psalms and proverbs - vrbc grow...

Adult Bible Teaching Guide

Songs and Sayings of Faith

David Morgan

Stephen Von Wyrick

Bobby Bragg

Travis Bundrick

Michael Godfrey

Psalms and Proverbs

Dallas, Texas

Psalms and Proverbs—Adult Bible Teaching GuideCopyright © 2006 by BAPTISTWAY PRESS®.

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How to Make the Best Use of This Teaching Guide

Leading a class in studying the Bible is a sacred trust. This Teaching Guide has been prepared to help you as you give your best to this important task.

In each lesson, you will find first “Bible Comments” for teachers, to aid you in your study and preparation. The three sections of “Bible Com-ments” are “Understanding the Context,” “Interpreting the Scriptures,” and “Focusing on the Meaning.” “Understanding the Context” provides a summary overview of the entire background passage that also sets the passage in the context of the Bible book being studied. “Interpreting the Scriptures” provides verse-by-verse comments on the focal passage. “Focusing on the Meaning” offers help with the meaning and application of the focal text.

The second main part of each lesson is “Teaching Plans.” You’ll find two complete teaching plans in this section. The first is called “Teach-ing Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” and the second is called “Teaching Plan—Lecture and Questions.” Choose the plan that best fits your class and your style of teaching. You may also use and adapt ideas from both. Each plan is intended to be practical, helpful, and immediately useful as you prepare to teach.

The major headings in each teaching plan are intended to help you sequence how you teach so as to follow the flow of how people tend to learn. The first major heading, “Connect with Life,” provides ideas that will help you begin the class session where your class is and draw your class into the study. The second major heading, “Guide Bible Study,” offers sug-gestions for helping your class engage the Scriptures actively and develop a greater understanding of this portion of the Bible’s message. The third major heading, “Encourage Application,” is meant to help participants focus on how to respond with their lives to this message.

As you and your class begin the study, take time to lead them in writ-ing the date on which each lesson will be studied on the first page of each lesson and/or on the contents page of the Study Guide. You may also find it helpful to make and post a chart that indicates the date on which each lesson will be studied. If all of your class has e-mail, send them an e-mail

4 PSALMS AND PROVERBS—Teaching Guide

with the dates the lessons will be studied. (At least one church that uses BAPTISTWAY® materials for its classes places a sticker on the table of contents to identify the dates.)

Here are some steps you can take to help you prepare well to teach each lesson and save time in doing so:

1. Start early in the week before your class meets.

2. Overview the study in the Study Guide. Look at the table of con-tents, and see where this lesson fits in the overall study. Then read or review the study introduction to the book that is being studied.

3. Consider carefully the suggested Main Idea, Question to Explore, and Teaching Aim. These can help you discover the main thrust of this particular lesson.

4. Use your Bible to read and consider prayerfully the Scripture pas-sages for the lesson. Using your Bible in your study and in the class session can provide a positive model to class members to use their own Bibles and give more attention to Bible study themselves. (Each writer of the Bible comments in both the Teaching Guide and the Study Guide has chosen a favorite translation. You’re free to use the Bible translation you prefer and compare it with the translations chosen, of course.)

5. After reading all the Scripture passages in your Bible, then read the Bible comments in the Study Guide. The Bible comments are intended to be an aid to your study of the Bible. Read also the small articles—“sidebars”—in each lesson. They are intended to provide additional, enrichment information and inspiration and to encour-age thought and application. Try to answer for yourself the questions included in each lesson. They’re intended to encourage further thought and application, and you can also use them in the class session itself. Continue your Bible study with the aid of the Bible comments included in this Teaching Guide.

6. Review the “Teaching Plans” in this Teaching Guide. Consider how these suggestions would help you teach this Bible passage in your class to accomplish the teaching aim.

7. Consider prayerfully the needs of your class, and think about how to teach so you can help your class learn best.

PSALMS AND PROVERBS—Teaching Guide 5

8. Develop and follow a lesson plan based on the suggestions in this Teaching Guide, with alterations as needed for your class.

9. Enjoy leading your class in discovering the meaning of the Scripture passages and in applying these passages to their lives.

FREE! Additional adult Bible study comments by Dr. Jim Denison, pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas, are online at www.baptistwaypress.org and can be downloaded free. These lessons are posted on the internet a week in advance of the first Sunday of use.

FREE! Downloadable teaching resource items for use in your class are available at www.baptistwaypress.org! Watch for them in “Teach-ing Plans” for each lesson. Then go online to www.baptistwaypress.org and click on “Teaching Resource Items” for this study. These items are selected from “Teaching Plans.” They are provided online to make lesson preparation easier for hand-outs and similar items. Permission is granted to download these teaching resource items, print them out, copy them as needed, and use them in your class.

ALSO FREE! An additional teaching plan is available each week at www.baptistwaypress.org.

IN ADDITION: Enrichment teaching help is provided in the internet edition of the Baptist Standard. Access the FREE internet information by checking the Baptist Standard website at www.baptiststandard.com. Call 214–630–4571 to begin your subscription to the printed edition of the Baptist Standard.

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Writers for This Teaching Guide

David Morgan wrote “Bible Comments” for lessons 1–6 on Psalms. Dr. Morgan serves as pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, Harker Heights, Texas, and is a veteran Bible study curriculum writer.

Stephen Von Wyrick, Ph.D., wrote “Bible Comments” for lessons 7–9 on Psalms and lessons 10–13 on Proverbs. He serves as professor of Hebrew Bible and Archaeology at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and as a lecturer in religion at Baylor University.

Bobby Bragg wrote “Teaching Plans” for lessons 1–4 on Psalms. He is associate pastor of discipleship, Broadmoor Baptist Church, Madison, Mississippi. He has served other churches in Kentucky, Georgia, and Tennessee.

Travis Bundrick is the writer of “Teaching Plans” for lessons 5–9 on Psalms. He serves as executive pastor, New Hope Baptist Church, Cedar Park, Texas. He has served in education and administration ministries for churches in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

Michael Godfrey, the writer of “Teaching Plans” on Proverbs, lessons 10–13, is the executive director of True Course Ministries, Inc., which provides mentoring for ministers and other services related to minister and church health. He is also an adjunct lecturer in Christian education at Truett Seminary, Baylor University.

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Psalms and Proverbs: Songs and Sayings of Faith

How to Make the Best Use of This Teaching Guide 3

Writers for This Teaching Guide 6

T H E B O O K O F P S A L M S

Songs of Faith

Date of Study

LESSON 1 _______ The Way to True Happiness Psalm 1 9

LESSON 2 _______ Pleading for God’s Help Psalms 3; 13; 22:1–5, 22–24 20

LESSON 3 _______ Trusting in a Caring God Psalms 23; 27:1–6 31

LESSON 4 _______ Thirsting for God Psalms 42—43 42

LESSON 5 _______ Almost Doubting Psalm 73 53

LESSON 6 _______ The Joy of Worshiping God Together Psalm 84 64

LESSON 7 _______ To Live a Life That Matters Psalm 90 74

LESSON 8 _______ Praise for God’s Goodness Psalms 100; 103 84

LESSON 9 _______ Give Thanks for God’s Blessings Psalm 116 94

8 PSALMS AND PROVERBS—Teaching Guide

T H E B O O K O F P R O V E R B S

Sayings of Faith

LESSON 10 _______ The Beginning of Wisdom Proverbs 1:7; 3:1–20 104

LESSON 11 _______ Wisdom for Right Living Proverbs 11:1–11, 17–21, 23–25, 28 116

LESSON 12 _______ Wisdom for Every Area of Life Proverbs 22:17–25; 23:10–11, 19–28; 24:10–12, 15–20 125

LESSON 13 _______ Wisdom in Human Relationships Proverbs 25:11–23; 26:18–28 137

How to Order More Bible Study Materials 147

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PSALMS

Songs of Faith

Lesson One

The Way to True Happiness

Focal TextPsalm 1

BackgroundPsalm 1

Main IdeaFollowing God

faithfully leads to a full and happy life.

Question to Explore

What kind of life leads to true happiness?

Teaching AimTo lead the class to identify

what true happiness is and how to experience it

BIBLE COMMENTS

Understanding the Context

True happiness comes from God. Psalm 1 teaches that this well-being comes from having a right relationship with God. A right relationship with God involves following God’s ways and rejecting those of the wicked.

The Book of Psalms is both a word to God in worship and a word from God. Therefore, placing a psalm that stresses right living at the beginning of the book that was so central to Israel’s worship seems most appropriate.

Many interpreters have recognized that Psalm 1 introduces the entire Psalter. Some even think Psalm 1 was written specifically as a prologue for the book. Several aspects of the composition of Psalm 1 make it a fitting introduction. (1) It is not numbered in some Hebrew manuscripts, and (2) it is combined with Psalm 2 in others. Also, (3) five significant terms that are found regularly in Psalms are found in this opening chapter: the righteous, the wicked, sinners, law, and judg-ment.

The Book of Psalms has been divided into five sections also called books: Book I (Psalms 1—41); Book II (Ps. 42—72); Book III (Ps. 73—89); Book IV (Ps. 90—106); and Book V

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10 PSALMS: Songs of Faith—Teaching Guide

PSALMS: Songs of Faith

(Ps. 107—150). A doxology concludes each of these books, with Psalm 150 functioning as a final doxology for the entire book.

Early Jewish writings suggested a parallel between these five books and the five books of the Torah, the Law (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy). One reason given for this arrangement was that the final editor of Psalms wanted the readers to view the Psalms as well as the Torah as God’s law. The flow of the five books may also parallel Israel’s history: God made a covenant with David, and failure to keep the covenant obligations resulted in Jerusalem’s destruction and exile of the people (Books I–III). Books IV and V pick up from that point and proclaim God’s reign.

Psalm 1 is one of nine wisdom psalms (1, 37, 49, 73, 112, 119, 127, 128, 133). These psalms focus more on teaching than worship. They demon-strate the importance of receiving instruction that forms character, informs behavior, and ultimately determines one’s destiny.

The psalm contrasts the way of the righteous to that of the wicked. This contrast occurs frequently in Scripture. Scripture elsewhere uses images of life and death to describe this distinction (Deuteronomy 30:19; Jer-emiah 21:8). In Proverbs, the wise person who seeks life appreciates God’s instruction, while the fool despises it (Proverbs 1:7). The way of the godly is one of “blessings” and the way of the wicked of “curses” in Deuteronomy 30:19. Also, Jeremiah 17:5–8 shows similarities to Psalm 1.

Psalm 1 opens with a statement of its theme and then develops it by contrasting godly and ungodly living. The psalm contrasts the happiness of the righteous (Psalm 1:1–3) to the ultimate futility of the wicked life (Ps. 1:4–6).

Interpreting the Scriptures

The Godly Life (1:1–3)

1:1. Those who are “happy” (“blessed,” NASB, NIV) reject the way of the wicked and delight in God’s law. No English term expresses fully the meaning of the Hebrew word for “happy.” The word suggests that a per-son’s happiness is more God’s gift and a blessing God bestows. Using the term in this way as a beatitude celebrates the character and behavior of the righteous. The best interpretation of the phrase may be, how rewarding is the life of.

PSALMS: Songs of Faith—Teaching Guide 11

LESSON 1: The Way to True Happiness

Some understanding of Hebrew poetry will help us interpret the entire Book of Psalms. Hebrew poetry is based on the relationship of the con-tent between lines and not cadence or sound. Parallelism of content is an important feature of Hebrew poetry.

The most common types of parallelism are synonymous, synthetic, and antithetical. In synonymous parallelism, the two lines use different language to convey the same idea (see Ps. 6:2). Synthetic poetry is observed when the second line completes the thought of the first (see 23:6). Poetry with lines that have opposite meanings is called antithetical (see 1:6).

Three parallel phrases in verse 1 point out that those who are happy reject the path of sinners. The parallelism that describes the godly man rejecting the counsel and example of the wicked is most likely synony-mous. The lines are three ways of asserting that godly people spurn wicked ways. Some interpreters consider the verse an example of step (synthetic) poetry. They see a downward spiral from “walking” to “standing” to “sit-ting.” Furthermore, in this understanding the words “wicked,” “sinners,” and “scoffers” depict a decline. Choosing between the two kinds of paral-lelism is only a matter of emphasis.

Godly people reject the advice of the wicked. The designation “wicked” usually refers to God’s enemies and thus foes of God’s people. Godly people do not “take” (“stand in,” NASB, NIV) the path of sinners. “Sinners,” a more specific term than “wicked,” means those who miss the mark or choose the wrong way.

The godly do not “sit in the seat of scoffers.” “Scoffers,” the strongest of the three words, means those who arrogantly refuse to accept instruction (see Proverbs 1:22). They consider themselves above the need to listen to the guidance of God and of others. The “seat” of the scoffers implies more than a place of sitting. It signifies a session or assembly. The importance of this distinction will become clear in later verses.

“Walk,” “stand,” and “sit” show complete action and here indicate a habitual activity. The righteous reject the godless way of life as one that is unstable.

1:2. Scoffers ridicule the Lord’s instruction, but the righteous delight in God’s law. Delighting in God’s law may sound odd to those who equate law with rules and regulations. Understanding law in this way misses the focus of this passage, for the Hebrew word for “law,” torah, has a much broader meaning than a list of dos and don’ts. The term often referred to the first five books of the Bible. While these books



contain many commandments, they also narrate stories that helped to mold the character and conduct of the Israelites.

God’s “law” is basically the instruction, teaching, or guidance that helps us to establish and maintain a harmonious relationship with God. Law pre-supposes God’s grace and provides the framework for living within God’s covenant relationship. God’s first word at Mount Sinai reminded the people of the Lord’s gracious deliverance. Only after the people gratefully committed themselves to serve God did they receive the Ten Command-ments (Exodus 19:1–8; 20:1–17).

Godly people are open to God’s direction. Preoccupation or concern may capture the idea of “delight.” The word for “meditate” denotes more than silent reflection. The word can be used for a low murmuring of repetition. “Day and night” suggests habitual, perhaps even continual, activity.

Two grammatical features in verse 2 heighten the contrast between the wicked and the godly. The psalm opens with a strong word of contrast, “but.” Also, the grammar suggests that delighting and meditating in the law were habitual.

1:3. The writer illustrated the solid foundation of righteous people by comparing them to “trees planted by streams of water” (see also Jeremiah 17:5–8). The term “planted”—literally, transplanted—may imply that the godly person’s happiness is due to God’s grace and activity.

The deep roots and stability of the righteous contrast with the motion and movement of the wicked (1:1). Trees draw nutrients from the ground and transform them into leaves and fruit. Meditating on God’s law serves a greater purpose than simply knowing facts and information about God. The purpose of God’s instruction is to transform people into Christlike individuals.

The life of the godly is like a tree whose leaf does not “wither.” It is vital and full of life.

Getting trees established in my backyard in central Texas has proved difficult. I’m trying now for the third time. Soon after I moved into my house nine years ago, the two trees that came with it died. Two years later, I had a nursery plant a red oak and a silver maple. They fared well the first year. Then, central Texas experienced an unseasonably hot and dry summer, which scorched them. The trees dropped leaves, and the leaves that remained wilted. I held out hope that they might live, but both failed to come back the next spring.



The Instability of the Wicked (1:4–6)

1:4. The wicked are as fleeting as the righteous are firmly rooted. The translation “the wicked are not so” misses the intensity and abruptness of the Hebrew, which literally reads, “not so the wicked.” They are “like chaff,” without substance. Heaviness was associated with significance and importance. To illustrate, a basic meaning of the word glory is weight or mass.

The wicked “are like chaff that the wind drives away.” The psalmist drew on a common image to illustrate. Crops were gathered to a local threshing floor during harvest. There they were beaten to loosen the grain from the waste and then tossed into the air. The wind blew away the straw and chaff. The heavier grain fell to the floor, where it was gathered.

We can still see this imagery in harvests. One of my fondest child-hood memories is of sitting in my grandpa’s pickup while he and Daddy harvested wheat. Sometimes they let me ride on the combine. I remem-ber watching golden kernels fall into the hopper. Looking back over the hopper allowed me to see the straw and other chaff being tossed back into the fields. What was taken to town to sell was the “heavy” grain.

Two other details emphasize the contrast between “tree” and “chaff.” (1) The writer employs a pun, because the Hebrew words for “tree” and “chaff ” each have two letters, and they end with the same letter. (2) Also, note that the poet wrote three lines about the tree but only one about chaff. Even the number of words expresses more heaviness and significance for trees and thus for the righteous.

1:5–6. Because the wicked are “light,” they have no contribution to make in society. God will honor the righteous, but the “wicked will perish.”

The synonymous parallelism in verse 5 suggests that “judgment” does not refer to final judgment here. The psalmist was contrasting how life-styles affected one’s standing in the community. The word “stand” differs from the one translated “stand” in verse 1, but both denote that the wicked have no foundation in this life.

“Judgment” and “congregation” (“assembly,” NASB, NIV) parallel each other. The background for understanding this verse comes from the pro-cess used in biblical times to make decisions. Community leaders and elders gathered at city gates to attend to the affairs of the community (see Ruth 4:1–12). “Righteous” probably refers to the worshiping community. What the psalm seems to be saying is that when the community gathered to determine justice, the wicked would have no place or influence.



The psalmist brought the “righteous” and the “wicked” together in the same verse for a final contrast. God “watches over the way of the righ-teous.” The word “watches” (literally, knows) suggests personal relationship and not intellectual knowledge. The term is used elsewhere for sexual inti-macy between husband and wife (Genesis 4:1, 25; 1 Samuel 1:19). The righteous person is connected to God in a way similar to the intimacy between spouses.

The wicked person, though, will “perish.” The life of the wicked follows a road or course that comes to nothing or to ruin, like a dead end. The life of the wicked in itself becomes its own inevitable punishment. To be wicked is to be centered on self and not on God. To replace God with self is the essence of sin. The righteous may commit acts that displease God, but they are righteous because they are open to God’s instruction.

Focusing on the Meaning

Trust God. Happiness comes from being connected to and dependent on God. To be dependent on God implies that you trust God. Adam and Eve chose to eat of the forbidden fruit because they felt that God might have been hiding something from them. The serpent raised this doubt in their minds: “For God knows that . . . you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5).

Prepare to receive God’s word. Delighting in and meditating on God’s word transforms individuals into godly people. Christians are both saved and transformed by God’s grace. God’s transformation is most effective when we place ourselves in a godly environment through regular reflection on God’s word.

A young woman in my church once asked me what things Christians cannot do. We miss a great deal of the blessedness of our relationship with God if we think of it only as a list of prohibitions. Consider God’s instruc-tions to us as God’s way of providing stability and direction in an unstable and misled world.

Appreciate godly living. The conclusion that godly people prosper in all things clearly arises from one’s faith and not from superficial appearances. Many of the psalms (some of which we will examine) describe the frustra-tion of the righteous who felt that the wicked prospered more than they did. Those who heed God’s instruction become the kind of people God created them to be. Prosperity should also be considered a result of godly



living and not as its reward. This kind of prosperity far surpasses that of material success.

Never give up. If you’re concerned that you’ve tried and failed, again and again, consider this. The trees I planted are now flourishing.

TEACHING PLANS

Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities

Connect with Life

1. Prior to class, find some pictures of people who appear to be happy. Invite the class to give opinions as to why they think the people in the pictures appear to be happy. They might look at the setting of the pictures or the other people who appear in the pictures. Ask par-ticipants whether they know people who appear to be happy on the outside but are unhappy on the inside.

2. Provide a slip of paper for each member of the class. Ask the people in the class to write on the paper their ideas of “true happiness” (“True happiness is . . . .” A copy can be downloaded from www.baptistwaypress.org.). In order to help participants formulate their opinions, share your definition of what happiness is. Tell them to hold the slips of paper until near the end of the teaching session.

Guide Bible Study

3. Share with the class the background information about the Book of Psalms from “Introducing Psalms: Songs of Faith” in the Study Guide and “Understanding the Context” in this lesson in this Teaching Guide. Then introduce Psalm 1 using information in “Understand-ing the Context” in this Teaching Guide and “Take Care!” in the Study Guide.

4. Divide the class into three groups. (Have six or fewer people in a group. Form additional groups with duplicate assignments if more than eighteen are present.) Assign each group one of the follow-ing three words: “wicked”; “sinners”; “mockers” (NIV). Give the



following instructions to each group: (a) Study how the assigned word is used in Psalm 1:1. (b) Develop an explanation of the mean-ing of the word by using the information in the Study Guide and also using different Bible translations. (c) Identify contemporary examples and illustrations of the assigned word. The goal is for the members to give examples of places and activities people need to stay away from in order to live a life described in this psalm. (A copy of this assignment is available at www.baptistwaypress.org.)

5. Invite the groups to report. Then direct participants to the informa-tion in the last paragraph under “Take Care!” in the Study Guide, which points out, “Ungodly counsel often arrives in stealth mode.” Discuss ways ungodly counsel can slip into our lives. You may want to suggest an example of someone who followed ungodly counsel.

6. Before class, prepare several road signs that represent laws. Use a stop sign and a speed limit sign. Ask the class whether they delight in these laws. You will probably hear some different reactions. Remind the class that the laws are there for their safety. Too, God’s laws are in the Bible to guide us through life. Invite comments about the mean-ing of God’s law from the information in the Study Guide under “Focus On God’s Way.” Invite members to share a law God has given that has guided them.

7. Give the members of the class a bottle of water with a tag around the neck of the bottle. You can attach the tag by using a rubber band and an index card. Take a hole punch, make a hole in the card, and then use the rubber band to attach the card to the water bottle. Instruct participants to write on their cards the ways God’s word replenishes and adds nourishment to their lives. Encourage them to put this bottle of water in a place they will see often to remind them of the ways God replenishes us in life.

8. Refer the class to the section “The Presence of God” in the Study Guide. Summarize the section. Divide the members into small groups of six or fewer participants so they can discuss questions 1, 3, and 4 in the Study Guide and report to the entire group.



Encourage Application

9. Lead the members to take the slips you gave to them at the begin-ning of class and look at what they wrote about “true happiness.” Encourage them to reflect on the lesson and then to tell whether their ideas of “true happiness” have changed. Give participants an opportunity to share how their definitions might have changed and how it will affect their life. Invite comments that summarize what Psalm 1 says about true happiness is and how to experience it.

10. Instruct the class to look at the section “What Actions Might We Take?” in the Study Guide. Challenge the members to take time the next week to do one or more of the ideas in this section.

11. Close the class with a prayer for the members. Pray that God will lead them in the path of wisdom and allow them to delight in God’s word.

Teaching Plan—Lecture and Questions

Connect with Life

1. Start the class by using the activity the Study Guide writer gives about “Blessed is the person who. . . .” Give the class a few minutes to think about the statement, and then ask for responses. Allow serious as well as lighthearted answers to the statement. Guide the discussion to show that there are broad and varied interpretations of what being “blessed” is in a person’s life.

2. Invite participants to comment on the meaning and truth of this statement: Being blessed is not a specif ic event in life; rather it is a way of life. Then direct them to Psalm 1. Invite someone to read the passage aloud while the class listens for what the psalm teaches about true happiness.

Guide Bible Study

3. Share with the class the background information about the Book of Psalms from “Introducing Psalms: Songs of Faith” in the Study Guide and “Understanding the Context” in this lesson in this



Teaching Guide. Then use the material under the section “Take Care!” in the Study Guide to focus the lesson on Psalm 1. As you present the material, emphasize the theme “Take Care!”

4. Refer to Psalm 1:1, and guide the class to understand the meaning of the words “wicked,” “sinners,” and “mockers” (NIV), using informa-tion in this Teaching Guide and in the Study Guide. Ask participants to think about expressions that might be used today to describe these words. You may want to bring a different translation of the Bible that uses different words or invite class participants to read from the various translations they have. Guide the members to discover contemporary thoughts about these words.

5. Explain the words “walk,” “stand,” and “sit” in Psalm 1:1, using infor-mation in this Teaching Guide and in the Study Guide. Lead members to suggest activities people are involved in that cause them to falter in their lives. Guide the class to discover that living the blessed life is a daily walk. Refer to the illustration in the Study Guide in the last two paragraphs under the heading “Take Care!” Invite comments about positive ways people can stay away from destructive behavior in life.

6. Refer to verse 2 in Psalm 1. Explain the meaning of the expres-sion “the law of the LORD,” using information under the heading “Focus On God’s Way” in the Study Guide and in “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide. Explain how “the law of the LORD” brought “delight.”

7. Refer to verses 3–6 and invite the class to suggest what they say about consequences for those who follow God and for those who do not. Refer to the illustrations of the trees in 1:3 and the chaff in 1:4. Contrast the meaning of each illustration.


