!!!

Psalm One hundred and nineteen….(Section A)

In each of the stanzas of this long psalm, God’s Word is upheld, and is spoken of in many different ways in every verse….as His law, judgments,  precepts,  statutes, commandments, and testimonies.

                                             A. The Unashamed  Man.

Blest are those who walk God’s way,              Those who seek Him ev’ry day,

Iniquity they do not seek,                                Of His laws they daily speak.

Your commands and statues keep,                 We love and learn Your judgments deep.

Help us to keep them as we should,                For You O Lord, are great and good!

                                                    v.1-8

1.  Verses  1-8

a. When are people particularly blessed by God?     (verses 1-2)

When they live blameless lives before God, keeping His testimonies and seeking Him with their whole heart.

b. What is the first commandment in Moses’ law?     (Exodus 20:2-3; Matthew 22:36-38; Ephesians 1:3-4)

To have no other Gods but the Lord God, and to love Him with all one’s mind, heart and soul. When a person does this, he will be blessed indeed with every spiritual blessing.

c.   What is the result for those who have this as their aim?      (verse 3)

They won’t practice sin, and will live as God would have them do.

d.  In what way are we to practice God’s precepts?     (verse 4)

Diligently and consistently….it is no use trying to have one foot in the world and one in the Christian life.

e.  When a person lives like this what will their attitude be?     (verses 5-6)

They won’t feel ashamed of themselves when they read God’s Word….it won’t be convicting them.

f.  What will they continue to do?    (verses 7-8)

They will be praising God as they learn more of Him through His Word, and will continue to keep it.

                                                   B.  The Young Man

How shall a young man cleanse his way?       By list’ning to Your Word each day.

With his whole heart he’s sought Your face,  And will not Your laws displace;

Your word alone keeps us  from sin,              We hide it in our heart within;

With our lips Your Word declare,                    Your ways and riches gladly share;

Your laws and precepts meditate,                   As on Your Word, we  daily wait.

                                                  v.9-16

1.  Verses  9-16

a.    How can young (and not so young) people clean up their act?     (verse 9)

By taking heed to God’s Word….reading it and acting on what it says

b. What is the main thing when seeking the Lord?   (Mark 12:30)

To do it with all one’s heart, mind and soul….we cannot be half hearted about it!

c.   How can we keep sin from ruling our lives?   (verse 11)

By learning  and memorising God’s Word….reading it daily. We may not remember a lot of it, but just as a sieve doesn’t hold water, yet the water going through it keeps it clean! God’s Word keeps us clean in mind.

d.  Who is our great Teacher?      (verse 12; Matthew 10: 19-20; John 14:26)

The Holy Spirit will bring things to our minds that we have learned, but we have to put it there in the first place! He will open our understanding in the things of God and remind us of what we need to know when we need it most.

e.  What is this verse telling us? How does a pond keep pure and clean?   (verse 13)

In this verse we see a believer who is passing on what he knows about God….telling others. A pond must have water going out as well as water coming in to stop it from going stagnant and keep it clean , so too must a believer.

f.  What are the things of God like to a believer?    (verse 14; 19: 9-11)

They are like great riches, better by far than the gold of earth.

g.  What do these  two verses tell us we should  be doing?   ( verses 15-16)

We are to meditate and think about the things of God continually and delight in them, then we won’t forget them.

                                             C.  The Longing  Man.

Within Your Word are wondrous things,         That cause my heart to greatly sing,

I pray my eyes may open be,                           My soul longs for Your laws to see.

The proud will never know Your word,           For in their sin and pride they’ve erred;                                                                                   

  No matter how they slander me                Your statutes my delight will be!!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         v.17-24

1.  Verses  17-24

a.    How does God deal with His people? What must we do?  (verse 17; John 10: 10b; Titus 3:4-6)

He gives bountifully and in abundance….because of this we have the responsibility to keep His ways.

b. What do we need  to understand God’s Word?    (verse 18; John 14:26; 16:13-15)

We need help from God, and He has given us His Holy Spirit to lead, guide and teach us.

c.   How should we as believers, regard ourselves? What should we rely on?  (verse 19; John 17:14-17; 1 Peter 2:9-11)

Believers are in the world, but not part of it…we are strangers here and need to rely on the Lord to keep us from being swallowed up in the world system and values.

d.  How did the Psalmist feel about God’s judgments (Word)?  (verse 20; 42:1-2; 63:1-3)

He longed for it at all times….he felt like a panting deer and thirsted for God’s word. This is how we should be.

e.  What keeps people from following God’s Word?  What will their end be?   (verse 21)

Pride keeps people from turning to God and they will suffer God’s curse in the end.

f.  What do we as believers, fear? What is the Psalmist asking for here?   (verse 22)

We fear other’s sneers and contempt….the Psalmist is asking to have this removed from him.

g.  How did the Psalmist overcome this fear?    ( verse 23)

He kept his mind on the things of the Lord and thought about them constantly

h. What did God’s Word become to him as he did this?   (verse  24)

It was his delight and his guide.

i.   Do we find this too?   (verse 11; 19:10)

The more we read it, the more we delight in it and need it; it becomes sweeter all the time.                                                                                            D. The Choosing Man.

My soul sinks slowly in the dust,                    Raise me by Your Word so just;

I have declared my ways and thoughts,          Teach me to know the things I ought;

Your wondrous  works I’ll sing and talk,         Help me your truthful ways to walk!

For You will put me not to shame,                  When I seek Your glorious Name!!

                                                                               v. 25-32

1.  Verses  25-32

a.    What is natural man like? What does the Psalmist ask for?  (verse 25; Ephesians 2:12)

Natural man grovels in the dust of not being part of God’s promises and with no hope at all; the Psalmist asks to be given the life that is found in God’s Word.

b. What is one prayer that is guaranteed will be answered and granted?  (verse 26; John 14:13-14)

The prayer of confession and repentance, and the request to be taught in God’s things…..we have to confess that our ways are not God’s ways. He will always hear and grant that request.

c.   What do we have to know before we can talk about it?  (verse 27;  Proverbs 1:7; 9:10)

We have to fear the Lord before we can understand His Word and what He has done; then we can tell others about it….too many people talk without knowing their subject or the author of it.

d.  What did the Psalmist ask for when he was feeling depressed? (verse 28; Colossians 1:10-11)

He asked for the Lord to strengthen him  and then read God’s word for comfort.

e.  What did the Psalmist ask for here?  What do we have to do? (verse 29; Colossians 3:8-10)

The psalmist asked to be able to stop lying and to be given God’s laws….Paul tells us to “put off” the old nature, and to “put on” the new one. He makes it very clear what these two natures are like! Telling lies is one of the characteristics of the old nature.

f.  We often hear that there is nothing to do for our salvation as Christ has done it all, but there is one very clear thing that is necessary for us to do…..what is it?  ( verse 30)

We have to make a definite decision to choose God’s truth…. Jesus Christ  said that He is the “Way,  the Truth, and the Life” and then to live by it.

g.    This decision is not just a “oncer”…. what is involved in it?  (verse  31)

We have to stick to it for life! Too many people just make a head decision but they don’t follow it through in their life, and then they say they tried that once and it didn’t work!

h.   What does an athlete have to do to win the race?  (verse 32; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

He has to train consistently, and in the same way we must stick to God’s Word and run in His ways.

                                              E. The Learning  Man.

Your way O Lord, I seek to learn,        For all Your laws, my soul does yearn;

Understanding, I shall seek,                Give me a humble heart so meek.

In Your commands I want to walk,      And of Your things delight to talk;

Keep me from being covetous,           Turn my eyes from wickedness.

Your Word establish in my mind,        Your judgments are so good and kind!

I have longed to be each day,              Living in each righteous way.

                                                                  v.33-40

1.  Verses  33-40….                  Seven Requests

a. There are seven requests made to the Lord in this section which we also should make….what are they?    (verses 33-40)

Teach me, give me understanding, make me go the right way, help me to think of Your things, keep me from looking at wrong things, establish Your word in my mind, make me alive in the things of Yourself.

b. We might ask God to teach us, but what is our part in the learning process?  (verse 33)

We cannot expect God to just pour knowledge into our minds if we don’t take the time to read His Word and think about it….to be taught, we must apply ourselves to learn.

c.   What is the end result of learning a subject thoroughly?     ( Proverbs 22:6)

We will not forget it as we go through life….that is why it is important to teach children God’s ways.

d.  What do we need to have to obey God’s rules?    (verse 34;  Hebrews 11:6)

We need to have understanding…..we need to know that God means what He says otherwise we won’t have the faith that we need to believe Him.

e.  What else do we need to ask for?  What is the result of this?      (verse 35)

We need to ask for obedience…..it is not in the human nature to be automatically obedient. We are all born with the sin nature that wants to rebel, and we have to learn to do as we are told. The more we obey the Lord, the more we will learn to love His ways and delight in them.

f.  What is another by-product of the sinful nature?    ( verse 36; Exodus 20:17)

We are always wanting things (covetousness) ….the less we delight in the Lord, the more we want other things to fill the void. So if we fill our minds with the things of the Lord, the more we will be satisfied.

g.    What do we as believers have to be so careful of?     (verse  37)

We have to be careful what we watch on TV and the internet, as well as what we read. When God inspired the Psalmist to write this, He knew that these modern inventions would tempt His people one day.

h.   What is the Psalmist asking for here?   What do we have to remember about God?      (verse 38; Malachi 3:6a)

God never changes….what He says, He will do, and His Word never changes. Those who fear the Lord are to hang onto it with all their hearts and minds.

i.  What will we have as we obey God’s Word?       (verse 39;  66:18)

We will have a clear conscience before Him, and will know that He hears our prayers.

j.  As we do all this, what is the result?     (verse 40)

The more we get of God’s Word, the more we will want! The Word  revives us and makes us more alive in the things of God.

k.   Why are we so reluctant to spend time in it seeing it does us so much good ?   (1 Peter 5:8)

Satan gives us many distractions, and we have to practice self discipline that NOTHING will alter….we must be vigilant in this and establish an unalterable routine.

                                             F.   The  Willing Man

Your mercies Lord, are there for me,  Salvation too will always be,

I may take and trust Your Word,         Just as I have always heard;

Help me always keep Your law,           And seek Your precepts more and more.

Your testimonies I will tell,                 In Your commands delight to dwell;

My hands I’ll lift to Your command,    And on Your statutes firmly stand!!!

                                                                                                                                                        v. 41-48

1.  Verses  41-48…                   Seven Resolves

a.    Read this section right through first…..what is the theme here?   (verses 41-48)

It is a prayer for understanding and steadfastness in the things of God.

b. What mercy is the Psalmist talking about here?  What is he basing his request on? (verse 41)

He is talking about God’s mercy and His salvation as taught in His Word.

c.   Why is it important to know and trust God’s Word?    ( verse 42; 1 Peter 3:15)

So we will be able to answer those who query our faith. No-one can argue with a person’s conviction.

d.  What was he asking here?    (verse 43)

He asks to remain hanging onto God’s truths and to not waver in it.

e.  Is the Christian life and decision just a oncer? What exactly does John 3:16 say?      (verse 44)

In one sense it is, but it must be accompanied by continually believing and living in God’s ways. It is those who “believe”, not those who “once believed” when they were young and then went on their own way.

f.  What does God’s Word do for people?    ( verse 45; John 8:32, 36; Galatians  5:1)

To know Jesus Christ is to be set free from sin and the law….He has given liberty from the stranglehold of sin and/or having to keep the law for one’s salvation.

g.    What can people not argue with?     (verse  46)

They cannot argue with your testimony of what God has done for you!  They may mock it but they cannot refute it.

h.   What positive things are in this verse?      (verse 47)

The more we delight in God’s Word, the more we will come to love it…the two positives are DELIGHT and LOVE.

i.  What does lifting the hands up in prayer denote here? (verse 48; Matthew 6:5-6, 16-18)

Lifting up one’s hands in prayer shows love for God, with respect and reverence. We should NEVER lift our hands up in public just because others are doing it. To do it in private is another matter …..it is the same as making long flowery prayers in public, or making a show of giving money for charity.

j.  What is the most important thing we can do with God’s Word?    (verse 48b)

To read and meditate (think) about it constantly.

k.  What are the seven  (eight actually) resolves the Psalmist made?          (verses 41-48)

He would take God’s SALVATION, he would TRUST in God’s Word, he would HOPE in God’s judgments and KEEP His law forever, he would continue to SEEK the things of God and SPEAK to others and find DELIGHT in God’s Word and MEDITATE in it.

                                               G.  The Tested  Man.

Your Word O Lord, is wondrous free  It gives me life and comforts me;

Tho’ the crowd derides and sneers,    Yet I need have no worried fears;

Your judgements I remember still,      Help me O lord, to know Your will.

Tho’ wicked ones forsake Your law,    Help me O Lord, to love it more;

O Lord to You my praise I bring,         To Your great Name, I daily sing!!

