Tag: Psalms

Previous Lessons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Read Psalm 119:97-112

Recall the things from the introductory lesson that you wanted to keep in mind as you study the text of Psalm 119.

Don’t forget to read in complete sentences instead of stopping at the end of each verse.

Recall the themes you’ve been noticing in Psalm 119. Watch for those themes to be repeated in today’s and future passages. You may wish to make a list of those themes to refer to throughout this study.

Questions to Consider

1. Review your notes from last week’s lesson. Does that passage relate to this week’s passage? How? Do you notice any repeated words, thoughts, or themes?

2. Notice the two part pattern to each of the verses in 97-104. What is the impact God’s Word has on the psalmist in each of these verses?

3. Explain the concepts of wisdom (98) and understanding (99, 100, 104) as they relate to God’s Word. What is the difference between factual knowledge and biblical wisdom? How do we acquire biblical wisdom?

Verses 98, 99, and 100 each compare godly, biblical wisdom to a different form of worldly “wisdom”. Explain each form of worldly “wisdom”. How is biblical wisdom far superior to each?

4. Notice how the psalmist’s love for God’s Word feeds on itself. The more he feeds on God’s Word, the more he hungers for it. How does this prove out the truth of Matthew 5:6? Have you experienced this hunger for God’s Word in your life? How can we acquire this hunger for the Word?

Agree with, disagree with, or how would you tweak this statement: “Constant meditation on the Word leads to consistent obedience to the Word, which leads to an increasing love for the Word and the God of the Word.”?

5. We’ve seen previous sections “bookended” with a unified thought (e.g. “I love Your law” / “I love Your law”). Is 97-104 bookended with a unified thought or a contrasting thought? What are the bookend thoughts for this section, how do they complement each other, and how do they fittingly introduce and conclude this section?

6. Have you ever known someone who walked away from the faith due to suffering? How does the psalmist respond to suffering in 105-112? What can you learn from this passage about the biblical response to suffering? Compare the psalmist’s response to suffering to Paul’s response to suffering.

Imagine you’re the psalmist in 105-112. If a lost friend said to you, “All of this loving God’s Word and striving so hard to obey it, and you’re still suffering so much? It’s not working. Why bother?” how would you answer her from what you’ve learned so far in Psalm 119 about God, His Word, and suffering? What do we know about suffering that the world doesn’t know? What do we have during suffering that the world doesn’t have? How is God’s Word a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (105) during the darkness of suffering?

Explain why, for the psalmist and the Christian, obedience to God during times of suffering isn’t an added burden – it’s freeing and brings us joy.

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Praying Psalm 119

Have you ever tried praying the psalms? I want to encourage you to try praying part of Psalm 119 back to God each week of this study. (If you’re familiar with my other studies, this will take the place of the weekly “Homework” section.)

The psalms are uniquely suited for praying back to God, both verbatim and conceptually, because they are often written as prayers – as though the psalmist is talking to God. Did you notice that about today’s passage? In which verses?

What is a concept or thought for your own life that the Holy Spirit impressed on your heart or convicted you about from today’s passage? Is there a particular verse(s), or maybe the whole passage, that you would like to pray back to God verbatim? Whatever your “prayer point” from today’s lesson, pray it at least daily until we get to the next lesson.

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Suggested Memory Verse

Previous Lessons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Read Psalm 119:81-96

Recall the things from the introductory lesson that you wanted to keep in mind as you study the text of Psalm 119.

Don’t forget to read in complete sentences instead of stopping at the end of each verse.

Recall the themes you’ve been noticing in Psalm 119. Watch for those themes to be repeated in today’s and future passages. You may wish to make a list of those themes to refer to throughout this study.

Questions to Consider

1. Review your notes from last week’s lesson. Does that passage relate to this week’s passage? How? Do you notice any repeated words, thoughts, or themes?

2. Notice the I/me/my >>> You/Your pattern in 81-83. Make a 2-column chart, and write all of the I/me/my’s on the left and all of the You/Your’s on the right. What does this teach us about how the psalmist regards God? How we should regard God? What does it teach us about God’s (and God’s Word’s) sufficiency and sovereignty in our suffering?