8. Refer to the questions in the Study Guide. Invite responses to ques-tions 1, 3, and 4. Then ask question 2. After responses, ask, What does this psalm teach us about the meaning of happiness? about how to be happy?



9. Refer to the Study Guide sidebar “What Actions Might We Take?” to make further application. Lead the class to suggest other actions that can be taken to live a blessed life.

10. Close by praying and asking God to lead the class to live blessed lives that will honor God and be a blessing to others.

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PSALMS

Songs of Faith

Lesson Two

Pleading for God’s Help

Focal TextPsalms 3; 13; 22:1–5, 22–24

BackgroundPsalms 3; 6; 13; 22

Main IdeaAlthough God can seem distant and unresponsive

to our pleas for help, we can trust God to care and to respond.

Question to Explore

Have you ever wondered in desperation, Why is God waiting so long to answer?

Teaching AimTo lead adults to compare the psalmist’s experiences and theirs of wondering why God was waiting so long to respond to their pleas for help

BIBLE COMMENTS


Many people feel a kinship to the Book of Psalms because of its all-encompassing scope. Look within its pages and you will find doxologies of celebration. You will discover hymns of trust and confidence in God. You will see words of wisdom and guidance.

One of the greatest gifts that Psalms offers is its honest portrayal of the human spirit. Biblical writers resisted glossing over human struggles. Instead they allowed people to express their pain. Old Testament names that spring to mind are Job and Jeremiah. Too, the Gospel writers openly recorded Jesus’ anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. While Scripture offers hope and encouragement, it never disintegrates into sappy sentimentalism.

We only have to get to the third psalm before encountering one who was wrestling with his emotions and struggles. All the psalms that make up the text for today’s lesson are called individual laments. In an individual lament, the writer or speaker pleads for God’s help while encountering some crisis. We find approximately forty individ-ual laments in the Book of Psalms, including 5; 42; 43; and 51.


LESSON 2: Pleading for God’s Help

Today’s texts come from Book I (Psalms 1–41). Many of the psalms in this book are associated with King David and may relate to events in his life. The superscriptions or titles were later additions to the psalms and not part of their original composition. The phrase “of David” may suggest that he wrote the psalm, but it more likely indicates that the psalm came from a collection associated with him. Since “of ” can be translated as to, for, in regard to, or even belonging to David, these psalms may be about him. Fourteen psalms are linked to specific incidents in David’s life.

The question Does happiness mean that Christians will never suffer? may have come to mind during the consideration of Psalm 1 in the previous lesson. Today’s texts refute the notion that godly people who experience God’s happiness will experience no pain. People may live rewarding lives and still suffer mental, emotional, and spiritual pain. We may feel that God is distant, but these psalms remind us to plead for divine help with the assurance and confidence that God will answer.


Help Belongs to the Lord (3:1–8)

Several “firsts” in Psalms are associated with Psalm 3. It is the first prayer for help in the Book of Psalms. Also, the term “Selah” appears for the first time. Many possible interpretations of “Selah” revolve around the notion that it provided some sort of worship or musical instruction, but interpret-ers cannot agree on its specific use. Too, Psalm 3 is the first psalm with a title: “A psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.” That David suffered when forced to flee from Jerusalem during Absalom’s rebellion can certainly describe the situation addressed in this psalm (see 2 Samuel 15—18).

3:1–2. The psalmist’s numerous enemies were attempting to place them-selves between God and the psalmist. The use of the word Yahweh (in many translations “LORD” in all capital letters or a capital L and small capital letters) implies a prior relationship between God and the poet.

Using the term “many” three times (NRSV) both links the first two verses and emphasizes the psalmist’s plight. His “foes” were numerous and con-tinued to increase. Adversaries who had turned against him taunted him by insisting that God either (1) could not or (2) would not deliver him. To



appeal to God was futile, for God was either powerless or uninterested. Some understand the phrase “there is no help for you in God” to mean that the psalmist had acted so sinfully that he could not expect God to help. The psalmist’s enemies had also become God’s enemies.

3:3–4. Despite the psalmist’s grim circumstances, he maintained con-fidence in God. The words “but you” set apart God’s protection from the enemy’s attacks. Psalms often portrays God as a shield of protection (see Psalms 18:30; 144:2). “Around me” suggests that God’s protection encircled him. He remembered that God had both preserved his dignity and delivered him from some unidentified danger. He sought that same help in his current situation. “Holy hill” symbolizes the divine dwelling place and may refer to the temple mount.

3:5–6. Nothing could shake the psalmist’s assurance that God would deliver him. The emphatic pronoun “I” underscores his trust in God. He could sleep peacefully because God shielded him during the night from those who had “set themselves against” him.

3:7–8. The psalmist’s memory of God’s protection prompted him to plead for God to “deliver” (save) him and provide a full life for him. Strik-ing the enemies “on the cheek” and breaking the ”teeth of the wicked” showed contempt for them. These phrases also affirm that the foes had no power to harm him. God alone could and would deliver.

Trusting in God’s Steadfast Love (13:1–6)

Psalm 13 is the shortest and simplest of the individual laments. The psalm’s title associates it with David. Some interpreters suggest that the psalm was occasioned by the writer’s sickness, but the specific circum-stances are not known. Whatever the situation, the psalmist suffered more because of God’s seeming neglect than his physical pain. He emptied his soul in agony, pled for God’s presence, and then rested in the assurance of God’s salvation.

13:1–2. The four rhetorical questions that begin “how long” emphasize the writer’s despair. These questions may express impatience and des-peration. Some commentators suggest that the words show increasing intensity in the poet’s struggle. Here, as in Psalm 6:3, the psalmist won-dered how long he would experience divine displeasure.

The psalmist felt deserted by God, and yet he continued to address God with the covenant name, “LORD” (see Ps. 3:1 and comments). The



writer protested that God had hidden his face from him. This thought may indicate that God might have deliberately withdrawn his presence. The word translated “sorrow” denotes the urgency of the situation and could be used in the context of death (see Genesis 42:38; 44:31).

13:3–4. The psalmist prayed that God would answer. In essence, he cried out, Hear me and help me. Since he felt forgotten by God, simply to be heard by God would be to receive God’s help. Calling on God to “answer” was particularly appropriate since he framed his distress as a series of questions. He asked God to enlighten him lest he “sleep the sleep of death.” Death, often linked to sleep, would be the final act of separation.

If God failed to intervene, then the enemy would celebrate because the enemy had overcome the psalmist and the Lord. Some scholars suggest that “enemy” refers to death and “adversaries” indicates all those who were set against the psalmist.

13:5–6. These verses differ markedly in tone from the rest of the psalm. Earlier verses lamented God’s absence and sought divine intervention. These final verses are a strong confession of trust in God’s steadfast or covenant love. Consider two possible explanations for this change in tone. (1) Something occurred that reminded the psalmist of God’s pres-ence. The final clause, “he has dealt bountifully with me,” gives credence to this interpretation. (2) The psalmist looked deep within and remem-bered God’s past acts of deliverance. By faith he reaffirmed his confidence in God, although the enemies still appear to have had the upper hand. The emphatic “but I” may support the second interpretation. The second interpretation is preferred by many, although the text allows for either. The statement “I trusted” might be better rendered, I am trusting.

The psalmist promised to sing of God’s salvation. The word for “salva-tion” signifies the total well-being of a person. God may or may not have intervened in the psalmist’s circumstances, but God had dealt with his feelings that God had forgotten him.

From Abandonment to Praise (22:1–5, 22–24)

Psalm 22 describes a separation from God that is more intense than that described in Psalms 3; 6; or 13. Jesus’ shout from the cross, “My God, My God why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46), comes from this psalm and reflects extreme isolation.



It should not surprise us that biblical interpreters have long recog-nized that Psalm 22 exhibited an intensity of suffering that is unique among individual laments. Not only does it depict intense suffering, but it also magnifies the expressions of gratitude and worship that the poet experienced.

The psalm’s structure further adds to the heightened intensity of both suffering and celebration. It begins with two complaints (22:1–11 and 12–21), each with two parts. The psalm ends with two sections of praise and celebration (22:22–26 and 27–31).

The person who uttered this cry of desolation later invited others in the worshiping community to join him in praise and celebration. What one person learned from the experience became instructive for others in the community.

22:1–2. The sufferer’s prior intimacy with God only intensified his anguish. The words “my God” indicate a close personal relationship. Some awful crisis had created a detachment from which the psalmist sought relief. The word “groaning,” commonly used for a lion’s roaring, suggests a shriek of agony. People in great pain have told me that all they want to do is shout, even though they know that it will offer no relief. The writer’s suffering was harsh in both degree and duration (“by day,” “by night”).

22:3–5. What the psalmist was experiencing clashed with his under-standing of God’s care for Israel, the covenant people. Two legitimate translations are possible for the last line of verse 3. The New Interna-tional Version reads: “You are the praise of Israel.” The New Revised Standard Version translates: “You are . . . enthroned on the praises of Israel.” While the translations differ, both renderings affirm God’s sov-ereignty and indicate that God had given the nation reasons for praise in the past. The pronouns translated “you” in verses 3–5 are emphatic and further contrast the psalmist’s current state to God’s care for the nation. The psalmist could not reconcile God’s past presence to his current sense of abandonment. A holy and just God ought to intercede for him.

22:22–23. The tone of Psalm 22, like Psalm 13, changes without any explanation. The words of trust and confidence that close most laments reach heights in this psalm that are not seen elsewhere. The assurance of God’s presence has replaced the feeling of abandonment.



The psalmist invited the religious community to join him in praising God. To “tell of ” God’s “name” was to remind the people that God had acted graciously for them in the past. The words “brothers and sisters” and “congregation” refer to the worshiping community of God’s people. The psalmist invited all of God’s people to join him in praising God.

22:24. The psalmist used three expressions to explain why he praised God. (1) God “did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted.” God was not repulsed at the condition of the suffering person. (2) God “did not hide his face from” him. God was present amid the suffering. (3) When the psalmist “cried to him” for help, God “heard.” The suffering had continued, but God was seen in the midst of suffering. The psalmist understood that his suffering did not imply abandonment by God.


Acknowledge the certainty of struggle. Many of the psalms address the issue of suffering, highlighting the reality that most people suffer at one time or another. Observation bears out this conclusion. Some, perhaps most, and maybe all believers have battled despair, anguish, and hopelessness. Despair may reach such alarming proportions that all one can do is plead for God’s help. Know that God’s happiness belongs to the godly even in the tough times.

Affirm God’s presence even when we feel alone. Christians have a personal relationship with a God who cares. Preparing a strong foundation for our faith before troubles arise allows us to trust God even when we cannot sense the divine presence. We need to keep in mind as we read individual laments that they describe a cross-section of a person’s life. The focus on a particular situation may be prolonged, but these individual events are set in the context of a person’s total life. This may be a time of struggle, but God’s presence has been known and will be renewed.

Understand that suffering is not punishment. The writer of Psalm 22 felt that his suffering indicated that God had forsaken him. What he learned, and we see in other laments, is that God does not always end our suffering but is with us while we endure it. We even discover from Psalm 22 that God enters into our suffering as we suffer. Christ’s use of the psalm helps us to realize that suffering can be redemptive.



Pray from the heart. We can be brutally honest with God in tough times. God can accept our complaints and our challenges. Recognize that prayer is more than rosy platitudes, a litany of good things, or a wish list of bless-ings we seek. God will hear and respond to our struggles as well as hear our praises. God hears us where we are and guides us to where God wants us to be.

TEACHING PLANS


Connect with Life

1. In advance, enlist someone to prepare to tell the story of David and Absalom found in 2 Samuel 13—18 (the person could tell the story as if he or she were David). Ask the person to tell only the high points in the story in only two or three minutes and not to give all of the details. Begin the class by inviting the person to tell the story.

2. After the story of David and Absalom, ask the members how they think David felt during and after this incident (see 2 Samuel 18:33). Lead the members to put themselves in David’s place. Ask how they would feel if this had happened to them.

Guide Bible Study

3. Share the background to Psalm 3:1–8, using the lesson material in “A King Pleads with God” in the Study Guide. Then divide the class into groups of no more than six people each. Instruct the groups to read Psalm 3 and (a) list the ways David said God was providing for him; (b) identify what David wanted God to do for him; and (c) describe ways this psalm reminds them of their own experiences. (Copy avail-able at www.baptistwaypress.org.) Receive reports from the groups.

4. Ask, Have you ever been lost or left alone, perhaps as a child? Give sev-eral members the opportunity to respond. Point out that many times after it was all over we could look back with humor, but at the time (and perhaps now), it did not feel good. Help the class identify what



it feels like to be left alone. Inquire, Have you ever felt God has forgot-ten you? Point out that the psalmist felt this way. Enlist someone to read Psalm 13 aloud while the class listens for the mood of the psalm. Invite responses. Note the four questions in 13:1–2. Empha-size how David felt about God seeming to have forgotten him. Focus on verses 5 and 6. Emphasize that David did not remain in despair, but rather he turned to God in trust. Invite comments about how Psalm 13 reminds them of their own experiences.

5. Bring to class different types of exercise equipment (running shoes, hand weights, jump rope, pedometer, etc.). Ask the class whether these examples of exercise equipment are instruments of pain or pleasure. Point out that these likely were objects of pain when begin-ning to use them. Other examples of objects of suffering could be medical instruments. The goal is to let the members see that objects that started with suffering led to a better life. Enlist someone to read aloud Psalm 22:1–2. Ask class members where else in the Bible these verses are used (by Jesus on the cross; see Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). Enlist another person to read aloud Psalm 22:3–5. Offer an explanation of these verses, using the information in the Study Guide and in “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide. Emphasize the psalmist’s confusion that God had provided help in the past but not now. Lead the class to read Psalm 22:22–24 silently, looking for the meaning of the verses. Receive comments. Emphasize the psalmist’s trust and confidence. Invite comments about how Psalm 22 reminds them of their own experiences.


6. Point out that these psalms provide the psalmist’s testimony of his experiences in dealing with life’s difficulties and that they speak to our own experiences in dealing with life. Refer to the Study Guide writer’s personal testimony of his situation as a child under the head-ings “An Honest Question” and “Can Good Be Brought Out of Our Suffering?” Lead the class to consider how this experience resonates with their own or with that of someone they know.

7. Refer to questions 2–4 in the Study Guide to help members identify with the message of these psalms. Consider forming groups of no more than six people each to consider these questions so everyone



will have an opportunity to respond to them. (You might combine this assignment with step 6 and do both steps in groups.) After a period of time, ask the groups to report.

8. Close with a prayer of encouragement that in times of trouble, God is there.


Connect with Life

1. Before the class begins, write this question on a chalkboard, marker board, or poster, “Why is God waiting so long to answer?”

2. Share the story from the Study Guide about the hurricane victim. Allow the members to react to the story and even share some of the stories from their lives.

3. Tell the class that today’s lesson deals with psalms of individual lament, meaning that the main theme is about pleading with God for help in some crisis.

Guide Bible Study

4. Refer to the small article “David and Absalom” in the Study Guide to explain the meaning of the superscription to Psalm 3. You may want to enlist a person to give a brief (two- to three-minute) description of the story of David and Absalom in 2 Samuel 13—18.

5. Read Psalm 3, asking the class to listen for the main emphasis of the psalm. Using the information in the Study Guide under the heading “A King Pleads with God,” emphasize the despair of David and his faith in God. Organize your comments with the broad headings below and allow the class to fill in the evidence to show David’s feelings.

• Evidences of David’s Despair• Evidences of David’s Faith

6. Ask, Have you ever felt that God has forgotten you? Allow the class to answer the question with examples of times they have felt this way.



7. Enlist someone to read Psalm 13:1–6 while the class listens for the question that the psalmist repeated. Use the Study Guide material on this psalm to lead the members to consider David’s response to God’s silence. Ask them how their responses might have differed from the response of David as well as being similar to it.

8. Lead the members to respond to the title of the third section, “Can Good Be Brought Out of Our Suffering?” Encourage members to give illustrations of times in their lives when this was true and exam-ples when this did not seem to be true. Enlist someone to read Psalms 22:1–5, 22–24 while the class listens for the psalmist’s attitude in the beginning and his attitude at the conclusion. Lead members to understand that even when we cannot see or feel God, we can trust that God is watching over us. Point out that it is through our suffer-ing that we sometimes see God’s loving hands in new and different ways. This would be a great time to use a testimony of someone in the class who has experienced this truth in his or her life. Refer to the Study Guide writer’s personal testimony of his situation as a child under the headings “An Honest Question” and “Can Good Be Brought Out of Our Suffering?” Lead the class to consider how the writer’s experience resonates with their own and with that of some-one they know.


9. Review briefly each of the psalms in the focal passage. As you review each psalm, ask the class to comment on ways in which these psalms remind them of their own experiences.

10. Prior to the class, you may want to write on a chalkboard, marker board, or poster board the names and/or a category of people who may feel God has forgotten them. (Examples: hurricane victims; people in the hospital; people who have lost loved ones; other cir-cumstances of loneliness.) Ask the members whether they wish to add others to the list. Give each member an index card or a piece of paper. Ask participants to write one or more of the people or groups of people from the poster. Then ask them to pray for and perhaps contact the person(s) on their cards in the next week.



11. Close the class by asking members to pray for people who are pleading for God’s help, likely including some of their fellow class members.

31

PSALMS

Songs of Faith

Lesson Three

Trusting in a Caring God

Focal TextPsalms 23; 27:1–6

BackgroundPsalms 23; 27

Main IdeaWe can trust in God’s

care even when the worst that can happen happens.

Question to Explore

Can we trust God to care for us in the

worst of times?

Teaching AimTo lead adults to affirm that we can trust God to care for us even in

the worst of times

BIBLE COMMENTS


Tear-stained and worn are the pages of Psalm 23 in many a saint’s Bible. This most beloved of all Scripture passages has calmed many anxious souls and comforted the most broken of hearts. Its use at funerals may make it the most quoted passage in all Scripture. Its widespread usage can become either a blessing or curse. While familiarity may not breed contempt in this case, it may encour-age inattention. More often, however, fondness for the shepherd’s psalm brings people again and again to it for comfort and support.

Psalms 23 and 27 are hymns of trust in God and God’s care. Others include Psalms 4, 11, 16, 27, 62, 91, and 131. Some consider Psalm 27 to be a lament because of verses 7–12. While the last section of the psalm certainly bears those char-acteristics, the first portion is a strong expression of trust. Psalms of trust highlight the writer’s confidence in God. The different images used in Psalms 23 and 27 complement each other and reinforce the assurance that Christians can have in God’s care.

Death is certainly not the only time that we long for God’s care. These words offer God’s strength and encouragement in any troubling time.




Part of the charm and much of the power of this psalm lie in its simplicity, both in language and imagery. The Old Testament pictured God as the divine Shepherd who leads his people through difficult times to places where they rejoice and celebrate. We can see how easy it is for Christians to identify the images of shepherd and host with Jesus.

The superscription, although not part of the original composition, relates the psalm to King David. David spent his earliest years tending his family’s sheep. For example, he was in the field when Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as Saul’s successor (1 Samuel 16:1–13). When David’s older brothers went off to war, he was left with the flock (1 Sam. 17:14–15).

David’s early years may form at least part of the psalm’s background, but its breadth indicates that it was written by someone with the maturity of many years. Extensive reflection on God’s care is exhibited in its images.

The Lord, My Shepherd (23:1)

The opening words should startle the reader: “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want” (meaning, I lack nothing). The conviction that God had provided everything freed the poet from the need to seek anything more. The rest of the psalm explains why he could make such a bold assertion.

Shepherds were common in Israel’s early history. They exercised con-siderable care and attentiveness to the needs and safety of the sheep. God’s people saw a parallel between the shepherds’ care and God’s care. Thus, applying shepherd imagery to God was common in the Old Testament (see Ps. 74:1; 80:1; Genesis 48:15; Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 23:2).

“Shepherd” was used as a royal title in the sense of a shepherd-king. David is the most obvious example. Since flocks depended on the shep-herd for protection and survival, the parallel between shepherd and king seemed natural. When David was seeking to convince Saul to let him battle Goliath, he boasted that he had defended his sheep by killing both a bear and a lion (1 Sam. 17:36). Years later, God pronounced judgment on Israel’s shepherd-kings because they were fleecing the people and not protecting them (Ezekiel 34:1–16, 23–24).

The term “LORD” is a translation of Yahweh, the covenant name for God. The nation had no qualms about claiming a special relationship with Yahweh. However, in these opening words, it is shocking that the first person singular pronoun is used. One person was appropriating for


LESSON 3: Trusting in a Caring God

himself as an individual all that God had offered to the nation. The writer was making a bold claim but at the same time submitting to Yahweh as Lord and King.

God’s Provision (23:2–3)

We may envision a serene pastoral setting, but the text implies much more. To “lie down” suggests dwelling in a place of ample food (“green pastures”). Water was necessary for survival, and the shepherd guided his sheep to “still waters” (literally, waters of rest). “Restores my soul” means keeps me alive. The term “leads” indicates gentle guidance and not forced driving.

To “restore” means to return or bring back straying sheep to the fold. Figuratively, it suggests the renewing of the lives of those people who have become tired or weary.

God, the Shepherd, led “in right paths.” Some interpreters think that “right paths” carries a moral connotation and means guiding one to righteous living. Others suggest that “right paths” are those that lead to happiness. In the context of the Psalms, the latter appears more likely (Ps. 1:1). Yet we do not err to see a bit of both, for Psalm 1 taught that those who find happiness are those who live godly lives. “For his name’s sake” means that God acts to give life because it is in the divine character and nature to do so.

God’s Protection (23:4–6)

23:4. God protects his flocks in the darkest of times. The writer began in this verse to use the more personal pronoun “you” instead of “he” in refer-ring to God. The change may imply a deeper intimacy that was brought about by these most difficult times.

Translators have struggled with the phrase “darkest valley.” This is the most accurate rendering, although it surely loses the lyricism of “valley of the shadow of death.” The expression literally means deep gloom. The term apparently combines the ideas of both shadow and death. The interpretation is not greatly affected, for people often speak of death as a dark time.

The poet was protected by the Lord’s presence. Shepherds used rods to defend sheep and staffs (shepherd’s crooks) to support and guide them. The use of these instruments represents security and comfort.

23:5–6. Note the change in imagery from shepherd to gracious host. Thus, the psalmist used two images to reinforce the security God



provided him. Yahweh had spread a lavish feast before the psalmist. In ancient times, bedouin hosts assumed a sacred obligation to assure the safety of their guests. We have two options for understanding “enemies.” These adversaries may have been (1) those who actually inflicted the distress or (2) those who increased the psalmist ’s pain with their uncaring demeanor toward him as he suffered.

Considerate hosts anointed their guests’ heads with perfumed oil as a sign of good will or joy (see Luke 7:46). The poet emphasized the host’s generosity with the picture of an overflowing cup. The psalmist basked in God’s bounty.

The writer could face his enemies confidently because God’s “goodness and mercy” followed him. “Follow” in this sense does not mean bringing up the rear but pursuing vigorously. God chased after him to provide for all his needs (“goodness”) and to guard him with divine love (“mercy”). The word translated “mercy” is often translated loving-kindness. The word is the covenant word for God’s steadfast love. God’s care was certain.

The poet’s final privilege was to “dwell in the house of the LORD.” The phrase may suggest either worshiping in the temple or living in the land of Israel. Both interpretations affirm that personal contact with God would not be broken. It would last throughout his “whole life long” (literally, for length of days). The original meaning of this phrase was earthly life, but Christians obviously apply it to their eternal dwelling with God.

“The LORD . . . My Light and My Salvation” (27:1–6)

Some commentators make a strong case for Psalm 27 originally being two psalms because of the distinct moods found in it. The opening section is a hymn of trust (Ps. 27:1–6), and the latter verses are a lament aris-ing from great distress (27:7–12). However, common ideas unite them. In both parts we find the subject of trusting God. Verses 4 and 8–9 deal with seeking God’s presence. Other interpreters, noting that the words “light,” “salvation,” and “stronghold” may all have military implications, consider it a royal psalm. They see it depicting a king’s preparation for and depar-ture to battle. Royal psalms were concerned with the rule of David and his descendants in Jerusalem. They celebrate and describe various aspects of that reign. The psalm may refer to the time in David’s life when Saul sought to kill him.

27:1. The opening words, “the LORD is my light and my salvation,” cap-ture the essence of the psalm. Only here in the Old Testament is God



referred to as “my light.” What is unique is using the words “my light” for an individual and not for the whole nation (see on 23:1). “Light” can rep-resent all that is good (Ps. 56:13; 97:11) as well as life itself. The psalmist rhetorically asked, “Whom shall I fear?” The implied and obvious answer is no one.

