Psalm 41:1-13
For the choir director.
A Psalm of David.

How blessed is he who considers the helpless;
The Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble.

[2] The Lord will protect him, and keep him alive,
And he shall be called blessed upon the earth;
And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies.

[3] The Lord will sustain him upon his sickbed;
In his illness, Thou dost restore him to health.

[4] As for me, I said, "O Lord, be gracious to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee."

[5] My enemies speak evil against me, "When will he die, and his name perish?"

[6] And when he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood;
His heart gathers wickedness to itself;
When he goes outside, he tells it.

[7] All who hate me whisper together against me;
Against me they devise my hurt, saying,

[8] "A wicked thing is poured out upon him,
That when he lies down, he will not rise up again."

[9] Even my close friend, in whom I trusted,
Who ate my bread,
Has lifted up his heel against me.

[10] But Thou, O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up,
That I may repay them.

[11] By this I know that Thou art pleased with me,
Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.

[12] As for me, Thou dost uphold me in my integrity,
And Thou dost set me in Thy presence forever.

[13] Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.
Amen, and Amen.


Psalm 41

Open It

* 1. Who are the weak in our society?
2. What do you most appreciate when you are feeling sick or abandoned?
3. When have you ever felt homesick, very lonely, or utterly alone?

Explore It

4. How should people view the weak? (41:1)
5. How does the Lord treat weak people? (41:1-3)
* 6. What blessings does God give to the weak? (41:1-3)
7. What motivated David to write this prayer? (41:1-13)
8. How did David voice his confidence in the Lord? (41:1-3)
9. What did David believe to be the reason for his illness? (41:4)
10. What request did David ask of the Lord? (41:4-6)
11. How did David’s enemies torment him? (41:5-9)
12. What rumors did David’s enemies spread? (41:6-8)
* 13. What were David’s adversaries guilty of doing? (41:6-9)
14. How was David’s reputation slandered? (41:6-9)
15. In addition to his enemies, who else betrayed David? (41:9)
16. Why did David want to be healed of his sickness? (41:10)
17. How did the Lord treat David differently than his friends and enemies? (41:10-12)
* 18. How did David know he was favored by God? (41:11)
19. Why did God protect David? (41:12)
20. What did David do in anticipation of God’s healing and deliverance? (41:13)

Get It

21. Why is it so difficult to be alone?
22. Judging from this psalm, how did David feel when his close friend turned against him?
23. When have you felt betrayed by a friend?
24. How are weak people treated by others?
25. How does God want us to treat weak people?
* 26. Why does the Lord allow us to go through difficult experiences?
27. Where do you usually turn when you feel helpless or abandoned?
28. What can we learn from David’s example about handling sickness or abandonment?
29. What connection did David see between his sin and his sickness?
30. How is our sin related to what God allows us to experience?
31. How does God encourage you to repent?
* 32. How can we know if God is pleased with us?
33. What good people, places, and things has the Lord allowed you to enjoy?
34. What difficult situations are you facing?
35. In what area of life do you feel the need to plea for God’s mercy?

Apply It

36. What can you do to take comfort in God the next time you feel lonely or abandoned?
* 37. What can you do to rely on God in handling the challenges you face this next week?
38. How can you remember to pray for God’s mercy each time you pray?

AFFIRMATIONS

TODAY I AM:

Blessed and delivered in time of trouble because I considered the poor.

Preserved by the LORD and kept alive.

Blessed upon the earth: and not delivered unto the will of mine enemies .

Strengthen upon my bed of languishing.

Shown mercy and my soul is healed; for I am confessing my sins .

Upholds in mine integrity .

Blessing the LORD.

Psalm 40:1-17
For the choir director.
A Psalm of David.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me, and heard my cry.

[2] He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay;
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.

[3] And He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.

[4] How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust,
And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

[5] Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which Thou hast done,
And Thy thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with Thee;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.