                                                                                                                                         v.49-56

1.  Verses  49-56…                   Seven Results

The psalmist has made seven requests in verses 33-40 for God to give him , and then had seven resolves in doing his part to get them (41-48) ; now he is finding seven results……

a.    Read this section right through first…..what is the Psalmist talking about here?    (verses 49-56)

He seems to be feeling down in the dumps and is looking to the Lord for comfort.

b.    What does he base his hope on?       (verse 49)

He is basing everything on God’s Word to give him hope.

c.   What does God’s Word give him (and us)?     ( verse 50)

It gives comfort and hope for the life to come.

d.  In spite of opposition, what must we do?     (verse 51)

Never try to answer on other’s level….always go back to what God says. It is not us they are arguing with, it is basically God….we are just the channel to pass it on, even if we have to repeat a verse over and over. God’s Word is like a hammer as well as a sharp sword, and we must let it do the work of conviction.

e.  What is the basis of our comfort?      (verse 52)

God’s Word that tells of His judgments in times past….if He worked then, He will work now!

f.  What horrified the Psalmist as he considered these things?         ( verses 53; 73:2-19)

Not only the  things that the wicked and evil people do and present in their stories and books, but also the prospect of their end.

g. What can lift our hearts and thoughts to the Lord?  What does Paul tell us to do?  (verse  54; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16)

The Psalmist sang about the things of God, and Paul tells us to fill our minds with Christian songs and music, making melodies to the Lord.

h.   What was the Psalmist’s antidote for sleeplessness?      (verse 55; 1:2)

When he woke in the night, he thought of the Lord and meditated in His Word.

i.  What is the result of doing all this?       (verse 56)

It all helps us to keep God’s precepts….to live as He would have us live.

j.  What are the seven results of the previous seven resolves?          (verses 49-56)

There is HOPE, COMFORT, STANDING FIRM, REMEMBERING God’s  past works, feeling HORROR at the prospect of the end of those who don’t know the Lord, SINGING to the Lord, and the ability to MEDITATE during the night.

                                   H. The Entreating Man.

You’re my portion, I’ll keep Your Word,          For by it daily, my heart is stirred;

I find You are so merciful,                               Your Word is true and bountiful;

Help me Your Word to always keep,               Give thanks at night when not asleep;

Help me to be with those who fear,                 And keep your statutes ever near!

                                                        v.57-64

1.  Verses  57-64…                   Sevenfold Obedience

The more we get to know, the more we realise we need to know, and now the Psalmist is making more requests and resolves in following the Lord….to follow the Lord  is not a stagnant pool but a clean forward moving stream…..

a.    What is the Psalmist’s resolve here?    (verse 57)

He realises where his lot is and resolves to keep God’s Words….this is an ongoing thing, not just a oncer.

b.    What does he base his capability to do this on?       (verse 58)

He is basing this on God’s favour and mercy as he depends on the Lord….it is not in our strength that  we can do this but only with God’s help.

c.   God has done His part…what is our part?         ( verse 59; 1 Corinthians 11:26-29)

We have to examine ourselves and straighten ourselves up where we are going wrong, especially in the matter of taking part in the bread and wine of remembrance..

d.  What is the result of self examination?      (verse 60)

Not to put off doing it, but get on with this self examination.

e.  What robs us, and what is taken?      (verse 61)

When we slip into sin, we are robbed of our peace before God and our joy in Him flies away….even if we don’t forget our earlier resolves to follow the Lord, these other things crowd it out.

f.  When do these thoughts often come back to haunt us? What should we do about it then?    ( verse 62)

These things will often come back to mind when we can’t sleep, and the sooner we confess our sin and give thanks to the Lord for what He has done for us, the better. The Psalmist got up in the night to do this.

g.    What does it always pay to do?  (verse  63; Hebrews 10:25)

It pays to watch one’s company and to not stop meeting with the Lord’s people…..wrong friends will lead to wrong actions.

h.   What did the Psalmist finally realise and what was his response?      (verse 64)

He realised that the earth  is full of God’s mercy, and he wanted to learn more of it.

i.  What is a common saying that bears this thought out?       (1:2-3)

The more we get, the more we want, and this is just as true in spiritual things as it is in physical things.

                                        I.   The Chastened  Man.

 Your hands have made and fashioned me,     Help me Your Word to clearly see;

I know your judgement’s always right,           Afflictions last but for a night.

All You give is for my good,                            I would not change it if I could!

For in it all Your faithfulness,                         Only comforts and will bless.

The tender mercies that You give,                  Delight me daily while I live;

In Your laws I’ll meditate,                               And on You daily I will wait;

Seek with those who fear and do,                   Love and learn Your statutes true!

                                                       v.65-72

1.  Verses  65-72…                   Seven Responses

It is when  things go wrong, that we get to know the Lord better……..

a.    How did the Psalmist view what was happening to him?    (verse 65)

He took it all as from the Lord, that it was all for the best in the long run.

b.    What was his resolve from this time on?       (verse 66)

His prayer was to be taught good judgment and knowledge, because he was believing in God’s Word.

c.   What is one prayer that we can all pray for ourselves?    ( Colossians 1:9-11)

We can pray to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, and to walk worthy of the Lord being fruitful, and to be strong in patience with joyfulness. How much we need all these things!

d.  What is the point of God’s chastening (afflictions)  in our lives?      (verse 67)

It is often because we are wandering away from His ways, and need to be brought back to Him.

e.  What do we have to remember when things go wrong?      (verse 68)

That God is good and only does what is good for us.

f.  What does John say about this sort of thing?         ( John 15:1-6)

That just as a vineyard keeper has to keep the vines trimmed and pruned to keep them bearing, so God has to keep us “trimmed” to get rid of all that hinders bearing fruit for Him. We cannot bear fruit in our own strength, only as we stay in the Vine and spend time in the Word.

g.    When things go wrong, what are we to do?         (verses  69-70)

We are still to keep God’s  teachings whole heartedly, no matter how bad the prognosis is as there is no-one else we can turn to.

h.   What is the right response to all the bad times when it is over?      (verse 71; Hebrews 12:9-11)

I needed it to bring me back into line! We can see the benefits of it all in knowing Him better and being able to rejoice in Him once more when before we had wandered away.

i.  What was the Psalmist’s summing up of the whole thing?              (verse 72; 19:9-10)

God’s law is better by far than any amount of money and wealth! God’s ways are the BEST and the sweetest.

                                              J.    The Grateful Man.

 Your hands have made and fashioned me,     Help  me  Your Word to plainly see,

Learning Your commandments true,               For in Your Word I’m trusting too.

You deal with me in faithfulness,                    In mercy You my soul will bless.

When afflictions come my way,                      I look to You and know You say,

“My tender mercies I now give,                       For all Your good each day to live”.

I’ll meditate in Your precept,                           Your testimonies I have kept;

Let  my heart in You be sound,                       I won’t be shamed when in You found.

                                                                                                                                                   v.73 – 80

1.  Verses  73-80…                   Grounded in the Word

a.    What is the Psalmist’s request here?  What is another way of putting this?  (verse 73)

Give me understanding so I can learn Your commands; help me to know that You know best!

b.    What happens when a person obeys God’s Word?       (verse 74)

Those he associates with will be glad to be in his company.

c.   What do we have to realise in life?      ( verse 75; Hebrews 12:10-11)

That life is never fair….even good people have bad things happen to them, but when we know the Lord we have a different attitude to these unfair things.

d.  What helps us through these times?       (verse 76; John 14:16-18)

We can turn to the Lord, knowing that He is with us  in these troubles, and that His Holy Spirit is the great Comforter who will give us strength and carry us through as we rest in His Word.

e.  What is the best thing we can do in these times?      (verse 77)

To be positive and put all self pity away, and delight in God’s Word….not easy, but it can be done.

f.  What happens when we make a point of “delighting” in God’s Word?  ( Psalm 37:4-5)

He will give us the desires of our heart, because our desires will change and become His desires for us.

g. If we remain steadfast and meditate in the Word, how will your antagonists feel?   (verse  78; 1 Peter 3:14-17)

If we follow the Word through in our attitudes and actions they won’t be able to understand it and  will feel ashamed. We will be able to answer their questions if they ask us and point them to the Lord. This is one case when actions speak louder than words!.

h.   What is the Psalmist’s final request here?      (verses 79-80)

Let me be a help to those who know You and that I will be able to practice what I preach!

i.  What was Paul’s advice to Timothy?     (2 Timothy 2:15)

Get to know the Word so you will know what you are talking about. Then you will be able to appreciate what the Lord has done for you and be a help to others….you will never be put to shame if you do this.

             K.    The Fainting  Man.

My soul is fainting for Your Words,    For it is that which under-girds,

Without it I am just like smoke,          Your statutes I will not revoke.

Those who chase and persecute,        Seek my soul right at its root;

Your commands are faithful, true,      Help me to keep your precepts too,

Help me Your testimonies find,           For You are good, and true and kind!

                                                                                                             v. 81 – 88

1.  Verses  81-88…                   More Trials

a.    What is the Psalmist looking for here?     (verses 81-82)

He badly wants God’s salvation in this situation, but he gets comfort from God’s Word….it doesn’t matter whether it is a physical or a spiritual problem, we can still get comfort from the Word.

b.    What does he feel like? How might we describe feeling like this?       (verse 83)

The Psalmist felt like being a bottle in the smoke; we might say we feel like a wrung out dish cloth! Exhausted and weak.

c. Where are the Psalmist’s problems coming from? Where does he look for help? ( verses 84-87)

His problems are being caused by other people giving him trouble, yet in spite of this, he looks to the Lord for help and refuses to give up on Him.

d.  What attitude did Paul have in his problem? What did he do?  (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

He asked the Lord three times to take it away and then realised he had to make the best of it when it stayed with him…he felt the Lord telling him that He could still use him in spite of the problem and his weakness.

e.  What conclusion does the Psalmist come to? What do we see in this?     (verse 88)

He asks God to revive him and promises to keep His ways….God will always do His part, but we have to do ours.

                                         L.  The Settled  Man.

Your Word O Lord, is set in heav’n,                Your faithfulness to me is giv’n,

The earth is stablished in Your  will,               Continues on to this day still!

Unless Your law was my delight,        I’d sink into the darkest night.

Your precepts true I’ll not forget,       Your testimonies will keep me yet;

Perfect are Your laws indeed,             Your commands meet all my need.

                                                           v.89 –96

1.  Verses  89-96…                   God’s Faithfulness

a.    What wonderful truth do we see here?       (verse  89)

God’s Word is eternal, for ever, and it is settled in Heaven.

b.    How can we liken this to our Lord Jesus Christ?       (John 1:1-4)

John calls the Lord Jesus the WORD here, and we know that He is the Eternal Son of  God .

c.   What do we see in the next two verses?           ( verses 90-91)

That God’s faithfulness lasts for ever, and we see it beginning with the establishment of the earth which will continue for as long as God says.

d.  How does the Psalmist continue?  How do we do this?     (verse 92)

He continued by delighting in God’s law….to do this we must read it daily and put our mind on heavenly things….we cannot grow in the Lord without doing this.

e.  People are always looking for what they can get out of things…..what does God’s  Word do for us?     (verse 93)

It  gives us life….a whole new perspective on life and new attitudes to go with them.

f.  What does God wait for from people?         ( verse 94)

He has provided satisfaction for all of people’s  spiritual needs, but He is waiting for them to ask Him to save them.

g.  What do other people often try to do?   (verse  95)

When they can’t understand your attitudes, they try to drag you down to their level of thinking which will destroy your peace of mind.

h.   What is the contrast here?      (verse 96…compare translations; 1 Corinthians 2:9)

Man’s perfection has limits, but God’s things far exceed this….we cannot begin to conceive or imagine what God has prepared for His people in a time to come!

                                       M. The Satisfied  Man.

O how I love Your laws today,                         I meditate on them each day;

Your commands have made me wise,             And You hear my daily cries;

Your understanding’s giv’n me,                      More than my teachers’ll ever be!

Your precepts I will try to keep,                                  For all Your thoughts are very deep; 

Your Word will keep from evil ways,               My feet will never in them stray         

You’ve taught me things so sweet and true,   Please help me them to always do,

Keep them ever in my taste,                            And help me never time to waste;      

Nothing sweeter I will find,                               No false way will touch my mind      

                                                                                                                                  v.97-104

1.  Verses  97-104…                 The Satisfying Word!

a.    What do we see overall in this section?        (verses 97-104)

What God’s Word does for those who immerse themselves in it.

b.    What is the Psalmist’s attitude to God’s Word here?       (verse 97)

He loves it and thinks about it all the time!

c.   What does God’s Word give to those who do this?           ( verse 98; Proverbs 9:10)

It gives wisdom and will never leave them….to respect and love God is the beginning of all wisdom.

d.  What does verse 99 tell us? How can this be so?      (Proverbs 1:7)

Those who love the Lord are wiser than their teachers…a teacher who doesn’t believe is classed as a fool!

e.  Does age automatically give understanding? What does give it?     (verse 100; Ecclesiastes 4:13)

Age gives experience but unless it is coupled with keeping God’s ways (precepts), it doesn’t give understanding of what God requires…. it is only God’s word that does that.

f.  What do we see in verse 101? What two things have to go together?   ( James 2:13-26)

It’s not just a matter of turning away from doing wrong things, but we have to fill our life with God’s Word. James tells us that it’s not enough to just believe with our minds (faith) , but we have to put it into practice to show we mean what we say (works).

g.    Who is our teacher in the things of God?      (verse  102; John 14:26)

God Himself has given us a wonderful Teacher in the Holy Spirit  who lives with every true believer….we don’t have to see Him or feel Him we just have to accept that He is with us and that He will prompt us as we read God’s Word.

h.   How should we feel as we delve into God’s Word?      (verse 103; 19:10)

We should find it sweet to our spiritual taste.

i.  What if we don’t?  What should we do to get more out of it?   (2 Timothy 2:15)

Read the same passage several times, and analyse it. Have a notebook and write thoughts down as they come to you. Be prepared to look for other verses that say similar things and compare them. Ask yourself the ABC questions….A, a good title for the passage; B, the best verse in the passage and why is it the best; C, what is the challenge for you personally in this passage. Write all these down and it will help you to remember them.

j.  We all like to get something out of things….what does God’s word give you?          (verse 104)

It gives us understanding  in the things of God and a hatred of sin…..a putting on and a putting off.

k.   What does Paul tell us to put off and then put on ?    (Romans 13:12-14; Colossians 3:8-14)

We are to put off all the old ways of the life of the natural man, and put on the ways of the new life in Christ ….what a contrast there is between the two!!