God’s protection and defense (“stronghold”) had alleviated the psalm-ist’s fear. The word translated “afraid” is a different word from “fear” in the first line. The psalmist used poetic parallelism—in this case, expressing similar ideas in different words—to highlight the psalmist’s confidence in God.

27:2–3. The “evildoers” or adversaries sought to devour the psalmist’s flesh (literally, eat me alive). We may envision a pack of wild animals hounding their prey. The figurative use of the term implies oppression. We might understand the verse as looking back to a time when God had delivered the poet from adversity. Another option would be to under-stand that he was looking forward with assurance that his enemies would become weak and fall when they attacked.

The term “army” (literally a camp) denotes great opposition. “My heart” seems to be used in place of the pronoun “I” for emphasis. It may suggest what we call a person’s will or a person’s whole being. Despite the threat (“yet”) of battle, the psalmist remained confident in God.

27:4. The writer sought only “one thing,” but he needed three phrases to describe it: (1) “to live in the house of the LORD”; (2) “to behold [gaze upon] the beauty of the LORD”; and (3) “to inquire in his temple.” Each phrase connotes a different aspect of God’s presence (the “one thing” he “asked of the LORD”). The author did not want to actually live in the sanctuary as Samuel had done (1 Samuel 3:3), but he wanted to know God’s continual presence. “To behold the beauty of the LORD” suggests experiencing God’s favor. “Beauty” refers to God’s goodness. The worshiper would “inquire” in the sanctuary because it represented God’s presence. There the worshiper could anticipate a response from the Holy One.

27:5. God offered protection by hiding and concealing the psalmist in the “shelter.” “Shelter” may indicate a site for worship (tabernacle), but it can also mean a tent. Ancient customs dictated that the host was responsible to protect and care for guests (see comments on 23:5). Fur-thermore, God would place him on a rock beyond the threats of the



enemies. Military strategists generally look for higher ground as a place of strength and safety. God is addressed as a rock in other psalms (Ps. 18:2). The parallel lines in 27:5 accent the refuge God provided.

27:6. Final deliverance came as God “lifted up” the writer’s head. The expression may mean either providing victory or reversing fortunes. Without knowing the specific situation, all we know for certain is that God promised to intervene. With raised head, the psalmist offered “sac-rifices with shouts of joy.” He was offering God a sacrifice that was made up of his praising God in song.


The psalmist said, “The LORD is my shepherd” (23:1). Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” ( John 10:11). The psalmist said, “The LORD is my light and my salvation” (Ps. 27:1). Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” ( John 8:12). Jesus continues the work of God that we find in Psalms 23 and 27. God protects and God provides.

God provision is so complete that the psalmist could declare that he lacked nothing. God furnishes what we need physically (Ps. 23:1–3, 5), emotionally (23:4), and spiritually (23:6). God gives us food and shelter, comfort, and divine grace, mercy, and presence.

God protection is so sure that the psalmist could offer songs of celebra-tion and praise when surrounded by enemies. No adversary can destroy us or separate us from God’s presence. “I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39).

Therefore:• because God provides and protects, we can be content in our

current circumstances• because God provides and protects, we can have confidence that we

are never alone• because God provides and protects, we can live courageously in the

face of adversaries• because God provides and protects, we can celebrate our blessings



TEACHING PLANS


Connect with Life

1. Before class, record voices of a variety of people saying “I will take care of you.” Have the people use various tones of voice and different volumes—from whispering to yelling. Get friends, parents, pastor, staff members, and different ages of people to record the message. Your goal is to have the sentence said in believable and unbelievable ways. Begin the class session by playing the recording.

2. Ask the class whether they can identify the people in the recording. Invite the class to comment on the different ways the recorded voices said, “I will take care of you.” Inquire, Out of all the voices, which one would you trust the most, going only by the tone of voice?

3. Give the members a chance to say “I will take care of you” to one another in a sincere and reassuring way. After a few minutes of shar-ing, tell the members that today we are studying two hymns of trust in God and God’s care. These hymns tell us that no matter what happens, God loves us and will take care of us.

Guide Bible Study

4. Enlist someone to memorize the twenty-third psalm and to come to class dressed as a shepherd. On a cue you will give, the person is to enter the room seeming to be looking for a sheep. (A copy of this script is available at www.baptistwaypress.org.)

“Shepherd” Script

(The “shepherd” enters the room as if looking for a lost sheep. The person notices the class members, and the dialogue that follows begins.)

Shepherd: Excuse me, I didn’t mean to interrupt your class, but I am looking for a lost sheep.



Teacher: We are studying Psalm 23, which describes a great shep-herd.

Shepherd: I know it well.Teacher: Please tell the class about the psalm.Shepherd: (The shepherd quotes Psalm 23.)Teacher: Will you please help us understand the heart of a

shepherd?Shepherd: (Talk about Psalm 23 from a shepherd’s point of view.

Talk about places you took the sheep and the different ways you took care of them, according to verses 1–4.)

Teacher: (to the class) Would you like to ask the “shepherd” ques-tions about the psalm?

Class: (The class asks questions about Psalm 23. As teacher, be prepared with two or three questions.)

Shepherd: Even though I am a shepherd, the greatest shepherd of all is God. He takes care of us at all times no matter what the circumstances of life. (Then refer to the ideas in verses 5–6. After your comments, pretend to hear one of your sheep. Begin to leave to take care of this sheep. Then turn around to the class.)

Shepherd: You know, that is the way God is. God knows the cry of his sheep and whether they are in trouble or not. You always know that God cares for you.

Shepherd: (Turning to leave) I am coming. I care for you.

5. If the shepherd returns to the room, thank the shepherd. Invite the class to comment on what they learned about Psalm 23 during this presentation. Then ask the class to turn to Psalm 27. Enlist someone to read 27:1–6 while the class listens for ideas in the passage they identify with about God’s care. Invite comments after the reading. Then ask the class whether they have ever had to take shelter from a storm. Ask:

• What did you look for in a shelter?• If you had a choice as to what shelter you took, what made you

choose one over the other?• Did you have any fears your shelter would fail?



6. Explain Psalm 27:1–6 further as needed, using the information in “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide and the material in the Study Guide under the heading “The Sheltering Lord.”


7. Use the questions in the Study Guide to explore the Bible study truths further. (You could form groups of six or fewer to consider these questions.)

8. Ask the members to reflect on times in their lives God has brought them through a difficult time. Allow one or two to share their experiences and especially to tell what this experience taught them about God.

9. Lead the class to read Psalm 23 in unison from the Study Guide to affirm their trust that God will care for them even in the worst of times.

10. Close with a prayer of thanksgiving for the Good Shepherd, God.


Connect with Life

1. Read or tell the story about Tim at the beginning of the lesson com-ments in the Study Guide. Emphasize the sentence, “I try to do the right thing and trust God.”

2. Invite reaction to the story. Use the following questions to guide discussion:

• Why do you think Tim was always able to say, “I try to do the right thing and trust God”?

• When everything else in Tim’s life was failing, why didn’t his faith change?

• How do you think God used Tim to show God’s faithfulness and care?

3. Tell the class that today we are going to discover why Tim’s faith was solid and how we can build our lives on the same rock of faith.



Guide Bible Study

4. Tell the story at the beginning of the section in the Study Guide titled “The Shepherd Lord.”

5. Enlist someone to read Psalm 23. Tell the members to listen for images in the passage that describe the ways God cares for us.

6. Before class, prepare the following outline and display it on a chalk-board, marker board, or piece of paper:

Psalm 23

Verse 1

Verse 2

Verse 3

Verse 4

Verse 5

Verse 6

Tell the members you want to develop a profile of what the Shepherd in Psalm 23 looks like from their perspectives. Tell them that you want to have a historical perspective of the Shepherd, but you also want them to describe what that would look like in today’s world. Lead the class to look at each verse and suggest a word or a phrase that suggests how God shepherds them through life each and every day. (Examples: 23:1—meets all my needs; 23:2—pro-vides safety, provision, and refreshment; 23:3—renews my life, leads me the right way; 23:4—guides me even in the worst circumstances; 23:5—cares for me even when I face opposition; 23:6—takes care of me all of my life.)

7. Invite someone to read Psalm 27:1–6 while the class listens for ideas similar to Psalm 23. Receive comments. Focus on the words “light,” “salvation,” and “stronghold” in 27:1. Use information on these words under the heading “The Sheltering Lord” in the Study Guide. Explain Psalm 27:1–6 further as needed, using the information in the Study Guide and “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide.




8. Lead the class to discuss the questions in the Study Guide to apply the lesson to life.

9. Give each participant a piece of paper with the words “God’s Care for Me” written on each paper (a copy is available at www.baptist-waypress.org). Ask participants to place on their paper an area of their lives they need to trust God for his care. Tell them to place it in their Bibles and pray that they would see God’s love in the next week in that area.

10. Close by praying for the cares and concerns of the members’ lives. Invite members to share cares and concerns they or their friends have.

42

PSALMS

Songs of Faith

Focal TextPsalms 42—43

BackgroundPsalms 42—43

Main IdeaA sense of God’s presence is so essential to life that a sense of God’s absence and distance is troubling.

Question to Explore

Do most people today long for God’s presence?

Teaching AimTo lead the class to

describe the psalmist’s experience of thirsting for God and identify

ways for helping people, perhaps themselves, who

feel distant from God

BIBLE COMMENTS


God’s people live in both a heavenly kingdom and an earthly one. Paul acknowledged this in his Letter to the Philippians: “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer” (Philippians 1:21–22); “Our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20).

The composer of Psalms 42 and 43, like many of us, had experienced the tension that some-times results because we live in two worlds. How he dealt with the inner turmoil can guide us in similar struggles.

Psalms 42 and 43 appear to have originally been a single poem. Several factors support this conclusion. For one thing, some Hebrew manu-scripts have them joined as one. Too, they have an identical refrain (Psalms 42:5, 11; 43:5). They exhibit similarity in thought and language. They also have a common poetic rhythm. A final reason to link them is that Psalm 43 has no superscription. It and Psalm 71 are the only two psalms in Book II without titles, and some

Lesson Four

Thirsting for God


LESSON 4: Thirsting for God

early manuscripts also attach Psalm 71 to Psalm 70. How or why the split occurred is unknown.

Both Psalms 42 and 43 are individual laments (see comments in “Under-standing the Context” in lesson two). Interpreters who have worked to determine the original setting of Psalms 42 and 43 have noted their gen-eral nature. They have offered two primary possibilities for the setting: (1) some unspecified sickness; or (2) the poet’s time in exile. I will point out in the comments below those parts of the psalm that favor each of these options. The generic nature encourages people to apply the psalm to many types of struggle.

The superscription to Psalm 42 identifies the psalm as “A Maskil of the Korahites.” “Maskil” may denote a certain music style associated with the psalm. The Korahites, part of the tribe of Levi, were worship leaders in the temple, maybe even forming a group that led in musical chants and songs (see 1 Chronicles 6:31–33). They apparently descended from the person named Korah who died in the wilderness after rebelling against God (Numbers 16:1–11; 26:1–11).

The psalmist struggled with distress in the first five verses of Psalm 42. The taunting of his enemies only agitated him further. He longed to return and worship again at the temple. Verses 6–11 emphasize his anguish. Psalm 43 opens with an appeal to God for deliverance and con-cludes with the assurance that, despite the psalmist’s current trials, he would again praise and hope in God.


Longing for God in Rough Times (42:1–5)

42:1–2. The poet longed for God’s presence in his life as a deer might thirst for water. He envisioned a doe, which perhaps suggested a greater vulnerability than that of a stag. Her quest for water came during a time of drought. She was seeking to find water in flowing streams. The verb “longs” may indicate an audible panting that showed her physical stress. The image of thirst reminds one that God is as necessary for life as water.

The psalmist compared the deer’s desperate plight to his intense yearn-ing to abide again in God’s presence. He thirsted for the “living God.” The



designation likely contrasts the powerlessness of idols to the psalmist’s desire for a personal God who could deliver him.

Note the growing detail in the descriptions of God. Verse 1 simply reads “God,” whereas the opening words of verse 2 speak of the “living God.” Next, the writer spoke of wanting to see the “face of God.” To see the face of God meant to be in God’s presence and to experience divine favor. The phrase “behold [appear before] the face of God” was used for the annual pilgrimages to the temple, where worshipers experienced God’s presence (Exodus 23:17). The psalmist may have been remembering these times of worship.

42:3.The acuteness of the writer’s pain is revealed in the words, “My tears have been my food day and night.” He had lost all appetite for food. His entire being was consumed by his agony and his desire to see God. Some commentators cite this verse as evidence that the psalmist was ill.

The psalmist’s enemies compounded his distress by taunting him with a question used frequently to mock God’s people, “Where is your God?” The question attacks either (1) God’s power to deliver or (2) God’s concern for a person and/or God’s desire to deliver. The poet struggled internally because he missed God’s presence. He struggled externally because his enemies ridiculed him when his faith failed to secure God’s intervention.

42:4. The psalmist remembered better times (“these things”) as he vented his frustration (“pour out my soul”). He consciously chose to recall the good times of worship earlier and relived those times when he “led” others in procession to the temple (“the house of God”). “Led” can mean either (1) being in front or (2) taking a place among them. Both ideas highlight his participation with the community in celebration. Worship at the three annual feasts brought great joy to the Israelites (see Deuteronomy 16:16).

42:5. The psalmist realized how troubled he was and admonished him-self for this emotional state. “Cast down” pictures being bowed over like one who is mourning. The verb “disquieted” comes from the same root as the noun “multitude.” The author may have chosen this particular term to contrast his despair to the joyful sounds made by the crowds at the worship festivals. Still, he refused to abandon hope in God, whom he called his “help.”



A Growing Despair (42:6–11)

42:6. The psalmist’s respite was short-lived. His discouragement returned more deeply than he had felt before. Although he longed to return to the temple complex to worship, what he really remembered was God’s presence. Exile may have prevented him from physically worshiping in Jerusalem.

The geographic references have been cited as evidence that the writer was in exile. Others contend that the references simply identify the place where the poet lived. Both interpretations picture him as being at a great distance from the temple, where he longed to worship. Mount Hermon is located in the northernmost area of Palestine. “Land of the Jordan” suggests the river’s headwaters, which were found near Mount Hermon. Mount Mizar was probably a smaller mountain nearby, but we have no references or possible location.

42:7. The geographic features in verse 6 elicit still another response from the poet. The roaring waters reminded him of threat. “Waves” and “billows” always have the potential for destruction (see Jonah 2:3). A majestic picture that might have evoked images of a mighty God instead intensified his pain. Yet, even in this desperate moment, he noted that the “waves” and “billows” were God’s and were under God’s power.

42:8–9. The psalmist remained convinced of God’s steadfast love but wondered why God seemed so remote. The positive emotions the psalmist briefly hinted at (42:5) had not yet become strong assertions of confidence and trust in God. He continued to waver between trust and despair.

The poet addressed God as “my rock.” We should probably understand this reference in contrast to the raging waters (42:7). Jesus used a similar image at the end of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:25). The wise man built his house on a rock foundation, while the foolish man built his on sand. When the rains came, suggesting trouble and turmoil, the house on the rock survived while the one on sand was swept away. God was the poet’s sure foundation to protect him as the world crashed around him, represented as water crashing down on rocks.

The poet asked, “Why have you forgotten me?” He was not seeking an explanation from God but merely voicing his confusion. He could not understand why a powerful and loving God would allow him to suffer in this way. The twofold use of “why” accented his struggle. “Forgotten” does not imply an inability to remember as much as it indicates a conscious



decision to disregard someone. “Mournfully” describes a gloomy appear-ance brought by his distress. “Oppresses” relates to the enemies’ insults (42:3, 10).

42:10. The enemies’ taunts were like the the breaking or shattering of bones. Physical pain may have accompanied the writer’s emotional agony.

42:11. The refrain’s words remain the same as verse 5, but the context gives them a different emphasis. The earlier words had reminded the writer of better times, those when he sensed God’s presence. To remem-ber that God had been present made God’s absence more painful. But now the psalmist viewed that absence in a different light. It hinted that God would intervene at some future time.

My Help and My God (43:1–5)

43:1. The glimmer of hope that flashed in verse 11 prompted the writer to address God directly in prayer. Psalm 42 describes the psalmist’s inner conversation; Psalm 43 records his external dialogue with God. Once the writer looked outside of himself for deliverance, God’s presence could come to encourage him.

The psalmist prayed for God to “vindicate” him, “defend” his cause, and “deliver” him from his enemies. To “vindicate” was to show that the accused was innocent, to clear his name from wrongful accusations. He considered God his defender, the one who could prosecute the enemy and then carry out the judgment. He referred to the enemy as an “ungodly people,” that is, people who did not follow the Lord. He also described them as without moral constraints (“deceitful and unjust”).

43:2. Help was on the way but had not yet fully arrived. To be “cast . . . off ” by God was more hurtful than to be “forgotten” (42:9). The sadness and grief of separation from God still plagued him.

Despite his struggles, the psalmist still clung to God. He added still another word, “refuge,” to his many descriptions of God. God was the One who could protect him.

43:3–4. A greater confidence in God appears in the prayer of these verses. The psalmist sought “light” and “truth” to guide him on his return to the temple (“holy hill” and “your dwelling”). An exile would certainly have longed to return to the actual temple to worship, but a physi-cal pilgrimage is not required by the text. The language may be poetic



(although certainly worship in God’s sanctuary has many advantages). The psalmist may have realized that amid his circumstances he could experience God’s blessing. God’s redemptive “light” would overcome the darkness of evil surrounding the psalmist. God’s “truth” would triumph over the psalmist’s enemies, who were “deceitful” (43:1).

43:5. The psalmist had moved from lamenting God’s absence (42:5) to a qualified hoping for assurance in God (42:11) to declaring confidently that God would intervene (43:5). The emphasis earlier fell on the psalm-ist and his despondency. Now however, the words were directed to God and not to the author’s inner struggle. Directing these words to God sounded forth the conviction that he would again praise God and expe-rience God’s presence.


Long for God because God’s presence is as necessary for life as food or drink. Remember the words Jesus quoted at his temptation: “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3; see Matthew 4:4). We are creatures with physical needs and people with spiritual needs. Spiritual nourishment is as necessary for our well-being as bread and water. A parenthetical note: When God’s people minister, they must address both sets of needs.

Long for God because being alone in tough times hurts. The psalmist experienced loneliness in his struggles. He felt that God had abandoned him. Tough times can challenge the faith of the most faithful Christians. Drink deeply from the well of support and presence offered by other believers.

Long for God because we shall again praise God. Our struggles are not the final act. What God has done in the past, God will continue to do. The Lord has not forgotten us. Like the psalmist, we need to keep singing the same old refrains. We need to keep reciting the same old verses of Scrip-ture. We can keep on remembering the worship we experienced in more joyous times. We need to recall the assurance of God’s presence that we experienced in those times. Each of these actions keeps our memory of God’s goodness alive, and that memory will help keep the divine presence strong as we struggle.



Long for God because human feelings and emotions rise and fall. Our moods teeter between joy and despair. But God’s prior actions for salvation estab-lish a foundation on which people can build their lives. God alone is the rock on which we can withstand the torrents of anguish that may rush against us. We struggle against unseen forces that seek to destroy. Stand in God’s strength. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power” (Ephesians 6:10).

TEACHING PLANS


Connect with Life

1. Before you come to class, find a food or drink that is especially appealing to your members (such as popped popcorn, a cup of special coffee, a soft drink, a bar or piece of chocolate, or any snack food that is a favorite of the members). Begin the class by taking a drink or bite of the substance you brought. Describe how good it tastes and what joy you are gaining from drinking or eating it. Tell a story about the different times you have had this particular drink or food and how it made you feel at that particular time. Say, I know at times when I need a special treat that all I have to do is go and get this one.

2. Ask, Does this exercise make you hungry or thirsty for some of my treat? Share your treat with the members. Let them talk about how good it tastes and how it satisfies a desire for the treat. Ask the members to talk about their special treats that make them feel good and com-forted. Allow the members to describe how the quest for the snack becomes an obsession for them at certain times.

3. Say, Today we are going to talk about a spiritual desire to feel God’s pres-ence in our lives. Have you ever felt God has abandoned you? Encourage the class to discuss the question.



Guide Bible Study

4. Use the material in the small article entitled “Psalms of Lament” in the Study Guide to describe what a lament is. Place on a marker board, chalkboard, or poster board the elements of a lament identified in the article: salutation or address to God, complaints, confessions, trust, petitions, some assurance that God will hear your words, and a con-cluding promise to trust or call on God. Lead the members to write a lament (poetic or prose), using these elements. (A worksheet for this activity is available at www.baptistwaypress.org.) Suggest that writ-ing a lament will help them understand the psalmist’s struggle in life. Give the members about eight minutes. (They could work together in threes.) Then invite people to share what they have written.

5. Share information about Psalms 42—43 from the Study Guide in the first paragraph under the heading “First Lament” (see also “Under-standing the Context” in this Teaching Guide). Enlist someone to read aloud Psalm 42:1–4 while the class listens for the feelings expressed. Receive comments after the reading. Point out that in these verses, the writer asked, When can I go and meet with God? Ask partici-pants whether they have special places where they go to meet God. Encourage them to find a place to meet with God daily and weekly.

6. Invite someone to read aloud 42:5 while the class listens for the ques-tion the psalmist asked himself. Ask, Have you ever lectured yourself? Have one of the members prepared at this point to get up and start lecturing himself or herself about a problem he or she is having and then come to a solution of expressing trust in God. Point out at the conclusion that trust in God is essential.

7. Before you begin the next section, have the previous member who talked to himself or herself to get up again and say, I just cannot get over this issue. Point out that this was the plight of the psalmist. Invite someone to read 42:6–10 while the class listens for the prob-lems with which the psalmist was dealing. Receive responses, noting especially verses 9–10. Ask the person who has been talking to him-self or herself to paraphrase what the psalmist said to God. Explain 42:6–10 further as needed, using information in “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide and “Second Lament” in the Study Guide. Read 42:11, noting both the psalmist’s yearning for God and his trust in God.



8. Lead the class to read in unison 43:1–5 from the Study Guide. Point out the psalmist’s difficulties in 43:1–2, his plea to God in 43:3, and his promise in 43:4. Note also the refrain in 43:5, which also appears in 42:5, 11.

9. Allow one last time for the person lecturing himself or herself to speak, saying, When everything else is gone, I will still cast my lot with God.


10. Refer to the Main Idea as printed in the Study Guide. Then ask ques-tion 4 in the Study Guide: “If you have experienced periods during which you found it difficult or impossible to sense the presence of God, what resources helped you through the ordeal?” Encourage comments.

11. Then refer to the Question to Explore, “Do most people today long for God’s presence?” After discussion, lead the class to develop a list of ways for helping people who feel distant from God.

12. Close by saying a prayer that acknowledges that no matter how far away we feel from God, God is always there.


Connect with Life

1. Begin the class by sharing your quest for a certain object, food, or drink. Share with them the reason for the quest, the lengths you went to in finding the item, and how it made you feel once you had it in your possession. You may want to bring a copy or the object to class. Make sure you bring out your passion for obtaining this item.

2. Ask the members whether they have ever sought after something with that kind of passion. Help members identify objects in their lives that at times may have possessed them until they attained the object. Some may say they have never had anything to possess them in that way. If that is the case, help them explore what the passions of



their lives are. Allow several members to tell items or goals that they have pursued with a passion.

3. Tell the members that today we are going to study two psalms in which the person was seeking after God with a passion to be in God’s presence. Ask, Have you ever sought God with a passion to f ind him regardless of what it took or where it might lead you?

Guide Bible Study

4. Before class, write the following outline on a marker board, chalk-board, or poster board. Give space between headings so that you can write comments and questions concerning the different sections. (The ideas in parentheses are possible answers intended to provide ideas to you.)

• First Lament (42:1–4)What are some important ideas in this first lament? (intense

longing for God; opposition by some; memory of past experi-ences of worship)

• Refrain of Hope (42:5)What are the rays of hope the psalmist mentions in this

refrain? (expression of hope; belief in future time of praise and worship; God’s help)

• Second Lament (42:6–10)What are some important ideas in this second lament?

(sense of loss; complaint that God had forgotten him; opposi-tion by some)

• Refrain of Hope (42:11)Note that this refrain repeats 42:5.

• Third Lament (43:1–4)What are some important ideas in this third lament? (plea

for God’s help; desire to worship God; promise to worship God)

• Refrain of Hope (42:5)Note that this refrain repeats 42:5, 11.



