Psalm 74

1 Why have you rejected us forever, O God?   Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?

2 Remember the people you purchased of old, the tribe of your inheritance, whom you redeemed—Mount Zion, where you dwelt.

3 Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins, all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary. 

4 Your foes roared in the place where you met with us; they set up their standards as signs.

5 They behaved like men wielding axes to cut through a thicket of trees.

6 They smashed all the carved paneling

    with their axes and hatchets.

7 They burned your sanctuary to the ground; they defiled the dwelling place of your Name.

8 They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely!” They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land.

9 We are given no miraculous signs; no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be. 

10 How long will the enemy mock you, O God? Will the foe revile your name forever?

11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them! 

12 But you, O God, are my king from of old; you bring salvation upon the earth.

13 It was you who split open the sea by your power; you broke the heads of the monster in the waters.

14 It was you who crushed the heads of

Leviathan and gave him as food to the creatures of the desert.

15 It was you who opened up springs and streams; you dried up the ever flowing rivers.

16 The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon.

17 It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter. 

18 Remember how the enemy has mocked you, O Lord, how foolish people have reviled your name.

19 Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever.

20 Have regard for your covenant, because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.

21 Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace; may the poor and needy praise your name. 

22 Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long.

23 Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries the uproar of your enemies, which

rises continually.

What are some verses or phrases that stand out as particularly meaningful? Explain why.

The author’s tone is angry, and grieving. Something bad has obviously happened. What is it? (Look at verses 3-8.)

Take a look at the first question in the psalm: “Why have you rejected us forever, O God?”  Who is “us” in this verse? Did God really reject them forever? How do you know? Have you ever felt like God has rejected you? If so, when? How long did you feel this way? If you have never felt like this, do you think it’s because you have a close relationship with God, or because you have not always been aware/honest about your feelings toward God?

Reread verse 2. In what way did God “purchase” his people? What does the psalmist

communicate here?

Reread verse 11. It seems like the author is questioning God’s way of doing things. It’s almost like he is correcting God, commanding God, “Why are you doing it like this? Does God value honesty in prayer?

In verses 12-17 the entire tone and focus of the psalm changes. What happens? Why this shift? How does this section change the overall tone of the psalm?

Verses 18-23 are a series of commands that the writer makes . . . all directed toward God! (“remember,” “do not hand over,” “have regard,” “do not let,” “rise up,” “do not ignore.”) It seems like the psalmist believes that God will listen as he is telling Him to do these things, or asking these things of Him. Where does this confidence come from? Why doesn’t the psalmist feel the need to use polite phrases like, “please” or “if you would”?

To think about:

It was already mentioned that verses 4-9 are the author telling God about what has gone on. Practice this kind of praying today. Talking to someone means telling them what’s going on in your life, what you’re feeling, thinking . . . what’s happening. Often times we only talk to God when we have something to ask Him or something to thank Him for. If you only talked to a friend when you wanted to ask for something or say “thank you”

for something, you wouldn’t talk to that friend very often! So practice this “normal” kind of

communication with God. Start by telling Him about your day today. He already knows,

but He wants to hear it from you.

Psalm 95

1 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;

          let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving

          and extol him with music and song. 

3 For the Lord is the great God,

          the great King above all gods.

4 In his hand are the depths of the earth,

          and the mountain peaks belong to him.

5 The sea is his, for he made it,

          and his hands formed the dry land. 

6 Come, let us bow down in worship,

          let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;

7 for he is our God

          and we are the people of his pasture,

          the flock under his care. 

Today, if you hear his voice,

          8 do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, 

          as you did that day at Massah  in the desert,

9 where your fathers tested and tried me,

          though they had seen what I did.

10 For forty years I was angry with that generation;

          I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray,

          and they have not known my ways.”

11 So I declared on oath in my anger,

          “They shall never enter my rest.”

What does it mean to praise God? According to this psalm, how should a person praise God? Is this done in public or private? If both, why?

According to this psalm, why should a person praise God?  What are some things people commonly praise in place of God?

Consider the last two weeks—was your life a life of praise. Why or why not?

How could you become more thankful? How could you cultivate gratitude in your heart?

Verses 7 and 8 give a strong warning against hardening one’s heart toward God. What are some practical clues from this psalm that can help us not to have a hard heart?

Consider the condition of your heart today. Would you describe it as “hard” or “soft” toward spiritual things?

Psalm 73 (A Psalm of Asaph)

1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.

3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.

5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.

6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.

7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.

8 They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.

9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.

10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.

11 They say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”

12 This is what the wicked are like—always carefree, they increase in wealth.

13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.

14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.

**15 If I had said, “I will speak thus, I would have betrayed your children.”

16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me

17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.

19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!

20 As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as

fantasies.

21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,

22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.

23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.

