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Bible Study Notes 1/14/2025

Concord Baptist Church

WORD ALIVE! BIBLE STUDY ©2025

Journey in the Psalms: Prayer, Praise and Promise

Concord Baptist Church of Boston in Milton, MA – Conley Hughes, Jr., Senior Pastor

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

Lesson 1 – Introduction, Parts 1 & 2

Tues., 7 & 14 Jan. 2025


Journey In The Psalms – One of the most treasured books in all of the Bible is the Psalm, which is comprised of five books, These books or divisions, speak to the deepest yearnings of the human spirit, as well as to the essential desires of the soul.  Compiled over a thousand-year period the Psalms have preserved God’s communication with the human family in poetic, prophetic, and liturgical (worship, music, responsive) ways. Included in the psalms are meditative reflections on personal encounters – each of which ends with a strong affirmation of hope in God. The reader is called to moral and ethical responsibility, and the life of the godly and righteous person is honored by God. Evil and wrongdoing will be judged by God, so repentance is necessary in becoming reconciled to God. The most widely read of all the Psalms throughout the world is Psalm 23, The poetic words provide comfort and hope against any calamity one could ever face in life. Although these Psalms were written by many people, the power in all Scripture is that each is “breathed” (inspired) by God. The purpose is to both teach us what is true and how to live according to what is right. (Read, 2 Timothy 3:16, NLT). The Psalms became the worship book of Israel, and no fewer than 70 of the psalms are attributed to King David. The remainder mostly were written by the various worship and music leaders (Levites; descendants of Korah; and the sons of Asap). In the New Testament, the psalms are quoted by Jesus and others over 100 times. This underscored their belief in the authenticity and reliability of the Scriptures as they knew them. The psalms, as the Word of God, engages the innermost parts of our thoughts and beings. They help us understand the deeper meaning of life, and God’s intended purpose for us. (Read, Hebrews 4:12, NLT). There is no replacement for God’s use of the Scriptures in the  development of our lives. The first of the five major divisions of the Psalms, Book I is Psalms  1-41; Book II is Psalms 42-72; Book III, is Psalms 73-89; Book IV is Psalms 90-106; and Book V comprises, Psalms 107-150.  In studying Psalms, we can apply the same reasoning to what we read, as the Apostle Peter said we should apply to prophecy in Scripture. Peter instructed Christians to understand, what we read is governed by the Holy Spirit. (Read, 2 Peter 1:20-21, NLT). The prayers and laments in the Scripture were all genuine, for they shared the pain of human fears, sadness, anger, and pain. What we inevitably see is acts of God’s compassion, mercy, and healing, meeting the needs of the person praying. The first division of Psalms, Book I opens with Psalm 1. The emphasis is on “what God expects of us,” and relatedly, what the consequences are for those who pursue evil instead of good. There is the promise of continuing life, vitality, growth, and purpose for all who obey God. Some understand Psalm 1 to be a summary of the entire book of Psalms.


Journey in the Psalms, Part 2 – The great collection of 150 writings we know as the Psalms, have varied backgrounds. In addition to David, Moses, Solomon, Hemon, Ethan, descendants of Aaron (Levites) who led the music and worship ministry in the Temple, and the  descendants of Asap; there are at least 49 psalms for whom no author‘s name is designated. What we do see is a recurring theme of how life is to be lived in relationship to what God requires of us. The songs or praise and adoration are to the God who created us and sustains us throughout our earthly lives – and prepares us for eternity. The laments speak to the reality that earthly life (mortality) has numerous encounters; twists, turns, and challenges. However, even in the difficult areas of life, God inevitably appears, and His love, mercy, and protection are celebrated. The concerns of the psalmists are both intrinsically human and explicitly spiritual, because they reveal the transparence of human need, while acknowledge a spiritual hunger to find comfort and safety in God. The late Christian philosopher Teilhard de Chardin suggested, “We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”  When we read the psalms we get this sense. Psalm 1, thought to be a summary of the 150 writings, begins the journey by calling attention to “how we should live and the rewards of living a godly life.” Emphasis is on living a righteous life in contrast to living a sinful life. (Also read, Ps. 37:4-5; Matt. 4:4, both 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:

2 Timothy 3:16, NLT

16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”.

 

Hebrews 4:12, NLT

12 “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes  our innermost thoughts and desires.”

 

2 Peter 1:20-21, NLT

20 “Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophets own understanding. 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.”

 

Psalm 1:1-6, NLT

1 “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees planted  along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. 4 But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. 5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. 6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.”


Psalm 119:105 , NIV

“Your word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my path.”


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.”.

 

Matthew  4:4, NLT

4 “But Jesus told him, “No, the Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

 

Outline of Psalm 1:1-6 (NLT)

What a committed / righteous person does not do:

1 “Oh the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join with mockers.

 

What the righteous person does:

2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.

 

What blessings do the righteous receive:

3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,  bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

 

The contrasted life of the ungodly:

4 But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.

 

The ungodly will forfeit eternal blessings:

5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly.

 

The destiny of all who love God, and those who have no regard for God:

6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.”

 

Romans 8: 1-3, NLT

1 “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to Him, the power  of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death… 3b So God did what the law could not do. He sent His own Son in a  body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins.”

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Concord Baptist Church

180 Blue Hill Ave

Milton, MA 02186

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Live Stream Sunday 9:30am 

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