[6] Sacrifice and meal offering Thou hast not desired;
My ears Thou hast opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering Thou hast not required.

[7] Then I said, "Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me;

[8] I delight to do Thy will, O my God;
Thy Law is within my heart."

[9] I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation;
Behold, I will not restrain my lips,
O Lord, Thou knowest.

[10] I have not hidden Thy righteousness within my heart;
I have spoken of Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation;
I have not concealed Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth from the great congregation.

[11] Thou, O Lord, wilt not withhold Thy compassion from me;
Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth will continually preserve me.

[12] For evils beyond number have surrounded me;
My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head;
And my heart has failed me.

[13] Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
Make haste, O Lord, to help me.

[14] Let those be ashamed and humiliated together
Who seek my life to destroy it?
Let those be turned back and dishonored
Who delight in my hurt.

[15] Let those be appalled because of their shame
Who say to me, "Aha, aha!"

[16] Let all who seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee;
Let those who love Thy salvation say continually, "The Lord be magnified!"

[17] Since I am afflicted and needy,
Let the Lord be mindful of me;
Thou art my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.

Psalm 40

Open It

1. What, to you, is the most vivid example of hypocrisy?
* 2. When do you hate to wait?

Explore It

3. What mental picture did David use to describe God’s deliverance in the past? (40:1-2)
4. For what did David praise the Lord in the introduction of the psalm? (40:1-5)
5. What is the main theme of this psalm? (40:1-17)
6. What did David’s experience of God’s help in the past motivate him to do? (40:3)
7. How should we respond to God’s deliverance? (40:3)
8. What specific instructions does the psalm give to God’s people? (40:4)
9. In what way did David feel inadequate? (40:5)
* 10. What does God want from us even more than sacrifices and offerings? (40:6-7)
* 11. What testimony did David give about his own relationship with the Lord? (40:6-10)
12. What was David’s main desire? (40:8)
* 13. How did David equip himself to do God’s will? (40:8)
14. How was David involved in proclaiming God’s goodness to others? (40:9-10)
15. What was David’s request? (40:11-17)
16. What did David believe to be the cause of his distress? (40:12)
17. How was David’s difficult situation worsened? (40:14-15)
18. What did David ask the Lord to do to his enemies? (40:14-15)
19. How did David ask the Lord to treat those who seek Him? (40:16)

Get It

20. What are the dangers of letting church attendance become overly routine or perfunctory?
* 21. How can we guard against the temptation to focus more on outward appearances than inward attitudes?
22. What does remembering God’s faithfulness in the past prompt you to do?
23. What would be our modern-day equivalent to the sacrifices and offerings of the Old Testament?
24. What does God really want from us?
25. How can we guard against an insincere attitude and hypocrisy?
* 26. How can you equip yourself to do the Lord’s will?
27. How can we store God’s Word in our hearts?
28. How can you be involved in telling others about God’s goodness?
* 29. What can you do to share your experience of God’s faithfulness with those who do not know the Lord?

Apply It

* 30. What steps can you take this next week to store God’s Word in your heart?
31. What offering of praise can you give to God today?
32. In the next few days, who is one person you could tell about God’s faithfulness to you?

AFFIRMATIONS

TODAY I AM:

Waiting patiently on the Lord.

Singing a new song, a song of praise.

Blessed because I have made the Lord my trust.

Proclaiming glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation.

Not hiding Your righteousness within my heart.

Speaking of Your faithfulness and Your salvation.

Not concealing Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

Saying continually, The Lord be magnified.

Psalm 39:1-13
For the choir director, for Jeduthun.
A Psalm of David.

I said, "I will guard my ways,
That I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle,
While the wicked are in my presence."

[2] I was dumb and silent,
I refrained even from good;
And my sorrow grew worse.

[3] My heart was hot within me;
While I was musing the fire burned;
Then I spoke with my tongue:

[4] "Lord, make me to know my end,
And what is the extent of my days,
Let me know how transient I am.

