Dr. David Whitaker | Psalm 40
There are times when life overwhelms us... when circumstances are bigger than what we know how to deal with. Maybe it's an issue with your family, your job, your home, your relationships, your health or something else. Whatever it is, it probably brings you a lot of fear and anxiety. The reason we're going through it is in part a result of the choices we've made. It's a combination of fear and failure.
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These questions are provided for your further study and application of this message. It is helpful to discuss your answers with others such as your Community Group, family, friends or an accountability partner.
- What is your take away from this message?
Are you good at waiting? How long do you wait before giving up? When God seems to take too long to respond, what “false gods” offer tempting alternative solutions? What happened last time you relied on one of these gods?
Read Psalm 40. Compare the first and last verses. How are the two sections different—what is their mood? (vv.1-10 and vv.11-17)
Can you describe a “miry bog” (v.2) that the Lord has rescued you from? What in your life feels like a “miry bog” that you need rescuing from?
Do you have a “new song”--a new life that’s a result of a relationship with Jesus Christ? (v.3) What would the lyrics of your “old song” be before you came to Jesus Christ? How does it compare to your “new song,” or do you have one? Why or why not?
What is it that God wants (vv.6-8) from us? What sacrifices does God require from you?
Hebrews 10:5-9 tells us that the Son of God spoke these words (vv.6-8) as He was coming to this world. What other allusions to Jesus do we see in this passage?
Which is the greater pressure to you right now: the external opposition of others or the internal weight of your sin? What from this Psalm most helps you in dealing with this pressure?
Applying the Scripture to our lives is important. What is the “next step” that God, through this Psalm and the Spirit, is leading you to take?
Write out a prayer in response to what the Lord has taught you through this study.