                                               N.      The Seeing  Man.

Your Word’s a lamp unto my feet,      A light that all my needs will meet,

I’ve always said that I will do,                         All that Your Word will tell me to!

When I’m afflicted very much,            Help me to stay with You in touch.

Accept, I pray, my offering,                 Teach me Your judgments, help me bring,

Your law that I will ne’er forget,          Your statutes  true,  before me set!

                                                                        v. 105-112

1.  Verses  105-112…                      The Guiding Word!

a.    In the Bible there are many pictures of what God’s word is like….what is the picture here?    (verse 105)

The picture here is of a guiding light to show us the pitfalls and the right way.

b.    What else is described as a Light?       (John 1:4-9; 8:12)

Our Lord Jesus describes Himself as the Light of the world….He came into the world to give men light in their lives and to bring them out of the darkness of sin.

c.   What was the Psalmist’s vow here?     ( verse 106)

That he would keep God’s rules and ways.

d.  How was he feeling at this time? What was he looking to for to help?   (verse 107)

He had a lot against him, and was asking the Lord for help and strength from His Word.

e.  What can we expect and ask for at times like these?     (Ephesians 3:16; Colossians 1:10-11)

We can look to the Lord for strength from His Holy Spirit  to be able to stand firm for Him.

f.  When we speak of the things of the Lord, how is this described here? What else is this called?  ( verse 108; Hebrews 13:15)

It is called the “freewill offerings of the mouth”; praising God  is also called a “sacrifice” to Him. It is something that comes freely from our choice to give to Him and not because it is forced out of us.

g. Look at other translations for this verse… what is the Psalmist saying here?                (verse  109)

He is saying that even though he is in constant danger, yet he remembers God’s law (His Word)

h.   How is he feeling in this next verse?     (verse 110)

He is feeling trapped by those around him, as though they are trying to catch him out, but he was determined to stand his ground.

i.  What was the Psalmist basing his life on?      (verse 111)

He was basing his life and attitudes on God’s testimonies.

j.  What does Paul say about this foundation we have?          (Ephesians 2:13-22)

God has drawn us all, both Jew and Gentile together as one, into His promises and given us the foundation of the prophets and apostles with Jesus Christ being the head.

k.   What should be the response of our hearts to this wonderful situation ?        (verse 112)

Utter obedience to God’s Word, no matter what!

                                           O.  The Steadfast Man.

Vain thoughts I hate, Your law I love,             I hide in You O God above;

I’ll keep commands that You have giv’n,         Uphold me by your Word from heav’n,

Please hold me up so I am kept,                     Help me Your statutes to respect.

All those who err You’ve put away,                 Deceitful men no more can sway;

You’ve done away with wicked men,               Help me to always fear You then!

                                                                                                                                v.113-120

1.  Verses  113-120…                  The Safety of God’s Word!

a.    What are the contrasts in this verse (look at different versions)?       (verse 113)

Hate and love; double standards and God’s law…two sets of opposites.

b.    What does the Psalmist feel about this?       (verse 113)

He hates double standards and loves God’s law.

c.   What did he place all his confidence in?           ( verse 114)

He put all his confidence in God and His Word…it was a safe place to have it, and he would not be let down.

d.  To be in that frame of mind, what did he have to do?    (verse 115)

He had to keep away from bad company and ungodly friends and determine to keep to the Lord.

e.  How could he do that? How can WE do this?     (verse 116; 2 Timothy 2:15, 22)

He prayed that the Lord would keep him; he learned God’s Word and stood firm on his convictions that were based on the Scriptures..

f.  Our relationship with the Lord is a two way thing….what is God’s part here and what is ours?  ( verse 117)

God’s part is to hold us up and keep us safe, but He can only do that if we respect His Word and rules.

g.    What can those expect who deliberately turn away from God?     (verses 118-119)

God will eventually tread them down and put them out of His sight.

h.   What is the feeling of being separated from God like for those who don’t know Him? While they are alive on earth, they feel no need of Him, but what about their feelings in the next life?      (verse 120; Isaiah 48:22; Luke 16:19-31)

They are afraid of God and His judgment, and are in the torments of regrets, without  peace or rest. The Bible calls it being in the torments of flame….we cannot begin to imagine what that must be like!

i.  How do we know that the story that Jesus told in Luke 16 is a true account and not fictional?     (Luke 16:20, 23)

The beggar was named, as was Abraham…..it was a real account of real people and will still be going on today. No names are ever given in the parable stories that Jesus gave.

                                              P.    The Serving  Man                                                                                                                                                      Right judgment I have always done,               Let my oppressors not o’er me run,

The proud will seek to spurn Your Word,       Your statutes I have ever heard;

I am your servant, help me know,                   And Your testimonies show.

It’s time for You O Lord, to work,                   Help me your ways to never shirk;

Your commands I love and prize,                    More than gold’s value and its size,

Your precepts always true and right,              Help me to walk in their bright light!

                                                                                                                                                                      v.121-128

1.  Verses  121-128…               The Value of God’s Word!

a.    What do we see about the psalmist in this verse?       (verse 121)

He was doing what was right and yet there were people who were oppressing him.

b.    What does this tell us about society?     

There will always be opposition against God’s people.

c.   What was he calling on God for here?   ( verse 122)

He was wanting God to back him up and to keep him from those who were oppressing and opposing him.

d.  What was his great desire?  (verse 123)

He wanted to always be able to see and be reminded of God’s great salvation and of His Word.

e.  What is the only way we can be reminded of these things?     ( 2 Timothy 2:15)

By reading God’s Word  continually and studying it carefully….the casual reading of little verses and comments about it is not enough, we need to feed on the Word itself.

f.  Even when things go wrong, what do we have to remember?     ( verse 124)

We have to remember that God knows best, and there is always something to learn from every experience we go through.

g. What attitude must we always have towards God?     (verse  125)

A serving and teachable attitude, always wanting to know more of God’s ways. We can never come to the end of learning the ways of the Lord., either here on earth or in the time to come!

h.   What does man do with God’s laws and ways?    (verse 126b; Matthew 23:27-28)

They compromise with it, and change it to suit themselves; they do away with what God means and only worry about what other people think, not what God thinks!

i.  What is the psalmist  calling on God to do about all this?    (verse 126a)

DO something about this Lord!

j.  What HAS God done about this?    (John 3:16)

He sent His only beloved Son to come to earth to die for the sins of mankind so now we can have His salvation and become part of His family.

k.   How should we respond to what God has done for us ?     (verses  127-128)

We should love His word above all else and regard it as our whole life pattern, hating every false way.

                                      Q. The Abiding Man.

 Your testimonies are wondrous bright,         The entrance of Your Word gives light;

I pant for them, and for them long,                 Help me to keep away from wrong!

Keep me from oppressing things,                   Give me the strength Your songs to sing,

Help me to see Your shining face,                  And in Your statutes run my race.

Those who do not keep Your law,                   Cause me much grief and sorrow sore.

                                                                                      v.129-136

1.  Verses  129-136…               Seven Expectations

a.    What did the psalmist think about God’s testimonies (Words)?    (verse 129)

He thought they were wonderful and he had decided to keep them.

b.    What gives light to our souls?       (verse 130; John 8:12)

God’s Word gives us light and understanding; Jesus Christ is the Light of the world and He gives each person who comes to Him light and understanding in the things of Himself.

c.   Is anyone too young or too dull to have this light?     (Psalm 19:7;  Mark 10:15-16 )

We have to have simple faith  to believe the Gospel message…anyone who is scornful and unbelieving can never get to heaven.

d.  How did the psalmist feel about these things?     (verse 131)

He just longed and panted for them ; he felt dry without God’s Word in his mind.

e.  What was his cry to the Lord and his requests?     ( verses 132-135)

He was asking for God’s mercy and wanted to be able to follow the Lord as he ought without being held up by sin. He didn’t want to be hindered in any way by others from doing this, and finally he wanted to feel that he was pleasing God.

f.  How did it affect him when he saw how others didn’t keep God’s ways?  ( verse 136)

He wept because of their unbelief and sin.

g.    What can we do for them, especially those of our families?  (2 Corinthians 5:20b)

We can only pray for them without condemning them, and commit them to the Lord.

R.   The Righteous One.  

Lord, You are the Righteous One        Upright your judgements ‘neath the sun

Your commands are faithful too,        All that You tell Your own to do;

Your Word is very  very   pure,           I love it much, for it is sure;

Tho’ I am small, of little worth,                       Yet Your Word stands within the earth;

I rest in all Your righteousness,          Your Word is true, gives blessedness;

In Your command is my delight,         It lasts for e’er, is true and right.

Help me to understand them more,     And keep them always to the fore.

                                                                                             v.137-144

1.  Verses  137-144…               The Righteous and Pure Word.

a.    What characteristic of God do we see here?      (verse 137)

We see how righteous and upright the Lord and His Word are.

b.    What do we see about God’s testimonies here?       (verse 138)

God has brought them into being and they are righteous and faithful….what God has said, God will do!

c.   What characteristic should we show towards God’s Word?     (verse 139)

We should be zealous towards it and never forget it.

d.  What do we see about God’s Word here?  How should we feel about it?    (verse 140)

It is very pure and we should love it above all else.

e.  Is anyone too insignificant for God  to ignore?     ( verse 141; 147:11)

God will never forget or ignore those who remember and obey His rules….He takes pleasure in them!

f.  What confidence can we have in God?     ( verse 142)

The fact that He is an Everlasting God with everlasting righteousness and truth.

g.    What is truth?     (John 14:6; 18:37-38)

Jesus Christ is Truth….everything He said and did was true and faithful….anything less than what He taught is not the full truth….a partial truth is not all truth. We tend to only take the part of truth that we like….God is love we like to hear, but the fact that God is holy and righteous we overlook and the truth that God is a God of judgment, we prefer to forget altogether.

h.   What can we hang onto in times of trouble?     (verse 143)

We can hold onto God’s commands and delight in them.

i.  What was the Psalmist’s final cry in this section?     (verse 144)

He recognised the total righteousness of God’s Word and called for the understanding of it all….he wanted strength to live it out.

j.  How can WE do this?      (Romans 7:21-25; Ephesians 3:16-21)

Even when we fall short, we can determine in our mind and do the best we can….God’s Holy Spirit will strengthen us in our resolves to be more what we should be.

                                               S. The Weeping  Man.

 I cry to You, hear me O  Lord,                        Help me to keep Your word so broad,

I cry to You, save me I pray,                Help me to walk Your narrow way.

I’ve cried all night for You to hear,      Help me to know that You are near;

To know Your kindnesses each day,   And keep the evil ones away.

Your Word has been from days of old,   They’re worth far more than pure gold!

                                                                                                                                                             v.145-152

1.  Verses  145-152…                     Sad Times

a.    What is the Psalmist’s cry here?      (verse 145)

He was crying out to the Lord to hear him and saying he would keep God’s statutes

b. How much did he mean this prayer? How should we be in the things of the Lord?   (verse 145a; Mark 12:28-34)

The Psalmist was crying whole heartedly to God…we should also be whole hearted in the things of God. To be half hearted is to be hypocritical….the Lord Jesus said that we are to love the Lord God with ALL our hearts, ALL our minds and  ALL our soul as well as with ALL our strength. How far short we fall! It is not enough to just agree with our minds, but we are to put it into practice as well.

c.   What is the gist of his cry here? What does his promise show?  Are we ever like this?           (verse 146)

He was desperate, and seems to be saying “if You save me, then I will keep Your ways”. His promise sounds somewhat selfish. Many people make this promise and don’t follow it through….those who do are blessed indeed.

d.  When did he pray about this problem?    (verses  147-148)

Before daybreak, and before the night….he was praying all day and all night!

e.  What did he recognise about God here?     ( verse 149)

That God was full of love and kindness; that He was just and able to revive him.

f.  What do we see in this verse? What did Jesus say about people in His time?( verse 150; Matthew 15:7-9)

People were pretending one thing and yet making mischief far from God’s law. Jesus said that the Pharisees were saying right things but their hearts were far from God….they didn’t mean what they said.

g.    What can people say who are following the Lord as they should ?   (verse 151)

You are near Lord, and all Your commands are true!

h.   When we feel that God is far away from us, who is it who has moved away?  What causes it?    (66:18)

It is us who has moved away from God because we have unconfessed sin in our life.

i.  What great truth does the Psalmist say here?    (verse 152; Luke 21:33)

He has always known that God’s testimonies have always been and will always be….God’s Words will NEVER pass away! We need to impress this on our hearts and minds….what God says will happen, WILL happen!

