SOTD Psalm 3

How to Approach this Psalm

Ask God to give you a desire and a delight for His word before you read it (Psalm 1:3).  Ask God to help you to understand the meaning of His Word and how it should apply to your life.  Ask God to search your heart (Psalm 139:23) and help you see your life clearly and to enable you put His Word into practice in your life.

How to Think Through this Psalm

Ask questions about the situation of the Psalm

Questions like- who wrote this Psalm?, was there a particular situation that the author was writing in?, are any particular circumstances mentioned in this Psalm?

Ask questions about the content of the Psalm

Questions like- what does this Psalm say about God?  What does it say about man?  What does it say about the way that God wants man to live?  Does the Psalm give any commands?  What principles does the Psalm portray?  Does this Psalm speak at all about the problems men are in?  Does this Psalm say anything about God’s solution to these problems?  Does the writer say anything about what He trusts in or believes in this Psalm?  Does the writer compare/contrast anything in this Psalm?

Ask questions about how this Psalm applies to your life

Is there anything in this Psalm that you need to remember and fight to believe?  Does this Psalm give any commands that you need to live by?  If so, are you submitting to God’s authority in that area of your life?  What Scriptural principles can you learn from this Psalm that apply to your life?  Does the way that you think/believe about anything need to change?  What is one very specific way that you can put into practice something that you have learned from this Psalm?

After reading this Psalm

Think about it!  Keep mentally chewing on it throughout the day.  If you read your Bible in the morning, find ways to remind yourself of this Psalm throughout the day.  If you read your Bible at night, think about this Psalm the next day.  Maybe try to memorize one of the verses.  Talk about this Psalm with other people.  Leave a comment with questions that you have about the Psalm and with things that God has taught you from His Word and things you are thinking through.  Let’s encourage each other with what God is teaching us in His Word

Psalm 3

Save Me, O My God

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

¹O LORD, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
²many are saying of my soul,
there is no salvation for him in God.
Selah

³But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
⁴I cried aloud to the LORD,
and he answered me from his holy hill.
Selah

⁵I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
⁶I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.

⁷ Arise, O LORD!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.

⁸ Salvation belongs to the LORD;
your blessing be on your people!
Selah

SOTD Psalm 2

How to Approach this Psalm

Ask God to give you a desire and a delight for His word before you read it (Psalm 1:3).  Ask God to help you to understand the meaning of His Word and how it should apply to your life.  Ask God to search your heart (Psalm 139:23) and help you see your life clearly and to enable you put His Word into practice in your life.

How to Think Through this Psalm

Ask questions about the situation of the Psalm

Questions like- who wrote this Psalm?, was there a particular situation that the author was writing in?, are any particular circumstances mentioned in this Psalm?

Ask questions about the content of the Psalm

Questions like- what does this Psalm say about God?  What does it say about man?  What does it say about the way that God wants man to live?  Does the Psalm give any commands?  What principles does the Psalm portray?  Does this Psalm speak at all about the problems men are in?  Does this Psalm say anything about God’s solution to these problems?  Does the writer say anything about what He trusts in or believes in this Psalm?  Does the writer compare/contrast anything in this Psalm?

Ask questions about how this Psalm applies to your life

Is there anything in this Psalm that you need to remember and fight to believe?  Does this Psalm give any commands that you need to live by?  If so, are you submitting to God’s authority in that area of your life?  What Scriptural principles can you learn from this Psalm that apply to your life?  Does the way that you think/believe about anything need to change?  What is one very specific way that you can put into practice something that you have learned from this Psalm?

