Bible Study Notes 1/21/2025

WORD ALIVE! BIBLE STUDY ©2025

Journey in the Psalms: Prayer, Praise and Promise

Concord Baptist Church of Boston in Milton –

 Conley Hughes, Jr., Senior Pastor

Quiet Time: Tracy M. Summer, Psalms: An All-In-One Study on God’s Song Book

Lesson 2 – Part 1

Tues., 21 Jan. 2025

Journey Lesson 2: From Correction to Confidence – In the Psalms we can journey with people who are much like us, who encounter difficulties. As the person grapples with their varied situations, we can hear and observe their concerns which are transparent and true. Often pain and discomfort can affect us regardless of the good we do. (Read, Job 2:10, NLT).  Some of the pain people experience is the result of the misstep or sin they’ve committed. It is in these times that a person is vulnerable to the attacks of others, and subject to physical and emotional challenges. What we observe in the Scriptures is that all pain and failures does not result in… permanent loss. The lesson we learn is that during our most difficult times, we can still affirm our hope in a God who can forgive us and place  the disjointed pieces of our lives back together. This idea of a God who “hears our prayers” is a theme we will see throughout the Psalms. An early instance of this thought is found in Psalm 6. God will recompense us, and deals with the adversaries who harm us. David is the author of Psalm 6:1-10. The major thoughts in the Psalm are outlined as follows:

Verses  Observation

1.     Pleas and cries for help from God’s disciplining.

2-3.  David explains his troubles.

4-5.  David’s urgent plea; immediate need.

6-7.  Actual description of David’s suffering.

8-10. David’s confidence that God is listening to him.

In Psalms: An All-In-One Study of God’s Song Book, Editors Tracy Sumner and Carey Scott… comment: “David’s whole body is afflicted with pain. David is sick and sick of being sick – worn out from groaning and weeping…He knows that God can heal him… He asks the Lord to bring an end to the chastening he knows is a big part of his suffering… David expresses his hopeful heart for he along believes  in God’s unfailing love.” (p. 11).  When we follow God’s instructions, our miseries can be eradicated. (Read, Ps. 119:91-92, NLT).

Key Idea:

What We Believe!:

1. "Your word is a lamp to my feet  and a  

light to my path!”

—   Psalm 119:105

Key Verses:

Job 2:10, NLT

10 “…Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? So in all this Job said nothing wrong…”

Psalm  6:1-10, NLT1

“O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage. 2 Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak. Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. 3 I am sick at heart. How long, O Lord, until you restore me? 4 Return, O Lord, and rescue me . Save me  because of your unfailing love. 5 For the dead do not remember you. Who can praise you from the grave? 6 I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with tears. 7 My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies. 8 Go away all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. 9 The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer. 10 May all my… enemies be disgraced and terrified.  May they suddenly turn back in shame.

Psalm 119: 71:72, NLT

71 “My suffering was good for me. for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees. 72 Your instructions are more valuable to me  than millions in gold and silver.”

Psalm 119: 91-92 NLT

90b “Their hearts are dull and stupid, but I delight in your instructions. 91 “Your regulations remain true to this day. For everything serves your plans. 92 If your instructions had not sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery.”

Psalm 37:4-5, NLT

4 “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you.”