5. Using the small article, “Psalms of Lament,” in the Study Guide, explain the elements of a lament. Help the class to see that a lament is a type of grievance process before God. Allow members to discuss whether they ever complain to God about life and circumstances. Ask them how their grievance process differs from that of the psalmist.

6. Using the poster from step 4, talk through the different sections of the lesson. As needed, use information from the Study Guide and “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide. Ask these questions in each of the three laments.

• How do you think the psalmist felt at the time?• What do you believe had brought him to this feeling?• Where do you think God was at this particular time?


7. Use the questions in the Study Guide to guide discussion of the meaning and application of this lesson.

8. Refer to the Question to Explore, “Do most people today long for God’s presence?” After discussion, lead the class to develop a list of ways for helping people, perhaps themselves, who feel distant from God. Refer to the small article, “What Actions Might We Take?” Add ideas.

9. Close with a prayer. Express the struggles with the ups and downs in life and the desire to feel and see God in all of them.

53

PSALMS

Songs of Faith

Lesson Five

Almost Doubting

Focal TextPsalm 73

BackgroundPsalm 73

Main IdeaWhen we doubt the worth of believing in God, we need to get

a fresh perspective on what life is all about.

Question to Explore

Is being faithful to God really worthwhile?


describe the psalmist’s experience of almost doubting and to state

reasons for being faithful to God

BIBLE COMMENTS


Faith can be tested in many ways, such as sick-ness or a sense of separation from God. Physical or emotional setbacks can create doubts about whether God cares. People often ask me, Why are so many bad things happening to me? I know I’m not perfect, but God promises to bless Christians, doesn’t he? These folks may be wondering what value they receive for serving God.

We may think as we glance at the world around us that the ungodly are doing better than we are. Psalm 73 can guide us as we wrestle with these questions: Why do the wicked prosper more than the righteous? Is being faithful to God really worthwhile?

The location of Psalm 73 provides an excel-lent context to struggle with these questions. I believe that the arrangement of the psalms is purposeful. Psalm 73, which begins Book III of Psalms, summarizes many ideas that have appeared in previous psalms. For example, the righteous are blessed, but not the wicked (Psalm 1). Too, godly living has its rewards, but these are not always associated with material success. Other psalms have helped us to see that suffer-ing is not necessarily a sign of God’s disapproval (Ps. 3; 22; 42; 43). A good life is one in which



people depend on God and not on themselves and their abilities. Psalm 73 affirms these previous conclusions, even as the writer shared his own doubts and struggles.

The psalm is the first of a collection from Asaph. David set apart the sons of Asaph to lead music in the sanctuary (see 1 Chronicles 15:16–19; 16:7). Interestingly, and perhaps significantly, the psalmist received help in this poem associated with worship leaders not from gaining knowledge but from meaningful worship.

Biblical commentators have disagreed about how to categorize Psalm 73, which is similar to Psalms 37 and 49. They have variously grouped it with wisdom psalms, individual laments, psalms of thanksgiving, and royal psalms. Although it defies easy classification, its instructive nature most likely makes it a wisdom psalm.


God Is Good (73:1)

The poet opened with this theme: “God is good to the upright, to those who are pure in heart.” The word “upright” is rendered “Israel” in some translations (New American Standard, New International Version, New Revised Standard margin). “Upright” provides the best parallel to “pure in heart,” but manuscript evidence suggests that “Israel” is probably a better reading. If “Israel” is the better reading, then “pure in heart” refers to “Israel” as the worshiping community since the terms are parallel to each other.

The communal context recognizes that, although the poet may have had individual concerns, the issue had implications for the whole community. Many of the psalms in Book III are communal laments. The individual’s struggles reflected in this psalm served as a model for how the struggling community could make sense of its situation. “Pure in heart” does not imply perfection but indicates a loyalty and commitment to God.

God Is Good, But . . . (73:2–3)

While the psalmist asserted God’s goodness, some inner doubts lingered. He had nearly slipped and fallen from his conviction. He actually envied the prosperity of the wicked. Because the word “saw” parallels “envious,” it may indicate watching with the desire to have. The psalmist was so jealous of others that he could not enjoy God’s goodness. “Prosperity” translates


LESSON 5: Almost Doubting

the Hebrew word shalom, which includes the ideas of peace, wholeness, and well-being.

The Wicked Seem to Prosper (73:4–12).

73:4–7. The wicked appeared to be doing quite well. They were with-out pain. They were “sound and sleek” (literally, “fat,” NASB). The Bible frequently associates “fat” with health and prosperity (Genesis 41:1–24). For example, worshipers offered the fat portions of a sacrifice to God (see Leviticus 3:30). The wicked were not “plagued” (smitten, stricken) like others. “Plagued” may suggest divine punishment.

Too, they wore their pride like a piece of adorning jewelry. Violence was their outer robe. They were proud of their wickedness and had everything they could desire. They gorged themselves with all things and mocked those who had less.

73:8–9. These verses describe the mocking in greater detail. The wicked sneered at God and God’s people. They rejected God’s guidance and declared their self-sufficiency. They defied the Lord and spoke openly against God’s people. They slandered heaven, and nothing silenced them.

73:10–12. The wicked’s success tempted some of the righteous to for-sake God. The Israelites praised the efforts of those who ridiculed God. They saw nothing wrong with this behavior (“find no fault in them”). Some of them were imitating this sinful behavior in hopes that they would experience the same good fortune.

The wicked declared that God did not know what they were doing. They believed in God’s existence but rejected divine involvement in their daily lives. One interpreter called their religion a practical atheism. God had no knowledge of their activity, and so they believed they could carry out their daily lives in any manner they desired. They felt that God was concerned with “spiritual,” not earthly, matters.

Verse 12 summarizes the characterizations of the wicked that were named in verses 4–11. All things went well for the wicked. In the words of Amos, they were “at ease in Zion” (Amos 6:1). They felt secure in their success and wealth. Those who defied God continued to “amass great wealth” (Ps. 73:12, New English Bible1).



The Wicked Seem to Prosper, But . . . (73:13–17)

73:13–14. The writer elaborated on the doubts he first expressed in verses 2–3. He honestly confessed his frustration. What benefits were there for being faithful? Had he served God “for nothing” ( Job 1:9)? He had main-tained the highest standards of moral purity. He said, “I have . . . washed [my] hands in innocence” and had nothing to show for his faithfulness. He had stressed out over the prosperity of the wicked when he, a righteous person, had attained so little in contrast. He felt that God had “plagued” (stricken) him with some divine punishment.

The word “truly” that appeared in verse 1 also appears in verse 13 in the Hebrew, but it is not translated in the NRSV (see NASB, NIV—“surely”). It hints that a change had occurred in the psalmist’s thinking even though a full description would come later.

73:15. The tone of the psalmist changed as he declared that to continue to speak as he had been speaking would mean that he had abandoned God. He recognized that he was responsible to God and to God’s people. To continue to “talk in this way” would have been to affirm that God was not just. He refused to entertain the notion that he could make such a statement. Although filled with a lack of understanding and questions, he would not abandon his loyalty to the covenant God or the covenant community (“the circle of your children”). He, a loyal Israelite, would remain faithful.

73:16–17. The more the psalmist struggled to sort out the situation, the more overwhelmed he became. “Wearisome task” suggests difficult labor. He found no resolution to his dilemma through mental efforts. Faith told him one thing, observation challenged his belief, and he could not reconcile the two.

Only when (“until”) he encountered God in worship did he find resolu-tion. He found his answer in God’s presence.

The psalmist encountered God not intellectually but spiritually. His insights came not from his mental abilities but through a revelation from God. God responded to the psalmist and to Job in much the same way. God never answered Job’s questions, but God answered Job’s needs.

The psalmist saw the truth about the wicked as he worshiped. He became aware of their “end.” “End” emphasizes a sense of finality as well as death. Proverbs 14:12 reminds us, “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.” Did the psalmist at this point real-ize that the absence of the wicked in worship illustrated their life without



God? Maybe he realized that material prosperity was not true life. He found his success and life in a relationship with God.

The Wicked Slip Away (73:18–20).

The psalmist had nearly slipped away from God as he struggled to rec-oncile what he believed with what he observed. God was good, but God seemed to bless the wicked more than the godly.

The word “truly” appears again in this verse, beginning a new section. The wicked, and not the psalmist, were on “slippery places.” His foun-dation was secure but their end was “ruin.” His circumstances had not changed, but he had experienced enlightenment in an encounter with God. The wicked’s success was fragile. They might experience terror and destruction at any moment. Their prosperity could disappear as images of a dream vanish when one wakes. Their wealth had no lasting substance.

God Was Present All the Time (73:21–26)

While circumstances had made it appear that God sided with the wicked, the psalmist now understood that God had been with him all along. The psalmist had a sour (the root meaning of “embittered”) taste in his mouth about life. He experienced deep anguish. He acted and spoke in ignorance. He behaved like a “brute beast.” His own envy caused his frustration.

God was with the worshiper no matter how badly he acted. Receiving God’s assurance calmed him. God’s blessing of continued presence was far greater than any fleeting prosperity of the wicked. The emphatic pronoun “I” in verses 22 and 23 further highlights the psalmist’s assurance of God’s presence. “Right hand” symbolizes the divine strength that supported the poet through his turmoil.

God continued to guide the psalmist. At some later time, God would receive him “with honor” (73:24, “glory”). “Glory” means God’s blessed pres-ence. Interpreters debate whether this phrase refers to life here and now or after death. It most likely speaks of the end of an earthly life that God has directed. A person who has lived according to the counsel of God dies with a sense of fulfillment and completion. Yet, while Israel had not fully developed a sense of resurrection, we cannot rule out the possibility that the poet longed for a future life when God would care for the faithful (see Job 19:25–26; Ps. 22:29; 49:15). Christians certainly affirm that God will receive them with divine glory in an eternal life.

The psalmist finally grasped the truth that God’s abiding presence was more valuable than the “stuff ” of the wicked. The human functions of



mind and body may fail, but God remains a rock and a foundation. “Fail” means come to an end or cease rather than be inadequate.

God Is My Refuge (73:27–28)

The psalmist finally settled the issue in his own mind. On the one hand, the wicked seemed to prosper, but they were far away from God. They had rejected God. Because they were far from and had rejected God, they would perish. Contrast this with the glorious end of the righteous (Ps. 73:24).

On the other hand, “to be near God” is good. The pronoun “I” is emphatic here as it was in verse 2. In verse 2 it described the poet as he stood on slip-pery ground. Now his feet rested on God’s reliable foundation. God was his refuge. What the psalmist desired most in life was God’s presence. Having experienced God’s presence, he longed to proclaim God’s wonderful deeds to all people.


Following God faithfully does not mean that we will become healthy and wealthy. When we complain that life is not fair, we join a long line of God’s people who have struggled with that issue. Cain offered an inferior offering, and Abel died. Joseph was faithful and spent years in slavery and prison. Job lost his family and health. Paul spent years in prison for pro-claiming the gospel. We follow Christ because of who Christ is, not what Christ gives.

Sharing our struggles openly helps others. Christians are a part of a redeemed community. We are recipients of a faith passed from one gen-eration to the next. We do not live alone, and neither is our Christian life private. What we have received and learn, we pass on. Strength comes from our participation in a community that continues to face challenging questions and personal struggles.

Worshiping God supplies answers to our needs. Christians do not have all the answers. Sometimes, believers raise new questions as they seek answers to old ones. Some questions defy satisfactory answers. Christians will never know enough or have all the answers. But in worship, God meets the needs of Christians. God’s presence is the greatest gift that we have received in Christ. As Blaise Pascal (1623–1662; French mathemati-cian and philosopher) said, “The heart has its reasons, of which the mind knows nothing.”



Encountering God reframes our perspective. When we compare ourselves to others, doubt about God’s goodness can arise. We can always find someone who has more or who has achieved greater success. A renewed vision of God renews our understanding of what is important. The great-est good is not the stuff of worldly gain but the presence of the Lord God, our refuge and our strength.

TEACHING PLANS


Connect with Life

1. Prior to the session, create two columns on a marker board, using the following headings: “Reasons for Doubting God” and “Reasons for Being Faithful to God.” If possible, cut out several large question mark signs and hang them from the ceiling or tape them around the room. Pray for each class member by name and ask God to guide the session.

2. As the people arrive, form two groups if possible (no more than six people per group; form additional groups with the same assignment if attendance is greater than twelve). Assign the column “Reasons for Doubting God” to one group, and assign the second group the column “Reasons for Being Faithful to God.” Assuring them that there are no wrong answers, encourage each group to be honest and to compile reasons under their assigned column. (Possible reasons might include death of a loved one, loss of a job, divorce, cancer, or desire for things under the first column and perhaps healing, marriage, family, friends, or safety under the second column.)

3. After about five to ten minutes, call for reports from each group. Enlist a volunteer to write in summary fashion under the correct column on the board the statements each group gives.

4. Enlist a person to read the Main Idea of today’s lesson, “When we doubt the worth of believing in God, we need to get a fresh perspec-tive on what life is all about.” State, It is normal to have doubts about



believing in God. Today, we will see how the psalmist worked through his doubts and learn the keys to being faithful to God despite current circum-stances. Invite someone to pray.

Guide Bible Study

5. Form two listening groups. Ask one group to listen for words that describe the actions of the arrogant as Psalm 73:3–12 is read aloud. Examples might be “prosperity,” “free from . . . burdens,” “scoff,” “arro-gance,” “abundance,” “wealth” (NIV). Ask the other group to listen for words that describe the psalmist’s personal experiences as Psalms 73:13–16 is read aloud. Examples might be “in vain,” “innocence,” “plagued,” “punished” (NIV). Encourage each group to underline their findings in their Bible or Study Guide as they listen. Allow a brief time for a few people to report from each group. Ask, What other feelings have you experienced when you observe the lives of people around you who seem to have no relationship with God and yet prosper? Have you ever thrown yourself a “pity party” when life seemed to treat you in an unfair manner?

6. Read Psalm 73:1–2, 17 to the class. Ask, According to these verses, what kept the psalmist from giving up? Guide the class to understand the importance of private and corporate worship. Explain that the word “sanctuary” in Psalm 73:17 is plural. This may mean the psalmist worshiped often and regularly. Emphasize that the key to remaining faithful to God during life’s confusion and contradictions is found in communion with God. It is when we view life from the eternal perspective that understanding may come.

7. Ask the class to reassemble as one listening group. Encourage them to underline words in their Bible or Study Guide that describe God’s actions toward the wicked and toward the psalmist as Psalm 73:18–28 is read. Call for reports from the people. Read the following state-ments found in the Study Guide: “The goodness of God is not about what God might give to us. It is God himself.”


8. Refer to the Question to Explore in the Study Guide. Invite the class to suggest reasons the best answer is yes based on this psalm.



9. Divide the class into pairs. Ask each pair to read the case study in the Study Guide and respond to each other.

10. After about two minutes, ask the class to bow their heads. Encourage participants to confess silently to God one thing in their lives that they are struggling to understand. Encourage them to ask God to grant them an eternal perspective related to this matter. Close today’s class by reading Psalm 73:28 and praying.


Connect with Life

1. Prior to class, write on the board, “Is being faithful to God really worthwhile?” Create three small posters in the shape of question marks. On one write the word “Contradiction,” on another write the word “Comprehension,” and on the other write the word “Confir-mation.” If possible, enlist someone from outside the class to share a five-minute testimony about how God proved his faithfulness to them, perhaps after a time, during one of life’s challenges.

2. As the people arrive, ask them to read the case study found in the Study Guide. Instruct them to respond to the question on the board and the question at the end of the case study. Call for brief reports and then read the Main Idea of the lesson to the class. Invite some-one to pray.

Guide Bible Study

3. Display the first question mark sign with the word “Contradiction” on the focal wall. Invite someone to read aloud Psalm 73:1–12 while the class listens for the contradiction the psalmist talked about in these verses. Using the information in the Study Guide and in “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide, present a brief lecture on Psalm 73:1–12. Emphasize the contradiction between the truth in verse 1 and the reality of verses 2–12 that the psalmist was experienc-ing. Ask, What modern examples can you think of that reflect the wicked prospering? Examples might include sports figures, celebrities, or businesses.



4. Display the second question mark sign with the word “Comprehen-sion.” Invite someone to read aloud Psalm 73:13–17 while the class listens for the comprehension the psalmist arrived at in these verses. Using the Study Guide and “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide, present a brief lecture on Psalm 73:13–17. Ask, What feelings have you experienced when you believed that life was treating you unfairly? To understand life’s circumstances, emphasize the importance of regular worship experiences that are characterized by honesty and authenticity.

5. Display the third question mark sign with the word “Confirmation.” Invite someone to read aloud Psalm 73:18–28 while the class listens for the confirmation the psalmist arrived at in these verses. Using the Study Guide and “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide, present a brief lecture on Psalm 73:18–28. Explain to the class that like the psalmist, we can move from confusion to clarity when we focus on God himself and seek an eternal perspective during life’s challenges. Ask the person previously enlisted to share his or her testimony at this point.

6. Refer the class to the questions in the Study Guide. Lead a discussion as the class answers each. Attempt to reinforce the following ideas as the discussion occurs:

• It is normal and okay to doubt God.• True worship is a must for all believers.• A fresh perspective, from God’s viewpoint, is healthy for all

believers.• Faithfulness to God will be rewarded in due time.


7. Ask the class to name reasons they are faithful to God. After several reasons are named, point out that their naming these reasons is in itself a testimony in which they, as the psalmist, told of God’s deeds (Ps. 73:28).

8. Ask the class to bow their heads for a time of prayer. Read Psalm 73:1, 2, 17, and 28 as they keep their heads bowed. Lead in prayer.

9. Close the lesson by reading the following statement found in the Study Guide: “The goodness of God is not about what God might



give to us. It is God himself.” Challenge the class to turn any confus-ing issue in their life over to God and seek an eternal perspective on it during the worship service.

NOTES

1. The New English Bible (London: Oxford University Press, 1970).

64

PSALMS

Songs of Faith

Lesson Six

The Joy of Worshiping God Together

Focal TextPsalm 84

BackgroundPsalms 76; 84; 87

Main IdeaGenuinely worshiping

God together is an experience of joy.

Question to Explore

Is worshiping God with fellow believers

a joy or a chore?

Teaching AimTo lead adults to evaluate

their experience of worshiping God together in light of the psalmist’s experience and identify

ways for enhancing their experience of corporate worship

BIBLE COMMENTS


God’s people have recognized the importance of worship from the earliest times. Noah and Abraham built altars (Genesis 8:20; 12:7). The Israelites built a tent of worship (Exodus 25–31; 35–40). Solomon built a temple (1 Kings 5—8). Jesus “went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom” (Luke 4:16). The early church sang, likely using the Book of Psalms as a hymnal. Paul wrote: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God” (Colossians 3:16).

Although worship defies simple definition, it includes focusing one’s attention on God, ador-ing the Holy One, and proclaiming one’s loyalty to the Lord. Christians worship on Sunday to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. God’s people gather to worship, to rejoice in God’s faithfulness and to renew their commitment to the Lord. As we study Psalm 84, let us be inspired by the psalm-ist’s yearning for communion with God. Let us capture that longing for ourselves.

Psalm 84 is one of several psalms classified as hymns of praise to Zion (Psalms 46; 48; 76; 87; and 122). “Zion” was originally used to denote a


LESSON 6: The Joy of Worshiping God Together

hill in Jerusalem that David captured (2 Samuel 5:6–10). The term refers to Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem in many psalms (see Psalms 2:6; 48:2; 132:13). Pilgrims may have sung these songs in joyful procession to the sanctuary (“Zion”) for worship.

The psalm’s superscription identifies it as “of the Korahites” (see “Understanding the Context” in lesson four). Other psalms connected to these leaders include Psalms 42—49; 84—85; and 87—88. These songs focus on the desire to worship at the temple. The superscription of Psalm 84 instructs, “To the leader: according to the Gittith.” Suggestions for the meaning of “Gittith” include (1) a type of tune or setting or (2) some type of musical instrument used to accompany the singing of the poem. Its exact meaning in unknown.

Efforts to place the psalm in a specific context in Israel’s worship have produced several alternatives, but the poem itself offers no specific situ-ation. Dates for its composition range from before the exile to after the people’s return. The lack of consensus may result from the psalm’s general nature that describes the longings of worshipers in every generation.

The position of Psalm 84 in the Psalter may help us interpret it. The psalms before and after it express a less optimistic view of God’s involve-ment in human life. The location of Psalm 84 between these offers a fitting response for God’s people when they experience tough times. As they find God in worship, they can face the struggles of everyday living.


Longing for God’s Dwelling Place (84:1–4)

84:1. As the psalmist approached the temple, he cried out joyfully at his first glimpse of it. He was overwhelmed by its physical grandeur, but even more so by the prospect of worshiping the Lord. “Place” is literally places, and the writer may have used the plural to highlight its magnificence. Some interpret the word “lovely” to mean beloved, for the word describes the poet’s personal feelings more than his description of the building. The words dear to me capture his intent.

Addressing God as “LORD of hosts” emphasizes divine power and authority over creation. “Hosts” generally means army. This description of God occurs more than 250 times in the Old Testament. The precise meaning varies, but generally it compares God to a mighty warrior. Psalm



24 celebrates the entrance of this great warrior into Zion (see 24:10). The psalmist may have used the term to suggest that he found comfort and peace in the protection of the Lord as he came to worship.

84:2. The writer “longs” (“yearns,” NIV) to worship in the sanctuary. The word “faints” further stresses his hunger for worship. The words may allude to a sense of emptiness he felt when he was prevented from visit-ing the temple.

The temple was divided into various “courts.” Everyone could enter the outer court, but those who were qualified to enter the inner courts grew progressively fewer. The temple building proper contained the holy place and the holy of holies. Only priests could enter these areas. The psalmist was elated that he could come into even one of the outer courts to worship.

The strong words “my soul” and “my heart and my flesh” refer to the whole person. Together, they express a greater longing than if the writer had simply used the pronoun I. His whole inner being yearned for God.

As he approached Zion, the poet cried out as he contemplated the near-ness of God. The word translated “sing for joy” usually indicates a joyful cry. It can, however, be a plaintive cry for worship in the sanctuary from one who had been absent.

84:3–4. The psalmist observed sparrows and swallows nesting in the temple as he worshiped. The temple’s open courts with covered porches made it an ideal place for even the smallest of birds to find rest. The psalmist saw in their protection there a symbol of the joy the worshiper could find in God’s care. He described those who were able to spend all of their time in God’s presence (“those who live in your house”) as “happy” (“blessed,” NASB, NIV). We sense the writer’s wish for something he did not have in this reference. We note also God’s care for the most insignificant of creatures in the nesting of the sparrows.

The descriptions of God in verse 3, “LORD of hosts” and “my King and my God,” denote that the writer’s greatest desire was for God’s presence. He had once known that presence and anticipated that he would again experience it.

Happiness in Worship (84:5–7)

84:5. The psalmist described those who were making pilgrimages to the temple (84:5–7). The word “happy” indicates a reality in this verse, whereas in the previous one it indicated a wish for something that the



writer couldn’t have. He affirmed the blessedness of those who came to Zion to worship.

Pilgrims received “strength” from God, who was strong and who imparted strength to them (see Exod. 15:13; Ps. 96:6–7). To be in God’s strength is to be in God’s refuge.

In the phrase “highways to Zion,” the words “to Zion” do not appear in the Hebrew text. The reader must mentally supply them or some other concept to complete the thought. The literal rendering of the phrase “in whose heart are the highways to Zion” is paths in their hearts. Interpre-tations that have been offered include these three: (1) a pilgrimage to Jerusalem; (2) a procession in the area around Jerusalem and near the temple; and (3) words of simple praise to the Lord. The last option would make the line parallel to the last line of verse 4. While all are possible, the first choice seems best in light of the emphasis on worship at the sanctuary.

84:6–7. These verses seem to describe some type of transformation as pilgrims passed through the “valley of Baca.” This valley, if an actual place, is unknown. It may be a poetical reference to any level place through which the pilgrims passed. Among the suggestions that have been given for the meaning of “Baca” are these: (1) The word is related to tears because it resembles that word. This would imply weeping during the pilgrimage. (2) A more probable suggestion is that the word identi-fies a type of balsam tree that grows in arid areas. Thus, as the pilgrims made their way toward the sanctuary, God transformed the dry land into places of springs.