After reading this Psalm

Think about it!  Keep mentally chewing on it throughout the day.  If you read your Bible in the morning, find ways to remind yourself of this Psalm throughout the day.  If you read your Bible at night, think about this Psalm the next day.  Maybe try to memorize one of the verses.  Talk about this Psalm with other people.  Leave a comment with questions that you have about the Psalm and with things that God has taught you from His Word and things you are thinking through.  Let’s encourage each other with what God is teaching us in His Word

Psalm 2

The Reign of the LORD’s Anointed

¹ Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
²The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,
³“Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”

⁴He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
⁵Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
⁶“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”

⁷I will tell of the decree:The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
⁸Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
⁹You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

¹⁰Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
¹¹ Serve the LORD with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
¹² Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

SOTD Psalm 1

How to Approach this Psalm

Ask God to give you a desire and a delight for His word before you read it (Psalm 1:3).  Ask God to help you to understand the meaning of His Word and how it should apply to your life.  Ask God to search your heart (Psalm 139:23) and help you see your life clearly and to enable you put His Word into practice in your life.

How to Think Through this Psalm

Ask questions about the situation of the Psalm

Questions like- who wrote this Psalm?, was there a particular situation that the author was writing in?, are any particular circumstances mentioned in this Psalm?

Ask questions about the content of the Psalm

Questions like- what does this Psalm say about God?  What does it say about man?  What does it say about the way that God wants man to live?  Does the Psalm give any commands?  What principles does the Psalm portray?  Does this Psalm speak at all about the problems men are in?  Does this Psalm say anything about God’s solution to these problems?  Does the writer say anything about what He trusts in or believes in this Psalm?  Does the writer compare/contrast anything in this Psalm?

Ask questions about how this Psalm applies to your life

Is there anything in this Psalm that you need to remember and fight to believe?  Does this Psalm give any commands that you need to live by?  If so, are you submitting to God’s authority in that area of your life?  What Scriptural principles can you learn from this Psalm that apply to your life?  Does the way that you think/believe about anything need to change?  What is one very specific way that you can put into practice something that you have learned from this Psalm?

After reading this Psalm

Think about it!  Keep mentally chewing on it throughout the day.  If you read your Bible in the morning, find ways to remind yourself of this Psalm throughout the day.  If you read your Bible at night, think about this Psalm the next day.  Maybe try to memorize one of the verses.  Talk about this Psalm with other people.  Leave a comment with questions that you have about the Psalm and with things that God has taught you from His Word and things you are thinking through.  Let’s encourage each other with what God is teaching us in His Word!

Psalm 1

¹Blessed is the man

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
²but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

³He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers. ⁴The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

⁵Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
⁶for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

SOTD John 21:15-25

Passage: John 21:15-25

Instructions: Before you come to God’s Word, ask God to give you Wisdom (James 1:5) as you read the Bible. Ask God to help you to understand it and to have it impact your life!

Read the passage above through once and then go-back and re-read the text SLOWLY. While you are re-reading, ask yourself the following questions.

What is the situation that is going on in these verses?

What question does Jesus ask Peter? (15)

Why is it significant that Jesus ask Peter this question? Had Peter done anything that could call into question whether or not he really loved Jesus? (Ask questions if you don’t know the answer).

How does Peter respond to Jesus’ question? (15)

What does Jesus tell Peter to do?

When Jesus tells Peter to feed His sheep? What does He mean? How was Peter supposed to do this?

Why does Jesus ask Peter the same question three times? (15-17)

How does Peter respond to Jesus’ question a third time? (17)

What was Jesus attitude towards Peter, even after Peter had denied Him three times?

Does it seem strange that Jesus would still want to use someone who had greatly sinned against Him? How was Jesus able to do this?

What does Jesus tell Peter after this? (18-19).

What did that mean?

How do you think Peter felt knowing this?

Was Peter willing to die for Jesus?

If God told you that you were going to die for Him, would you still be willing to serve Him? Why or why not?

Who did Peter ask about next? (20-21)

What does Jesus say? (22)

What did Jesus mean by this? (23)

Did John record everything that Jesus did in his gospel? (25)

What can you learn from this passage?

SOTD John 21:1-14

Passage: John 21:1-14

Instructions: Before you come to God’s Word, ask God to give you Wisdom (James 1:5) as you read the Bible.  Ask God to help you to understand it and to have it impact your life!

Read the passage above through once and then go-back and re-read the text SLOWLY.  While you are re-reading, ask yourself the following questions.