3. What is the overall theme of this section? Suffering can often be categorized in one of three ways: “deserved” suffering (suffering the direct consequences of your own sin), “undeserved” suffering (suffering as a result of someone else’s sin {abuse, being a victim of a crime, etc.} or as a result of living in a fallen world {illness, natural disasters, etc.}), and persecution (suffering as a direct result of your testimony of Christ). Which kind of suffering is the psalmist experiencing here? How does the psalmist characterize those persecuting him in 85-87, 95?

As Christians, Scripture teaches us to expect persecution for our testimony. Compare what the New Testament teaches us to expect regarding persecution with what the psalmist is describing here. How are the two similar or different?

Sometimes Christians equate “persecution” with martyrdom, physical torture, or imprisonment. Is that how the psalmist is describing his persecution? Second Timothy 3:12 says, “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”. Over the last 2000 years, have all Christians who lived godly lives been martyred, tortured, or imprisoned? If not, is this verse of Scripture untrue, or is it possible that we’re defining “persecution” incorrectly? If persecution is more of a spectrum, with martyrdom, torture, and imprisonment at the “most difficult” end, what kinds of things would be at the “easiest to endure” end? In the middle? Where, on the spectrum, would you say the psalmist’s persecution fell? Have you ever experienced persecution? Where, on the spectrum, did your persecution fall? (You may wish to read my article 4 Things You Need to Understand About Christian Persecution.)

4. How would you characterize the urgency of the psalmist’s plea in 84-86? Is our posture toward suffering that we are OK with God “taking His time” to alleviate it, or do we, like the psalmist, cry out, “How long must your servant endure?…Help me!” (84,86) when we’re suffering, do our minds go to the “How long, O Lord?” passages of Scripture, like this one, or are passages where God seems to help immediately and miraculously (e.g. parting the Red Sea, the provision of manna, raising the dead, etc.) our go to? Do we ever stop to think about how much “How long, O Lord?” went on prior to some of those seemingly immediate miracles? Why does God often seem to wait so long before alleviating our suffering?

In previous lessons we have seen the psalmist say that affliction taught him obedience to God and His Word, a concept that’s reiterated for Christians in the New Testament. What are some other aspects of godly character God grows us in when suffering lasts a long time? How, and in which verses, does the psalmist demonstrate in this passage that long and drawn out suffering teaches us endurance and dependence on God? What does the New Testament teach us about this?

What does today’s passage teach us about where our focus should be when we are being persecuted? How does keeping our focus on Christ help us in times of persecution?

5. Notice the structure of 89-96. The psalmist moves from the “macro” of God, His Word, and His work, to the “micro,” and back again to the “macro”. How does he do this in:

• 89-91:

• 92-95:

• 96:

How do verses 89 and 96 “bookend” this section with the concepts that God’s Word is eternal, transcending the bounds of time (89), permanent, transcending the ravages of time (89), and limitless, transcending all temporal barriers and situations (96)? How are these characteristics rooted in the nature of God, Himself?

Explain how, even though – or maybe, because – God’s Word is eternal, permanent, and limitless, on the macro level, it is able to work within the framework or containment of the temporal on a micro level – human history, the bounds of the earth and the laws of nature, our circumstances, our human frailty, etc. How can something so vast be “contained” by our tiny little lives and circumstances? How does this characteristic of God’s Word help the psalmist, and us, during times of persecution?

Spend some time meditating on this characteristic of God and His Word, and let it lead you to worship Him.

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Praying Psalm 119

Have you ever tried praying the psalms? I want to encourage you to try praying part of Psalm 119 back to God each week of this study. (If you’re familiar with my other studies, this will take the place of the weekly “Homework” section.)

The psalms are uniquely suited for praying back to God, both verbatim and conceptually, because they are often written as prayers – as though the psalmist is talking to God. Did you notice that about today’s passage? In which verses?

What is a concept or thought for your own life that the Holy Spirit impressed on your heart or convicted you about from today’s passage? Is there a particular verse(s), or maybe the whole passage, that you would like to pray back to God verbatim? Whatever your “prayer point” from today’s lesson, pray it at least daily until we get to the next lesson.