                                                T. The Keeping One.

Deliver me in times of woe,                 Help me within Your law to go;

You alone deliver me,                          Your blest Word You give to me.

Your salvation men won’t seek,          They persecute and I am weak.

Help me O Lord, Your Word to keep,  Although transgressors make me weep;

Your loving kindness never fails,        In spite of all my cries and wails!

Your word is true, will ever last,         Has ever been, since ages past!

                                                           v. 153-160

1.  Verses  153-160…               Healing Times

a.    What is the Psalmist asking God to do  here?   Why?   (verse 153)

He is asking God to remember his condition and to deliver him because he hadn’t forgotten His laws.

b.    What is he asking for next in addition to this?        (verse 154)

He was wanting God to take his side and give him life just as He said He would.

c.   The believer has two who take his side before God….who are they?    (Romans 8:26; 1 John 2:1)

Jesus Christ brings us before God the Judge and pleads our case because He has paid the penalty for us, and the Holy Spirit takes our prayers and offers them to God in an acceptable manner.

d.  What about those who do not believe?      (verse 155)

They have no-one to take their side before God because they do not believe and have no salvation… judgment awaits them.

e.  What does the Psalmist realise here?     ( verse 156)

That God’s mercies are great and tender (understanding) and that God can revive him.

f.  How does the Psalmist react to those who are his enemies?         ( verse 157)

He had many enemies but he wasn’t going to let them take him away from God’s laws….he was grieved at their allegations and behaviour towards God.

g.    What should believers do about their enemies who persecute them ?     (Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:20)

We are to pray for them and treat them kindly….it may not alter them, but it WILL alter our feelings towards them!

h.   What is the Psalmist asking for here? What characteristic  of God is shown here?   (verse 159)

He is wanting God to consider how he loves His Word, and to be revived in it because of God’s love and kindness.

i.  What great truth does the Psalmist say here?  What can we hang onto?     (verse 160)

God’s Word always has been true and always will be! His judgments are right and will last for ever!

                                                    U.     The Hoping Man.

Although the princes persecute,         My hope in You has depth and root;

Before Your face I stand in awe,         I am rejoicing more and more.

I hate to lie, Your Word is good,         Help me to praise You as I should.

Great peace have they who love Your law,      Naught offends or upsets sore.

Lord, now I have a sure hope,             Without it I could never cope,

Help me to keep Your precepts great, And on Your laws to always wait.

                                                                                                                                      v..161-168                                                                  

1.  Verses  161-168…               Rejoicing Again

a.    What did the Psalmist do when facing persecution?      (verse 161)

He thought of God’s Word and remembered it with awe.

b.    How did he feel about God’s Word?        (verses 162-163)

He rejoiced at God’s Word, and loved it above all else.

c. When we love God’s Word, how does it make us regard anything less than its teachings?    (verse163)

We can’t stand anything dishonest or lies of any sort….even partial truths are untruths!

d.  How often did the psalmist praise the Lord? Why?     (verse 164)

He praised God seven times a day….in other words, continually! God’s judgments are so right, he couldn’t help but praise God as he thought of them!

e.  What great truth is here?     ( verse 165)

Those who love God’s Word don’t get offended….they can brush off nasty and mean things that happen because they have something better guarding their hearts and minds, the peace of God.

f.  What is the contrast between the psalmist and ourselves today?   ( verse 166)

He was hoping for God’s salvation….we can KNOW we have it through our Lord Jesus Christ; he had to obey the commandments to obtain this salvation, while we just have to believe and trust in Jesus Christ  to have it. We obey God’s commands BECAUSE we are saved, we don’t obey them to BE saved.

g. How much did the psalmist love God’s Word?     (verse 167)

He didn’t just love them, he loved them exceedingly….very much.

h.   What did he realise? What did this make him do?   (verse 168)

He realised that God knew all his ways (and thoughts) and this made him want to keep God’s ways all the more.

i.  These are great sentiments that the psalmist expresses…can we say the same things and really mean them?  What did our Lord remind us of?   (verses 162, 167; Matthew 22:37-38)

Our Lord reminded the people (and us too) that we are to love God with all our being (heart, mind and soul)….this should be our aim no matter how difficult it is to remain focussed.

                                   V.    The Supplicating Man.

 O Lord I pray Thee, hear my cry.        Help me to know Your Word is nigh;

I make my supplication now,               Before your face I humbly bow;

Deliver me as your Word says,           From all my fears, woes and cares.

I’ll praise You Lord, for all You’ve done,  You are the righteous, Holy One!!

Help me to speak of all Your Word,    Of all the righteous  ways I’ve heard;

I’ve chosen all Your precepts good,    And on Your laws my feet have stood;

In Your salvation I shall live,               And praise You for  the good You give;

Your judgments true I’ll try to keep,   So I won’t stray like wandering sheep,

I know you’ll seek and bring me back, And nothing good I’ll ever lack!

Help me to keep Your Word so true,   And always Your commandments do!

                                                                                                                               v.169-176

1.  Verses  169-176…               The Result.

a.    What did the Psalmist feel the need of here?      (verse 169)

He wanted more understanding of God’s Word.

b.    What advice does James give us concerning this matter?        (James 1:5-7)

He tells us to ask God for more wisdom, and to ask in faith that we will receive it. We also have to ask in faith for discernment so that our wants don’t over-ride God’s wisdom for us!

c.   What was bothering the Psalmist at this time?    (verse170)

He wanted deliverance from his problem.

d.  What is stimulated by knowing God’s Word?    (verse 171)

The more we know God’s Word, the more we want to praise Him for all that is in it!

e.  What is another spin-off from knowing God’s Word?     ( verse 172)

When our minds are filled with a certain thing, all we want to do is to talk about it.

f.  What did Jesus have to say about this?         ( Matthew 12:34-35)

He said that whatever a person is thinking about, that is what he will talk about.

g. What help can we get for doing this?     (verse 173; John 14:26)

God will help us to do this and His Holy Spirit will bring things to our mind thngs that we once learned.

h.   What did the Psalmist long for and delight in? What happens when we do this?   (verse 174; 37:4)

He longed for God’s salvation and delighted in His Word. When we do this, we will surely find it because God will give us the desire of our heart….our desires become His desires for us.

i.  What results from knowing the Lord personally?     (verse 175)

God’s judgments help us to live as we should and we will be able to praise Him as we ought to.

j.  What are we likened to? How does Isaiah look at this?    (verse 176; Isaiah 53:6)

We are likened to lost sheep that have gone astray…..Isaiah  says the same thing and goes on to say that God has laid on Him (Jesus Christ) all our sins.

k.   When we respond to this, what follows ?      (verse  176b; John 10:14-16, 27-28)

We will follow the shepherd and not forget His commands and ways, because we know the Shepherd. We will receive eternal life and will never perish or suffer God’s judgment because Jesus Christ has paid the price for those who respond to  Him.

Psalm One hundred and twenty….(verses 1-6)

The Woeful Man

In my distress I cried to God,              As on life’s daily path I trod;

Deliver me from those who lie,           Who seek to see me wilt and die;

Those who speak with lying tongue,   Around whose neck deceit is hung,

Sharp arrows fly and seek to dart,      Within to strike the faithful  heart.

Complaining voices round me dwell,  No peaceful things they ever tell.

 Help me to stand for peace not war,  To seek Your face yet more and more!

1.  Verses  1-6…

a.    How was the Psalmist feeling here?   What did he do as a result?   (verse 1)

In absolute distress, so he called on the Lord for help.

b.    We know that David was hunted for his life by king Saul for years, but what other sort of trouble can God’s people suffer from?        (verses 2-3)

There is not only active physical persecution such as shoving and fighting, but there can often be verbal abuse, and today there is cyber abuse as well with lies and untruths published on the internet.

c.   What can help guard a believer against this? What did the Psalmist feel this was like?    (verses 2,4)

It is only the Lord who can guard a person’s heart and mind from these barbs that are like arrows of juniper…we must fill our minds with His Word so there is no room for these accusations and mockings to hurt us.

d.  What did the Psalmist long for?     (verses 6-7)

He longed for peace and for this time of trouble and hounding to stop.

e.  What can we do in the face of this sort of hassling from others?     ( 1 Peter 4:12-16)

We take it to the Lord in prayer and try to rejoice, to think positively rather than wallow in self pity. Our job is to glorify God by our attitudes and behaviour, and this will perhaps make our persecutors stop and think.

Psalm One hundred and twenty-one….(verses 1-8)                                            

                                                      The Kept Man.

 Where shall I look for help and peace,           For help that will not fail or cease?

My help shall come from God on High,           Who made the earth and sea and sky.

He’ll always see that I am kept,                       The One who’s never failed nor slept,

He keeps His own within the shade,                Where sun shall never wilt nor fade;

The Lord preserves from evil ways,                Will keep me safe for all my days!

1.  Verses  1-8…                     

a. What did the heathen people do in the hills?     (verse 1a; Isaiah 65:7; Jeremiah 3:23)

This was where they had their altars to worship heathen deities.

b.  What question is asked and answered here (modern translation)?    (verses 1b-2)

Where does my help come from? It is from the Lord, the Creator of all!

c.   What confidence can we have in the keeping power of God?    (verses 3-6; 139:1-18)

God watches over our every move….He never sleeps on the job, we are never out of His reach, no matter what!

d.  What do we see next that God does for us?   (verses 7-8)

He preserves our soul for ever.

e.  What is God’s gift to mankind (if they will accept it)?     ( Romans 6:23)

It is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, but it has to be taken and lived out.

f.  What three things do we see that God does for His people in this psalm? ( verses 2-5, 7-8)

He helps, He keeps and He preserves.

g. What three areas of the human being do we see that God provides for?     (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

He provides for man’s body, soul and spirit….man’s physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

h.   In the prayer that our Lord Jesus prayed before the cross, what things did He ask His Father to give His people?   (John 17:2b-3; 8, 11-12,,17-21)

He asked that they would have eternal life and KNOW Him;  that they would have His Word and follow it; that they would be KEPT and be one in Him; that they would be sanctified (have the ability to live for Him) and set apart for Him.

i.  What should we praise God for?    (Ephesians 1:3-10)

All His blessings to us….we have so much to be thankful to God for!

Psalm One hundred and twenty-two….(verses 1-9)                                             

The Peaceful Place.

I gladly heard them say to me,                                    “Let’s go to God’s house joyfully”;

Jerusalem is the place to go,                          Where we give thanks and surely know,

Right judgement’s there with David’s throne,  And peace with God is surely known.

It’s all because the God’s House is there,       Showing us the way He cares!

1.  Verses  1-9…

a.    How should we feel when meeting in a place of worship?      (verse 1)

We should feel glad and go with a feeling of anticipation.

b.  Where did the people of Israel go to worship God?        (verses 2-3)

Jerusalem was the centre of their worship, the place where the great temple was for so many years.

c.   What did they do when they went there?    (verse 4; 1 Samuel 1:21-25;  Luke 2:25-27)

They went each year to sacrifice and to worship God….there were also other customs that were performed at the temple such as dedicating babies there.

d.  Of what significance is Jerusalem to believers today?     (Hebrews 12:22, 28)

We don’t look towards an earthly city but look forwards to the Heavenly Jerusalem, being part of God’s unmoveable kingdom. Jerusalem in Israel is a city that has endless squabbles over it and will once more be embroiled in a serious war, while the heavenly Jerusalem is a place of peace and joy.

e.  What was ancient Jerusalem the centre of ?  Who established it?    ( verse 5; Joshua 18:28; Judges 19:10; 1 Chronicles 11:3-9)

Jerusalem was originally a heathen city by the name of Jebus where the Jebusites lived. When David was made king over all Israel, he took the city of Jebus and the castle of Zion which was in it and made that his base where he lived and reigned from. It became known as the City of David and later Solomon built the temple there.

f.  What specific prayer was made for Jerusalem here?    ( verses 6-7)

Prayer was made for Jerusalem to be in peace.

g. Why did the Psalmist pray for this peace?     (verses 8-9)

Because God’s House was there and he wanted people to be able to go there to sacrifice and worship in peace.

h.   In spite of this, the temple in Jerusalem was sacked twice….why was this? How far had God’s people sunk into sin and idolatry?    (1 Kings 23:4-14)

It was because of idolatry….the people’s hearts were not towards God, and they had filled the temple with idols and wicked idolatrous practices.

i.  What warning do we have in this?         

If we allow other things to take God’s place in our lives, we cannot expect God to bless us.

Psalm One hundred and twenty-three….(verses 1-4)                                            

                                               The Depending Man.

I lift my eyes to God in heav’n,                       And thank Him for the things He’s giv’n,

His mercy great we have  received,     And all His grace we have believed;

No matter how the world will scoff,    Our souls are still far better off!!

