Longing for God Knows What

1. If you could take any kind of journey or trip right now, where would you go? Why?

2. Describe a very powerful encounter you had with God during a time of personal or corporate worship? What made it so?

Read Psalm 84:

3. What longing is the writer of this psalm highlighting in v.1-2?

4. How would you rate your longing for God right now on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)? Why?

5. Why does the Psalmist mention the birds in v.3?

6. How does vs.5-8 point toward a journey of dependence and surprise? What is the importance of having one’s heart “set” on journeying toward God when going through life’s valleys? Why do we have a tendency to want to avoid life’s valleys? How can they be transformative?

7. What’s unusual about “going from strength to strength” on a journey? How and why can that happen in life?

8. Who is the “shield” and “anointed one” referred to in v.9? What’s the significance of the psalmist’s prayer here? What does that mean for us today?

9. What could be so good about being in the Temple courts (v.10-12)? What keeps it from getting repetitious? What do these verses say about what it means to be content in life?

10. Whose walk is blameless? How can our walk be blameless today?

11. What is it that you really want in life? What have you sensed God saying to you? What are you going to do about it?

Consider God’s Works

1. How much time do you think you spend watching TV, on social media, on browsing the internet, per day, combined?

2. In light of what you know about God, what gives you reason to praise Him?

Read Psalm 111:

3. How would you put verse 1 into practice the next time to you meet with other Christ followers?

4. Do you agree with what the author says in verses 2-4? Explain.

5. What events and stories, either from the Bible, or from your own life, come to your mind when you read verses 5-10?

6. How is verse 10 true? Can you give examples?

7. Make a point to take at least five minutes each day this week to ponder God’s work in your life, or around you, and praise God for it. Observe what effect it has on you.

An ABC for a Crisis

1. Can you a remember a time in your life when you faced an existential crisis (illness, danger, money, etc.) but somehow you came through, maybe by God’s intervention or the help of others?

2. How did you feel when you got “saved”?

3. What did you learn from it?

Read Psalm 34:

4. What is the occasion for this Psalm? (1 Samuel 21:10-14)

5. Put yourself in David’s shoes. What must it have felt like to be on the run knowing that Saul is out to kill him and as well as the people of Gath? How did it feel to escape certain death?

6. How does David describe his experience in hindsight? (v.3-6)

7. What was his first reaction? (v.1-2)

8. What lessons did he learn? (v.7-10)

9. Summarize the advice David gives to those who face a crisis. (v.11-22)

10. What have you heard God saying to you through this Psalm?

11. What are you going to do about it?

Forgiveness

1. Do you ever remember getting caught with your “hand in the cookie jar” as a child? As an adult? What happened in each instance?

2. Has covering up sin ever backfired in your life? How have you experienced God’s mercy when you owned up to your sin?

Read: 2 Samuel 11

3. In what ways did King David sin in the Bathsheba affair?

4. In view of King David’s arrogance, adultery, deception and murder, how does he dare approach God? What does he feel?

Read: Psalm 51

5. According to Jewish law, murder is a capital crime as is adultery (Deuteronomy 22:22). Since such sins deeply affect the lives of others, what is the meaning of v.4? What does this reveal about the nature of sin?

6. If God created all things “good,” why does humankind sin (see Romans 5:12-14)?

7. After acknowledging his sin and waywardness, what does King David ultimately ask God to do (v.7-12)? What is the significance of King David asking to be cleansed?

8. How does King David hope to escape God’s wrath (v.13-17)? On what basis does he hope for a restored relationship with God?

9. Why would King David end his prayer to include the nation he leads (v.18-19)? What does this indicate about the nature of sin?

10. Are there really ever any “victimless crimes”? How does our sin affect God? Ourselves? Others? Society?

11. Are you more sensitive to sin and brokenness in yourself as a believer than beforehand? Why? Describe the power of receiving God’s forgiveness and being restored to a right relationship with Him.

God Turns Life Around

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1. How does this Psalm characterize a fool?

2. How does this kind of foolishness manifest itself today?

3. Do you agree with God’s assessment in v.2-3? Explain.

Read Romans 1:18-32; 3:10-18
4. Where in this text do you find similarities with Psalm 14?

Read Psalm 14:4-6
5. What do fools overlook?

6. Can you give evidence of the fact that God is with those who obey Him and that he protects them?

Read Psalm 14:7
7. Has God started to restore His people already or does this still lie in the future? Who are His people?

8. What do you think God wants you to do in response to what He is telling you through this Psalm?

The Heart of Worship

What was the most difficult hike or climb you’ve ever participated in? How did you prepare for it?

How would you describe what worship means to a friend with no Christian background? What form of worship do you connect with best? How do you prepare for worship?

Read: Psalm 24

What verses in this Psalm point to a procession into the city (see 2 Sam. 6 and 1 Chr. 15)? How would bringing the ark into Jerusalem have been a significant event in the life of the people of Israel? What did this event signify?

What does David underline about God in v.1-2? What does it mean to you that as your Creator, God has a claim upon your life? How does what David says in v.1-2 relate to his question and answer in v.3-4?

What is meant by “clean hands” and “pure heart” (v.4)?

What is stressed about God in v.7-10?

What three names would you give God from this Psalm?

Worshiping God as the sovereign, universal King is no small thing and requires proper preparation. How might you better prepare for corporate worship this week?

Worship is something we must really desire to do. Have you ever asked yourself what it is you really want in life? What is it?

What modern “idols” tempt us to live for them instead of the true God? What does God’s reign call you to be and do?

Have you allowed God entrance into your life? Why or why not? Is He reigning as your sovereign King? If not, why not?

This Is My God

Imagine someone asks you:

Where does God live? Where can I find God?

What is your answer?

 

Read Psalm 48:

Where did the poet locate God?

 

What do Matthew 1:23; 18:20; 28:20; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 tell us about where God is to be found today?

 

Where have you seen or experienced God at work this week? (v.4-8)

 

What does worship have to do with meditation? (v.9-11)

 

When you think of how you have experienced God recently, what gives you reason to worship? What do you want to tell God?

 

What would you want people who are searching for God to see so that they can find God? Where would you want them to look for God? (v.12-14)

 

What do you sense God is telling you as you study this Psalm?

 

What does God want you to do?

 

 

No More Tears to Cry

  1. “No More Tears to Cry” – can you relate to that experience? How?

 

  1. Have you ever felt that what you’ve done is unforgivable?

 

  1. What are common ways to cope with despair and pain?

 

Read Psalm 130:

  1. As you try to recapture the feeling of despair how does v.4 sound to you?

 

  1. Why does God forgive?

 

  1. Can you identify with v.5-6? How?

 

  1. The poet shares how he eventually found comfort in God’s promises (v.7-8). What would you like to share with others about how God comforted you?

 

  1. How has God spoken to you through this Psalm?

 

  1. What do you think you need to do?