Instead of allowing the travelers to grow weary, God strengthened them with the anticipation of worshiping in Jerusalem. They believed God’s presence awaited them when they arrived. They remembered previous times of worship. They anticipated making offerings and sacrifices to God. Like the land through which they passed, they too were being transformed by the sense of expectation.

Joy in Worship (84:8–12)

84:8–9. The psalmist prayed for the nation’s leaders, particularly its king. Note the use of synonymous poetry, since the two lines in verse 8 call on God to hear the prayer. The terms “shield” and “anointed” are parallel, thus referring to the same person. “Shield,” which describes God in verse 11, can also be used for human rulers (Ps. 47:9; 89:18). The word “anointed”



clearly designates the king in Psalm 2:2: “The kings of the earth set them-selves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and his anointed. . . .” Referring to the king as a “shield” defined his role as protec-tor of the people. The term also intimately linked him in that role to God as the nation’s “shield.”

84:10. Even a moment in the holy place was greater than thousands of days elsewhere. The psalmist preferred even a small insignificant place in the sanctuary to being anywhere else. The word “doorkeeper” (NRSV, NIV) suggests a position or job in the temple. However, the term is a verb, which the New American Standard Bible translates as “I would rather stand at the threshold.” Using the verb better allows the phrase to apply to any person ready to enter the shrine for worship. The basic thrust is the same in either case: the most humble place in God’s house surpasses living anywhere else.

The phrase “tents of wickedness” designates any place where wickedness flourishes (or appears to flourish; see Psalm 73, lesson five). “Wickedness” means opposition to God, seeking one’s one way, or even living for self rather than God (Psalm 1).

84:11. The reason the psalmist preferred to be in the temple rather than anywhere else was because of God’s greatness and goodness. The Lord God is called both “sun” and “shield,” terms that indicate warmth and protection.

The poet depicted God’s care through the bestowal of “favor and honor.” Through grace, God shares divine glory with those who worship. The Lord will give everything necessary for godliness to those who “walk uprightly.” A good God withholds nothing that is necessary for righteous living.

Psalm 15 posed the question (15:1), “O LORD, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill?” That is, who may dwell in God’s presence? The answer given there and echoed here is: “those who walk uprightly” (84:11; see 15:1), that is, with ultimate trust in and humble dependence on God.

84:12. The psalm draws to an end with an encouragement for all people to trust God. The word “everyone” is the generic Hebrew word for humankind, adam. To be happy in God is to trust God. Jeremiah stated it this way: “Blessed are those who trust in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD” ( Jeremiah 17:7).




Reading this psalm recalls vacations my family took to Glorieta Baptist Conference Center in New Mexico. We looked forward to these annual trips each summer. They were often the highlight of our summers. They even helped us develop some financial discipline as we scrimped and saved so we could afford to attend. The three of us sat down early in the year, chose the week we wanted to attend, and mailed off reservation requests as early as possible.

Planning took on a more serious tone after we received our confirma-tion notice. We reviewed what was being offered for both children and adults. We looked to see whether we knew any of the conference leaders so that we could renew friendships. We invited friends from home to join us some years. We planned what we would wear to prepare for brisk mornings in July.

Finally, the big day came. We awoke early to begin the trip. It’s a long drive through Texas in the summer, but we finally made it to the welcome center in New Mexico. Our excitement increased. Before long, we saw the purple-silhouetted mountains to the north. Only a few hours remained. We turned north (at Cline’s Corner) for the last hour of the trip and soon pulled through the gate.

Thus, I share with you truths from Psalm 84 (as experienced by one pil-grim to Glorieta). Consider how they can apply not only to special times of worship and renewal but also to worship each Sunday.

Expecting to encounter God in worship renews and strengthens you. While we enjoyed wonderful conferences and worship, transformation and renewal began with the anticipation of experiencing God. Like the psalm-ist, the expectation was renewing.

Longing for God’s presence creates a sense of expectation in worship. Encoun-tering God is central to worship. Longing for the divine presence brings us to places where we can worship the living God. We expected worship with other participants to be wonderful.

Affirming God’s grandeur enhances worship. The psalmist saw God’s maj-esty in the temple itself, in the person of God (“LORD of hosts,” Ps. 84:1), and in the transformation of dry valleys as pilgrims proceeded to worship. The sheer beauty of the Glorieta campus surrounded us with God’s pres-ence. Thunder crashing through the valleys reminded us of God’s power. We witnessed Christians from all parts of our country being transformed by God. Worshiping God brings joy and transformation, to self and to others.



TEACHING PLANS


Connect with Life

1. Before the class session begins, write on the board or on a poster, “Is worshiping God with fellow believers a joy or a chore?” Ask people to write a definition of worship on 3" x 5" index cards as they come into the classroom. In addition, bring larger index cards to class for use later in the session (see step 8).

2. Invite volunteers to read their definitions to the class. (Remem-ber, some people are not comfortable with reading in public, and so everyone does not have to share.) Then read the Main Idea as stated in the Study Guide to the class and invite someone to pray. (As an alternative or in addition to the activity in steps 1 and 2, enlist in advance someone to research worship in the Bible—using a Bible dictionary, for example—and to present a five-minute report. Encourage members to write down notes on their index cards.)

3. Make the transition to the Bible study by stating that the psalm to be studied emphasizes worship, especially “The Joy of Worshiping God Together,” as the title states.

Guide Bible Study

4. Enlist a volunteer to write on the board. Lead the class in developing a list of items that tend to make worship a chore sometimes. Clarify by asking, What are some things that can be distractions when some-one attempts to worship? As the class shares, the volunteer is to write them on the board. (Possible answers might include noises, lights, talking, attitudes, family problems, etc.) If the class struggles at this point, use the small article “Reflection” in the Study Guide. Then invite a class member to read the Study Aim for today’s lesson from the Study Guide.

5. Divide the class into two groups. (If attendance is larger than twelve, form additional groups with the same assignments.) Ask one group



to compile a list of benefits of genuine worship in Psalm 84. Ask the other group to compile a list of elements important when preparing for worship in Psalm 84. Allow twelve to fifteen minutes for the groups to work. Instruct the group to enlist a group leader who will report to the entire class their findings.

6. Receive reports from the groups. As groups report, make sure you mention the points made in the Study Guide. (For the benefits, see under the heading “What We Should Take from Worship.” For preparation for worship, see under the heading “What We Should Bring to Worship,” especially the last two paragraphs. See also steps 3–4 in “Teaching Plan—Lecture and Questions.”)


7. Ask, What do you do each week to prepare you own heart for wor-ship? What could you do to improve your preparation? Allow time for discussion.

8. Distribute 4" x 6" index cards to everyone (or download a copy of the “recipe” outline from www.baptistwaypress.org). Tell the class to write at the top of the card, “My Recipe for Genuine Worship.” Next, ask the class to bow their heads in an attitude of prayer. Read slowly Psalm 84. Now ask the class to complete the following parts of a good recipe:

My Recipe for Genuine Worship

• Prepare: Two actions I will do to prepare for worship before leaving my home for worship next week are. . . .

• Mix: I will find strength, joy, encouragement as I worship with fellow believers by. . . .

• Cook: I will commit my total self to God during worship by. . . .

• Serve: I will honor God through service by. . . .



9. Close today’s lesson by encouraging the class to consider the defini-tion of worship they wrote when they first came into class but then to focus on their recipe for genuine worship. Say to the class, Genuine worship begins with God, responds to God, and leads to service for God!


Connect with Life

1. Prior to class, enlist someone to lead the class in singing the hymn “We’re Marching to Zion.”1 Also, write on the board, “Worship—Joy or Chore?”

2. After the class sings the hymn, ask them to follow along as you read or summarize the small article “Zion” in the Study Guide. Ask, What is the purpose of worship? After responses, read the Main Idea and the Study Aim from the Study Guide to the class. Say to the class, Today we want to discover together how worship can be a joy and not a chore. Erase the words “Worship—Joy or Chore?” from the board. Enlist a volunteer to pray.

Guide Bible Study

3. Divide the marker or chalkboard into two halves by drawing a line down the center. Write on the right side of the board, “What we should take from worship.” Present a brief lecture on Psalm 84:5–12 using the information in the Study Guide. Remind the members that you are looking at the last part of the psalm before examining the first part. As you lecture, write key words or phrases under the state-ment written on the board previously. (Examples might be blessed, happy, strengthened, encouraged, prayer for others, desire to serve God, God’s protection and favor.)

4. Write on the left side of the board, “What we should bring to wor-ship.” Present a brief lecture on Psalm 84:1–4 using the information in the Study Guide. As you lecture, write key words or phrases under the statement on the board. (Examples might be focus, alertness, joyful attitude, rested mind, correct expectations, attention, energy.)



5. Ask, What do you notice about the relationship between the two lists on the board? Emphasize the if/then nature if someone doesn’t mention it (if we will prepare in this way for worship, then we will receive these benefits from worship). Point out the old saying as given in the Study Guide, “You will only get something out of it if you put something into it.” Lead a discussion on how this statement applies to worship.


6. Refer the class to Psalm 84:5–7 again. Mention again how the “Valley of Baca” in verse six refers to a pilgrimage that believers are on together. Ask the class, Is it important to engage in corporate wor-ship, or is private worship enough? Why or why not?

7. Ask each person to locate the small article “Reflection” in the Study Guide. Allow a couple of minutes for each to prioritize the list, working alone. Invite people to report on their top two or three items and explain. Guide the conversation toward considering things each person could to do enhance the person’s experience of corporate worship.

8. Challenge the class to make a renewed commitment to worshiping in joy today. Emphasize the critical role that preparation plays. Give a personal testimony on how you attempt to prepare each week. You may want to consider sharing by comparing how you prepare for a vacation trip that is temporary in nature as opposed to worship that is eternal in nature. Then read Psalm 84:10 again. Conclude the ses-sion by leading in prayer.

NOTES

1. Words by Isaac Watts.

74

PSALMS

Songs of Faith

Lesson Seven

To Live a Life That Matters

Focal TextPsalm 90

BackgroundPsalm 90

Main IdeaEven though our lives are brief and may be troubled,

we can experience joy and meaning when we turn in faith to God.

Question to Explore

Where can we find meaning in this all

too brief life and the predicaments in which we sometimes find ourselves?

Teaching AimTo lead adults to identify

implications for their lives from the psalmist’s

concerns about life as well as from how the psalmist found a meaningful life

in spite of these concerns

BIBLE COMMENTS


Psalm 90 harks back to a time when Israel faced life and death in the wilderness following the Exodus from Egypt (see the Books of Exodus and Numbers). The psalm appears to rehearse the tension that life and death hold over the lives of all mortals. Often read at funerals, the psalm reminds the reader of the relation between God and time and between people and time.

Psalm 90 is the only psalm that purports an association with Moses as the author as presented in the superscription to the psalm. Superscrip-tions, or headings, introduce 101 of the psalms. They provide clues of transmission and possible use of the psalms in Israel’s ancient worship rather than indicating final authorship. Most biblical scholars believe that leaders in Israel’s worship added these headings. The headings may indicate how the Israelites understood the context of each individual psalm.

Six psalms make specific reference to Moses. Of the references, only Psalm 77:20 is not included in Book IV of the psalm collection. Book IV contains the remaining five psalms (90 superscription; 99:6; 103:7; 105:26; 106:16, 23, 32) that include some reference to Moses.


LESSON 7: To Live a Life That Matters

Although Moses died at the age of 120 years (Deuteronomy 34:7), an age that many people would think represented a full life, he died nonethe-less before he could enter the Promised Land. Moses’ premature death gave the psalmist cause to reflect on the fragile nature of life.

In a way, Psalm 90 is a form of instruction in torah, which makes it appropriate to attribute the psalm to Moses. One way God makes him-self known is through torah. The Hebrew word torah means teaching or instruction. In the person of Jesus, the torah or word of God really did become flesh. God called on Israel to relate to torah through a covenant relationship.

The psalm is a corporate prayer of the heart. It begins with a hymn addressed to the Lord.


Psalm 90 contains three major sections (1–2, 3–10, 13–17) with parts two and three connected by two transitional sentences (11, 12).

A Hymn of Affirmation (90:1–2)

Verse 1 identifies the deity whom the congregation addresses. The psalm-ist addressed God as “Lord” (Hebrew: ’adonay) in the same manner that a servant addresses the master. Notice that in most Bible translations, when the word “Lord” is printed in lower case letters after the initial capital letter L, the Hebrew word is ’adonay and not God’s personal name, Yahweh. The spelling of LORD in all capitals (or a capital L follow by small capital let-ters) indicates God’s personal name Yahweh.

The petitioner in the psalm identifies himself as one of “your servants” in verses 13 and 16. God stands as the everlasting Creator who brought forth the world (Psalm 90:2). The congregation would not exist apart from God’s creation. In this light, God’s being precedes all that exists, and the congregation identifies itself both as mortals (Ps. 90:3–12) and as servants (90:13–17).

The Human Condition (90:3–12)

90:3–6. These verses point to the fragility of human life. The section begins as a lament over the mortality of humanity described both as an individual (’enosh) and as a species (bene ‘adam, meaning children of human-ity). Life for mortals is brief, and the psalm describes life as being like



grass that flourishes in the cool dew of the morning but withers in the heat of the day. The Psalms frequently refer to this theme of the transience of human life (see, for example, 103:15).

The psalmist reminds the reader by means of a double entendre that God returns us to the “dust” from which we were created (90:3). The word “dust” (Hebrew, dakka’) is used elsewhere in Scripture with the idea of contrition. If humanity will not display a contrite (dakka’) heart, then God will aid humanity in its contrition by returning humanity to “dust” (dakka’). Twice in verse 3 the psalmist uses the verb “turn,” which also can be translated as return. The repetition creates an irony and may have sev-eral possible interpretations. One use states that humanity returns to the dust from which all mortals came. A second use of “turn back” may refer to God’s command that speeds mortals to their final state, the dust of the ground. The call to “turn” in verse 3 may also imply God’s call for human-ity to repent. Verse 13 uses the same Hebrew term (šûb) as a call for God, not humanity, to “turn.”

Second Peter 3:8 appears to use Psalm 90:4 in arguing that the read-ers should not interpret God’s delayed judgment of sin as an indication of God’s procrastination. “ . . . With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day” (2 Peter 3:8).

90:7–10. These verses suggest that the congregation does not view death as natural. They understand that death is the work of God. It hap-pens at the command of God. The “toil and trouble” are not accidental, not mere misfortunes (Ps. 90:10). Rather, life and its end are under the sign of God’s anger. God looks at the iniquity of humanity and deals with mortals as sinners.

The human predicament portrayed in Psalm 90 parallels the story of Genesis 3. “You turn us back to dust” (Ps. 90:3) sounds like Genesis 3:19, “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” In the Genesis passage, sin leads to death. Psalm 90 suggests that the congregation’s history with the Lord led them to the conclusion that death is a result of their violation of a covenant with God. The normal lament speaks of a disaster that has fallen upon the people of God. Yet, in this psalm, the lament includes the whole human race.

Even if mortal humanity reaches the ripe age of seventy, or the unusual age of eighty, life is lived in “toil and trouble” (Ps. 90:10). Life slips by too quickly.



“Anger” (90:7) and “wrath” (90:7, 9; see 90:11) describe God’s response to human resistance to divine sovereignty. As humanity responds to God’s covenant offer with No!, so God responds to humanity’s defiant autonomy with the ultimate No!—death.

Humanity now lives outside the garden, without direct access to God. All live under the wrath of the Almighty (90:7). This reality overwhelms the psalmist. That God knows our most secret sins and does not forget the deeds of humanity horrifies the psalmist (90:8). Is it possible that God has forsaken humanity altogether? Verse 8 implies that God flaunts the sins of humanity, even parades our sins before the eyes of the deity. God’s countenance illuminates humanity’s transgressions.

For the psalmist, biblical faith does not leave misery and death meaning-less. The mortality of humanity—including toil and trouble—represents the expression of God’s wrath (see also Gen. 3 and Romans 1—2).

90:11, 12. These two transitional statements bring the lament to a con-clusion (90:11) and prepare (90:12) the reader for the supplication that follows.

Verse 11 is a transitional statement that asks a rhetorical question concerning the previous verses. “Who considers [knows, understands, rec-ognizes] the power of your anger?” Verses 11 and 12 show elements of wisdom literature, which seeks to instruct the reader on how to live life successfully. The successful life is lived in accordance with the will of God (see lesson ten on Proverbs 1:7).

Verse 11 sets in parallel two key concepts in biblical wisdom, know and fear. In biblical wisdom literature, “the fear of the LORD is the begin-ning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). The biblical expression “the fear of the LORD” refers to the love of God’s instructions for one’s life. “Fear” thus involves more than reverence or deep devotion.

Humanity’s “fear” of the Lord is in tension with the “wrath” of God. The wrath of God is in direct proportion to humanity’s lack of devotion to the love of God’s instructions for one’s life. The “fear” of the Lord, there-fore, provides the foundation for interpreting life’s trouble.

Verses 12 is a request for wisdom concerning our “days.” This verse is a response to humanity’s inability to know or understand the wrath of God. The petitioner calls on God to “make” or “cause us to know” (author’s translation) the limitation of life. Only through such knowledge of the finiteness of life can humanity possess a wise heart. Life’s frustration and brevity define the human condition. Those who understand that the “toil



and trouble” common to all humanity is a result of the wrath of God in response to humanity’s failure to fear the Lord will seek God in prayer as presented in verses 13–17.

Petitions for the Lord’s “Steadfast Love” Rather Than “Anger” (90:13–17)

90:13–16. The petitioner calls on Yahweh to “turn” back from the wrath and anger directed toward the congregation. The prayer is personal, addressed to Yahweh, in contrast to “Lord” (’adonay), used in verse 1. The psalmist identifies the people as “your servants.” Yahweh is called on to “turn” (or repent) from this anger. The sense of urgency is apparent in the words “have compassion,” “satisfy us,” and “make us glad.” God’s wrath robs humanity of joy, but God’s turning from wrath will restore joy.

God’s wrath in this psalm proceeds from God himself. Since “all our days pass away under your wrath” (90:9), the petitioner requests that Yahweh “make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us” (90:15).

Verse 11 presents the wrath of God in direct proportion to humanity’s lack of devotion to loving God’s instructions for life. Now, in verse 15 the psalmist seeks equal proportion of joy to that of affliction.

The first part of the psalm focuses on frustration, toil, trouble, and death. The petition at the end of the psalm stresses compassion, stead-fast love (Hebrew, hesed), joy, and satisfaction. Only God’s covenant love (hesed) will bring about change. The psalmist calls on God to show his work to the present generation and to the generations to come (that is, “to their children,” 90:16).

90:17. The psalmist prays for a time in which people will live under the favor of the “Lord” who is their God, instead of under God’s wrath. Thus the psalm begins and ends with a reference to the “Lord” (’adonay). When and how this time will arrive is not stated. God must determine that time. The psalmist seeks to voice the prayers of the congregation for such a time. The expression “prosper for us the work of our hands” refers to the blessings that come in proportion to the inward righteousness of the petitioner.




Consider these possibilities for understanding and applying the meaning of this lesson:

1. Many people see only human limitation and mortality. They become paralyzed by the cynicism and fatalism of society. Headlines inform us about governmental officials and corporate officers who misuse their power to the detriment of ordinary citizens. The poor believe they can never receive fair treatment from established institutions, and so they give up hope of a better tomorrow.

The church offers a positive alternative to the pessimism modeled by modern institutions. A review of television ads will convince the consumer that the company represented in an ad believes in its product. The church should demonstrate the same confidence in the hope presented in the gospel message. How can the church help individuals face life and their own mortality with a sense of hope?

2. The psalmist seeks to show the congregation that they must face life in relation to God, not in opposition to God. God is not our enemy. Life is too short to remain at odds with God.

3. One question each believer must consider is how he or she loves God’s instructions for life. Do we ignore that which we truly love?

4. When life appears hopeless, God’s people need to understand that the Lord can reverse the tide of misfortune. The slavery in Egypt came to an end. The captivity in Babylon came to an end. A good exercise is to look at our past experiences and see the work of God in our lives. Seeing God at work in the present situation may be difficult, for we are too close to the events. So, step back and take an inventory of the past.

5. Finally, the children of God must always view God as ’adonay, mean-ing my master, my boss. We are not an equal party in our relationship to the Lord. God remains God, and we remain mortal. What does it mean to view God as Master or Boss?



TEACHING PLANS


Connect with Life

1. Bring several current magazines and newspapers to class along with scissors and appropriate tape for use on the walls. On a sheet of poster board, write “What Matters in Life?” Tape this item to the middle of a focal wall. (Do not use the marker board area.)

2. As the people arrive, lead them to work in small groups or indi-vidually. Ask them to search through the magazines and papers and locate any pictures, words, or headlines that represent what our world emphasizes as important in life. Ask them to cut or tear out their findings and to attach them, using the tape, to spots around the poster on the focal wall. (If you prefer, rather than bringing maga-zines and newspapers, you could ask the groups or the class as a whole to develop a list of five or ten things our world emphasizes as important in life. Write them on the poster or large sheet of paper.)

3. Spend a few minutes highlighting the examples on the focal wall. Mention how the world pressures us daily to believe we can find meaning and purpose in these kinds of things. Then invite a volun-teer to read Psalm 90:12 aloud. Tell the class, Today we want to search through Psalm 90 and discover some principles for living a life that mat-ters according to God and not the world. Read the Main Idea as found in the Study Guide and lead in prayer.

Guide Bible Study

4. Write on the board “Principles for Living a Life That Matters.” If possible, divide the class into three groups (two to six people each). Ask each group to compile a list of principles or truths about living a life that matters from the assigned Scripture passages: Psalm 90:1–6; Psalm 90:7–11; Psalm 90:12–17.

5. After twelve-to-fifteen minutes, call for reports from each group. Each group is to read its assigned Scripture aloud before the report.



As each group shares their findings, write the principles or truths on the board underneath “Principles for Living a Life That Matters.” (Examples might include: God is eternal; God grants life; people are f inite; our lives are temporary; our sins displease God; we need to ask God to teach us wisdom; be thankful for each day; rely on God.) To assist the class in understanding the psalm, make additional comments using the information in the Study Guide and in “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide as each group shares from its section of Scripture.

6. Ask, What do you think of when you hear the phrase, “the anger of God”? Does the concept trouble you? What troubles you about it? Allow time for class discussion. Comment as needed with information from the Study Guide under the heading “The Sinfulness of Human Life” and/or “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide. Invite someone to read Psalm 90:13. Then ask the class to locate the sidebar “The Turning of God” in the Study Guide. Ask the class to work in pairs and to read the sidebar and then discuss it with their partner by answering these questions, What does the idea of God not giving us what we deserve but rather showing mercy mean to you? Can you recall an experience when you realized this?


7. Guide the class to locate the sidebar “Reflection” in the Study Guide. Ask them to complete the exercise individually. Then distribute an index card to each person.

8. Draw the attention of the class to the board and focal wall. Ask them to silently examine “What Matters in Life?” on the board (see steps 1–2) and “Principles for Living a Life That Matters” (step 5). Remind them that one represents the world’s view of where our focus should be and one represents where God says our focus should be. After about one minute, read Psalm 90 aloud without stopping.

9. To close the lesson, ask each person to write down on one side of the index card one confession of sin in their life that needs God’s for-giveness. (Assure them that their responses will not be shared with the class.) Then ask them to write on the same side of the index card one thing they can do to live life in a more meaningful manner. Now ask them to turn the card over and to look at Psalm 90 in their Bibles. Have each person rewrite (or paraphrase) one verse that



spoke to them the most during the session. Encourage them to live this week in light of the truth in this verse and to follow through with actions to fulfill what they wrote on the opposite side of the card. Invite a volunteer to pray.


Connect with Life

1. Prior to class, develop a brief testimony of how someone made a dif-ference in your life by the manner in which the person lived. Share this testimony with the class. If you would rather, enlist a volunteer to read to the class the letter found at the beginning of the lesson in the Study Guide.

2. Ask the class to name people in their life whom they respect or people they may not know but respect from afar as they have observed their life. Encourage them to tell why they had an impact on their life. (Examples might include: a parent, a teacher, Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, a boss, etc.) State, Today’s lesson focuses on helping us learn how to live a life that matters, despite our shortcomings and diff iculties. If possible, obtain an hourglass. At this point, turn it over and set it in front of the class. Lead in prayer.

Guide Bible Study

3. Distribute a piece of paper to each person in the class. As you pres-ent several mini-lectures on Psalm 90, ask the class to listen for words, concepts, or ideas that represent who God is and what he does and to write them down on one half of the paper and to listen for who human beings are and what they do and to write them down on the other half. (A copy of this worksheet is available at www.baptistwaypress.org.)