1.  Verses  1-4…

a.    What is the gist of this small psalm?      (verses 1-4)

The Psalmist’s dependence on God for his everyday needs.

b.  Who did he look to for this help?        (verse 1)

He looked to the One Who lives in heaven.

c.   How much did he depend on the Lord? What is a servant dependent on?    (verse 2)

A servant depends on being told what to do and then doing it, and we too should depend on God like that….not doing our own thing but asking him to lead and guide every day.

d.  What is a person’s first need in regard to God?     (verse 3)

A person’s first need is forgiveness of sin, and the need of God’s mercy.

e.  Why is this?        (Romans 3:23)

Because every single person ever born is born with a sin nature…no-one likes being told what to do!

f.  How was the Psalmist feeling here?     ( verses 3b-4)

He was feeling the scorn of others who were better off than he was.

g. What does a believer have that those who are mocking them don’t?     (1 Peter 1:6-9)

A believer can fall back on the Lord Jesus Christ who suffered for him and in spite of trials and troubles they can rejoice and give thanks for the blessings they have received from Him that other people know nothing about, and that they cannot lose. This gives joy in the soul in spite of what is going on around them.

Psalm One hundred and twenty-four….(verses 1-8)                                            

The Freed Man.

The Lord on High is on our side,         When we in him always abide;

When men rise up to swallow us,       In all their wrath and wickedness,

It was as though we’d nearly drowned   When waters of their pride surround,

But we escaped, God’s Name be blest,  For He has giv’n eternal rest!

Our help is in His holy Name              As from the heav’ns to earth He came !!

1.  Verses  1-8…                     

a.    What could Israel say about the Lord? Who can believers today depend on?      (verses 1-2)

Israel could say that the Lord was on their side, and believers can depend on Him in exactly the same way.

b.  How did Israel feel when their armies came against them?        (verses 2-3)

They felt as though they were going to be swallowed up by them.

c.   What picture do we see next about how they felt?    (verses 4-5)

They felt as though they were being drowned in deep water, as though they were being bowled over in heavy surf.

d.  Who had delivered them?  (verse 6)

It was God the Lord who kept them from being a prey to their enemies.

e.  What is the picture here?        (verse 7)

That of a bird escaping out of the cage it was put in.

f.  What was the Psalmist saying in the last verse?    ( verse 8)

He was saying that it is only God who can help His people, the One who created all things.

g. Who is the only One who can save and help people today?  Which is most important, physical salvation or spiritual salvation?     (Romans 10: 9, 13; 1 Peter 1:3-7 )

Jesus Christ is the only One who can save us from sin by His death and resurrection. We don’t like to be hurt physically and we naturally call out to God to save us from this, but our spiritual salvation is the most important thing we have to address. Sometimes we have to suffer for our faith, but God sees it all and will keep us from giving it up.

Psalm One hundred and twenty-five….(verses 1-5)                                            

The  Safe Man

God’s mountain stands, abides for e’er,         The  trusting man will be safe there,.

Jerusalem has mountains round,                    So God His people will surround;

The rod of wicked men can’t touch,                Those who trust in His word much;

Do good O Lord to those who seek,                The upright ones, humble and meek,

While those who follow crooked ways,           Will ne’er have peace for all their days.

1.  Verses  1-5…                     

a.    What is unmovable here?      (verse  1)

Those who trust in the Lord will be like Mt.Zion which  will last forever and never be moved.

b.  What does Mt. Zion refer to?        (verse 1;  2 Chronicles 5:2; Hebrews 12:22-24)

Mt Zion has a double meaning….it was the name that David gave to Jerusalem when he conquered it and made it his headquarters, but for us today, it refers to the heavenly Jerusalem, God’s church (His people) and His kingdom….it is the completed final body of all His people down through the ages.

c.   What are the mountains around Jerusalem a picture of?    (verse 2)

They are a picture of how God surrounds His people for ever….God never lets His people go.

d.  What does verse 3 say? How do we know that we are being kept from the evil one?  (John 17:14-16; 1 Peter 1:3-5)

The Psalmist is saying that God’s people are kept from absorbing wicked people’s philosophies …we know this is true because the Lord Jesus prayed this for His people before He went to the cross. He prayed that they would be kept from the evil one and Peter tells us that God’s people are kept for their inheritance.

e.  What does God do for those who are upright?   (verse 4; 1 Samuel 2:30b;  Psalm 1:1-3)

He blesses them and honours those who honour Him.

f.  What is the end result for those who continue in their careless and evil ways? What did Jesus Christ say about this place?    ( verse 5; Luke 16:19-31;  Revelation 21:8)

They are sent off to the second death in the lake of fire which Jesus said was a place of torment where people are fully conscious and have no peace or rest for ever.

Psalm One hundred and twenty-six….(verses 1-6)                                             

The Returning Man.

When God His own from sin released,                        ‘Twas like a dream that  never ceased,

They laughed and sang, were made anew,      And all around them,  saw and knew,

That God had done a mighty thing,                 And given them new songs to sing.

We know that those who sow in tears,            Will come again released from fears;

The seed that’s sown will one day bear,          A  joyous spirit  without  care.

1.  Verses  1-6…                     

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

Joy and gladness over some great event.

b.  What great event occurred in Israel’s history that would bring this joy?   (verse 1; 2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 6:14-16)

Seventy long years in captivity had passed and the king of Babylon now decreed that any who wanted to return and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem were free to do so…the job was done and the people rejoiced with great joy at the dedication of it. The whole thing seemed like a dream!

c. When God’s people have a revival, what spin-off is there in the community ? What modern day (19-20^th century)  events were like this?     (verse 2)

As God’s people en masse have a time of revival and rejoicing, everyone gets talking about it….this was the case of the revival services in the 1800s and the Billy Graham evangelistic services in the latter half of the 1900s.

d.  What can each believer say in regard to himself?     (verse 3)

The Lord has done great things for me…praise the Lord!

e.  What did the streams in the south (or anywhere ) do for the land?      (verse 4)

Streams of water refresh and revitalise a land; so these times of revival revitalised the Christian community.

f.  What should we always remember when going through tough times?  ( verse 5)

It won’t last for ever, these times will pass and things will come right again.

g. What is particularly true in Christian work?     (verse 6)

There will be times of apparent barrenness when nothing seems to be yielding fruit, but there will come a time when others will respond if we don’t give up. If we don’t see it, the Lord sees our faithfulness and will commend us in a day to come.

h.   What happened in this parable that Jesus told that bears this thought out?   ( Matthew 25:14-30)

In the story, those who were given much used it, but the one who was given the one talent  decided that it wasn’t worth doing anything with so he buried it and it did no-one any good. Sometimes we think we haven’t anything we can use for God, but He has made us as we are, and He expects us to do the little that we can. It’s not the result that counts, it’s the effort we put into what we have that counts as far as God is concerned.

Psalm One hundred and twenty-seven….(verses 1-5)                                            

The  Family  Man (1)

We cannot build without the Lord,      For only He the price affords;

Unless the city He does keep,             The people there will only weep.

Rising early is in vain,                         Will only bring the bread of pain;

Only God can give sweet rest,            Only God can give what’s best.

1.  Verses  1-5…                     

a.    What do you think the first verse means?      (verse  1)

Unless we take the Lord into our hearts and family life, we cannot expect His blessing….unless He is in our hearts and at the heart of what we do, He will not guard us.

b.  What are people destined to have and do?        (verse 2; Genesis 3:16-17)

God told Adam and Eve that because of their disobedience from then on they would have to spend long hours working in sorrow for their living. Eve would have sorrow in bearing children and Adam would have hard work to make his crops grow.

c.   How did the Psalmist view having children?  What is one example of this?   (verse 3; 1 Samuel 1 :10-11;  2:20-21)

He viewed it as being a heritage of the Lord and like fruit to carry on the line. It caused Hannah great sorrow to be childless, and she begged the Lord for a son who she then gave back to God. He honoured her for this and gave her  five more children.

d.  What does an arrow (arms) do for a soldier?  How does this tie in with having a family?       (verse 4)

Arms (arrows) gives a soldier protection and security, and when one is older, a family will support and comfort a person.

e.  What do you often see with big families?      (verse 5)

They may not have a lot of things, but they learn to pull together and how to give and take in a way that children with only one or two siblings don’t….the older ones look after the younger ones and they stick together in the face of any opposition.

Psalm One hundred and twenty-eight….(verses 1-6)                                            

The  Family  Man (2)

Children are our heritage,                   As they grow through ev’ry age.

Like arrows to the mighty one,           So are daughters and every son.

Blest is the man who fears the Lord,  Whose children walk with one accord;

Whose wife is like a fruitful vine,        And children like the olive fine.

Grandchildren too, in future days,      Thus God will bless in all His ways!

1.  Verses  1-6…                     

a.    What is the first verse telling us?  How does Psalm one enlarge on this?      (verse  1; 1:1-3)

Those who trust in the Lord are blessed indeed, in body, soul and spirit. They have peace of mind and comfort in the Lord, and they know their soul is safe for evermore…psalm one says that they are like a tree growing beside the water that will never wilt or shrivel but be fat and flourishing and a benefit to others.

b.  What attitude do people who trust in the Lord have?    (verse 2)

They will be happy and content knowing that all is well for their future.

c.   What is the picture here of a family man?   (verse 3)

As a  person surrounded by love and comfort…the wife being like a fruitful vine and the children sitting at the table each meal time like rows of olive trees in the field.

d.  How do we get that meaning from that verse?       (verse 4; Proverbs 31:10-15, 27-28)

As the vine bears grapes that give wine which cheers and comforts, so the wife bears fruit and comfort for the family, and the children all pull their weight in providing as well, like olives which give oil that lubricates, giving light and cooking facilities.

e.  What does the Lord give to those who follow Him?      (verses 4-5)

He gives many blessings, both physical and spiritual right throughout their lives.

f.  What did people in those times ask for?      ( verse 6)

To be able to have a family line  and peace in the land.

g. What is the most important thing for a family in this day and age?     (3 John 1:4)

To see them walking in the way of the Lord and continuing on for Him

Psalm One hundred and twenty-nine….(verses 1-8)                                            

The  Afflicted  Man

I’ve been afflicted all my life,                          Their hatred ‘gainst me has been rife;

They whipped and beat me on my back,         Till it was torn with many a whack,

Until it looked like furrowed field,                   With blood so red till it congealed.

But God is righteous, the wicked meet,          Their desserts at His judgment seat  ;

They will not prosper, but be like grass,         That withers when the winds blow past.

They are not blest by God above,                    They do not want His gracious love!

1.  Verses  1-8…                     

a.    What is the gist of this psalm?      (verses  1-8)

The Psalmist’s problems and afflictions that surround him.

b.  How did he feel  about things?        (verses 1-2)

He felt that Israel in general and himself in particular was suffering many afflictions, yet God was still keeping him.

c.   What did he feel his physical situation was like? What is another meaning that can be taken from this verse?  (verse 3; Mark 15:15; John 19:1)

He felt as though his back was in strips like a ploughed field…..we know this happened literally to our Lord Jesus Christ at His trial when the Roman soldiers beat Him until the flesh was hanging in strips.

d.  Will people get away for ever with being wicked and doing dreadful things?   (verses 4-6)

God is righteous and will do what is right and just in the end….the wicked will be judged and come to nothing in the end like withered grass.

e.  What do we see in the last two verses?      (verses 7-8)

Just as crops come to nothing in drought, so the wicked will not receive any of the blessings of God….they will suffer loss in the end

Psalm One hundred and thirty….(verses 1-8)                                            

The  Waiting  Man

I cried to You from deep despair,        O hear my voice while I am there;

If you should note iniquity,                 There’d be no hope at all for me!

But You’ve forgiven when I call,         Lift me  up from where I  fall;

So now I wait to hear Your Word,       And follow all the things I’ve heard.

I wait for You with earnest hope,        Give me the strength so I can cope;

As in the storms we wait for dawn,     My soul waits on You every morn

For with the Lord is mercy great,        For He’s redeemed me from sin’s fate!

1.  Verses  1-8…

a.    What is the Psalmist crying to the Lord for here?      (verses  1-2)

He is calling to the Lord  for help in his despair.

b.  What did he feel was dragging him down?     (verse 3)

He felt there was no hope for him in his sin naturally.

c.   What fact gave him hope? Is this hope still available for us today?    (verse 4; 1 John 1:9)

He knew that there was forgiveness with God if he turned to Him, and it is the same for us today. If we confess we are sinners and need God’s forgiveness, He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

d.  What gives this confidence and hope?   (verses 5-8;  Romans 3:22-26;  Colossians 1:13-14)

Believing God’s Word which tells us there IS hope and mercy and plenty of redemption for those who turn to Him….He SHALL redeem His people from all their iniquities!

Psalm One hundred and thirty-one….(verses 1-3)                                            

The  Relying  Man

Lord, keep my heart from haughty looks,  My eyes from reading other books,

Help me to think of matters great,      And on You daily,  humbly wait.