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Suggested Memory Verse

Previous Lessons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,

Read Psalm 119:65-80

Recall the things from the introductory lesson that you wanted to keep in mind as you study the text of Psalm 119.

Don’t forget to read in complete sentences instead of stopping at the end of each verse.

Recall the themes you’ve been noticing in Psalm 119. Watch for those themes to be repeated in today’s and future passages. You may wish to make a list of those themes to refer to throughout this study.

Questions to Consider

1. Review your notes from last week’s lesson. Does that passage relate to this week’s passage? How? Do you notice any repeated words, thoughts, or themes?

2. In lesson 5, we saw the psalmist “holding God to His promises”. What was the outcome of that according to 65?

3. Previously, the psalmist has said he “loves,” “treasures,” “desires,” etc. God’s commands. Verse 66 is the first and only place in Psalm 119 in which he says, “I believe in Your commands.”. What does it mean to “believe in” God’s Word? What is the posture of heart of someone who believes in God’s Word? Does believing God’s Word require accompanying action on the part of the believer? If we don’t act in response to and in accordance with God’s Word, do we really believe it? How do our actions demonstrate our belief in God’s Word?

4. Examine what the psalmist is saying about “affliction” in 67, 71, 75 in light of 69-70, 78. Is he talking about a) God disciplining him for his sin, b) the type of persecution from others that results from living a godly life, or c) “regular” life suffering (i.e. illness, being the victim of a crime, losing your job due to downsizing, etc.)? It may help to examine the Hebrew word עָנָה (ʿānâ), which is translated as “afflicted” here.

Why did the psalmist consider this affliction to be “good” for him? Because it was a pleasant experience? Because he was a martyr, or because his suffering earned him brownie points with God? Notice that he gives the reasons in the second half of verses 67 and 71. What did God accomplish in the psalmist’s life through this affliction? What did the affliction teach him about God’s Word and about how to respond to God’s Word?

What did the affliction teach the psalmist about God Himself (68)? Consider not only verse 68, but also these passages. What does suffering teach us about God and His Word? Respond to this statement in light of all of these passages: “Even in suffering, God is good, He is doing good, and the ultimate results are good.”

What is the psalmist’s response to the result of the good work (teaching him to learn and obey God’s Word) God did in his life? (72)

Notice the wording of 75. Some people think the existence of suffering and evil demonstrates that God is either powerless to stop it, or that He isn’t good because He doesn’t stop it. This is called theodicy, or “the problem of evil”. Others think everything “good” that happens is from God and everything “bad” that happens is from Satan. What does verse 75 tell us about God’s sovereignty, power, and goodness in affliction? Why did God cause the psalmist – obviously a godly man who loved the Lord and was pursuing holiness – to be afflicted? Why does He cause godly people today to be afflicted? How have you seen God’s goodness and sovereignty in your own suffering?

5. Notice the clear line of distinction between those who fear the Lord and “the insolent” (those who don’t fear the Lord) in this passage. Identify the verses that describe each of these groups. How does the psalmist characterize these two types of people? Have you found this characterization to be true in your own life?

6. Consider the concept of shame in verses 78 and 80. What role does sin play in shame? Compare what you’re seeing about shame in this passage to these passages. Why is it biblically appropriate for lost people to feel the weight of their shame before a holy God? Why is it biblically inappropriate for saved people striving for holiness to stand in shame before God? You may (especially if you’re saved and struggle with guilt and shame) wish to read my article Guilt and Shame- Burden or Blessing?

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Praying Psalm 119

Have you ever tried praying the psalms? I want to encourage you to try praying part of Psalm 119 back to God each week of this study. (If you’re familiar with my other studies, this will take the place of the weekly “Homework” section.)

The psalms are uniquely suited for praying back to God, both verbatim and conceptually, because they are often written as prayers – as though the psalmist is talking to God. Did you notice that about today’s passage? In which verses?

What is a concept or thought for your own life that the Holy Spirit impressed on your heart or convicted you about from today’s passage? Is there a particular verse(s), or maybe the whole passage, that you would like to pray back to God verbatim? Whatever your “prayer point” from today’s lesson, pray it at least daily until we get to the next lesson.