4. Write on the board “Praise to the Eternal God.” Present a brief lecture using the comments from the Study Guide on Psalm 90:1–2. Ask, What do these verses suggest to us about God? Allow time for discussion.



5. Write on the board “The Shortness of Human Life.” Present a brief lecture using the comments from the Study Guide on Psalm 90:3–6. Ask, At your stage in life, do you think of life as brief or long? How does this idea compare with the psalmist’s? Allow time for responses.

6. Write on the board, “The Sinfulness of Human Life.” Present a brief lecture using the comments from the Study Guide on Psalm 90:7–10. Ask, How do you react to the idea of the “anger” of God? Pro-vide comments on this topic as needed from the Study Guide and from “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide. Remind the class to continue making their lists of key words and concepts as explained in step three.

7. Write on the board “Prayer to the Eternal God.” Present a brief lec-ture using the comments from the Study Guide on Psalm 90:11–17. Ask the class to locate and read the sidebar “The Turning of God” in the Study Guide. Invite comments. Ask the class to bow their heads for a time of silent prayer. Encourage each to silently confess sin to God and ask God to forgive. Then voice a prayer for the entire class emphasizing thankfulness for God’s mercy.


8. Call for people to share the lists they have been compiling (see step 3). Encourage them to simply read their lists and not to go into explanations. Be affirming as various people share. Then ask each person to complete the exercise in the sidebar “Reflections” found in the Study Guide. Finally, ask the class to comment on the implica-tions of this lesson for living a life that matters.

9. To close the lesson, point people’s attention to the hourglass. Remind them that life is like the sand just as our mortality is like dust. Encourage them to live life from an eternal perspective and to put their “hands” to work now in making a difference in someone’s life. Read Psalm 90:12–14 and enlist someone to pray.

84

PSALMS

Songs of Faith

Lesson Eight

Praise for God’s Goodness

Focal TextPsalms 100; 103

BackgroundPsalms 100; 103; 105

Main IdeaPraise God for God’s goodness to us, shown

in so many ways.

Question to Explore

In what ways has God shown his

goodness to you?


identify specific ways God has shown his

goodness to them and to offer praise to God

BIBLE COMMENTS


The psalms for this lesson focus on the Lord’s goodness, which the psalmist demonstrates in many ways. For example, in Psalm 103:3–5, the psalmist tells that the Lord “forgives,” “heals,” “redeems,” “crowns,” and “satisfies.” Several impor-tant terms occur in these two psalms: “steadfast love” (Psalms 100:5; 103:4, 8, 11, 17); “faithful-ness” (Ps. 100:5); and “bless” (103:1–2, 20–22).

Psalm 100 contains elements that place it in the category of liturgical psalms. The heading indicates that worshipers used it in relation to the thank offering. The liturgy guided the wor-shipers into the presence of Yahweh. Entrance into the divine presence is the first act of wor-ship. Psalm 100, therefore, sets forth a theology of worship.

The five brief verses of Psalm 100 contain seven imperatives. The psalmist arranged the psalm into four lines with three measures to each line. Lines 1–3 (100:1–4) give a call to wor-ship, and line 4 (100:5) gives the reason Yahweh deserves our worship.

The psalm is a processional song recited as the worshipers moved through the gates of the temple and into the courts where they encoun-tered the presence of God (100:2). Those who


LESSON 8: Praise for God’s Goodness

entered the courts brought thanksgiving (Hebrew, todah) and praise (Hebrew, tehillah) to Yahweh (100:4). According to this psalm, the act of praise is itself a form of thanksgiving presented to the Lord. When the worshiper comes before the Lord and offers thanksgiving, the worshiper praises the Lord.

The symbols of worship often come from the arena of political ritual. Worship is the selection of one power structure (Yahweh) over the alter-native political structures. It is the choice of one deity (Yahweh) over other possible deities.

Psalm 100 contains elements of several psalm classifications: a sabbath psalm; a choral hymn; a hymn of praise; a hymn of enthronement.

Psalm 103 provides the worshiper with one of the most beautiful hymns of praise in the Old Testament. It reaches into the depths of biblical piety and touches the soul of every believer. Personal experience guides the psalmist through adversity and into God’s wonderful sunlight of grace.1

Psalm 103 contains elements of both the hymns of praise and the hymns of thanksgiving. From beginning to end the focus is on God’s goodness.


A Call to Worship (100:1–4)

100:1–2. Verses 1 and 2 comprise the first of four lines in the psalm. The first imperative the reader encounters in the psalm is “shout” or “sound the signal” loudly (author’s translation; “make a joyful noise,” NRSV). The wor-shipers begin the act of worship by giving a shout of triumph to Yahweh. This shout is not to call others or to impress other worshipers. They shout in triumph at the presence of Yahweh.

Verse 2 (which is still part of line one in the Hebrew text) provides the second and third imperatives—“serve” and “enter” (author’s translation). The worshipers must serve Yahweh, not be served by Yahweh. The text describes this service as joyful emotion and not laborious drudgery. The worshiper looks forward to this service.

They come to God rather than waiting for God to come to them. The psalmist describes a processional. The worshipers enter into God’s pres-ence by means of a procession accompanied by joyful song. The shouts mentioned in verses 1 and 2 refer to planned, organized expressions of joy,



not chaotic expressions given by individual worshipers. The text implies a structured processional.

One Bible commentator has described these two verses as “theopoliti-cal” in character.2 The actions of the worshipers describe the behavior one displays before a king. The king’s subjects entered the precincts of the court. When the king made his appearance, the subjects gave shouts of acclamation, Serve! “Worship” (100:2) means serve. Therefore, worship is an act of service. There is no worship without service. To serve or worship Yahweh is to acknowledge God’s sovereignty as King.

In the Exodus experience, the children of Israel faced the decision of serving Yahweh or continuing to serve the pharaoh of Egypt.3 Exhorta-tions in Deuteronomy called on the Israelites to serve Yahweh instead of other gods.4 Joshua called on Israel to choose whom they would serve ( Joshua 24:14–15). Serving Yahweh excludes placing human governments or other gods before Yahweh.

100:3. Verse 3 contains the fourth imperative and presents worship in confessional terms. The imperative “know” sets the verse apart from the other verses that call on the worshipers to respond by acts. Here the psalmist calls on the worshipers to declare that Yahweh is God, their only God, the only God to whom Israel belongs. The confession is, “Know that Yahweh, he (alone) is God” (author’s translation).

Israel knows that Yahweh is God because “he . . . made us.” The psalmist bases the confessional statement “the LORD is God” on salvation history, not on natural revelation or logical deduction. The entire creation (“all the earth,” 100:1) is called on to acknowledge Yahweh’s claim as God. The Lord is God over all creation, not just over Israel.

The expression “we are his” is a confession that recognizes that Yahweh, who creates, is also the One who cares for the congregation. The Lord is the One on whom the congregation depends for its existence.

As a shepherd protects his flock, so Yahweh defends his flock. The allu-sion to God as a shepherd (“we are . . . the sheep of his pasture”) is a statement that the Lord is Savior. Worship reminds the participant that God has saved “the sheep of his pasture.” The term “pasture” is parallel to the words “gates” and “courts” in verse 4. Worship includes evangelistic expressions.

100:4. Verse 4 contains the fifth, sixth, and seventh imperatives—“enter,” “give thanks,” and “bless.”



“Enter” is a summons to assemble in the realm of Yahweh. The worship-ers entered through the “gates” and into the courtyards, not over the walls. They did not force their way into the presence of the ruler. People did not generally have access to the gates or courtyards of the king’s palace or the temple. Therefore, entering through these gates signaled a special occa-sion that brought joy and excitement to all who entered. The worshipers expressed “thanksgiving” (Hebrew, toda) for this wonderful opportunity. Worship of the Lord involves joy, and all who worship the Lord hunger for such enthusiasm. The praise expressed here is not contrived, and the worshipers are not manipulated. Enthusiastic worship is not to impress others, only God.

Because of this unique privilege to come into the inner abode of the King (“his courts”), the people bless his name. The worshipers “enter his gates,” “give thanks to him,” and “bless his name.” The one to whom they direct all their attention is the Lord.

Amazingly, the Lord, the King of glory, makes an appearance in his courtyards as the lowly subjects approach to worship. It is the presence of Yahweh that brings excitement to the participants who have come to worship.

The Reason for Thanksgiving (100:5)

The reason for the thanksgiving and blessing directed to Yahweh is God’s “steadfast love” (hesed) and faithfulness (‘emunah), which provide the wor-shiper with assurance of entrance into the courtyards of the divine. These two characteristics of God never end and extend from generation to gen-eration. God’s goodness touches every sphere of existence.

Why worship Yahweh? “Because Yahweh is good. His steadfast love is forever and unto generation after generation is his faithfulness” (author’s translation). What a powerful statement!

A Hymn of Praise (103:1–22)

This wonderful hymn of praise is one of the finest roses in the garden of biblical faith. The writer speaks from personal experience and expresses words that all believers long to say in the presence of the Lord. The psalm’s original setting may have been during one of Israel’s many festivals. The psalmist expresses amazement at the thoroughness of God’s works as seen through the repeated use of the word “all” in the passage (Ps. 103:1b, 2b, 3a, 3b, 6b, 19b, 21a, 22a, 22b). In each case “all” refers to something posi-tive. The repetition shows that “ . . . God, who rules over all and does all



good things for all persons in need, is to be praised in all places by all creatures and things with all of their being.”5

A Summons to Praise (103:1–5)

103:1–2. In this opening song, verse 1 is prospective and looks at the pres-ent and future. Verse 2 is retrospective and reminds the worshiper to look back. The use of the imperative for “bless” expresses the urgency of the need for the soul of the psalmist to “bless the LORD.” The expression “all that is within me” refers to all my inward parts. For the individual to bless Yahweh requires the totality of the personality. Note that “Bless the LORD, O my soul” occurs at both the beginning and the conclusion of the psalm.

103:3–5. These verses speak of the personal experience of God’s grace. Why should the worshiper “bless the LORD”? The answer lies in the following series of five hymnic participles with Yahweh as the subject—“who forgives,” “who heals,” “who redeems,” “who crowns,” and “who satisfies.” These describe the work of God’s grace in our lives. Also, God’s actions lead to renewal of youthfulness.

The use of the word “pit” refers to Sheol, which is a common word in the Psalms. Both “pit” and Sheol refer to the place of the dead. The psalm-ist seeks deliverance from Sheol and praises Yahweh for keeping him out of Sheol.

God’s Grace in History and Tradition (103:6–13)

This section focuses on relationships within the community of faith. It tells of God’s acts of grace on behalf of God’s people.

Forgiveness appears as a theme in this section. God forgets what we remember—our failures, “our transgressions” (103:12).

God’s Grace to His Creatures (103:14–18)

The psalmist uses various figures of speech in verses 10–15 to underscore Yahweh’s care for humanity. God remembers what we forget—that we mortals “are dust” (103:14). We are like fragile pottery formed from the dust by a potter. Although life for humanity is brief, “like a flower of the field,” the “steadfast love” (hesed) of the Lord is eternal.

God promises blessings. However, God’s blessings are conditional based on our obedience. Notice the expression “fear him” in verses 11, 13, and 17. Note, too, the expression “to do his commandments” in verse 18. The expression “fear him” means to love God’s instructions (see comments



on Proverbs 1:7 in lesson ten). The worshiper expresses obedience by the display of love for the instructions of the Lord.

The Closing Song (103:19–22)

The child of God can have confidence that God rules. God’s throne stands firm in the heavens, from which the whole of creation is governed (Ps. 103:19). Verses 20–22 form a beautiful progressive parallelism. It moves from “his angels” to “his hosts” (or, “his armies” or “soldiers”) to “his works” to “my soul.”

Psalm 103 ends as it began, “Bless the LORD, O my soul.” The three occurrences of this imperative in verses 1a, 2a, and 22b match the triple command, “Bless the LORD,” in verses 20–22a. This double occurrence of triplets underscores the holiness of the Lord, as in Isaiah’s expression, “Holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3).


Consider these possibilities for understanding and applying the meaning of this lesson:

1. Throughout history tension has existed between religious institutions and secular political institutions. In ancient Israel this tension manifested itself in Jerusalem, where Yahweh’s temple and the king’s palace stood. Israel struggled with the question of who really ruled, Yahweh or the king? As expressed in the New Testament, the question is, Is Jesus Lord or is Caesar Lord? What is it for us?

2. What words can you list that describe God’s goodness in your life?3. All worship has some form of liturgy and ritual. Review your

church’s Sunday bulletins for the past month and notice the “order of worship.” What worship practices does your church incorporate? How does your church “call” itself to worship? What opportunities for active service exist during worship, or is worship a passive experience? What opportunities exist in your worship service for believers to experience the forgiveness of God? Is the Lord present during your time of worship? How do you know?

4. The expression “Monday morning quarterbacks” describes those of us who second-guess the decisions of coaches and players following an athletic competition. What would you suggest for your worship service if your pastor asked you to provide feedback?



5. What do you enjoy most about the worship services in your church? How does what you enjoy match Psalm 100?

TEACHING PLANS


Connect with Life

1. Prior to class enlist two readers who are comfortable reading in front of a class and who can speak clearly and strongly. Ask the readers to be prepared to read Psalm 136 in a responsive and dramatic manner. (A copy is avaiable at www.baptistwaypress.org.)

2. As the people arrive, distribute about ten Post-it®-type sticky notes to each person for use during the class. Read the Study Aim from the Study Guide. Explain that as you teach today’s lesson that focuses on God’s goodness and something enters their mind for which they can personally praise God, they should write it on a sticky note and attach it to a focal wall. Encourage them to do this as you teach; assure them that it will not be distracting.

3. Ask the readers previously enlisted to read Psalm 136 to the class. Lead in prayer and ask God’s Holy Spirit to bring each person understanding to the Scriptures today.

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4. Divide the class into two groups. Ask the first group to answer, Why should we praise God? Ask the second group to answer, How can we praise God? Tell each group to focus on discovering their answer from Psalms 100 and 103. Also, remind them about the sticky note suggestion from step two. Allow twelve to fifteen minutes for this activity.

5. Reassemble the two groups. Call for reports from each group. Use the comments in the Study Guide and “Bible Comments” in this Teaching



Guide to add to the class discussion as needed. Invite a volunteer to lead a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s goodness.

6. Ask, How many times do you f ind the word “all” in Psalm 103? What do you think might be the signif icance of that? (Refer as needed to the quote in this Teaching Guide under the heading “A Hymn of Praise (103:1–22).”) State that it is very important that we not only praise God individually but also corporately as a local church. Write on the board, “God has been good to our church by. . . .” Call for a volunteer to write on the board the responses of the class in summary fashion. Invite a volunteer to lead a prayer of thanksgiving to God for God’s goodness to the church.

7. Ask the class to read Psalm 100 silently, looking for answers to this question: Why should the whole earth praise God? Call for answers. Point out how God’s sovereignty applies to all the creation. Ask whether anyone still would like to put up a sticky note expressing something for which they can personally praise God. Call for a volunteer to lead a prayer thanking God for God’s goodness to the whole earth.


8. Read the Main Idea for today’s lesson. Remind the class that we have examined God’s goodness to us individually, God’s goodness to the church, and God’s goodness to the entire earth. Distribute a thank-you note to each person. Tell the class that each person is to write a “praise note” to God using the thank-you card. Remind them that praise is to focus on who God is, not necessarily what God does. Give one or two minutes for each person to complete the exercise. Then encourage each person to mail the card to them-selves. When it arrives back to them, they are to open it, read it, pause, and praise God!

9. To close the lesson, ask the readers to read Psalm 136 again in a responsive manner with the class. Allow the readers to read the first part of each verse, and ask the class to read or say in unison the sentence, “His love endures forever,” in response (note that all class members need to read from the same translation; a copy of Psalm 136 is available at www.baptistwaypress.org).




Connect with Life

1. Prior to class, enlist a volunteer to lead the class in singing the hymn we call the “Doxology.”6 Once the class has sung the hymn, mention that Psalms 100, 103, and 105 are all hymns of praise and that Psalm 100 is the basis for the doxology written by Thomas Ken. Lead in prayer for today’s lesson.

2. Read the Main Idea of today’s lesson to the class. Distribute a half-sheet of paper to each person in the class (see step 3 for explanation and an alternate idea). Say to the class, Today we are going to learn about praise and write our own “doxology.”

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3. Write on the board, “A Doxology to God.” Ask each person to write this on the top portion of their paper (a copy of this worksheet is available at www.baptistwaypress.org). Then ask them to write the first subheading, “The Invitation to Praise God,” underneath it. Present a brief lecture using the comments from the Study Guide on Psalms 100:1–4; 103:1–2. Emphasize and explain the seven com-mands. Ask each person to write one or two sentences that will serve as their personal invitation for others to praise God with them.

4. Ask the class to write the second subheading, “The Explanation of God’s Goodness,” on their paper. Present a brief lecture using the comments from the Study Guide on Psalms 100:5; 103:3–19. Empha-size the three key terms—“good,” “love,” and “faithfulness.” Ask each person to write underneath this subheading five things that God has done for them personally for which they can praise him.

5. Ask the class to write the third subheading, “The Affirmation of God’s Creation,” on their paper. Present a brief lecture using the comments from the Study Guide on Psalm 103:20–22. In addition, instruct participants to examine Psalm 103 in its entirety and count how many times the word “all” is used. Then ask each person to write one or two sentences that once again will serve as a personal invita-tion to people to praise God.



6. Ask the class to locate in the Study Guide the sidebar, “Ogbomosho.” Read it aloud to the class as they follow along. Emphasize that even when we are in difficult circumstances, we can know that God’s love never fails. Ask the class to find Psalm 136. Lead the class to say in unison the sentence “His love endures forever” after you read the first part of each verse.


7. Call for volunteers to read their “doxologies” to the class. If they seem unwilling to do so, ask them to read it to someone sitting next to them, or perhaps just to read it to themselves.

8. Close today’s lesson by challenging each person to read his or her doxology to God during the worship service today. Then sing the “Doxology” again as a class.

NOTES

1. Artur Weiser, The Psalms: A Commentary, trans. Herbert Hartwell, The Old Testament Library (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000), 657.

2. James Luther Mays, Psalms, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1994), 317.

3. Exodus 3:12; 4:23; 7:16; 8:1; 10:26.

4. Deuteronomy 7:4; 8:19; 11:16.

5. J. Clinton McCann, Jr., “Psalms,” The New Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 4. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996), 1090.

6. Words by Thomas Ken.

94

PSALMS

Songs of Faith

Lesson Nine

Give Thanks for God’s Blessings

Focal TextPsalm 116

BackgroundPsalms 107; 116

Main IdeaGod’s blessings in time of dire need call for acts of sincere thanksgiving.

Question to Explore

How will you say thank you to God?

Teaching AimTo lead adults to decide on ways they will give

thanks to God for God’s blessings to them

BIBLE COMMENTS


Scholars classify several psalms as containing characteristics of hymns of thanksgiving, two of which are Psalms 107 and 116. In such psalms, the human heart cries out to God with either a complaint or a petition because of an affliction. When the petitioner finds deliverance, there is an outpouring of thanksgiving to the Deliverer. The expression of thanksgiving thus defines the thanksgiving psalm. Unfortunately, those deliv-ered often forget to give thanks to the helper.

Psalm 116 contains characteristics of a hymn of praise, an individual thanksgiving psalm, and a hallel (praise) psalm. In the individual thanks-giving psalms, the petitioner offers a prayer of thanksgiving following divine deliverance. Often faced with death, as expressed by the reference to “Sheol” (116:3), the individual petitioner praises God for deliverance from death (116:8). The occasion for the affliction and subsequent deliverance is not identified. In reality, it does not matter what led to the affliction. In a psalm of thanksgiving, the particulars of the suffering fall into the background while the deliverance of the petitioner comes to the forefront.

Some classify Psalm 107 as a national hymn of thanksgiving because a portion of the psalm


LESSON 9: Give Thanks for God’s Blessings

contains a few of the traditional elements of a national thanksgiving hymn. However, only a few complete examples of national thanksgiving hymns have been preserved in Scripture.

The life setting for Israel’s national thanksgiving songs is a cultic cel-ebration at the sanctuary. Nehemiah 12:43 refers to a sacrificial offering as part of a national thanksgiving celebration: “They offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. The joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.” Several centuries later, Israel still held national thanksgiving cel-ebrations during the Maccabean struggle (167–164 BC; see 1 Maccabees 4:52–58).

Psalms 107 and 116 are placed in the final collection of Psalms, Book V, which includes Psalms 107—150. As such, the early Jewish community read from these psalms when studying the Book of Deuteronomy. The community of faith associated each book in the collection of the Psalms with a corresponding book in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament. This association was not based on the content of the indi-vidual psalms but rather on the five-book organization of both the Psalms and the Pentateuch.


“I Love the LORD” (116:1–2)

Psalm 116 begins with a declaration of the sufferer’s love for Yahweh. Psalm 18 is the only other psalm to open with an explicit expression of the psalmist’s love for God. Love—no other word can express a better response to deliverance from death, which is the subject of the psalm. Love calls on the name of Yahweh. Verses 4, 13, and 17 refer to one call-ing on God in prayer and praise. Such a call acknowledges God and the presence of God in the life of the petitioner. Psalm 107:2a also encourages those who have experienced deliverance to proclaim their salvation before the congregation.

Love discovers “rest” in Yahweh (Psalm 116:7). The afflicted soul, now free from affliction, seeks refuge in the presence of God, who provides shelter from the grip of Sheol. Love leads the one delivered to walk in the presence of the beloved (Ps. 116:9). Love will pay its vows to the beloved (116:14, 18). The worshiper fulfills these vows in public, “in the presence



of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD” (116:18, 19). Love also serves the beloved, “I am your servant, the child of your serving girl” (116:16).

Death’s Snare Thwarted (116:3–4)

A key word in Psalm 116 is “death.” Several sections of the psalm refer to “death”—verses 3, 8, and 15. The psalmist refers to the distresses he expe-rienced as “snares of death,” with the parallel expression “pangs of Sheol” (116:3). “Death” and “Sheol” are thus equal and synonymous in the psalm. The term “pit” (see 103:4 in lesson eight) is another synonym for “Sheol.” “Pit” and “Sheol” occur together in Psalms 16:10 and 30:3.

“Sheol” refers to a place and condition beyond any possible relationship with Yahweh. The dead in “Sheol” cannot experience God’s steadfast love (hesed). The dead cannot lift their voices in praise from “Sheol.” Prayers of thanksgiving do not reach “Sheol.” Israel viewed death and “Sheol” as invaders in the realm of the living.

At the point of death, the petitioner cried out to God. “Death” had encircled and taken hold of the petitioner. “Death” stood at the door. Seri-ous troubles always reveal humanity’s mortality. God’s help is deliverance from death and liberation for life.

God’s Care for the Weak (116:5–6)

Verse 5 describes the God who delivers as “gracious,” “righteous,” and “merciful.” Unlike the powerful in society who take advantage of the weak, Yahweh protects the “simple.” The word refers to people who are naïve and easily deceived. The psalmist faced death and had probably suffered from the greed of individuals in the community who saw an easy victim.

A Monologue of the Soul (116:7)

The expression “Return, O my soul, to your rest” is a rare and intimate statement. For the soul to return to its rest might refer to the desire to visit the temple. There the soul would encounter rest and security in the pres-ence of God. The house of Yahweh thus is the place where the petitioner will find safety. In this intimate nearness to the Lord, the sufferer finds peace of mind and security.

Cheating Death (116:8–11)

Having been snatched from the snares of death, the psalmist acknowl-edges divine deliverance. Yahweh is reluctant to allow people who live in



the divine covenant relationship to perish prematurely. One encounters synonymous parallelism in verse 8, for “my soul from death “ is parallel to “my eyes from tears” and “my feet from stumbling.”

For the people of the Old Testament, one enjoyed the blessings of God “in the land of the living.” The concept of an afterlife, a heaven and hell with rewards and punishment, was foreign to their way of thinking. Yahweh delivers the petitioner so that the petitioner can continue to praise the Lord.

How to Repay the Lord (116:12–19)

116:12. Verse 12 provides the reader with an example of formal or syn-thetic parallelism. That is, the second half of the verse completes the first half. The question raised is, How can I pay back the Lord? “Bounty” refers to God’s act of graciousness. The word translated “bounty” is an Aramaic word. Verses 7 and 16 also contain Aramaic words. These Aramaisms are good indicators that this psalm was not written until after the Babylonian Exile, when Aramaic phrases became part of Israel’s vocabulary.

