Welcome to the Weekly Digest!
Below you will find resources to help you on your journey through the Book of Psalms. We've provided you with a reading plan for the upcoming week, journaling prompts, a weekly Spotify playlist, and ideas for prayer. Be sure to check in every week to see what we have for you next as we continue to enrich our journey through the Psalms.
Reading Plan May 1st - May 7th
Psalms 121-125. Read and reflect on Psalm 115 in preparation for Sunday, May 8th's teaching. You can download the reading guide for the entire Psalms series here.
Scripture Memorization
Scripture memorization is an important discipline to introduce to our lives as a way to actively hide God's word in our heart. It allows us to not only internalize the text, but to share that truth with others more readily.
Memory Verses for April: Psalm 138:6-8
For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. 8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Journal Prompts
* A quick note on journaling: if you're new to this practice, our journey through the book of Psalms will be a great way to get started. The most important step to forming this discipline in your life is to write anything and write often. Journaling is an incredible way to slow down, digest the content of a text, let your brain internalize thoughts that may come up, and keep a record for future reflection on what God was speaking to you during your reading. Journaling can take many forms such as written prayers, bullet points, stream of consciousness, or even poetry. Try some different methods and find the one that works best for you.
Journal Prompts / Discussion Questions from Today's Teaching
What are you thankful for?
In your own words describe a moment when you have been thankful yet there was a glaring absence of “to whom you were thankful”.
Do you attribute your life to luck? Random circumstance? Coincidental forces of life?
Read Psalm 107:1-3 and take some time to meditated on the message of these three verses.
What is God speaking to you from these verses?
Of all the illustrations given in Psalm 107 regarding God’s redemptive work in our life which do you identify with the most?
How did God work redemption in that moment of your life?
What in your life today needs redeeming?
Journal Prompts / Discussion Questions for This Week's Reading
Psalms 121
1. Think of a time of distress or trouble. What or where did you turn to first?
Is your first response to try and fix it by yourself, or to turn to God seeking guidance and wisdom?
How has God kept you? Spend time thanking God for his faithfulness towards your recounting specific times when he kept your going out and your coming in.
Psalm 122
Do you look forward to spending time with God’s people whether that’s on a Sunday morning or throughout the week? Why or why not?
What we see in Scripture, whether it’s this Psalm, Paul’s letters or Jesus’ words is that Jesus is enough for us. Jesus is enough for us to be unified, bonded, and brought together. Jesus has more power to unite than any other thing would have the power to divide us.
So why is it so hard to keep that at the forefront of our minds when in community with others? What is the biggest barrier for you gathering with God’s people?
Psalm 123
Psalm 123 commands us to “Look”! Take note of what the psalmist is wanting us to look at.
Psalm 101 talks about not putting our eyes on anything that is “worthless” and here we find an encouragement to keep our eyes on God.
What would you say is something that you spend your time on that does not have eternal value?
What does the balance of enjoying God’s creation and His people’s creativity with that which provides us with eternal value look like?
Psalm 124
“If it had not been for the Lord who is on our side…” Finish that sentence, thinking about a time when it was evident that God was working all things out.
How does knowing that he is our help change our confidence in situations and seasons of hardships?
How do we view hard things in our lives in light of the truth that God is forever committed to us through Jesus?
Work on finding passages in the New Testament that would confirm that God’s people will suffer for the sake of the gospel, and yet that is the mark that God is with them.
Psalm 125
This is a picture of a community that is following God. How has Christian community positively impacted your faith journey?
There should always be three types of people in your life:
Someone who you are pouring into (discipleship)
Someone that sharpens you as iron sharpens iron
Someone that is pouring into you
When we have these three types of people in our life, we are flourishing.
Which type of person is lacking in your own life?
If it’s number one, think of one person you can ask out to lunch or coffee to talk about life with
If it’s number two, work on finding someone who is asking the same questions as you
If it’s number three, find someone in the faith family who is farther along on their journey than you, and ask if they would be willing to grab coffee or lunch!
Community is a risk, but it’s one that God says is a necessary risk in our lives as we are progressing to look more like Him!
Prayer
I give thanks to you, O Lord. I have experienced your goodness and know it is working in me; I have experienced your love and know that it is changing me. Thank you, in the name of Jesus Christ, my Redeemer. Amen.