24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion

forever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

Reread verse 1. What’s the relationship between “Israel” and “those who are pure in heart”?  Are they the same thing (that is, all of “Israel” is also “pure”)?

Reread verses 4-12 and write a description of the “arrogant.”

Is there anything in this psalm that you identify with right now in your life? What is it, and why?

 Verse 13 is included in the Bible even though it’s not a “right” way to feel (even if sometimes we will). What’s the best thing to do when we find ourselves in this condition? Look at verses 16-28 and underline the statements that helped the psalmist get out of the “verse 13” mindset.

 How can God use confusion and doubt to change your life? Get personal and describe a time when God did something extraordinary in your life.

Pick a verse or phrase and meditate on it. (Put the pen and paper down.) What verse did you choose? Why? What did you learn? How were you encouraged?

What is the “antidote” or solution to the problem the psalmist was facing? What could this solution look like in your life?

Psalm 119 (selections)

1 Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.

2 Blessed are they who keep [watch over] his statutes and seek him with all their heart.

3 They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways.

4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.

5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!

6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.

7 I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.

8 I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.

9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.

10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.

11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

12 Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees.

13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.

14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.

16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

81 My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word.

82 My eyes fail, looking for your promise; I say, “When will you comfort me?”

83 Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget your decrees.

84 How long must your servant wait? When will you punish my persecutors?

85 The arrogant dig pitfalls for me, contrary to your law.

86 All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for men persecute me without cause.

87 They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts.

88 Preserve my life according to your love, and I will obey the statutes of your mouth.

Verses 1-8

Reread verse 6. Is this a description of your life? Do you feel “shame” when you read the Bible? Should people always feel shame when they consider God’s commands? Can people read the Bible and feel good about the way they are living?

Dig deep, consider honestly: Why do you do the good that you do? What truly motivates you to live God’s way?

Verses 9-16

Based on this passage, what are some specific markers of spiritual maturity?

How would you rate yourself on Scripture memory? Don’t settle for the “I need to memorize more” answer. What do you know? Maybe you can’t remember the verse references, but what are some things you know are true because you know they are in God’s Word?

Reread verse 15. What does it mean to meditate, to consider God’s Word? Pick one phrase from Psalm 119 and meditate on it.

Verses 81-88

Reread this section. In your own words, describe the emotion portrayed here. Have you ever felt like this?

How does the person in this section relate to God’s word? What are some key phrases from the text that support your answer?

Is it OK to be sad as a Christian? Is it OK for things not to be going so well? Explain why you feel the way you do.

Why are Christians so good at being fake and so bad at showing what’s real?

To think about:

Every time you read your Bible this week, pray Psalm 119:18:

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

lesson 1 - psalm 1

Underline the nine key words in verse 1

walk, counsel, wicked

stand, way, sinners

sit, seat, mockers

What do you think the psalmist is communicating through this list of three actions?

Do you see a progression from bad to worse or worst, or is the list just the same “bad” thing repeated three different ways? How does the text support your answer?

What are the attributes of the “blessed man”?

What are the attributes of the “wicked”?

What is the “law” of the Lord? Why is it called “law”?

What does it mean to “delight” in the law of the Lord? Do we have a choice over what we delight in? In other words, can we decide what we like and what we don’t like? Explain why you feel the way you do.

Reread verses 1-3. Why is the picture of the tree used?  Does the tree always yield fruit? Does the leaf ever wither? What clues from the text support your answer?

Why is the tree different from the chaff? Even if you don’t know what chaff is, how does the text contrast these two? (definition of chaff: the seed coverings and other debris separated from the seed in threshing grain—the worthless part of grain that is stripped away from the wheat and thrown away.)

Using the teachings from the psalm, would you be considered blessed or wicked? Take an honest inventory of your heart and the way you life your life . . . where do you feel you stand?

Some major causes ,or roads that lead to rebellion can be explained by, one of these types of rebellion: which are a poor relationship with their parents; rebellion is their effort at communicating, a teen’s way of expression control, a lack of boundaries and expectations, an expression of emotions, or the absence of an honest, vulnerable model. 

The negative effects of rebellion can be some dangerous pursuits, such as drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, vandalism, harm to others, etc. Depression, alienation, guilt, anxiety and fear are just a few more emotional and physical negative effects to a rebellious life.

To respond to rebellion we must pray, and really evaluate what type of person you are to your children, too strict, too loose, or oblivious, or your child may be going through a real tough emotional circumstance that they do not know how to communicate another way.

We must look to Jesus at his example and what could be viewed as rebellious when he first became a teenager (Luke 2:41-52), that adventure proved and stated his growing independence with no sin and he remained obedient to his parents. Our teens need to feel a sense of independence to then fully embrace interdependence and we must give them the help, guidance, example and leadership to encourage that transformation to happen in their lives.