Keep me just like a little child,                        In attitude both meek and mild,

As children lie on mother’s breast,     Help me O Lord, on You to rest

1.  Verses  1-3…                     

a.  What attitude does the Psalmist have here?   (verse  1a)

He was humble before the Lord.

b.  What does the Lord think of a humble person?        (Isaiah 57:15; Micah 6:8)

The Lord blesses  and lives with those who are humble enough to seek His face; in fact God requires a person to be humble before He can do anything for them.

c.   Do qualifications matter to God? What did Paul advise Timothy ? (verse 1b; 2 Timothy 2:14-16, 22-23; 3:15-17)

It depends what qualifications they are…if we only get them for the sake of having them and if they cannot help to extend usefulness in the Lord’s work, they are of no value to God. We have to be careful we don’t fill our heads with so much valueless knowledge that it takes our time and minds off the things of God.

d.  What is the picture here?     (verse 2)

The picture is of a little child trusting and still dependent on its mother….this is the attitude we should have towards God.

e.  What did the Lord Jesus have to say about this?      (Matthew 18:2-4; Luke 18:16-17)

He said that those who receive the kingdom of heaven have to be like a little child in their attitude to God….those who are proud and contentious cannot be part of it.

f.  What was the Psalmist’s desire for Israel?      ( verse 3)

That they would hope in the Lord forever.

g. What desires do the Lord’s people have for their own families?     (3 John 1:4)

To see them walking in the way of the Lord and continuing on for Him

Psalm One hundred and thirty-two….(verses 1-18)                                             

The  Worshipping   Man

David’s heart was fixed on God,         As in His ways, he daily trod,

He swore to God, and made his vow,  He would not rest, to God he’d bow.

He’d make for God a worthy place,     Where priests could serve before His face,

Be clothed with white in righteousness, Be pure and right for God to bless.

The Lord has sworn in David’s ears,   “I’ll bless your own for many years,

For if My ways they always own,         They’ll never cease to have your throne;

Tis in this place I want to dwell,          My priests and own, their joys shall tell”;

David’s throne shall never cease,       His crown secure in endless peace!

1.  Verses  1-18…

a.    What was David’s greatest ambition and vow to God?      (verses 1-5; 2 Samuel 7:1-13)

He wanted above all things to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel.

b.  What did God think of David’s dream?        (1 Chronicles 22:7-10)

God told David that because he had been a man of war and been responsible for the death of many men, he wasn’t to build a temple for the Lord, but that his son would be a man of peace and would be able to do it.

c.   What better promise did God give David ?      (2 Samuel 7:11b-12, 26-29)

You want to build me a house, but I am going to build YOU a house that will last for ever

d.  We don’t see a dynasty coming from David in the world today, but how DID God fulfil this promise?     (Revelation 22:16)

This promise is fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ who is descended from David’s line on His mother’s side…every person who comes to Him in faith is part of that “house” that God promised David.

e.  What does this show us for today?  What example do we have of this?    (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

That even though we might have great ideas of doing things for the Lord, He may say “no” to them and give us something even greater and better. We have to accept the circumstances of life that we have no control over and do what we can with what we have. Little is much when God is in it. Paul tells how he had this affliction which he prayed about three times, but God showed him that His grace was sufficient for him and that He could still work through Paul’s weakness.

f.  David picks up the thread of this promise again, and as we go through the history of the kings of Israel we see that the kingdom split in two after Solomon…the kings of Israel were not a dynasty, but were overthrown periodically until they were taken captive by Babylon. The kings of Judah were from David’s dynasty and continued much longer until their sins finally culminated in captivity also. What promise do we see in the following verses?                  ( verses 11-13; Revelation 22:16)

God gave a conditional promise that if David’s descendents followed Him they would continue as kings for ever. However, we know they didn’t, and David’s line didn’t reappear until the birth of Jesus Christ to Mary. Now it has become a spiritual line that will continue for the ages of eternity.

g. Why do you think that God has placed such emphasis on Jerusalem  (Zion)?     (Galatians 4:24-25; Hebrews 11: 8-10, 16;  12: 22-24)

Jerusalem on earth is the place where the Lord Jesus was crucified and is a type of people who are still in the bondage of sin. But the heavenly city of  Jerusalem is Zion and is the  place where all believers will live for ever….Abraham had a vision of this heavenly city, and his thoughts were always towards it.

h.   What is the picture in the rest of this psalm?   ( verses 14-18; Revelation 21:22-27)

The Lord is describing the joys of this heavenly city….there is no lack of anything, there is utmost satisfaction and joy in this place. The Revelation passage gives a fuller description of this city.

i.  How do we see the connection between verse 16 and what Peter tells us?       (1 Peter 2:9-10)  

Peter describes the people of God as being a special people who are all priests to Him in that they can offer the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving….we have so much to be thankful for, let us start now in giving Him praise and thanksgiving!

Psalm One hundred and thirty-three and four….                                            

A Man  in Unity with Others

How good it is for brothers all,           To stand united and  never fall;

It’s like the oil on Aaron’s head,         That covered him down to his beard;

Like falling  dew, refreshing rain,       That blesses all with life again.

Bless the Lord all those who stand,    Worship Him and lift your hand,

O Lord who made the earth and  heav’n, The One who has all blessings giv’n!

1.  Psalm 133:  1-3…

a.    What is the sentiment expressed in verse 1?     

There is nothing more blessed than a united family in full fellowship with each other.

b.  What did this “precious ointment”  signify?        (verse 2; Exodus 30:25, 30)

It was a special ointment made to sanctify (set apart) the holy things and people of the temple…. it was made from a special recipe that no-one else was to make or use.

c.   What significance do you think this has for us today ?     (Ephesians 5:25b-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:23)

We have to realise that we are a holy people set apart for God, we are different and we are to live differently with different attitudes and behaviour to those who don’t know the Lord. It’s not just our soul and spirit, but our bodies (the way we dress and conduct ourselves) too, where we go and what we do!

d.  What is the greatest blessing a person can have?      (verse 3b)

The blessing of eternal life with the Lord.

e.  In the light of what we have just thought about, what are we, God’s people, to do?   (134:1-2)

We are to bless the Lord in collective praise and thanksgiving as well as personal praise.

f.  In return, what does the Lord do for us?       ( verse 3; Ephesians 1:3)

He has blessed us beyond what we can imagine with all spiritual blessings and with eternal life to come!

Psalms One hundred and thirty-five….      (verses
1-21)                                      

The  Uplifted One.

O praise the Lord, and His great  Name,         Show forth His works and tell His  fame;

O tell of all His goodness done,                      Sing praises to the Greatest One!

We’re chosen as His precious treasure,          Showered blessings without measure,

On the ones who seek His face,                      On every one from every place.

The Lord is pleased with all He made,            The heaven, earth and sea He laid;

He showed His might to men and kings,         As Israel to their land He brings.

Your Name O Lord will ever last,                    And Your great deeds from times long past

The heathen gods do not a thing,                    Useless they are, they’ll never bring,

Answers to men, their mouths are dumb,       Like those who bow and to them  come.

So bless the Lord, you sons of men,               Bless His Name, amen, amen!

1.  Verses 1-21 …

a.    What is the Psalmist calling for here?           (verses 1-3)

He is calling for people to praise the Lord and sing praises to Him.

b.  How does praising the Lord make us feel?        (verse  3)

It is pleasant and makes us feel good and uplifted….nothing can beat a good praise  singing session!

c.   What had the Lord done for Israel here? Is there any connection in this for us today?     (verse 4; Ephesians 1:3-4;  1 Peter 2:9-10)

The Lord chose Israel for Himself to be His peculiar (special) people, and He has done the same for all who will come to Him in this day and age….we are His special people  created to give Him praise.

d.  What characteristics do we read about the Lord in these next few verses?            (verses 5-12)

The Lord is the Great Creator of all things, who gave Israel their land and deals with people according to their deeds

e.  Other gods and religions have fizzled out over time….what is the contrast with the Lord?  (verses 13-14)

The Lord’s name will last for ever, and there have always been those who upheld it down through the ages. The Lord takes an active interest in His people, and has emotions and feelings far beyond what any human experiences, whereas idols have no life or capabilities at all.

f.  What is pointed out here about the idols of the heathen?  ( verses  15-18;   Isaiah 44:8-20)

They are all made by men and have no life at all…those who make and worship them have no spiritual life either.

g. What are these last few verses about?     (verses 19-21)

The Psalmist finishes off the same way he started, by calling on the people to praise and bless the Lord.

h.   How can we do this today?     ( Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16)

By singing to Him in our heart as well as audibly when the time is right.

Psalms One hundred and thirty-six….      (verses 1-26)                                      

The  Thankful Man.

O let’s give thanks unto the Lord,       Let’s give thanks with one accord,

He alone does wondrous things,         Let us give thanks and joyful sing.

His wonders in the skies above,          And earth beneath show His great love;

His mercy great He shows to men,     Let’s give him praise and say “Amen!”

He brought the Israelitish band,          Safely to the promised land,

He gave their needs from day to day.  And smote great kings along the way,

For us today, His mercy’s there,         He’s given us more than our share.

He is the God of mercy great,             Let’s give Him thanks and on Him wait!

1.  Verses 1-26 …

a.    What is the thought that keeps recurring in this psalm?     (verses 1-26)

The fact that God’s mercy endures forever.

b.  What does God’s mercy do for us?         (Ephesians 2:4-7)

Without His mercy we would remain in our sins with no hope of heaven’s blessings….it is only by His mercy that Jesus Christ came to earth to die for our sins.

c.   What can we do about God’s mercy?     (verses 1-3)

We can accept it and give thanks to Him for all that goes with it.

d.  What did God’s mercy make for the benefit of mankind in general?    (verses 4-9)

He created the earth, sun, moon and stars to make a suitable environment for them to live in.

e.  What did He do for Israel in particular?   (verses 10-22)

He delivered them from bondage in the land of Egypt, and took them past their enemies safely to the land of promise.

f.  What has God done for us because of His mercy?   (verses 23-24; Romans 8:28-30)

Because He knew we would respond to Him, He called us while we were in the depths of our sin  so we could be justified and receive all the future blessings of heaven…all through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ .

g. What does God supply us with?     (verse 25)

God gives food to all creatures, and for His people He not only supplies physical food but spiritual food as well for the building up of our souls.

h.   So what are we to do?        ( verse 26)

We are to give thanks to the God of Heaven for His mercy that endures forever!!

Psalm One hundred and thirty-seven….      (verses 1-9)                                      

The  Captive Man

By  streams we sat  beneath the trees,           Recalling past days in the gentle breeze,

We could not sing, our hearts were sad,         For things weren’t good, but very bad;

Our captors wanted us to bring,                     One of Zion’s songs to sing.

How could we sing in this strange land,         Where we were held, a captive band?

Jerusalem was just a dream,                           There was no light, not e’en a gleam;

We prayed that Bab’lon be destroyed,                        Happy would be those so employed!!

1.  Verses 1-9 …

a.    What is this psalm written about?           (verses 1-4; 2 Chronicles 36:20)

It seems to have been written about when the people were taken captive to Babylon and were pining for their homeland, not feeling like singing or playing their music.

b.  What were they homesick for more than anything else?         (verses 5-6)

They kept thinking about Jerusalem, and their homes they had been taken away from.

c.   What are the sentiments expressed in the rest of the chapter?     (verses 7-9)

They want revenge on the people who took them captive, and can’t say anything good about them!

Psalm One hundred and thirty-eight….      (verses 1-8)                                      

The  Freed Man

I’ll praise the Lord with all my heart,              The gods around will have no part;

Your holy temple stands above,                      Standing for Your truth and love.

 Your Word is magnified on high,                   Your Name exalted from the sky.

You’ve strengthened me within my soul,        You’ve given peace and made me whole;

All kings shall praise You O my Lord,             They all shall sing with one accord.

Though You are high, yet You know,              The humble heart, though he is low;

The proud you do not know at all,                   For he is set for many a fall;

Though I walk through troubles sore,             You will save and strengthen more.

Your mercy Lord, endures for e’er,                 I am forever in Your care.

1.  Verses 1-8 …

a.    What is the psalmist saying here?           (verses 1-2)

He was now able to worship and praise God and put Him first  before anything else.

b.  What three things was he able to praise God for?    (verse 2)

For His love and kindness; for His truth and for His Word.

c.  Why should we worship God above all else?     (Isaiah 42:8; 45:18)

Because there is no other God and He will not share his glory with any idol; also because He made everything we have and the earth we live on.

d.  What should we do because of this?            (verse 2)

Praise and thank Him for all He has done for us.

e.  Why is God’s word so important to believers?                (verse  2b)

Because it tells us of all God’s kindness and truth, and it is the greatest thing He has given to us, telling us of His Name and his great salvation for mankind.

f.  What does God do for us when we call out to Him?                  (verse 3)

He answers us and gives us strength to cope with whatever He sends to us.

g. How are all people going to regard God (and His Son, Jesus Christ) in a time to come?     (verses 4-5; Philippians 2:9-11)

They are all going to acknowledge Him by bowing before /Him and declaring that Jesus Christ is Lord, thus giving glory to God

h.   Which sort of people does God acknowledge, both now and in the time to come? Who does He not know?   ( verse 6; Luke 13:25-27)

Those who have humbled themselves before Him, confessing they are sinners in need of a Saviour….those who are too proud to do this are only known from far; they are not part of His family.

i.  What comfort is there in the rest of the psalm?       (verses 7-8)  

God will keep His people safe in the midst of danger and will avenge them in the end; He will deliver them and save their souls from danger.

Psalm One hundred and thirty-nine…..      (verses 1-24)                                      

The  Ever-present One.

O Lord, You’ve searched and known me,        From in the past eternity;

You know me from the outside in,                  You know my ways and all my sin;

There’s not a word You do not hear,               You know my every secret fear;

You are behind, before me too,                       You see the things I watch and do.

I cannot know such knowledge great,             Until I get to heaven’s gate.

