Read Psalm 1:1-3, Psalm 112:1-9, and Psalm 128. What blessings are promised for those who revere the Lord?Of the many blessings promised to those who revere the Lord, peace is perhaps one of the greatest. Psalm 1 depicts the righteous by a simile of a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruits in season and whose leaf does not wither (Ps. 1:3; Jer. 17:7, 8; Ezek. 47:12). This simile identifies the source of all blessings, namely, abiding in God’s presence in His sanctuary and enjo...
Feb 22, 2024•9 min•Season 6Ep. 1948
Read Psalm 141. What does the psalmist pray for?Psalm 141 is a prayer for protection from temptations from within and from without. The psalmist is not only endangered by the schemes of the wicked (Ps. 141:9, 10) but also is tempted to act like the wicked. The first weak point is self-control in speech, and the psalmist prays that the Lord will keep watch over the door of his lips (Ps. 141:3). This image alludes to the guarding of city gates that, in biblical times, protected the city.The tempta...
Feb 21, 2024•12 min•Season 6Ep. 1947
Read Psalm 81:7, 8; Psalm 95:7-11; and Psalm 105:17-22. What does divine testing involve in these texts?Meribah is the place where Israel tested God by challenging His faithfulness and power to provide for their needs (Exod. 17:1-7; Ps. 95:8, 9). Psalm 81 makes an intriguing reversal and interprets the same event as the time when God tested Israel (Ps. 81:7). And, by their disobedience and lack of trust (Ps. 81:11), the people failed God’s test.The reference to Meribah conveys a twofold message....
Feb 20, 2024•8 min•Season 6Ep. 1946
Read Psalm 90, Psalm 102:11, and Psalm 103:14-16. What is the human predicament?Fallen human existence is but a vapor in the light of eternity. A thousand years in God’s sight is “like a watch in the night,” which lasted three or four hours (Ps. 90:4, NKJV). Compared to divine time, a human lifetime flies away (Ps. 90:10). The strongest among humans are analogous to the weakest among plants (Ps. 90:5, 6; Ps. 103:15, 16). Yet, even that short life is filled with labor and sorrow (Ps. 90:10). Even...
Feb 19, 2024•13 min•Season 6Ep. 1945
Read Psalm 119:1-16, 161-168. How should we keep God’s commandments, and what are the blessings that come from doing that?The Bible depicts a daily life of faith as a pilgrimage (“walk”) with God in His path of righteousness. The life of faith is maintained by walking “in the law of the Lord” (Ps. 119:1, NKJV) and by walking “in the light of Your countenance” (Ps. 89:15, NKJV). These are by no means two different walks. Walking in the light of God’s countenance implies upholding God’s law. Equal...
Feb 18, 2024•10 min•Season 6Ep. 1944
Read for This Week’s StudyPs. 119:1-16, Psalm 90, John 3:16, Ps. 95:7-11, Psalm 141, Psalm 128.Memory Text:“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12, NKJV).As we have seen, God’s grace provides for the forgiveness of sin, and it creates a new heart in the repentant sinner, who now lives by faith.God’s Word also provides instructions for righteous living (Ps. 119:9-16). Keeping God’s law is by no means a legalistic observance of rules but life in an intimat...
Feb 17, 2024•6 min•Season 6Ep. 1943
Read Ellen G. White, “The Sinner’s Need of Christ,” pp. 17-22, in Steps to Christ.In the Psalms, the voices of God’s people join as one in repeating the chorus “His mercy endures forever” in celebration of God’s eternal love (Ps. 106:1, NKJV; Ps. 107:1, NKJV; Ps. 118:1-4, 29, NKJV; Psalm 136, NKJV). “Not to praise God would mean to forget all His benefits, not to appreciate God’s gifts. Only those who praise do not forget. Thinking and speaking about God is not yet praising Him. Praise begins wh...