[5] "Behold, Thou hast made my days as handbreadths,
And my lifetime as nothing in Thy sight,
Surely every man at his best is a mere breath.

Selah.

[6] "Surely every man walks about as a phantom;
Surely they make an uproar for nothing;
He amasses riches, and does not know who will gather them.

[7] "And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in Thee.

[8] "Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Make me not the reproach of the foolish.

[9] "I have become dumb, I do not open my mouth,
Because it is Thou who hast done it.

[10] "Remove Thy plague from me;
Because of the opposition of Thy hand, I am perishing.

[11] "With reproofs Thou dost chasten a man for iniquity;
Thou dost consume as a moth what is precious to him;
Surely every man is a mere breath.
Selah.

[12] "Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with Thee,
A sojourner like all my fathers.

[13] "Turn Thy gaze away from me, that I may smile again,
Before I depart and am no more."


Psalm 39

Open It

* 1. What is one thing you want to do before you die?
2. For what reasons do we keep secrets?
3. When have you ever accidently revealed a secret, and what happened?

Explore It

4. What was David determined to do but failed to do? (39:1-3)
5. Why could David no longer suppress his despair? (39:1-3)
6. Why had David determined not to speak of his anguish? (39:1-3, 9)
7. What central prayer request unifies this psalm? (39:1-13)
* 8. What motivated David to write this poem? (39:1-13)
9. What effect did David’s attempt to suppress his anguish have on him? (39:2-3)
10. What did David want to know about his own future? (39:4)
11. What did David ask God to do? (39:4)
* 12. What had David learned about the brevity of life? (39:4-6)
13. What prayer did David offer to the Lord? (39:4-6)
14. What attitude did David have about himself in relation to the Lord? (39:4-6, 12)
15. In whom did David place his only hope? (39:7)
* 16. What simple request did David present before the Lord? (39:7-11)
17. What did David expect to happen if the Lord did not deliver him? (39:8)
18. What did David believe was the reason for his illness? (39:9)
19. How did David feel about the Lord’s hand in his life? (39:10)
20. According to David, why does God rebuke people? (39:11)
21. What is one way the Lord chooses to discipline people? (39:11)
22. How did David demonstrate his humility in this prayer? (39:12-13)

Get It

23. When is it good to keep secrets? When is it bad?
24. What does David’s determination to guard against speaking rebellious words in the hearing of his enemies reveal about his character?
25. How should we speak about God or one another in the presence of unbelievers?
26. How do you think you could change your attitude or behavior to insure you always honor the reputation of the Lord and other believers?
27. What can we learn about humility from David’s example in this psalm?
28. How can you cultivate the spirit of humility in your life?
* 29. Why do people procrastinate?
* 30. What important goals have you put off too long?
31. When have you vented your emotions to the Lord in prayer, and how did it make you feel?
32. When have you felt chastised by the Lord?
33. Why do you think God chooses to discipline us?
34. How should we respond to feelings of guilt?
35. What has recently caused you to feel guilty?

Apply It

36. What could you do this week to honor the name of the Lord in what you do or say at work? at home?
* 37. What first step could you take toward an important goal or priority this week?
38. How do you want to pray the next time you feel guilty or abandoned by God?

AFFIRMATIONS

TODAY I AM:

Taking heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue.

Keeping my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

Made known my end, and the measure of my days, what it is.

Made know how frail I am.

Having my hope in the Lord.

Delivered from all my transgressions.

Not the reproach of the foolish.

Heard of the Lord.

Spared, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.

Psalm 38:1-22

A Psalm of David, for a memorial.

O Lord, rebuke me not in Thy wrath;
And chasten me not in Thy burning anger.

[2] For Thine arrows have sunk deep into me,
And Thy hand has pressed down on me.

[3] There is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine indignation;
There is no health in my bones because of my sin.

