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 November 21st - November 27th
Psalms 56-60. Read and reflect on Psalm 62 in preparation for Sunday, November 21st's teaching. You can download the reading guide for the entire 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 Novem ber: Psalm 57:9-10 ESV
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
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
Psalm 51
In your own words define repentance.
Since repentance begins with taking responsibility then where do you need to start? What are
some things in your life you have justified or made excuses for that are sinful?
Take some time to pray and look introspectively into your life. What motivational sin can you
find?
Define Godly grief in contract to Worldly grief. How have you experienced both?
Take a moment in prayer and in your journaling to be truthful with God regarding your life.
Since the Fruit of the Spirit is the result of a repentant and changed life. What areas of your life
should you be yielding to God for the fruit to become more present?
Since a desire to tell your story is a marker of genuine repentance take a few moments and a
few pages to write out your gospel story.
Journal Prompts / Discussion Questions for This Week's Reading
Psalm 56
1) When you are afraid, what do you put your trust in? Why?
In verse 4, David asks a question “what can flesh do to me?”. Spend a moment answering that question, and then read Philippians chapter 1, specifically Philippians 1:21. Take a moment to journal about those words – to live is Christ and to die is gain.
2) How do we balance genuine fear in our life with the genuine knowledge that God is with us?
Take a few moments to somehow distinguish the times when David is showing that he is the “object of man’s hostility” or the times that he is “the object of God’s care”
Psalm 56:10-11 is a repetition of verses 3-4. It is the main idea that David is communicating here that we asked in question 2: How do we balance genuine fear with the knowing that God is, as David says in verse 9, for me.
3) Where in your life have you seen examples that God is for you?
4) What vows do you need to make or remake to God as David does in verses 12-13?
Psalm 57
1) What is the difference between “mercy” and “grace”?
This week is often a week where we take time reflecting on what we are thankful for. David, while he is not celebrating Thanksgiving here, spend time giving thanks to God for two things:
- What God has done
- Who God is
2) Take some time distinguishing when David is thanking God for what he has done and who God is.
3) Make a list thanking God for:
- What he has done for you so far in your life
- Who God is and has been for all of eternity
Psalm 58
1) What are the characteristics of the wicked that David lays out here?
- Read Romans 1:28-32 and Titus 3:3 and make the connection of what all three are talking about
2) I am sure that we all have different people that we would call wicked, deem to be bad “rulers”, and question how they could make decisions like that. While we can all do this, spend some time journaling, praying, or talking – asking God to help, save, and redeem those people you are thinking of.
Read verse 11. The righteous will rejoice and everyone will know that there is a Judge and He is the Triune God.
3) How does this change how you live and interact with “the wicked” around you?
Psalm 59
Read Psalm 59 then flip to and read Ephesians 6.
The enemies that David is talking about here are those of Saul’s men that were sent to wait and kill him. Our enemies, however, in present day are a little different.
1) Who were the enemies of David?
2) Who are our enemies?
Reading Ephesians 6, he says that our enemies, essentially, are not flesh and blood, but “powers of this dark world” and “spiritual forces of evil”.
While they are our enemies, we can “laugh” just as God laughs at the enemies of His people, because we know that Christ has already defeated them. Their defeat does not stop their attacks. Just as David’s enemies come back howling and prowling, so these evil forces are howling and prowling.
3) What are the parallels between David’s song in verses 16-17 and Paul’s exhortation in verses 13-17 of Ephesians 6?
4) Take some time praying over the areas of your life, and for God to be the shield, the fortress, and the steadfast love in and over all of those things.
Psalm 60
The context of this Psalm helps us to understand David’s heart and intent with this Psalm. Simply put, David attacked a land because there was opportunity, and yet it was not a land he was supposed to attack. Because of this rash behavior, Edom attacked and invaded the land across the valley of the Dead Sea. However the real danger is not Edom or “flesh and blood”, but the divine anger of the LORD.
1) Do you think God still gets angry with us today? What passages would support that thought?
2) What is our response to this divine anger?
David shows that our response must be that of prayer as he says, “Now restore us – to your favor”
3) What promises has God made in Scripture that we can recite when there are moments of “desperation”? What is a Promise of God you need to recite to yourself right now?
Prayer
“Merciful God, how dependent I am on your mercy! I recognize and confess that I have fallen short and have missed the mark so often. Still, you do not condemn me. Gratefully, I live in your grace and experience your forgiveness in Jesus. Amen”