Feb 16, 2024•10 min•Season 6Ep. 1942
Read Psalms 103. How is God’s mercy portrayed here?Psalm 103 enumerates the Lord’s manifold blessings. The blessings include “all his benefits” (Ps. 103:2) for a flourishing life (Ps. 103:3-6). These blessings are grounded in God’s gracious character and in His faithfulness to His covenant with Israel (Ps. 103:7-18). The Lord “remembers” human frailty and transience and has compassion on His people (see Ps. 103:13-17).Remembering is more than mere cognitive activity. It involves a commitment tha...
Feb 15, 2024•8 min•Season 6Ep. 1941
Read Psalms 113 and 123. What two different aspects of God’s character are depicted in these psalms?Psalms 113 and 123 praise both the majesty and mercy of the Lord. The Lord’s majesty is revealed in the greatness of His name and in the exalted place of His throne, which is above all nations and above the heavens (Ps. 113:4, 5; Ps. 123:1). “Who is like the Lord our God” (Ps. 113:5, NKJV) is a statement of faith that no power within or outside of the world can challenge the God of Israel.The unap...
Feb 14, 2024•9 min•Season 6Ep. 1940
Read Psalm 130. How are the gravity of sin and hope for sinners portrayed?The psalmist’s great affliction is related to his own and his people’s sins (Ps. 130:3, 8). The people’s sins are so grave that they threaten to separate the people from God forever (Ps. 130:3). Scripture speaks of the records of sins that are being kept for the Judgment Day (Dan. 7:10, Rev. 20:12) and of sinners’ names being removed from the book of life (Exod. 32:32, Ps. 69:28, Rev. 13:8).The psalmist thus appeals to God...
Feb 13, 2024•11 min•Season 6Ep. 1939
Read Psalm 51:1-5. Why does the psalmist appeal to God’s mercy?King David pours out his heart before the Lord, asking for the forgiveness of sin during the spiritually darkest moments in his life (2 Samuel 12). Forgiveness is God’s extraordinary gift of grace, the result of the “multitude of Your tender mercies” (Ps. 51:1, NKJV). King David appeals to God to deal with him not in accordance with what his sin deserves (Ps. 103:10) but in accordance with His divine character, namely His mercy, fait...
Feb 12, 2024•7 min•Season 6Ep. 1938
Read Psalm 136. What thought predominates in this psalm? Where does the psalmist find evidence for his prevalent claim?Psalm 136 summons God’s people to praise the Lord for His mercy as revealed in creation (Ps. 136:4-9) and in Israel’s history (Ps. 136:10-22). “Mercy” (Hebrew khesed, “steadfast love”) conveys God’s goodness and loyalty to His creation and to His covenant with Israel. The psalm shows that God’s immense power and magnificence are grounded in His steadfast love.The Lord is “the Go...
Feb 11, 2024•10 min•Season 6Ep. 1937
Read for This Week’s StudyPsalm 136, Psalm 51, Psalm 130, Psalm 113, Psalm 123.Memory Text:“I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations. For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds” (Psalm 57:9, 10, NKJV).The psalmists realize that they are spiritually poor and have nothing good to offer to God; that is, they have nothing in and of themselves that would recommend them before God’s holy throne (Ps. 40:17). They understand that the...
Feb 10, 2024•4 min•Season 6Ep. 196
Read Ellen G. White, “The Beatitudes,” pp. 6-13, 29-35, in Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing.The Psalms are protests against human indifference to injustice; they are a refusal to accept evil. They are motivated not by a desire for revenge but by a zeal to glorify God’s name. Hence, it is fitting for the righteous to rejoice when they shall see God’s vengeance on evil because in this way God’s name and His justice are restored in the world (Ps. 58:10, 11). The Psalms oblige people to raise the...
Feb 09, 2024•6 min•Season 6Ep. 1935
Read Psalm 96:6-10; Psalm 99:1-4; and Psalm 132:7-9, 13-18. Where does God’s judgment take place, and what are the implications of the answer for us? How does the sanctuary help us understand how God will deal with evil?The Lord’s judgment is closely related to the sanctuary. The sanctuary was the environment where the psalmist’s understanding of the problem of evil was transformed (Ps. 73:17-20). The sanctuary was designated as the place of divine judgment as indicated by the judgment of Urim (...