[4] For my iniquities are gone over my head;
As a heavy burden they weigh too much for me.

[5] My wounds grow foul and fester.
Because of my folly,

[6] I am bent over and greatly bowed down;
I go mourning all day long.

[7] For my loins are filled with burning;
And there is no soundness in my flesh.

[8] I am benumbed and badly crushed;
I groan because of the agitation of my heart.

[9] Lord, all my desire is before Thee;
And my sighing is not hidden from Thee.

[10] My heart throbs, my strength fails me;
And the light of my eyes, even that has gone from me.

[11] My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague;
And my kinsmen stand afar off.

[12] Those who seek my life lay snares for me;
And those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction,
And they devise treachery all day long.

[13] But I, like a deaf man, do not hear;
And I am like a dumb man who does not open his mouth.

[14] Yes, I am like a man who does not hear,
And in whose mouth are no arguments.

[15] For I hope in Thee, O Lord;
Thou wilt answer, O Lord my God.

[16] For I said, "May they not rejoice over me,
Who, when my foot slips, would magnify themselves against me."

[17] For I am ready to fall,
And my sorrow is continually before me.

[18] For I confess my iniquity;
I am full of anxiety because of my sin.

[19] But my enemies are vigorous and strong;
And many are those who hate me wrongfully.

[20] And those who repay evil for good,
They oppose me, because I follow what is good.

[21] Do not forsake me, O Lord;
O my God, do not be far from me!

[22] Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!


Psalm 38

Open It

1. How do your friends and family treat you when you are sick?
* 2. How would you feel if all of your friends deserted you when you were sick?
3. What was the nicest thing someone did for you when you were ill?

Explore It

4. What emotion overwhelmed David? (38:1-4)
* 5. In what way had David felt the hand of the Lord? (38:1-4)
* 6. What urgent request did David present to the Lord? (38:1-22)
7. What did David believe to be the cause of his illness? (38:5)
8. What were the physical and emotional effects of David’s illness? (38:5-8)
9. How did David demonstrate his dependence on the Lord, even in the worst of circumstances? (38:9)
10. What details did David reveal about his situation? (38:10-12)
11. Why was David deserted by his friends? (38:11)
12. How was David’s suffering increased? (38:11-20)
13. How was David treated by his adversaries? (38:12)
14. Why did David describe himself as a deaf man? (38:13-14)
15. Why did David refuse to answer his enemies? (38:13-16)
* 16. Whom did David expect to act on his behalf against his enemies? (38:15)
17. How did David feel about his condition? (38:17)
18. What did David confess to the Lord? (38:18)
19. Although David confessed sin against the Lord, in what way did he believe he was innocent? (38:19-20)
20. What renewed appeal concludes the psalm? (38:21-22)

Get It

21. What does this passage teach us about relating to God during difficult times?
22. What can we learn from David’s example about how to handle sickness or depression?
23. How have your friends or family helped you through difficult times?
24. When have you felt deserted by your friends or overwhelmed by a particular problem?
25. If God is more reliable than any person, why do we hesitate to turn to Him in our times of need?
* 26. What specific problem or challenge would you like to commit to the Lord?
27. How can you demonstrate your trust in God to help you through the challenges you face?
* 28. What hope does this psalm offer those of us who face sickness, depression, or other overwhelming circumstances?

Apply It

29. For what aspect of God’s reliability or faithfulness do you thank God today?
* 30. What steps could you take to depend on the Lord through the challenges you are now facing?
31. What could you do for a friend or relative who is struggling with sickness or depression to encourage or help him or her this week?

AFFIRMATIONS

TODAY I AM:

Not rebuked in God’s wrath; neither chastened in His hot displeasure.

Having all my desire before God; and my groaning is not hid from Him.

Hoping in the Lord; and I am heard by my God.

Declaring my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin,

Following the thing that is good.

Not forsaken by the Lord; He is not far from me.

Helped hastily by the Lord my salvation.