Bible Study Notes 10/7/2025

WORD ALIVE! BIBLE STUDY ^©2025

Journey in the Psalms: Prayer, Praise and Promise

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

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

Lesson 24

7 Oct.  2025

Lesson 24, Psalm 120:1-7 NLT: This short psalm is among a collection (Psalms 120-134), where the title listed above them is a Hebrew word meaning “ascending” or “going up.” Psalm 120 begins the collection and is mostly regarded as a Lament for the experience of the psalmist. The person is on his way to Jerusalem, as was customary to travel three times a year for the national holy days where the people brought sin offerings and worshiped Yahweh, the Lord God.  The often-long pedestrian travel provided the faithful with an opportunity to have personal reflection and prayer concerning their lives and experiences. In Psalm 120, the psalmist describes a life of loyalty to God, but one in which he is living in dangerous places. Mesheck and Kedar, in the NLT, were notorious places for slave trade, piracy, and evil practices. The psalmist laments being “surrounded” by such people. He believes God will silence their evil tongues and punish them. Some readers see in this Psalm, that suffering in a “far-away” place could also mean feeling isolated and being in distress. Certainly, the psalmist felt this way and admits this in verse 1. The Hebrew word, tsarah, is translated distress or trouble. It means literally “to be in a narrow place.” The psalmist seeks peace when others are at war!

Verses & Explanations for Psalm 120:1-7, NLT:

Observe         Interpret     Apply

(Verses 1-2) – Prayer for deliverance in time of distress.

(Verses 3-4) – The fate of deceptive tongues.

(Verses 5-6) – The stress of living with people who subvert the truth God has established.  

(Verse 7) – Contrasts between the faithful and the ungodly.  

The 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:

Psalm 120:1-2, NLT

¹ “I took my trouble to the Lord; I cried out to Him, and He answered my prayer. ² Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from deceitful people.

Psalm 120:3-4, NLT

 ³ O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you? How will He increase your punishment?   ⁴   You will be pierced with sharp arrows and burned with glowing coals. 

Psalm 120:5-6, NLT

⁵ How I suffer in far-off Meshech. It pains me to live in distant Kedar.  ⁶ I am tired of living among people who hate peace.

Psalm 120:7, NLT

⁷ I search for peace, but when I speak of peace, they want war!”

Further Helpful Verses:

Ephesians 6:16, NLT

¹⁶ “In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” 

I Peter 3:10, NLT

¹⁰ “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.”

I Peter 4:13, NLT

 ¹³ “Instead, be very glad – for these trials make you partners with Christ in His suffering, so you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world.”

John 14:27, NLT

²⁷ “I am leaving you a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”