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Suggested Memory Verse

Previous Lessons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

It’s catch up week! How’s the studying going? What is God teaching you through His Word in Psalm 119?

This week you get to catch up on any lessons you might be behind on, go back and pray through any of the passages you didn’t get a chance to pray through, review your memory verses, or if you’re already caught up, you could even read ahead in Psalm 119 a little. It’s your week to use as you see fit. Happy studying!

Here are all of our memory verses so far, if you’d like to review them:

Previous Lessons: 1, 2, 3, 4,

Read Psalm 119:49-64

Recall the things from the introductory lesson that you wanted to keep in mind as you study the text of Psalm 119.

Don’t forget to read in complete sentences instead of stopping at the end of each verse.

Recall the themes you’ve been noticing in Psalm 119. Watch for those themes to be repeated in today’s and future passages. You may wish to make a list of those themes to refer to throughout this study.

Questions to Consider

1. Review your notes from last week’s lesson. Does that passage relate to this week’s passage? How? Do you notice any repeated words, thoughts, or themes?

2. Do you notice a difference in tone between this first section (49-56) and most of the previous sections we’ve studied? How would you characterize the tone of this section? The previous sections? How do our life circumstances impact our perspective of how God’s Word ministers to us? (For example: When you’re joyful, which aspect of God’s Word most ministers to you? Comfort, praise, encouragement, zeal, etc.? When you’re going through hard times?) Proverbs 25:11 tells us “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” How is Scripture a “word fitly spoken” to each of us, personally, no matter what we’re going through?

3. Anger is often sinful, but how is verse 53 an example of righteous, godly anger?

4. Which verses in these two sections speak to God’s attribute of dependability, being a “man of His word”? How does that bring comfort and stability to the psalmist and to us?

What is the psalmist’s response to God’s dependability? (49, 50, 57) How do you, or how should you, respond to God’s dependability to you?

As God’s people, we are to reflect to others God’s attribute of dependability. How are you doing at being dependable to others – a woman of your word? Are you punctual? Fulfill your commitments? Return correspondence in a timely manner? Follow through? What’s one practical way you could reflect God’s dependability this week? When God’s people aren’t dependable, what does that say to lost people about God?

How does the psalmist “hold God to His word” in prayer in 49, 50, and 58? It is always appropriate in our prayers to recall God’s promises to us (from Scripture) and ask Him to keep or fulfill them. How can we avoid demanding things from God that He never promised us in the first place? Have you noticed any verses or themes we’ve studied so far in Psalm 119 that speak to this?

How is asking God to keep His promises simply asking Him to be who He is?

5. Does verse 56 refer to the blessings that are a consequence of obeying God’s Word, or does it mean that the ability and desire to obey God’s Word is a blessing in and of itself? (It might help to look at this verse in a few other reliable translations.) Why is it a blessing to desire and be able to obey God’s Word? How are we able and Who gives us that desire?

6. Carefully examine 59-60. What kind of “ways” is the psalmist talking about? What is the solution to temptation and sin in…

• 57, 59-60?

• 58, 64?

• 61?

• 62?

• 63?

How can you implement each of these in your own life to combat sin?

Consider how Jesus used the weapon of memorized Scripture to combat Satan’s temptations. Why is God’s Word such an effective weapon against temptation and sin? Why doesn’t just avoiding temptation alone – apart from God’s Word – work? Do you run to God’s Word when you’re tempted? What are some verses you could memorize and obey to help you fight temptation and avoid sinning?

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Praying Psalm 119

Have you ever tried praying the psalms? I want to encourage you to try praying part of Psalm 119 back to God each week of this study. (If you’re familiar with my other studies, this will take the place of the weekly “Homework” section.)

The psalms are uniquely suited for praying back to God, both verbatim and conceptually, because they are often written as prayers – as though the psalmist is talking to God. Did you notice that about today’s passage? In which verses?

What is a concept or thought for your own life that the Holy Spirit impressed on your heart or convicted you about from today’s passage? Is there a particular verse(s), or maybe the whole passage, that you would like to pray back to God verbatim? Whatever your “prayer point” from today’s lesson, pray it at least daily until we get to the next lesson.

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Suggested Memory Verse