No matter where I go down here,                    You are always very near;

From heaven’s clouds to earth below,                        You’ll find me still where’er I go,

E’en in the utmost sea so wide,                      There is no place where I can hide!

I cannot hide in darkest night,                        Your eyes still see  as though it’s light;

You’ve known me from my mother’s womb,   You’ll see me till I reach the tomb;

You have made me marv’llously,                    Every bit of me You see! 

You wrote of me before I came,                      And in Your book I see my name,

How precious are Your thoughts to me!         You are  with me continually.

Help me to always feel the pain,                     When others take Your Name in vain,

I know You’ll deal with them one day,             So keep me from all evil ways.

Search me O Lord, and know my heart,          Try my thoughts, keep me apart,

From wicked ways and thoughts in me,          And lead  in ways that uplift Thee!

1.  Verses 1-24 …

a.    What is the topic of this psalm?           (verses 1-24)

How God knows all about each individual person on earth….no-one can hide from Him ever.

b.  What does God know about us as well as where we go and what we do?  (verse 2b)

He knows our every thought and motive.

c.  What does God know besides what we are thinking?     (verse 4)

He hears every word we speak….whether it is for  good or for bad, every kind word and every nasty word.

d.  What did Jesus Christ say about our words?    (Matthew 12:35-37 )

He said that we are known by the words we speak, and that every idle word we say we will have to give an account of it in the time to come. What a scary thought!!

e.  What does God do for all people?   Why can’t we be conscious of this? (verses 5-6; Isaiah 55:8-9)

God sees people from every angle, there is nothing that He doesn’t see completely. We can’t understand how this can be because we can’t understand His capacity for knowledge and what He  knows….His knowledge and thoughts are so much greater and higher than ours.

f.  Can we hide anywhere from God? Why not?      (verses 7-12; 2 Chronicles 16:9a)

There is nowhere we can hide or go out of the reach of God…..God’s eyes run to and fro through the whole earth observing what people are doing.

g. What do we see about each baby as it is being formed in the womb?     (verses 13-15)

God puts each one together with its particular genes….every one is formed by God.

h.   What is even more amazing than  the above thought?   ( verse 16; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:2a)

The fact that those who come to know the Lord had their names written in the book of Life before the world was ever made! This is possible because of God’s tremendous fore-knowledge…He has always known who would respond to Him.

i.  What is the next thought about?       (verses 17-18)  

How wonderful to think that God  knows and thinks about ME!

j.  To what extent does God think about us?          (Matthew 10:29-31)

He even has all the hairs of our head numbered….He knows about every sparrow, so how much more does He know about us!

k.   Even though the Lord tells us to love our enemies, what is our attitude to be toward the things they do, think and say ?    (verses 19-22; Matthew 5:44)

We are to detest the things they say and not imitate them or to socialise with them.

l.   What should our prayer be to be able to do this?    (verses 23-24; 1 John 1:9)

We are to ask the Lord to search our hearts and show us what we really are, then confess our sin and ask for guidance as to what to do for the best.

m.   Why do we sometimes hesitate to do this?        (Ephesians 4:22)

Because of our sinful nature and inborn  pride that makes us want our own way.

Psalm One hundred and forty…..      (verses 1-13)                                      

The  Desperate Man (2).

 Lord keep me from the violent one,               Full of mischief and after wars run,

Their voice is like a serpent’s tongue,            They want to win and see me hung;

Keep me Lord from  violent men,                    Who seek to catch me again and again.

I told the Lord, ”You’re the only One,             You are my strength and Rising Sun” 

Keep me safe from those around,                   From all the wicked that surround.

1.  Verses 1-13…

a.    What is the psalmist asking for here?     (verses 1-2)

He is asking for deliverance from those who are seeking his life.

b.  How does he describe these people?     (verse 3)

As having poisoned tongues like a snake.

c.  What do we have to be careful to not do?     (James 3:2-10)

We have to be careful we are not like that, but to only speak kind words.

d.  What did Jesus Christ say about our words?      (Matthew 12:35-37 )

He said that we are known by the words we speak, and that every idle word we say we will have to give an account of it in the time to come. What a scary thought!!

e.  What sort of enemies was the psalmist facing and what was his prayer about it? (verses 5-6)

He was facing proud and violent men who were trying to cut him down, both bodily and mentally….he was asking God for help in standing firm.

f.  Even though we don’t have physical persecution yet, what sort of enemies do we have to face out in the world? Why is this so?        (verse 7; John 15:18-21; Ephesians 6:11-12)

People who work with us hate our testimony because it shows them up…it’s not us personally they hate, it’s what we stand for. They belong to the evil one and hate Jesus Christ, so they hate us for belonging to Him. They try to trip us up in what we say and have far higher standards for believers than they have for themselves.

g. What can we fall back onto in times like these?    (verses 6-7; 50:15)

We can all out to the Lord and He will keep us and deliver us from their taunts helping us to cope with them..

h.   What is the psalmist praying about here?   ( verse 8)

He is asking the Lord to curb the ungodly one’s attacks.

i.  What often happens when people continue to attack believers verbally?       (verse 9)  

They often overstep themselves and the Lord can bring their own attacks back onto themselves.

j.  What does it mean for the “burning coals” to fall on them?    (verse 10; Romans 12:18-20)

When people are nasty to us, to treat them kindly and not answer back in the same manner….this is to “heap coals of fire on their heads” and they will become ashamed of themselves and maybe turn to the Lord. If they don’t repent, they will end up in a literal burning place.

k.   What happens to gossips and slanderers if they keep it up?        (verses 11-12)

God will strike them down in the end.

l. What happens to those who maintain a godly stand in the face of opposition?  (verse 13)

They are still able to give God thanks, and have fellowship with Him.

Psalm One hundred and forty two…..      (verses 1-7)                                      

The  Overwhelmed Man

I cry to God with many tears,              I bring to Him my many fears,

I tell Him all of my concerns,              He all my worries overturns.

I’m overwhelmed, He knows it all,      And holds my hand lest I should fall.

Though others do not care a bit,         He is  my Refuge, every whit,

When e’er I feel that I am low,             You will deliver even though;

My soul release from sadness too,     Deal bountifully in all You do.

1.  Verses 1-7…

a.    What is the best thing we can do when we are in trouble?     (verses 1-2)

To pray about it and take all our worries to Him

b.  What does Paul tell us about this?         (Philippians 4:6-7)

He tells us to not worry about anything but to tell the Lord about it all and give thanks for whatever the answer is…..this is the only way we can have peace about it all.

c.  What did the psalmist feel his enemies were doing?     (verses 3-4)

He felt they were trying to catch him out, and that they didn’t care what  happened to him.

d.  What did he realise that God was doing in these times ?    (verse 3a )

He knew that God knew all about his trials.

e.  How did he view God ?       (verses 5-6)

He viewed God as his refuge and shelter as there was no-one else he could turn to.

f.  What sort of prison can we often be in?        (verse 7)

Our soul can be in the prison of fear, or the prison of resentment….anything that ties up our thoughts in knots in our mind.

g. What do we know that God will do for us?    (verse  7)

We know He will bring us out of this if we take the matter to Him in humility and confess any wrong doing on our part. Sometimes our troubles are of our own making, and we have to put right what is wrong.

Psalm One hundred and forty three…..      (verses 1-12)                                      

The  Begging Man.

O Lord I ask You, hear my prayer,      Show me now Your faithful care,

Do not judge Your servant true,          None are right what e’er they do.

The enemy besets me round,              I’m overwhelmed, in darkness bound;

But when I think of days of old,          My soul thirsts for You  as for gold;

Hear me when  my spirit fails,            Keep me from the pit of wails;

Cause me to hear of all Your love,      Show me the way to heav’n above.

Deliver me from foes around,             I fly to You, please me surround;

Teach me Your will to daily do,           Lead me by Your Spirit too,

Make me alive for Your Name’s sake,  In righteousness from trouble take,

In Your mercy and Your grace,           Cut  off my foes before my face;

As Your servant,  help me do,             All that is good and kind and true.

1.  Verses 1-12…

a.  What three things about God’s character do we see here?     (verse 1)

He hears people’s prayers; He is faithful and He is righteous (full of justice).

b.  What  do we see about man in his natural state?   (verse 2; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:7b)

Not one is right before God, all have sinned from birth; it is only the blood of Jesus Christ that takes it away.

c.  What enemy do we have today  that  attacks us continually?    (verse 3; Matthew 13:39a; 1 Peter 5:8)

Satan roams around trying to upset us as he goes

d.    What state was the psalmist in when he wrote this psalm?     (verse  4)

He felt overwhelmed by his enemies, and that God was far away.

e.  How can we comfort ourselves when things get us down?      (verse 5)

We can remember times in the past when the Lord has done things for us, as well as remember things from the Scriptures.

f.  How do we often feel in times like these?    (verse 6)

We feel dry and thirsty in our souls.

g. What did Jesus Christ have to say about this?    (John 4:13-14)

He said He can give the water of life whereby a person will never have a thirsty soul again.

h.   What does the psalmist ask for in this next section?   ( verses 7-9)

He wants God to hear him, and then he wants to hear more of God’s kindness and know what he should do. He also asks again for deliverance from his enemies.

i.  What should we ask God for above all else? Why?       (verse 10)  

We should ask Him to teach us His will because He is our God and His way is the best and will only lead us in the right ways.

j.  What happens when we respond like this to the Lord?    (verses 11-12)

We are revived in His things and are brought out of trouble and are able to overcome what is bothering us.

Psalm One hundred and forty four…..      (verses 1-15)                                      

The Man so Blest.

I’ll bless the Lord who is my strength,                        You keep me safe at any length;

You are my fortress and high tower,               You keep me safe by Your great power;

I cannot think why God should know,             The sons of men who are so low;

Just like a shadow’s fleeting spot,                  Here today, tomorrow not.

If You  should come and mountains touch,  They’d smoke and shake, and quake so much;

Send Your hand, deliver me,                           From those who speak in vanity.

You’ve given me new songs to sing,               On harps of strings, Your music bring;

You’ve delivered from the sword,                   You’ve given all that we afford;

Sons so sturdy, daughters sweet,                   Help them to worship at Your feet;

Garners full with harvest’s store,                   Sheep in plenty, thousands more;

No complaining in the streets,                                    When daily those the Lord do meet;

Blest are those in such a case,                       Who know the Lord and seek His face!!

1.  Verses 1-15…

a.  What was David known as in connection with fighting?     (1 Samuel 16:18)

He was known as a valiant man of war.

b.  Who did David rely on when he went into battle?       (verses 1-2; 1 Samuel 17:37)

He relied on the Lord to see him through, and God gave him the victory.

c.  What thought does David break into as he contemplates this?      (verse 3)

How can God be BOTHERED with me! How can God be bothered with ME?

d.    What was his next thought?      (verse  4)

I feel so insignificant and small! I’m just nothing!

e. What was he realising in the next section?    (verses 5-6)

That God has complete control of creation and nature, and can create a disaster at any time.

f.  What did he want to be rescued from?      (verses 7-8)

He wanted to be rescued from his troubles and those who he couldn’t trust.

g. How did David express his gratitude to God? What did David love doing?    (verse 9; 2 Samuel 23:1b )

David loved to sing and play his harp, and this was how he expressed his praise to God.

h.   What are we told to do continually?    ( Colossians 3:16)

To sing and make melody in our hearts to the Lord.

i.  What blessings does God pour out on His people?    (verses 11-15)  

He gives an abundance of everything we need, both physically and spiritually

j.  How is this expressed in the New Testament?   (Ephesians 1:3; James 1:17)

God is the giver of every good thing.

Psalm One hundred and forty five…..      (verses 1-21)                                       

The  Upholding One

The Lord is gracious, full of compassion is He,   Patient and loving in His mercy to me,

He is good to all, providing my needs   So I’ll praise Him and thank Him in all of my deeds.

His glorious kingdom He’s willing to share,  With  those who love Him and for Him do care,

He is near to all who will call upon Him,       He fulfils  their desires, their needs never dim;

For those who will call, He hears their cry,  And all those who fall, He lifts up on high.

The Lord is great, with unsearchable height,  His honour and majesty, power and might.

His wondrous works all sing of His praise, Let’s now add our voice as we walk in His ways.

I WILL extol Him, His name I WILL bless,    His greatness to me, I gladly confess!