116:13–14, 17–19. These verses explain how the one snatched from the grip of death would repay the Lord. What is the answer to the ques-tion, How will the petitioner repay the Lord for salvation? Worship! Notice the two sets of parallel statements: “I will lift up the cup” and “I will pay my vows” (116: 13–14); and “I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice” and “I will pay my vows” (116:17–18). These statements express acts of worship.

The reference to “I will pay my vows” implies that the worshiper struck an agreement with God in return for deliverance. In times of crisis, God’s people often seek to strike an agreement with the deity. Hannah made a bargain with the Lord in return for a child. She promised to place her child under the nazirite vow and give the child to Eli, the priest, for ser-vice at the shrine that housed the ark of the covenant (1 Samuel 1). After the birth of Samuel, his mother went to Shiloh to pay her vow, taking the child and leaving him there (1 Sam. 1:26–28).

God saves the petitioner, and the petitioner in turn worships God in the presence of the entire congregation. The psalmist repeats this idea in both sections, 116:13–14 and 116:17–19.

Public acts of worship lift up Yahweh, not the individual worshiper. The psalmist does not seek attention for himself. Instead, the object of worship is Yahweh.



116:15–16. The death of the faithful robs Yahweh of praise. In death (as understood in the Old Testament), the faithful do not and cannot praise God. Praise of God is reserved for those in the land of the living. For the modern reader, the idea that individuals in the grasp of death and Sheol lie beyond the help of God seems ridiculous or a denial of God’s omnipotence. Yet, for the original readers, the emphasis was on deliverance from death before Sheol could grasp the faithful and silence the praises of God.

The two verses emphasize the salvation of the petitioner before death’s victory. In verse 16, “I am your servant” is synonymous with “the child of your serving girl.” The expression refers to a slave born into the house of a king and suggests a deep sense of humility.

116:19. At the conclusion of the psalm, the psalmist can say only, “Praise the LORD!”


Consider these possibilities for understanding and applying the meaning of Psalm 116:

1. The community of faith eventually came to view and apply Psalm 116 as a celebration of thanksgiving in the larger community. Worshipers used Psalm 116 in the course of celebrating Passover. The psalm is consid-ered the fourth in a sequence of so-called “Egyptian Hallel psalms,” which relate to Israel’s Egyptian experience (Ps. 113—118). Ancient Jewish tra-dition in the Mishna describes the use of four cups during the observance of Passover. When the fourth cup was raised, Psalms 115—118 were recited. Psalm 116 thus became a thanksgiving psalm for all participants in Passover. The early church read Psalm 116 as part of the observance of the Lord’s Supper. In this manner, Psalm 116 gave thanksgiving to God for the sacrifice of Jesus that provided salvation from death.

2. On the doorstep of Sheol, from the depths of total despair and help-lessness, the psalmist cried out to God. The Lord heard and delivered. What does this experience suggest to you in your own situations that may seem hopeless? Furthermore, how can we as Christians serve as the pres-ence of Christ in the lives of people who have lost all hope?

3. How does it make you feel when people seem intentionally to fail to say thank you for some bit of help you have given? Do you say thank you to



God as often as God blesses you? How do you express your appreciation to the Lord for the Lord’s blessings?

TEACHING PLANS


Connect with Life

1. As the class arrives, ask each person to find a partner. Then, ask each pair to locate and read the small article “Thanksgiving in the Old Testament” in the Study Guide. Tell each pair to discuss the article and look for an answer to the question, What is the difference between praise and thanksgiving? After three to five minutes, allow some to share with the class how they answered the question. (An alternate idea is to refer to the first paragraph in the lesson in the Study Guide and ask the class whether they agree and what other evidence they see that thanksgiving needs to be learned.)

2. Then, refer to the focus of last week’s lesson, “Praise for God’s Good-ness.” You may want to mention some ways the psalmist said in last week’s lesson that God had showed his goodness to him (see espe-cially Psalms 100; 103:1–5). Read the Main Idea of today’s lesson. State, Today, we will focus on deciding on ways to offer thanks to God. Lead in prayer.

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3. Distribute a piece of paper to each person. Give these instructions: write the names of five family members across the top of the page. This can include parents, siblings, aunts, uncles or even very close friends. Then write down, using short phrases, actions they have done in the past for these individuals or actions they have received from these individuals for which they are thankful. After about two minutes, call for one to two responses from each person willing to share. Ask, What is the common denominator involved between these people and you? All responses are fine, but the hope is that one will



say something like family or relationships. Read Psalm 116:1–7 and bring out the point that thankfulness to God flows out of a personal relationship with him.

4. Divide the class into four groups of two to six people each. (If your class has fewer than eight in attendance, you could do some or all of the assignment with the entire class.) Ask each group to make a list of the needs found in their Scripture assignment. Suggestions are in parentheses.

• Group one. Psalm 107:1–9 (trouble, in exile, wandering, hungry, thirsty)

• Group two. Psalm 107:10–16 (darkness, gloom, imprisoned, bur-dened, in distress)

• Group three. Psalm 107:17–22 (sick, afflicted)• Group four. Psalm 107: 23–32 (in danger in a storm on the sea)

5. Invite each group to tell what they found. Then point out the response found in each passage by asking a volunteer to read Psalm 107:8. Refer the class also to 107:15, 21, 31. Then read Psalm 107:43. Ask the class to locate Psalm 116: 8–14. Invite someone to read these verses while the class listens for how the psalmist expressed thanks-giving. Using the comments in the Study Guide under the heading “What Does Thanksgiving Look Like?” identify and explain the ways the psalmist “repaid God with thanksgiving.”

6. Write on the board, “What are some ways we can respond appro-priately to God?” Invite a volunteer to read Psalm 116:15–19 while the class listens for further ways the psalmist showed his gratitude to God. Call for responses, and list them on the board. Point out how the psalmist served the Lord (116:16), offered a thank offering (116:17), and worshiped him with others (116:18–19).

7. Ask the class to read the case study, “A Question,” found in the Study Guide. Lead the class to discuss what this case study suggests about showing gratitude to God.


8. Distribute a small index card to each person. Give these instructions: (a) Write your name on one side; (b) on the other side, write one



activity you can do that would express thanksgiving to God and one place you could serve God to express your thanksgiving.

9. Read Psalm 116:16–17. Then, ask the class to hold their cards and to think of themselves as placing their cards in the offering basket as you lead a prayer asking God to accept this “thank offering” from the class.(You could also provide a container, such as an offering basket, and “pass the offering plate,” asking participants to place their card in it with the name face up. Then place the container in the center of the room or on a table. Do not read the cards. After the prayer, each person should pick up his or her card as he or she leaves the class.) After the prayer, challenge the class to follow through with what they have written.


Connect with Life

1. Write on the board, “Ways we can say thank you to God.” As the people arrive, ask them to locate and read the case study, “A Ques-tion,” in the Study Guide. After most have arrived, ask for responses. Inquire, How does this apply to our saying thank-you to God?

2. Read the Main Idea of today’s lesson to the class. Lead in prayer.

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3. Prepare three posters (8 ½ by 11 inches or larger) with the follow-ing titles: “Where Does Thanksgiving Come From?”; “What Does Thanksgiving Look Like?”; and “Whom Does Thanksgiving Seek to Honor?”

4. Using appropriate tape, attach to a focal wall the poster, “Where Does Thanksgiving Come From?” Present a brief lecture on Psalm 116:1–7 using the comments in the Study Guide and information from “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide. Emphasize that sincere thanksgiving to God always flows out of an ongoing rela-tionship with God. Refer to the small article “Christian Testimony” in the Study Guide. Invite volunteers to share the approximate year



that they came to know Christ as Savior and Lord. Lead a prayer of thanksgiving to God for salvation.

5. Using appropriate tape, attach to the focal wall the poster, “What Does Thanksgiving Look Like?” Present a brief lecture on Psalm 116:8–14 using the comments in the Study Guide and information from “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide. Using the questions below, guide the class in a discussion.

• Forget the chicken and the egg. Which came first, love for God or gratitude?

• What are some of the blessings of God that we tend to overlook in our thanksgiving expressions?

• What symbols or pictures can you think of that would represent thanksgiving? Why?

6. Using appropriate tape, attach to the focal wall the poster, “Whom Does Thanksgiving Seek to Honor?” Present a brief lecture on Psalm 116:15–19 using the comments in the Study Guide and information from “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide. Ask:

• How can we repay the Lord for all of his goodness?• What does the Study Guide suggest that Psalm 116:15 means?

(See paragraphs two and three under the heading “Whom Does Thanksgiving Seek to Honor?”)

• What are the key points in your Christian testimony that could be helpful to others?

• How does the church attempt to “honor God” in its worship services?

Bring to class an offering plate and a cross (or photos of each) and display them. If you cannot find these items, write the words “Offering Plate” and “Cross” on the board. Ask, How do the symbols of the offering plate and cross relate to thanksgiving?


7. Refer to the Question to Explore, “How will you say thank you to God?” Invite responses. List them on the board. As needed, refer to and include the list in the Study Guide under “What Does Thanks-giving Look Like? (116:8–14)” and add serve the Lord (116:16), offer an offering (116:17), and worship God with others (116:18–19). Encourage the class to choose at least one of these ways to show



their gratitude to God this week and to write it down in their Study Guide.

8. Read Psalm 107:43 to the class. Challenge the class to be wise by learning how to be thankful. Close in prayer.

104

PROVERBS

Sayings of Faith

Lesson Ten

The Beginning of Wisdom

Focal TextProverbs 1:7; 3:1–20

BackgroundProverbs 1—9

Main IdeaFollowing the wisdom that comes from God

results in true happiness and the best kind of life.

Question to Explore

Why do people sometimes miss happiness when they

pursue it so vigorously?

Teaching AimTo lead adults to describe

the wisdom that leads to the best kind of life

and to make at least one application to their lives

BIBLE COMMENTS


Israelite tradition associated proverbs with Solomon, whom the Israelites glorified as the wisest man in the East. Tradition attributed three thousand proverbs to this son of David (1 Kings 4:29–34; 10:1–8). However, it is improbable that Solomon wrote all the prov-erbs in the collection.

The term “proverb” refers to a short, pithy, suc-cinct saying of condensed wisdom. The Hebrew term mahsal, translated as “proverb,” refers to like-ness, pattern, rule as these contribute to the order of all creation. The term implies self-control by the person who possesses its qualities.

Proverbs 1:2–7 is considered the prologue to the book. Verses 2–6 form a preface to the collection. The preface indicates that Proverbs was intended as a textbook1 to stimulate the intellectual and moral development of youth. Additionally, the educated person would find the study of the proverbs profitable.

The Egyptian book, Instruction of Amenemope, contains several statements that resemble Prov-erbs 1:2–6. That book is a didactic treatise in which an Egyptian official provides instruction

PROVERBS: Sayings of Faith—Teaching Guide 105

LESSON 10: The Beginning of Wisdom

to a son on how to live successfully as a leader. The inspired editor who collected the material contained in the Book of Proverbs probably knew about the Instruction of Amenemope.

The Book of Proverbs provides moral and intellectual training for the youth who lived in a Jewish community. “Wisdom” was the goal of edu-cation for the sages (wise men and wise women) in ancient Israel. One attained wisdom through moral discipline.

Proverbs 1—9 (part one of the Book of Proverbs) serves as an intro-duction to the larger anthology and is probably the latest material in the collection. Collections two through four and the appendices appear to contain more unconnected couplets than part one.2 Part one contains ten discourses3 admonishing the pupil(s) to live by standards of religious morals.

Almost one-third of the Hebrew Bible is written in poetry. Hebrew poetry does not rely on rhyme or regular meter. Rhythmic qualities, how-ever, do appear in Hebrew poetry. As we study the portions of the Hebrew Bible that are written in poetry, we do well to remember that poetry is a more powerful literary device than prose.

The Hebrew poets used a variety of rhetorical devices to achieve their purposes. The primary characteristic of Hebrew poetry is parallelism, which has three basic forms. (1) Synonymous parallelism expresses the same idea in both lines of the poem. Line two articulates the same idea of line one, but with slightly different words. (2) In antithetical parallelism, line two expresses the opposite idea from line one. (3) Formal or synthetic parallelism is not, strictly speaking, parallelism at all. Instead, the second line continues, advances, or completes the thought of the first line.4


The Motto: “The Fear of the LORD Is the Beginning of Knowledge” (1:7)

A variation of the saying in Proverbs 1:7 appears in 9:10. Therefore, the first major section in the Book of Proverbs begins and ends with the same thought—“the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” The saying forms an inclusio, a literary frame or bracket marking the beginning and end of a section, for the opening section. The statement involves more than religion; it is a statement about knowledge as well.

106 PROVERBS: Sayings of Faith—Teaching Guide

PROVERBS: Sayings of Faith

The term “beginning” refers either to “first in order”5 or “first in impor-tance.”6 The phrase “the fear of the LORD” means more than to hold the Lord in awe or reverence. Psalm 19:7–10 provides a biblical definition of “the fear of the LORD.” Using the rules of synonymous parallelism, we learn that the following phrases in Psalm 19:7–9 refer to the same idea (italics for emphasis) and are parallel: “the law of the LORD”; “the decrees of the LORD”; “the precepts of the LORD”; “the commandment of the LORD”; “the fear of the LORD”; and “the ordinances of the LORD.”

Thus, “the fear of the LORD” refers to the instructions of Yahweh. Additionally, Psalm 19:7–10 teaches that the instructions of Yahweh are “perfect,” “sure,” “right,” “clear,” “pure,” and “true.” Finally, Psalm 19 informs the reader that one should desire the instructions of Yahweh more than anything in the world (Psalm 19:10). Therefore, “the fear of the LORD” is the love of God’s instructions for one’s life. There is nothing more important in all the universe than the love of Yahweh’s instructions. This thought governs the Book of Proverbs and the entire Scripture.

So, wisdom is the art of success; “the fear of the LORD is the begin-ning of wisdom” (Prov. 1:7); and “the fear of the LORD” is the love of Yahweh’s instructions. Therefore, success in life must include total devo-tion to Yahweh’s instructions. There is no success or wisdom within the biblical definition without this love.

The Results of the Religious, Disciplined Life (3:1–12)

Proverbs 3:1–12 continues the theme of the motto presented in 1:7 and is the third discourse in Proverbs 1—9. Proverbs 3:1–12 contains six qua-trains (3:1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 7–8, 9–10, 11–12). A quatrain is a unit or group of four lines of verse. Each quatrain in this section begins with an exhorta-tion, followed by a promise of reward for obedience to the principle set forth in the verses. The section opens with an appeal in 3:1–4 for the young man (Hebrew, my son) to heed parental teaching.

3:1–2. Long life is a sign of divine favor (see Exodus 20:12). Wisdom leads to peace (shalom), meaning wholeness or well-being, translated here in the NRSV as “abundant welfare.” The wisdom teacher parallels “length of days and years of life” with “abundant welfare” or peace. A harmoni-ous, peaceful life adds years whereas a life in conflict ends life too soon. One achieves this life of peace by keeping the instructions. The proverb does not teach the health-wealth theology prevalent in some religious



circles today. God promises peace, wholesomeness, and the abundant life to those who seek divine wisdom.

Thus, consequences in life are consistent with the specific behavior.

3:3–4. In this second quatrain, wisdom is not external conformity to laws that leads to external rewards. Rather, these two verses reflect the internal character of wisdom. Wisdom appears on the “heart” rather than on stone. Many examples of wisdom literature from Israel’s neighbors (for example, Babylonians and Egyptians) focus on behavior that results in a successful career. Proverbs focuses on character first.

The Hebrew terms translated “loyalty” (or loving-kindness) and “faith-fulness” (truth or f idelity) are used elsewhere to describe the relationship between a son and father (Genesis 47:29), the relationship between the Lord and the Lord’s people (Exodus 34:6), and a covenant of friendship ( Joshua 2:14).

The statement “bind them” may refer to the binding mentioned in Deuteronomy 6:8–9—“Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” So, there is never a time that one is to forget these instructions.

Too, as a necklace brings beauty to the one who wears the necklace, so “loyalty and faithfulness” (Prov. 3:3) bring beauty to the one to whom they are bound. Another way of understanding the metaphor of the neck is to view the breath of life as flowing through the neck. Therefore, “loyalty and faithfulness” must become part of the life and heart of the person who seeks wisdom.

The result is favor with God and humanity. Literally, the text states “favor and good insight in the eyes of God and humanity” (3:4; author’s translation). People will recognize the competence of the wise individual, as in the case of Jesus: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor” (Luke 2:52). Notice the associations of wisdom with “long life” and with reputation.

True Piety (3:5–12)

The sage encourages piety toward the Lord. Notice the repetition of “the LORD” throughout this section: “trust in the LORD” (3:5); “fear the LORD” (3:7); “honor the LORD” (3:9); “the LORD’s discipline” (3:11). These verses contain a series of commands related to piety followed by a statement of reward for obedience to the commands.



3:5–8. Piety leads to intellectual humility and rejects intellectual arro-gance. The sage calls on each individual to express complete confidence in Yahweh. This trust means that the total personality of the individual (“with all your heart”) is committed to the Lord. The positive state-ment is followed by a prohibition against intellectual pride. Any search for wisdom that eliminates God is rejected. The passage is not a state-ment supporting anti-intellectualism. Rather, it encourages the pursuit of knowledge with God at one’s side.

The passage includes the normal, practical decisions an individual makes daily and not just academic pursuits. The teachings also govern the moral standards of the individual.

A promise of reward belongs to those who adhere to these teach-ings. God will keep their paths “straight” and grant “refreshment” to the body. A peaceful and orderly life submitted to Yahweh contributes to a healthier physical and mental environment for the person. The journey through life is directed by God if the pilgrim acknowledges the guidance of Yahweh.

3:9–12. Like the preceding section, verses 9–12 contain a command asso-ciated with a reward. Bible commentators have noted that this is the only section in Proverbs 1—9 that refers to ritual worship. The biblical passage encourages one to trust in Yahweh rather than in material wealth.

3:9–10. Piety leads to healthy stewardship of material wealth. Those who recognize that all wealth belongs to the Lord will return to the Lord the portions the Lord requests and owns. To do anything less is dishonest.

3:11–12. Hebrews 12:5–6 refers to this passage. Piety manifests itself in patient compliance with divine correction.

The reference to “the LORD’s discipline” reminds the reader that pros-perity will not always follow religious piety. The suffering of the righteous remained a dilemma for the prophets,7 the psalmists,8 and the wisdom writers.9 The Old Testament contains numerous references to suffering as a beneficent form of divine discipline.10 While the idea of punishment is present in the term “discipline,” the passage stresses teaching or correction as a form of training.

Accepting the disappointments in life without becoming bitter toward God is a mark of the wise student of wisdom. The text does not state that one should not feel hurt or anger at the disappointments in life. The stress in the passage is that the individual should not “despise” the discipline



that comes from the Lord. The word “despise” means to reject, refuse, scorn. This is not a prohibition against feelings of disappointment.

Two Poems (3:13–20)

These two poems, 3:13–18 and 3:19–20, interrupt the flow of the didactic addresses in Proverbs 3.

3:13–18. These verses are a hymn to wisdom’s precious gifts. The hymn does not contain the imperatives found in the previous discourses. Rather, the hymn personifies wisdom in order to encourage the pursuit of wisdom.

These verses provide a variation of the claims presented in verses 9–10, which exhorted the individual to give to Yahweh from the produce of one’s labor. Verses 13–18 speak of the rewards received by the person who seeks wisdom.

The poem expands the thought of the first line found in verse 13. The remainder of the poem repeats many of the key ideas of chapter 3. This has led some commentators to suggest that Proverbs 3 was based on this older poem.

Wisdom’s gift is described in thoughts similar to Psalm 19:10. Nothing in life is more precious than wisdom. Wisdom is a better investment than silver or gold. The total return and net income from wisdom never fails.

Wisdom is priceless. No other form of wealth can compare to wisdom. The wishes, desires, and pleasures one seeks pale in comparison to wisdom. The “jewels” may refer to necklaces of pearls or coral (Prov. 3:15).

Verse 16 refers to “long life” as a gift of wisdom (3:16). Furthermore, wisdom leads to peace.

Note that the poem begins and ends with “happy,” thus forming a liter-ary inclusio or set of brackets. See the emphasis on “happy” in these other references: Psalm 1:1; Proverbs 8:34; Matthew 5:3–11.

3:16–18. These verses speak of further benefits of wisdom. The image of wisdom holding abundance in both hands is particularly interesting. Per-sonified as “Lady Wisdom,” she does not hold these as choices but offers both to those who seek her. Verse 16 parallels “long life” with “riches and honor.”

The reference to the “tree of life” is derived from Genesis 2:9; 3:22. For further biblical references, see Ezekiel 47:12; Revelation 2:7; 22:2. The biblical text implies that those who partake of wisdom’s fruit enjoy both the pleasure of her fruit and the wholesomeness derived from it. As in



Genesis 3, separation from the “tree of life” leads to death. However, the Apostle John refers to restored access to the “tree of life” in his vision of a new heaven and earth (Revelation 22:2).

3:19–20. This poem forms a single quatrain on wisdom and creation and fits well with the previous hymn. For further insights on wisdom’s vital role in creation, see Proverbs 8:22–31. Wisdom was the first among God’s creations, and then God utilized wisdom in creation.

An example of wisdom’s power is given in 3:20. The reference to the “deeps” echoes Genesis 7:11. There the waters broke through the barri-ers of the deep (a reference to the subterranean ocean) and fell from the “windows of the heavens” to submerge the world in the days of Noah. The ancient inhabitants of Israel believed that “dew” (Prov. 3:20) fell from the sky as a precious gift from Yahweh.

Wisdom thus knows the ways and will of the Almighty. Those who abandon wisdom abandon the order by which Yahweh created the uni-verse. Ignoring wisdom invites chaos.


Use the following questions to guide you as you apply the teachings of the sage to everyday living. The questions are intended to lead you and your class to think.

1. John 10:10 refers to abundant life as the fruit of higher wisdom. Proverbs 3 promises “length of days and years of life” to the wise. How do you interpret the meaning of these ideas?

2. The Book of Proverbs expresses practical wisdom. The Books of Job and Ecclesiastes challenge many of the conclusions expressed in practical wisdom. The Book of Proverbs indicates that a harmonious, peaceful life adds years whereas a life in conflict ends life too soon. Why do righteous people suffer or die too early?

3. We have a limited view of time. Why do we not see the fulfillment of some of the promises presented in Proverbs 3? For example, does the promise in 3:10 always come true? Do your everyday experiences confirm or contradict the plain teachings of Proverbs 3?



TEACHING PLANS


Connect with Life

1. As the learners enter, give them a note card and a pen. Ask them to write on their card at least one familiar proverb (secular or biblical) as the rest of the group gathers. Tell them that the class will be shar-ing their proverbs with one another. When the class has gathered, ask each person to share his or her proverb with two other people sitting nearby. After most have shared, ask the learners to share aloud a few of the most interesting proverbs.

2. Ask: What distinguishes a biblical proverb from proverbs from other sources? (grounded in faith in God)

3. Summarize the Study Guide information related to wisdom literature, the nature of proverbs, and the Book of Proverbs in “Introducing the Book of Proverbs: Sayings of Faith.” Emphasize that, as the article states, “Wisdom literature sees faith as thoroughly permeating life and offers guidance in how to apply faith in the nitty-gritty details of daily life.”

4. Lead the class to complete this sentence: “True happiness comes from _______.” Receive responses. Recall that lesson one on Psalm 1 also dealt with this theme. State the Main Idea of the lesson as printed in the Study Guide, and ask the class to open their Bibles to the Book of Proverbs.

Guide Bible Study

5. Prior to class, create a poster or set of sentence strips using the outline in the Study Guide in the section “Studying the Book of Proverbs” in “Introducing the Book of Proverbs: Sayings of Faith.” As you begin each section during this study, display the appropriate sentence strip or point to the poster. Display this visual in the room for the remain-der of the study.



6. In addition, create and display a poster of Proverbs 1:7 in the New International Version for the duration of the Proverbs study. Note this as the central verse for the study. Lead the class to say it aloud with you.

7. Ask the class to work in groups of three (be sure each group has someone to take notes; no movement of chairs is needed). If your class size will not allow for groups of three, work as a whole. Give the groups these instructions to complete in three or four minutes, using the information in the Study Guide (a copy of the instructions is available at www.baptistwaypress.org):

(a) Suggest words that describe “the fear of the LORD” (Proverbs 1:7).

(b) Give one example from Scripture of how individuals expressed a healthy fear of the Lord.