Feb 08, 2024•9 min•Season 6Ep. 1934
Read Psalm 58:6-8; Psalm 69:22-28; Psalm 83:9-17; Psalm 94:1, 2; and Psalm 137:7-9. What sentiments do these psalms convey? Who is the agent of judgment in these psalms?Some psalms beseech God to take vengeance on individuals and nations who intend to harm, or who have already harmed, the psalmists or their people. These psalms can sound perplexing because of their harsh language and apparent discord with the biblical principle of love for enemies (Matt. 5:44).Yet, the psalmist’s indignation in ...
Feb 07, 2024•10 min•Season 6Ep. 1933
The Lord has endowed Israel’s leaders with authority to maintain justice in Israel (Ps. 72:1-7, 12-14). Israel’s kings were to exercise their authority in accordance with God’s will. The leaders’ central concern should be ensuring peace and justice in the land and caring for the socially disadvantaged. Only then shall the land and the entire people prosper. The king’s throne is strengthened by faithfulness to God, not by human power.Read Psalm 82. What happens when the leaders pervert justice an...
Feb 06, 2024•8 min•Season 6Ep. 1932
Read Psalm 9:18, Psalm 12:5, Psalm 40:17, Psalm 113:7, Psalm 146:6-10, and Psalm 41:1-3. What is the message here to us, even today?God exhibits special care and concern for justice regarding the various vulnerable groups of people, including the poor, needy, oppressed, fatherless, widows, widowers, and strangers. The Psalms, like the Law and the prophets, are clear on that point (Exod. 22:21-27, Isa. 3:13-15).Many psalms use the expression “poor and needy” and avoid representing the oppressed i...
Feb 05, 2024•10 min•Season 6Ep. 1931
Read Psalm 18:3-18; Psalm 76:3-9, 12; and Psalm 144:5-7. How is the Lord portrayed in these texts? What do these images convey about God’s readiness to deliver His people?These hymns praise the Lord for His awesome power over the evil forces that threaten His people. They portray God in His majesty as Warrior and Judge. The image of God as Warrior is frequent in the Psalms and highlights the severity and urgency of God’s response to His people’s cries and suffering.“The Lord thundered from heave...
Feb 04, 2024•12 min•Season 6Ep. 1930
Read for This Week’s StudyPs. 18:3-18, Ps. 41:1-3, Deut. 15:7-11, Psalm 82, Ps. 96:6-10, Ps. 99:1-4, Rom. 8:34.Memory Text:“ ‘For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise,’ says the Lord; ‘I will set him in the safety for which he yearns’ ” (Psalm 12:5, NKJV).Our age is not the only age in which evil, injustice, and oppression rage. The psalmists lived in such a time, as well. And so, whatever else they are, the Psalms are also God’s protests against the violenc...
Feb 03, 2024•5 min•Season 6Ep. 1929
Read Psalm 56; Ellen G. White, “Rejoicing in the Lord,” pp. 115-126, in Steps to Christ.Like the psalmists, God’s people of all times wonder every so often how to sing the Lord’s songs in “a strange land.” Our faith in the sovereign rule of the Lord is challenged, at times severely, and we may ponder whether God is in control or truly as powerful and good as the Scriptures say.Biblical faith often implies uncertainty and suspense as much as confidence and assertion. Sometimes uncertainty and sus...
Feb 02, 2024•9 min•Season 6Ep. 1928
Read Psalm 37:1, 8; Psalm 49:5-7; Psalm 94:3-7; and Psalm 125:3. What struggle does the psalmist face?These psalms lament the current prosperity of the wicked and the challenge that this fact poses to the righteous. The wicked not only prosper but at times also openly despise God and oppress others. The perplexing issue is that while “the scepter of wickedness” (Ps. 125:3, NKJV) dominates the world, the “scepter of righteousness” (Ps. 45:6, NKJV) seems to be failing. Why not, then, give up and e...
