Week 48: August 9-14
Psalm 119-150
GodSpeak readings for each day are listed below. Click the link to read the section and/or listen online. A discussion question is listed below for you to use in your GodSpeak group session or for discussion with others who are reading along.
Monday, August 9 Psalm 119 Read & Listen Online (Click “Audio” link to listen)
1. As you read Psalm 119, ask yourself, What seems to be a great concern of the person who wrote the psalm? See Psalm 119: 5, 9, 33, 67, 86–88, 125, 133, 145. What is another concern that the writer has? See Psalm 119: 6, 22, 25, 51, 61, 69, 85, 110, 121, 134, 150, 157. In spite of his desire to live according to God’s laws, what is the psalmist’s conclusion (Psalm 119:176)? He realizes, by God’s grace, that his salvation will be a reality only if the Lord will “seek Your servant” (Psalm 119:176). The psalmist, and you, can take great comfort in the fact that the Lord has sought us out to forgive and redeem us (Psalm 119: 41; Luke 19:10).
Tuesday, August 10 Psalm 120-125 Read & Listen Online (Click “Audio” link to listen)
2. Many people have a lot going on these days: Thanksgiving activities today; Advent coming; Christmas preparations; end of year financial matters. There will be a lot of coming and going. Today read and meditate especially on Psalm 121. Find and comment on the phrases that assure you that God will be with you and help you, even with all the coming and going. Then pray or sing this prayer:
Jesus, guard and guide Your members Make us children of Your grace,
Hear our prayers in ev’ry place. Quicken now faith’s glowing embers,
Give all Christians, far and near, Holy peace, a glad new year. LW 40:4
Wednesday, August 11 Psalm 126-134 Read & Listen Online (Click “Audio” link to listen)
3. Today we finish praying the ascent psalms, Psalms 120–134, the prayers prayed as the people traveled to the temple in Jerusalem. The Old Testament practice of singing psalms during travel raises the question, What psalm verses might I say and discuss as I travel? Encourage members of your group to choose verses from Psalms 126–134 that would be useful to discuss and use as prayers during travel. Discuss several of their choices.
Thursday, August 12 Psalm 135-137 Read & Listen Online (Click “Audio” link to listen)
4. Ask your group, What are your treasured possessions? How do you treat these treasured possessions? What do you do with them? After some discussion, search Psalm 135 together for answers to these questions: What are God’s treasured possessions? How does He treat them? What does He do with them? What does the psalmist call on the “treasured possessions” to do? How might we Christians do this?
Friday, August 13 Psalm 138-143 Read & Listen Online (Click “Audio” link to listen)
5. The searching of people is often in the news. Police search people. Police dogs search people and their baggage at airports. Customs agents search people and their vehicles. Detectives search people for evidence. In these situations, the people being searched are usually not volunteering to be searched. Read Psalm 139. Here the psalmist first acknowledges that God has searched him (v. 1). Then he asks God to search him again (vv. 23–24). According to the psalmist, how well does God know him? Is the psalmist bothered by God’s searching? Why or why no? Why does the psalmist invite God to search him again (vv. 23–24)? What is the way everlasting (See Psalm 16:9–11; Acts 2:31; John 14:6; Acts 16:17, 31)? Would you be bothered if God searched you? Explain your answer. Even the soul with the most to hide can be sure of the Lord’s forgiveness through Jesus, our Savior (Ephesians 2:3–5).
Saturday, August 14 Psalm 144-150 Read & Listen Online (Click “Audio” link to listen)
6. “Praise the Lord” is the frequent refrain of the psalmist in the last six psalms. Make a list of several attributes of God mentioned in these psalms for which the psalmist praises God. Then check and discuss the attributes that are especially meaningful to you. To close your session, join the psalmist in praising God by reading Psalm 150 aloud. You could sing the psalm by using the hymn “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” (LW 444).
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