What do the disciples decide to do? (1-3)

What was the outcome of their venture?

What does Jesus tell the disciples to do? (6)

What happens?

What does Peter do when He realizes it is Jesus?  (7)

What happens after the disciples reach the shore? (9-14)

Why do you think John includes this story at the end of His gospel?

Isn’t it cool to see that Jesus still has miraculous power even after His resurrection?

If you were to physically see that Jesus was 100 yards away from you, what would your reaction be?

How is that reaction the same/different from your excitement level to spend time with God in His Word?

Are you as excited about God’s great and perfect Word that He has given to us?

SOTD John 20:19-31

Passage: John 20:19-31

Instructions: Before you come to God’s Word, ask God to give you Wisdom (James 1:5) as you read the Bible.  Ask God to help you to understand it and to have it impact your life!

Read the passage above through once and then go-back and re-read the text SLOWLY.  While you are re-reading, ask yourself the following questions.

What is significant about the way that Jesus enters the room where the disciples are? (19)

What is the greeting that Jesus gives them?  Why would He greet them in that way? (19)

When the disciples know that it is Jesus, how do they feel? (20)

What does Jesus say to them? (21)  Where is Jesus sending them?

Jesus is sending the disciples in a similar way to how the Father sent Jesus into the world.  Why did the Father send Jesus?  What similar goal would the disciples have for their mission?

Have you been sent by Jesus?  How?  What is your mission?

What does Jesus want to impart to the disciples? (22)

When did the disciples actually receive the Holy Spirit? (Hint, Read Acts 2)

Why is it important that the disciples receive the Holy Spirit?

Had Jesus talked with the disciples about the Spirit before?  When would they receive the Spirit and what would the Spirit do? (Hint: Look back through John for where Jesus talks about the Spirit).

Verse 23 can be confusing.  What does this verse seem to say that is controversial?

In the Greek, it literally reads, if you forgive the sins of any, they have been (past tense) forgiven them.  Jesus is not saying that the disciples have the authority to forgive sins (which only God has), but He was saying that the disciples would be able to recognize those that had been changed by God.

Does Thomas believe the report of the other disciples? (24-25)  Why doesn’t He believe them?  What is His requirement for belief?

What does Jesus do for Thomas? (27) and how does Thomas respond?

What does Jesus say about the way Thomas believed? (29)

What are ways that we could refuse to believe what God says because we can’t see it?  Give some examples?

What should be the basis for what we believe?

Why did John record the specific examples of Jesus’s miracles that He wrote down? (30-31)

After seeing all of the things that Jesus has done in the book of John, do you believe in Him?  Do you have life in His name?

How do you get life in His name?  Share your answer with a friend or your small-group leader!

SOTD John 20:1-18

Passage: John 20:1-18

Instructions: Before you come to God’s Word, ask God to give you Wisdom (James 1:5) as you read the Bible. Ask God to help you to understand it and to have it impact your life!

Read the passage above through once and then go-back and re-read the text SLOWLY. While you are re-reading, ask yourself the following questions.

What had happened directly before this passage?

Who came to the tomb first? What did she find there and who did she tell about it?

What did Peter and John do when they heard the news? (3-5)

What did Peter find in the tomb?

Did the disciples fully understand these things? (8-10)

Who stayed at the tomb? What was she doing? (11)

Who appeared to her and what did they say? (12)

What happened next? (13-16)

How did Mary act toward Jesus after she knew that it was Him? (17)

What did Jesus tell her to say to the disciples? (17-18)

What does Jesus say to the disciples about their relationship with God?

Why is that significant?

How do you think the disciples reacted to hearing this from Jesus?

Have you ever thought about the relationship that you have with God? Is He your father and your God?

How are we able to have a similar relationship with the Father that Jesus has?

Today, spend some time thinking about your relationship with God and thanking God for all that He has done through Jesus. Think deeply about. Think deeply about it again. Let’s all be overwhelmed at the level of relationship with God that is offered to us through Jesus Christ!