Feb 01, 2024•11 min•Season 6Ep. 1927
Read Psalm 77. What experience is the author going through?Psalm 77 begins with a plea to God for help that is filled with lament and painful remembering of the past (Ps. 77:1-6). The psalmist’s whole being is mournfully turned to God. He refuses to be comforted by any relief except the one coming from God.However, remembering God appears to intensify his anguish. “When I remember God, I moan” (Ps. 77:3, ESV). Hebrew hamah, “moan,” often depicts the roar of raging waters (Ps. 46:3). Similarly, t...
Jan 31, 2024•8 min•Season 6Ep. 1926
Read Psalm 42:1-3, Psalm 63:1, Psalm 69:1-3, and Psalm 102:1-7. What causes great pain to the psalmist?Not only does personal and communal sufferings trouble the psalmist but also, if not more, God’s seeming lack of attention to His servants’ hardships. God’s absence is felt like intense thirst in a dry land (Ps. 42:1-3, Ps. 63:1) and mortal anguish (Ps. 102:2-4). The psalmist feels removed from God and compares himself to lonely birds. “I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of...
Jan 30, 2024•10 min•Season 5Ep. 1925
Read Psalm 41:1-4; Psalm 88:3-12; and Psalm 102:3-5, 11, 23, 24. What experiences do these texts describe? In what can you relate to what is said here?These prayers for salvation from illness and death demonstrate that God’s children are not exempt from the sufferings of this world. The Psalms reveal the psalmist’s terrible afflictions. He is without strength, withering like grass, unable to eat, set apart with the dead, lying like the slain in the grave, repulsive to his friends, suffering and ...
Jan 29, 2024•14 min•Season 6Ep. 1924
Read Psalm 74:18-22 and Psalm 79:5-13. What is at stake here?The psalmist seeks to grasp the great controversy between God and the powers of evil, and he points to God’s unfathomable forbearance, as well as to His infinite wisdom and power.The problem of evil in the Psalms is primarily theological; it inevitably concerns questions about God. Thus, the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple is seen principally as a divine scandal because it provided an opportunity for the heathen to blaspheme Go...
Jan 28, 2024•14 min•Season 6Ep. 1923
Read for This Week’s StudyPs. 79:5-13, Ps. 88:3-12, Ps. 69:1-3, Ps. 22:1, Psalm 77, Ps. 73:1-20, 1 Pet. 1:17.Memory Text:“How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” (Psalm 137:4).We do not need to get deep into the book of Psalms in order to discover that the Psalms are uttered in an imperfect world, one of sin, evil, suffering, and death. The stable creation run by the Sovereign Lord and His righteous laws is constantly threatened by evil. As sin corrupts the world more and more, the...
Jan 27, 2024•6 min•Season 6Ep. 1922
Read Ellen G. White, “The Night of Wrestling,” pp. 195-203, in Patriarchs and Prophets. What can we learn from Jacob’s experience about the power of importunate prayer and unreserved trust in God?The Psalms strengthen our faith in God, who is the never-failing Refuge for those who entrust their lives into His mighty hands. “God will do great things for those who trust in Him. The reason why His professed people have no greater strength is that they trust so much to their own wisdom, and do not g...
Jan 26, 2024•12 min•Season 6Ep. 1921
Read Psalm 3:4; Psalm 14:7; Psalm 20:1-3; Psalm 27:5; Psalm 36:8; Psalm 61:4; and Psalm 68:5, 35. Where does help come from in these texts?The motif of spiritual and physical refuge and help notably appears in the context of the sanctuary. The sanctuary is a place of help, of safety, and of salvation. The sanctuary provides a shelter to the troubled. God defends the orphans and widows and gives strength to His people from His sanctuary. When “out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine...
Jan 25, 2024•7 min•Season 6Ep. 1920
Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-4. How does Paul describe the Exodus story? What spiritual lesson does he seek to teach with it?Read Psalm 114. How is the divine deliverance of the people of Israel from Egypt poetically described here?What a poetic depiction of God’s marvelous deliverance of His children from the bondage of Egypt is given in Psalm 114. All through the Old Testament, and even in the New, the deliverance from Egypt was seen as a symbol of God’s power to save His people. Paul in these vers...
Jan 24, 2024•9 min•Season 6Ep. 1919
