Reading: Psalm 25-27

QUESTIONS

Psalm 25:

  • How does Psalm 25 influence your understanding of God’s forgiveness and mercy?
  • Verses 4-5 highlight the importance of seeking God’s guidance. How do you seek God’s guidance in your daily life?

Psalm 26:

  • What is God’s house? How do you express your love for God’s house, like David does in verses 8 and 9?
  • How can David’s joy in proclaiming God’s wondrous deeds (v.7) inspire your personal worship and praise?

Psalm 27:

  • What does it mean to see “the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living”? How can we apply this perspective to modern life?
  • How can you practice patience and waiting for the Lord as suggested in verse 14 in your life?
DEVOTION

What is your shame? What are you most fearful of bringing into the light? When the Accuser or others question your integrity, who’s view is most important to you? David places His trust and hope in his alliance with and allegiance to God. With his sin fully in mind, he knows that following the Lord’s teaching will bear him refuge, protection, hope, and transformation that goes beyond just his own person (“Redeem Israel, Oh God, from all their troubles!” v.22).

Have you wrestled with God and pleaded with Him to “free you from your anguish?” Ask Him to teach you, while repenting of your sin. Immerse yourself in His Word (v. 4-5), so that you “have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16). His teaching is a process often filled with great mercy, sometimes leading us again and again to recognize repeated sin. With increasing awareness for our continual need for Christ, we can repent, and seek His righteousness. As the perfect teacher, He knows we need repetition and practice to rely on Him and seek His help in overcoming sin. We often fall back into old patterns, but in our seeking and trusting Him, He “confides in those who fear him” (v.14). How amazing that He orders training tailored directly for us (v 12)! In rightly fearing Him, our posture (v 14) can now be receptive to learning and transformation through His very words regardless of our circumstances. With our eyes continually on Him, He releases us from the snare, but it can often take longer than we expect to see the changes.

In addition to repentance, prayer, and study of the Word, freedom might need action and bravery on your part to confront your stronghold. Sometimes that looks like bringing your fears into His light in addition to confessing your sins to others. Ask Him to help you glorify Him by presenting Him with the “troubles of your heart”: loneliness, fears, accusations, disappointments. Through relationship with Him, He will teach you His paths, guide you in His truth, in ways chosen for you, all for His name’s sake.

– Susan Pinkerton