July 25, 2019

Ps 130: Hope In God’s Forgiveness & Ps 141: Resisting Evil Within

We covered Psalm 141 and dealing with evil within the Church as well as Psalm 130 about hoping in God's forgiveness.

The first half study of Psalm 130 examines the importance of recognizing the depth of our sin, addresses prayer and reparation for the sins of others, explores perspectives on hope, and discusses the meaning of redemption.

The second half on Psalm 141 looks at the dangerous and difficult situation where those within the Church are doing wrong.  We discuss the image of the Evening Sacrifice as well as the bodily expression of worship.  We look at the challenges to our speech in environments when surrounded by wrong both for compromise and retaliation.  We examine some ways we can unwittingly participate in the ways of the wrongdoers around us.  We discuss the dangers on both sides — the danger of falling into compromise with wrong and the danger of falling into excessive judgment of others.  We explore the image of pouring oil on one's head in the Israelite culture and some of the difficulties in the text of this psalm.  We conclude with a brief look at how we will indeed reap what we sow.

July 11, 2019

Psalm 86: Trusting God Who Delivers and Sustains Us

Our study of Psalm 86 returns us repeatedly to the idea of recognizing our neediness and God's loving willingness to always sustain us.  We discuss Mary's need for a Savior even though she did not sin and our complete dependence on God for our very existence as well as our spiritual perfection.  We touch briefly on consecration to God and the difference between sin as a way of life and individual sins.  We focus on Bible Study as a means rather than an end and some of the messianic inferences in this psalm.