1.  Verses 1-21…

a.  What should our attitude towards God be?         (verses 1-2)

We should be extolling Him continually, and praising Him every minute.

b.  What thought does “extolling” have?   How much do we do this?    (Psalm 29:1-2)

It is the highest form of praise a person can give, in recognition of what another person is….in the case of God it is in recognition of His holiness.

c.  How do the heavenly beings do this?      (Revelation 4:8-11)

They never stop saying “Holy, holy, holy” to God (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) and all the others in God’s presence give him praise and thanksgiving when this happens.

d.    Why is God so great? How do we learn about Him?      (verses 3-4; Isaiah 45:18)

God is the greatest Being in the universe and in Heaven, there is no other as great…..He is the One who created the earth and all that is on it. We learn about him from hearing (or reading) what He has done for people in the past.

e. What should we be talking  about when with other believers?     (verses 5-7)

We should be talking about God’s great glory and  goodness, and what He has done for people in the past.

f.  What do the next two verses focus on?    (verses 8-9)

They focus on God’s great goodness, kindness and mercy, His patience and compassion for people.

g. We have seen what God is: how should we react to this?    (verses 10-12 )

There is nothing we can give Him except our praise and obedience; we should talk continually of His goodness, mercy , glory and ;power.

h.   What is God’s kingdom?  How does a person get into it?  How long does it last?  ( verse 13; John 3:3-7)

God’s kingdom consists of all those who have experienced the second birth. This is when a person realises that he is a sinner and has no standing before God except through what Jesus Christ Has done, and accepts this fact, telling Him so….God then bestows on him new life and he is part of God’s kingdom which lasts forever. THEN he is expected to live for the Lord. God has done His part in providing salvation, and we have to do our part in accepting it and living it out.

i.  What happens if we slip up and make mistakes during our life?       (verse 14; Psalm 37:24;; 1 John 1:9)  

The Lord is there to pick us up and help us to start all over again when we confess our sin before Him.

j.    What  characteristic do we see about God next?        (verses 15-16)

God is the great giver….He gives every thing what they need….every bit of creation depends on God for its very existence!

k  How is this expressed in the New Testament?     (Ephesians 1:3; James 1:17)

God is the giver of every good thing.

l. What part does Jesus Christ have in this?      (Hebrews 1:3)

He has not only taken the highest place in heaven, but He is still upholding all things by His power….the greatest thing He has supplied is man’s salvation

m.   What does God do in particular for those who love Him and delight in Him?  (verses 17-20; Psalm 37:4)

He is near them, and hears their every request; He saves them and fulfils their deepest desires as well as keeping  them in all their ways….their desires become His desires.

n. What should we do in response to this?  What WILL we do?  (verse 21; Revelation 7:12)

We will bless and praise His holy Name for ever and ever.

Psalm One hundred and forty six…..      (verses 1-10)                                       

The  Keeping  One.

I’ll praise the Lord with all my soul,   I’ll praise the One who made me whole

I won’t trust princes or in man,          They will not help, nor ever can.

Blest are  those who know the Lord,  Who rest in His unfailing sword.

He made the heavens, earth  and sea, He keeps the truth eternally.

He truly judges those oppressed,       He frees the ones who are repressed;

He gives clear sight to all the blind,    And those who seek, shall surely find.

The fatherless and widow know ,       The Lord’s relief and way to go.

Forever more the Lord shall reign,     O sing loud praises to His Name!!

1.  Verses 1-10

a.  What is this psalm basically about?         (verses 1-10)

It is all about what God has done  and how great He is.

b.  How does it start off?     (verses 1-2)

By praising the Lord, and the resolve to continue doing it throughout one’s life.

c.  What is it useless to trust in? Why?      (verses 3-4)

It is futile to trust in another person as they are likely to let one down, and are only human like we are.

d.    Who is the dependable One to trust? Why?      (verses 5-6)

God is the only One who is worthy to be trusted because He created everything, He is all powerful and He is the only One in whom is all Truth.

e. What are the characteristics of God mentioned here?    (verses 7-9)

He cares for the oppressed and those who are discriminated against; He sees they have food, and gives understanding to those who seek Him, He sets them free from  the bondage of sin; He picks up those who are down, and gives to the  poor (in spirit); cares for the foreigners (Gentiles). For those who are against Him, He turns them upside down.

f.  What can we say about God?       (verse 10;1 Timothy 6:15-16)

The LORD rules forever in Zion over His people, throughout the generations to come! Praise the LORD! To Him be honour and power for ever and ever!

Psalm One hundred and forty seven…..      (verses 1-20)                                      

The  Giving  One.

Praise the Lord for it is good,                         To praise Him daily as we should.

The Lord builds up His people true,                And gathers them together too;

Heals the broken hearted ones,                       Binds their wounds and never shuns.

He knows the stars each one by name,           Great is our Lord, in might and fame!

The Lord lifts up the meek each day,              And casts the wicked far away.

Sing praises loud unto the Lord,                     With harp and voice in sweet accord;

He makes the clouds to rain a lot,                   And gives the grass on mountain top;

The beasts all gather what they need,             The birds and ravens daily feed.

The horse’s strength and all man’s might,      Do not give God much great delight,

His pleasure is in those who fear,                   Those who keep Him ever near ;

Those who praise Him every day,                   Those who walk within His way.

He strengthens these and gives sweet peace, His blessings on them never cease!

The seasons come and seasons go,                With summer heat and winter snow;

He shows His Word to those who seek,          Who follow Him and of Him speak,

Praise the Lord all those who know,               His wondrous ways and in them go!

1.  Verses 1-20

a.  What are we encouraged to do?  Why?       (verse 1; 29:1-2)

We are encouraged to praise the Lord because He deserves it and because He is holy and awesome.

b.  What does the Lord specifically do?    (verses 2-3)

He builds His city and gathers His people together, binding up those who are broken and healing those who are sick.

c.  How does this apply  to us today?      (John 14: 2; Hebrews 12: 22-23)

God is building His heavenly city which Jesus Christ has prepared the way for and gathering people to populate it, and we can look forwards to the time when we will be with Him ; He heals those who are contrite enough to confess their sins and heals their hurts.

d.    What shows God’s greatness the most?       (verses 4-5)

The fact that He has not only made all the stars, but He has named them, every single one! He  is so great and has awesome power with no limit to his wisdom.

e. What are the two sorts of people God deals with here? What does He do with them?          (verse 6)

He lifts up those who are meek and humble enough to follow Him, while the wicked  He throws out.

f.  What are we to do for God? Why?       (verses  7-9)

We are to praise God, playing on the harp and singing to Him, for all His great works in creation in sending rain to make the grass grow to feed all the animals

g. What is the Lord NOT impressed by? What gives Him the most pleasure? (verses 10-11)

God is not impressed by the strength of horse that goes into battle, but He takes great pleasure in those who fear Him and follow His ways.

h.   Who should praise God? Why?     ( verses 12-14)

God’s people are to praise Him for all the blessings He gives to them and His provisions, both physical and spiritual; for peace of mind and spirit.

i.  What does verse 15 tell us? What is the most important thing God has given to people?       (verse 15; John 1:1-1-4, 14; 3:16)  

Verse 15 tells us that God has given His commands and His Word to the people of the earth, and it runs very swiftly to every corner. The most important thing God has given to people is His Word, in the Person of His Son, and as they respond to Him as God’s Word, so they have everlasting life.

j.    What does this next section tell us? What is one thing that man has no control over?       (verses 16-18)

It tells us that God has complete control over His creation….man has no control over the weather or climate at all…it is God alone who controls it by His Word.

k  Which nation  was given God’s Word?     (verse 19)

God gave his commands to Israel, and sent His Son, the Eternal Word, to them first.

l. How can we relate to this today?      (Matthew 28:19-20; Galatians 3:14)

The Gospel is going out into all the world to all nations and the blessings that God promised to Abraham and Israel, are now available to all people through Jesus Christ  Who gives his Holy Spirit to all who believe in Him.

m.   What about those who do nothing with what God has promised them?       (verse 20; John 3:36)

If people do not believe in Jesus Christ, God’s wrath and anger remains over them and they will suffer for all eternity.

Psalm One hundred and forty eight…..      (verses 1-14)                                      

The  Worthy  One.

Praise the Lord from heaven’s height,            Praise Him for His strength and might;

Praise Him all ye heavenly hosts,       Praise Him much, in Him we boast;

Praise Him, sun and moon and stars,             From Jupiter, Pluto also Mars,

For He commanded and then made,    He the earth’s foundations laid.

Praise the Lord from all the earth,      For He has made all things of worth;

Fire and hail, and wind and snow,       All the herbs and trees that grow,

Beasts and cattle, creeping things,     And all mankind, from maids to kings.

Let all these their voices raise,           For He is worthy of all praise!!

1.  Verses 1-14

a.  What is the gist of this whole psalm?       (verses 1-14)

It is all praise and giving glory to God for what He has done.

b.  Where does this praise begin?    (verses 1-2)

It begins in heaven itself, with the angels and all the hosts of God.

c.  Where does it go to next?      (verses 3-4)

The heavens that we can see of the sun, moon and stars.

d.    What is the reason these give praise to God?      (verses 5-6; Hebrews 1:2c-3)

Because He created them in the first place and holds them all together by the Word of His power still.

e. What do we see about this part of the creation of God?  (verse 6; Revelation 6:12-14)

He has put them in place and there they will stay until He decrees differently

f.  What part of creation praises God next?    (verse  7)

The  sea and all creatures in it.

g. What fulfils God’s command exactly?        (verse 8)

The weather, whether it be thunderstorms, hail, snow or other storms.

h.   What is mentioned next as giving praise to God?     ( verses 9-10)

The earth, animals, trees and all animals and birds.

i.  What is the crown of God’s creation that is to praise Him? Why?       (verses 11-13)  

All people from the rich and famous to the youngest child is to praise God for His excellent Name and because His glory is above everything else!

j.    What does the Lord want more than anything else?   (verse 14)

He wants a people for His Name, a people who will obey and follow Him and give Him the praise that is due to His Name.

k  The point is, DO we?    (Isaiah 43:7)

The point of our existence is to praise the One Who brought us to this point.

Psalm One hundred and forty nine…..      (verses 1-9)                                      

The  Pleasing Man

O praise  the Lord with a new song,   All those who to Him now belong,

Let Israel in Him now rejoice,             And those of Zion add their voice;

Let them sing with harp and  pipe,      And instruments of every type,

For this is pleasing to the Lord,          To have His songs all spread abroad.

Let His praises soar on high,              With His Word kept ever nigh,

Those who do not  know the Lord,      Will perish all from His  sharp sword.

So, O people, raise your voice,           And in Him now gladly rejoice!

1.  Verses 1-9

a.  What are the main points of the first verse?       (verse 1)

We are to praise the Lord with a new song, along with all other believers.

b.  What is this new song and who gives it?     (Psalm 40:1-3; Isaiah 42:10-12;  Revelation 5:9)

It is the Lord Jesus, God’s servant, who gives this new song of praise and glory to our God, and His people are going to be singing this throughout all eternity.

c.  What does the next section tell us?      (verses 2-3)

That all God’s people for every age are going to be joyful in singing  praises to the Lord with the music of heaven accompanying them.

d.    How does God feel about His people? What are they like and what does He give them?  (verse 4)

God takes great pleasure in His people who have been meek enough to accept His salvation which He has provided.

e. What is the attitude of believers to be?    (verse 5)

They are to be joyfully singing to the Lord at all times……no room for complaints here!

f.  What are they to use while praising God?  What is it?     (verse  6; Hebrews 4:12)

It is the two edged sword of God’s Word….our songs are to be based on God’s Word as we praise Him. Let’s forget ourselves and our feelings in these songs and concentrate on giving God and His Son all the glory.

g. What is God’s Word ultimately going to?      (verses 7-9; John 12:48)

It is going to be the means of judging all the nations, and seeing the end of sin in this world.

h.   What part do God’s people have in this?     ( verse 9b; 1 Corinthians 6:2)

We can’t fully understand it, but God’s people are also going be part of this in judging the nations.

Psalm One hundred and fifty…..      (verses 1-6)                                      

Praise to God from Man!

Praise the Lord, all those who be,       Praise Him in His sanctuary!

Praise Him for His mighty acts,          Praise Him for His Word of facts;

Praise Him for He is so great,             Praise Him always and on Him wait.

Praise Him with the sweetest harp,     Sound aloud the trumpet sharp;

Use the timbrel and the pipe,              And the strings of every type,

Cymbals too of every pitch,                Such orchestration sounds so rich;

Add our voices to these sounds,         Praising God till all resounds.

Praise God aloud, worthy is He,          For all He is and still will be!!

1.  Verses 1-6

a.  This is the last of the psalms….what is mentioned in every verse of this psalm? (verses 1-6)

How we are to praise the Lord for all He his and has done!

b.  Where are we to praise Him?     (verse 1)  

In His presence…His sanctuary.

c.  How can we sinners possibly hope to come before a Holy God?      (Hebrews 9:24; 1 John 2:1-2)

We can only approach God by accepting what Jesus Christ has done for mankind….in doing this, He has become our advocate before His Father because He has paid for our sins, the only sinless One who could.

d.    What else are we to praise God for?     (verse 2)

For all that He has done,  for His might  in creation and for providing salvation for sinful mankind.

e. How are we to praise Him?          (verses 3-5)

With enthusiasm and sincerity….we don’t do these things because others are doing it, but because we want to do it from our heart. Ask ourselves….if we shout out when others do, do we really mean it? If we wave our hands in the air, why are we doing this? Because others are? It is very easy to follow the crowd without meaning what we are doing!

f.  What is praise to God?     (1 Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 1:6, 12; Philippians 1:11)

Praising God is not just making a noise in singing or waving one’s hands in the air; praising God is living the way He wants us to, in thankfulness and reverence from the heart. Everything we do and say should bring glory to God, and anything less is sin. This is what we daily confess to the Lord, and He has said He will forgive us….we don’t have to ask for forgiveness, we just have to confess our shortcomings, and He forgives them.

g. What is the final instruction from the book of Psalms?  What does this include?  (verse 6; Revelation 5:13)

Let everything that has breath praise God….this includes all creation, creatures of the earth, air and sea!