(c) State whether you think most Christians exhibit a healthy fear of the Lord and why you think this.

8. Receive reports from the groups. In discussing “the fear of the LORD,” add insights on Proverbs 1:7 from “Bible Comments” in this Teach-ing Guide.

9. Refer to the words “knowledge” and “wisdom.” Using the informa-tion in the Study Guide, explain that these words are synonymous in Proverbs 1:7 and that we know this because of the parallelism in the lines of the verse. Point out the parallelism as the class looks at the verse with you. Refer as needed to the small article, “Hebrew Poetry and Parallelism,” in lesson one. Point out that the basis for true “knowledge” and “wisdom” is “the fear of the LORD”—reverence for God and love for God’s instructions.

10. Form four groups in the class (two to six people per group) and assign each group one of the sections of Scripture—Proverbs 3:1–4; 3:5–8; 3:9–12; 3:13–20. Give these instructions (a copy is available at www.baptistwaypress.org):

a. Read the assigned Scripture passage and consult the Study Guide section that deals with it.

b. Identify and suggest an explanation of the ideas that stand out to you.

c. Suggest how these ideas come true in life. d. Suggest at least one practical application.



11. After seven to ten minutes, receive reports. Ask each group to write the practical applications they identified on the board. Add insights from “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide as seems helpful.


12. Refer to the list of practical applications and ask, Which practical application or which proverb in this study stands out to you as being one you need to apply at this point in your life? If your class is willing, allow them to share aloud.

13. Lead the class in a silent time of commitment to apply “their” prov-erb or practical application. Have someone lead in a closing prayer of commitment.


Connect with Life

1. Make a list of proverbs (biblical and secular), and give each learner a copy. As a group, identify each proverb as biblical or secular. You could use the following list:

Proverbs—Secular or Biblical?

1. Haste makes waste. 2. He who holds his tongue is wise. 3. The early bird gets the worm. 4. Lazy hands make a man poor. 5. Do not wear yourself out to get rich. 6. A stitch in time saves nine. 7. A quick-tempered man does foolish things. 8. Waste not; want not. 9. A penny saved is a penny earned. 10. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.

(A copy is available at www.baptistwaypress.org. The biblical proverbs are as follows: 2, Prov. 10:19; 4, Prov. 10:4; 5, Prov. 23:4; 7, Prov. 14:17; 10, Prov. 31:8.)



2. Ask: What distinguishes a biblical proverb from proverbs from other sources? (grounded in faith in God)

3. Summarize the Study Guide information related to wisdom literature, the nature of proverbs, and the Book of Proverbs in “Introducing the Book of Proverbs: Sayings of Faith.” Emphasize that, as the article states, “Wisdom literature sees faith as thoroughly permeating life and offers guidance in how to apply faith in the nitty-gritty details of daily life.” Suggest that the emphasis is on putting wisdom (point to head) into practice (shake hands with another person). Invite the class to join you in saying “putting wisdom into practice,” using the appropriate motions.

4. Emphasize that when we put wisdom into practice, we can experi-ence true happiness and live the best kind of life. Lead the class to open their Bibles to the Book of Proverbs.

Guide Bible Study

5. Follow the instructions in step five of “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities” to make a poster for the study of the Book of Proverbs.

6. Create and display a poster of Proverbs 1:7 to use for the duration of the Proverbs study. Note this as the central verse for the study. Ask the class to repeat it aloud with you. Use the information in the Study Guide and in “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide to explain the ideas in the verse, especially “the fear of the LORD” and “wisdom.” In explaining “the fear of the LORD,” ask: Do you believe most Christians exhibit a healthy fear of the Lord? Encourage the respondents to offer reasons for their answers.

7. For each of the sections of Proverbs 3:1–20 as identified in the Study Guide, have a member of the class read the biblical text aloud. Next, offer an explanation of the section (see Study Guide and “Bible Com-ments” in this Teaching Guide). Then ask the class to state some of the main thoughts that stand out to them in this section. Receive their input and summarize. Then ask the class to suggest at least one practical application from this section. Write the practical applica-tions suggested on the board. Use the following outline from the Study Guide:



Wisdom in Relationship with God and Others (3:1–4)The Polar Star of Godly Wisdom (3:5–8)Wisdom in Financial Matters (3:9–10)

Wisdom in Receiving the Lord’s Discipline (3:11–12)Summary of the Virtues of Wisdom (3:13–20)


8. Give each learner an index card and a pencil. Refer to the list of prac-tical applications and ask, Which practical application or which proverb in this lesson stands out to you as being one you need to apply at this point in your life? Ask the learners to write at least one application or prov-erb on their card and to put it in a place where they can see it each day during the coming week.

9. Invite the learners to reflect on “their” proverb during a time of silence. Then have someone close the session with prayer.

10. During the coming week, write each class member a note of encour-agement, assuring them of your prayers for them as they apply the proverbs to their lives.

NOTES

1. R.B.Y. Scott, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Anchor Bible (Garden City, New Jersey: Doubleday & Company, 1965), 35.

2. See “Introducing the Book of Proverbs: Sayings of Faith” in Adult Bible Study Guide for a description of the various parts or sections.

3. Scott, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, 15. 4. For further explanation of parallelism, see “Understanding the Context” in

lesson eleven. 5. See Genesis 1:1. 6. See Amos 6:1. The Hebrew word is translated “beginning” in Proverbs

1:7 and Genesis 1:1, and “first” in Amos 6:1. 7. See Jeremiah 20:7–8; Habakkuk 1:3. 8. See Psalms 37:1; 73:12–14. 9. See Job 9:22–24; 10:1–3; Ecclesiastes 9:2. 10. See Job 5:17; Psalm 94:12–13; Hosea 6:1.

116

PROVERBS

Sayings of Faith

Lesson Eleven

Wisdom for Right Living

Focal TextProverbs 11:1–11, 17–21, 23–25, 28

BackgroundProverbs 10:1—22:16

Main IdeaWise people practice

righteousness.

Question to Explore

How does wisdom express itself in life?

Teaching AimTo lead the class to identify the actions, attitudes, and results

of right living

BIBLE COMMENTS


Proverbs 10:1—22:16 is the second major portion of the Book of Proverbs. Part two of the Book of Proverbs is itself divided into two sections based on the types of parallelisms in each section. The first section, Proverbs 10—15, contains many examples of antithetical parallelism. The second section, Proverbs 16—22, favors synonymous or formal parallelism. (Review “Understanding the Context” in lesson ten for a further explanation of parallelism in Hebrew poetry.)

In antithetical parallelism, line two expresses the opposite idea from line one. Examples of antithetical parallelism include Proverbs 10:1, 4; 14:20, 28; 20:29; 22:3. Notice the following anti-thetical ideas from Proverbs 10:1—“wise child” in contrast to “foolish child”; “glad” in contrast to “grief ”; “father” in contrast to “mother.”

Synonymous parallelism expresses the same idea in both lines of the poem. That is, line two articulates the same idea as line one, but with slightly different words. Examples include Proverbs 16:18, 28; 18:6. Notice the following synonymous ideas from Proverbs 16:18—“Pride” parallels “haughty spirit”; “destruction” parallels “fall.”


LESSON 11: Wisdom for Right Living

Formal or synthetic parallelism is not, strictly speaking, parallelism at all. Instead, the second line continues, advances, or completes the thought of the first line. Here are two examples: “When the ways of people please the LORD, he causes even their enemies to be at peace with them” (Proverbs 16:7); “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life” (Prov. 16:31).

Parallelisms may also include emblematic parallelism that uses simile or metaphor. “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without good sense” (11:22).

Inverted or chiastic parallelism (A / B // B / A; that is, lines A and B are parallel to the next set of lines in inverted fashion) provides another possibility for expressing parallel statements. (The word chiastic is from the Greek letter chi, which has the shape of an X.) See Proverbs 18:6–7—“lips”/ “mouth”// “mouths”/ “lips.”


What the Lord Abhors and Likes (11:1–31)

11:1–4. These verses speak of moral integrity and God’s judgment. Verse 1 states that God abhors dishonesty, and verse 4 indicates that wealth will not provide salvation on the day of judgment. Instead, honesty, humility, and integrity are forms of righteousness that will bring life.

11:1. God delights in honest business affairs. The biblical texts contain numerous references to God’s condemnation of dishonest merchants (see Prov. 16:11; 20:10, 23; Deuteronomy 25:13–16; Ezekiel 45:10; Amos 8:5). Non-biblical ancient texts from other cultures also express dis-pleasure with dishonesty in business transactions. The Egyptian tale of Amenemope condemns dishonesty.1 The Babylonian Hymn to Shamash, discovered in the library of Ashurbanipal (668–633 B.C.), calls for the destruction of anyone who “handles the scales in falsehood.”2 The Sumerian law code of Ur-Nammu from the twenty-first century B.C. established weights and measures in response to dishonesty.3

Business transactions in the ancient Near East involved the weighing of silver for payment in a scale that used stone weights. The merchant could easily cheat a customer by shaving a few grams from the stone weight. Archaeological discoveries of actual weights indicate that weights varied considerably from the official standards set by rulers.



11:2. God delights in a humble spirit. The Hebrew states, “comes pride, comes disgrace” (author’s translation). Although not seen in the English translations, the verse uses alliteration. This simple structure made the teaching easy to recall and use in conversation in ancient Israel. A person confronted by the arrogant pride of another individual could use the simple retort—“comes pride, comes disgrace.”

Following the negative, the sage presents the positive side of the equa-tion—“wisdom is with the humble.” The verse thus forms an antithetical parallelism, with the second line stating the opposite of the first line.

Both a “false balance” and “pride” claim more than either can hold. Fraud and arrogance appear to be linked together while humility and integrity stand together. Arrogance easily leads to cheating in business affairs.

11:5–6. Salvation comes to the righteous. Righteousness has a survival value. These two proverbs form a synonymous parallel construction. Note the parallels:

“righteousness” “blameless” “keeps . . . straight”

“wicked” “fall” wickedness”

“righteousness” “upright” “saves” “treacherous” “taken captive”

“schemes”

Each proverb discusses the fate of the righteous and the wicked. The rewards or punishments in each verse fit the scenario.

11:7–8. These two verses begin and end with a reference to “the wicked.” The hope of the wicked perishes. In the ancient world, individuals associ-ated their hope with their offspring. This verse implies that the offspring of the wicked perish, and with the death of descendants there remained no hope for the future.

Verse 7 expresses the theology found in Ecclesiastes 3:19–20; 5:13–16. Proverbs 10:28 also expresses a similar idea.

11:9–13. The theme of speech ties these proverbs together. Verses 10–11 form a parallel proverb. Verses 9 and 12 refer to the slanderous speech of the wicked in contrast to the silence of the righteous.

11:9. The “godless” refers to people who are impious. They spread malicious gossip in an effort to destroy others. On the other hand, the righteous find deliverance by following wisdom and knowledge and by remaining silent (11:12).



11:13. The verse provides an additional comment on the tongue. The wicked not only destroy with their gossip, but also they cannot be trusted either. Compare Proverbs 20:19 for a similar thought. The wise person not only avoids the spread of lies but knows when to remain silent and to keep matters confidential. Sirach 27:16 (a Jewish writing in the Apoc-rypha) reminds the reader, “Whoever betrays secrets destroys confidence, and will never find a congenial friend.”

11:14–15. These two verses address the issue of imprudent conduct. First, the sage points to national security. A nation’s security is tied to the quality of its advisors—many, not few. Any leader can squander the assets of a nation or corporation. The second line of verse 14 appears also in 24:6 and with different words in 15:22. The saying may have been a popular adage.

Verse 15 concerns private business affairs. Individuals need to guard their assets rather than get involved with shady business ventures pro-moted by strangers (or by family members, for that matter).

11:16–17. As you study these verses, note that the clause “those who are kind reward themselves” in verse 17 balances the expression “the aggres-sive gain riches” in verse 16. Further, in verse 17b, hard-nosed people eventually bring harm to themselves.

11:18–19. These verses speak of the payment for sin and righteousness. They form a chiastic parallelism (see “Understanding the Context”). Verse 18 has the pattern of “wicked” / “righteousness,” and verse 19 has the pattern of “righteousness”/ “evil.” The thought of the verses is that gain accumulated by the wicked is only illusory. It will vanish along with the wicked, who will die. Verse 18 provides a popular response to the apparent prosperity of the wicked, indicating that the gain of the wicked does not last. See Psalm 73:12, 16–20 for a similar expression (lesson five).

11:20–21. These verses speak of the Lord’s judgment. The wicked will receive divine punishment, and the righteous will escape divine wrath. The two verses stand together as a pair in parallel with each other. “Crooked”/ “blameless” in verse 20 is parallel to “wicked”/ “righteous” in verse 21.

11:22. This passage may represent a colloquial saying with some earthy humor.



11:23–27. These verses consider the topic of generosity and selfishness. The greedy finish their days in the wrath of God and also of humanity. They will eventually suffer want and face the ire of the populace. Their greed is their evil. The poverty they fear will come to them. Likewise, the desires of the righteous will lead to favor from both God and human-ity. The person who gives freely will grow even richer. Notice the words “give,” “generous,” and “seeks good.” These relate to how one behaves toward one’s fellow human beings. Joseph’s fame in Egypt lay in part to his generosity (Genesis 41:53–57).

11:28–31. Proverbs 11:28 parallels Proverbs 12:3. Both proverbs announce that the righteous will flourish while the wicked who trust in their riches will wither. Security does not rest in riches.


The Book of Proverbs offers practical advice for right living each day. The following questions are based on Proverbs 11 and are intended to stimulate you to think about how you can live a righteous life in a modern world.

1. Our economy offers any individual the opportunity to establish a business. If you owned (or own) your business, how would you see that all your customers receive fair and honest treatment? What practices would you follow that provided for the ethical treatment of your employees?

2. Why do people tend to talk about themselves? Are you more of a listener or a talker?

3. Why do people seem to enjoy talking (gossiping?) about other people?

4. If the hope of the wicked perishes (Prov. 11:7), then why are there so many wicked people who seem to control wealth and live long lives?

5. How can we counter the slander of wicked people without commit-ting the same slander ourselves?

6. Everyone has desires and expectations. What determines whether the desires are good or bad?

7. To what extent do you enjoy giving to others?



TEACHING PLANS


Connect with Life

1. Prior to class, write on the board, “If wise people practice righteous-ness, what do foolish people do?” Open the session by receiving responses to that question. Be prepared to prompt with questions such as: What do foolish people use as a guide for relationships? deci-sion-making? f inancial management? behavior on the job? morality? conversation?

2. Refer the learners to the Study Guide sidebar titled “Righteousness.” Ask them to review it in order to summarize it in one sentence. After a minute or two, invite the class to summarize the content in one sentence. Ask: What do righteous people use as a guide for living, accord-ing to Proverbs? (See Proverbs 1:7.)

3. Read together the poster of Proverbs 1:7 (see step 6, “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” for lesson ten). Remind the class that this is the theme of the book.

Guide Bible Study

4. Prior to class, create a worksheet to assist the learners in analyzing the passages. The worksheet should resemble the following and include rows for each verse in the focal passage (11:1–11, 17–21, 23–25, 28). (A copy of the worksheet is available at www.baptistwaypress.org).

Prov. 11Characteristics of Righteous Consequences

Characteristics of Unrighteous Consequences

1

2

3

4

5–6

7

8



Prov. 11Characteristics of Righteous Consequences

Characteristics of Unrighteous Consequences

9

10–11

17 Kindness Benefits self Cruelty Trouble on self

18

19

20

21

23

24

25

28

Develop a “proverb” that summarizes these proverbs on the actions, attitudes, and results of right living:

Ask the learners to work together in groups of three or four to examine the verses and find the character traits and their respective consequences. See verse 17 in the chart above for an example. As alternatives, groups could be assigned the righteous and others the unrighteous character traits, or the activity could be done by the class as a whole, with the chart being developed on the board. Instruct groups to note any verses that do not seem to fit the pattern.

5. After about ten minutes, lead the groups to review their answers. As the responses for each verse are received, offer further explanation regarding such terms and concepts as “dishonest scales” (11:1, NIV); “humility” (11:2, NIV); “integrity” (11:3); eternal life and material things (11:4); “blameless” (11:20); ultimate accountability (11:21); generosity (11:24–25). Point out that verses 5–6 and verses 10–11 form pairs and that verse 25 follows a different pattern.

As you lead the groups in reporting, use questions such as these to encourage discussion of the proverb:

a. Do you know of situations in which people reaped the consequences of their behavior as this proverb indicates?

b. What is there about this activity that leads to evil? For example, how does concern for wealth lead to evil? What is



there about wealth that can be good? How did you come to your opinion about this?


6. Refer to the small article titled “Case Study” in the Study Guide. Lead the class to come to a consensus on the advice they would give the pastor. Ask, How does this incident relate to these proverbs on right living?

7. Invite each group to report on their “summary proverb.”

8. Lead the class to take some time in silence to reflect on today’s study and to identify which of the proverbs they most need to apply to their lives. At the conclusion of the time of silence, offer opportunity for several people to pray aloud. Lead in prayer.


Connect with Life

1. Ask: How would a person know whether he or she was wise (righteous) or foolish? Invite responses. Encourage thought and clarification of answers by asking such questions as these: How did you arrive at that answer? When have you seen this occur?

2. To reinforce or add to answers, ask the learners to read the sidebar entitled “Righteousness” in the Study Guide (or enlist someone to read it aloud). After a minute or two, ask the learners to complete the sen-tence, “Righteousness in Scripture always refers to _____ ________ according to the commands of God.” Ask: According to this statement, what does that suggest about how to answer the question with which we began? (living by God’s instructions; the results are seen in life)

3. Read together the poster of Proverbs 1:7 (see step 6, “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” lesson ten). Remind the class that this is the theme of the book. Say: Today’s lesson focuses on how wisdom expresses itself in a person’s character and the consequences of its expression. Likewise, these proverbs will also describe aspects of the char-acter of a foolish person and the consequences of such behavior.



Guide Bible Study

4. As the class turns in their Bibles to Proverbs 11, point out the loca-tion of Proverbs 11 on the outline poster (see step 5, “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” lesson ten).

5. Prior to beginning the lecture, encourage the learners to take writ-ten notes, paying attention to character qualities highlighted (wise [righteous] and foolish [unrighteous]) and the consequences of each. As a note-taking sheet, you could use the worksheet suggested in “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” step four.

Ask the class to read the focal passage and identify terms that need definition. Allow time for reading. Ask: What terms did you f ind that need def inition? Write these on the board. Begin your comments on 11:1–11. For each proverb or pair of proverbs (11:5–6, 10–11), point out the characteristics highlighted and the consequences of each. Be sure to deal with the terms needing definition identified by the class and other concepts identified in step 5 of “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities.”


6. Lead the class to develop a summary “proverb” that summarizes these proverbs on the actions, attitudes, and results of right living. Write it on the board.

7. Allow time for individuals in the class to identify silently the proverb studied that they most need to apply to their lives. Close in prayer for God’s grace to be active in their application of the proverb.

NOTES

1. James B. Pritchard, ed., Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969), 243b.

2. Ancient Near Eastern Texts, 388b.

3. Ancient Near Eastern Texts, lines 145–149, page 523.

125

PROVERBS

Sayings of Faith

Lesson Twelve

Wisdom for Every Area of Life

Focal TextProverbs 22:17–25; 23:10–11, 19–28; 24:10–12, 15–20

BackgroundProverbs 22:17—24:22

Main IdeaWisdom calls for right

living in every area of life.

Question to Explore

How does the ancient wisdom of Proverbs

apply to modern life?

Teaching AimTo lead adults to identify

implications of these proverbs for modern life

BIBLE COMMENTS


The title of the sayings contained in Proverbs 22:17—24:22 is “the words of the wise” (Prov-erbs 22:17). The proverbs found in chapters 22—25 are generally longer than the proverbs in Proverbs 10—22. Most of the proverbs in the collection are primarily synthetic parallelism or synonymous parallelism.

Synonymous parallelism expresses the same idea in both lines of the poem. Line two articulates the same idea of line one, but with slightly dif-ferent words. An example is 22:17–18—“Incline your ear and hear my words,” which is parallel to “and apply your mind to my teaching”; and “for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,” which is parallel to “if all of them are ready on your lips.”

Formal or synthetic parallelism is not, strictly speaking, parallelism at all. Instead, the second line continues, advances, or completes the thought of the first line. For example, see Proverbs 22:28—“Do not remove the ancient landmark / that your ancestors set up”; and Proverbs 23:9—“Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, who will only despise the wisdom of your words.”

125



Proverbs 22:17—23:11 resembles the Egyptian proverbs of Amenemope (about 1000 B.C.). The proverbs of Amenemope in the Instruction of Amen-emope present both a less materialistic outlook on life and a greater humility toward life than traditional Egyptian wisdom writings. The biblical writers certainly knew of and drew upon the literature of the ancient Near East. Israel did not exist in isolation from her neighbors.

Sayings one through ten of the “thirty sayings” (Prov. 22:20) generally concern the desire for wealth. Sayings eleven through seventeen address the theme of parental instruction. The remainder of the sayings, eighteen through thirty, discuss miscellaneous topics.


The Preamble (22:17–21)

The collection begins with an interesting title in 22:17a, “Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise” (Hebrew order). From this, the tradition arose to call this collection of proverbs “the words of the wise.”

The introduction includes two reasons for the sayings. First, verse 19 indicates a goal to lead the reader to trust in the Lord. Second, verse 21b states a goal for personal integrity for the student of the sayings. The say-ings include warnings against behaviors that will lead the individual away from God and into personal detestation. The sayings make a direct appeal to the pupil. The motive for the pupil to hear the sayings is the pleasant-ness of wisdom.

Saying One: Concern for the Poor (22:22–23)

Oppression of the poor is a common theme in Hebrew literature. The cur-rent passage is concerned with the mistreatment of the poor at the “gate,” referring to the main gate to the city, the place where a person could find justice when mistreated. Unfortunately, the powerful often took advan-tage of the poor at the gate. Then as now, the question arose, Can the poor receive a fair trial?

The proverb warns against oppression of the poor because Yahweh is the defender of the poor. Yahweh’s defense of the poor includes despoil-ing those who oppress the poor. Any mistreatment of the poor is in reality mistreatment of the Lord. Secular literature from the ancient Near East


LESSON 12: Wisdom for Every Area of Life

also recognized the sin of oppressing the poor. The poor include the pow-erless, the outcasts of society.

Saying Two: Avoid Angry People (22:24–25)

The passage warns against developing relationships with people who are angry, also described as “hotheads.” People tend to become like the people with whom they associate. The sage used the vivid word “entangle” to describe what happens to the person who seeks to develop relationships with angry people. Choosing friends carefully is important. Friends affect one’s character.

Parents are always concerned about their children’s friends, and for good reason. Seldom will one change a hotheaded acquaintance into a coolheaded, kindhearted person. What usually occurs is that the people with the lowest morals drag others down to their level.

Saying Ten: Don’t Seize the Land of the Poorest (23:10–11)

This proverb is similar to saying four in 22:28. In 23:10–11, the sage envisioned a court battle over the boundary stones. Powerful individuals thought they could “encroach” on the fields of the poor by simply moving the stones a few meters, thus grabbing the land of the poor. This was an especially flagrant problem in Israel, where the land belonged to the Lord, not to people. If such a land grab were to come to court, then their nearest kinsman, described as more powerful than the land-grabber, would defend the poor.

God is often depicted as the defender of the weak in society. Since moving these stones represented theft from God, the land-grabber would lose. Is there an application for the corporation or government that seeks to “grab” the land of the poor within our cities?

Saying Fifteen: Moderation in Drinking and Eating (23:19–21)

Many students of the Bible focus only on the first part of verses 20 and 21. However, the focus of the passage is the overindulgence of both drinking and eating.

You may not drink wine, but what about the amount of food you eat? Our national obsession of overeating on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or New Year’s Day often leads to the afternoon nap. Heavy power lunches lead to drowsiness in the afternoon. A proper diet keeps you alert and productive. A lifestyle of overindulgence is wrong whether it involves wine or food.



Saying Sixteen: Obedience to Parents (23:22–25)

The sage commands children to listen to their parents (23:22). Listening to parents means that the child does not show contempt for the parents. Likewise, failure to listen is a form of contempt.

Of all the things the child could purchase, wisdom holds the high-est priority (23:23). Therefore, parents should place a high value on the education of their children. A reason that children should listen to their parents and seek education is that parents receive joy in the successes and accomplishments of their children.

Saying Seventeen: Sexual Purity (23:26–28)

Prostitution has been common in societies for thousands of years. This access leads to the moral decay of society and destroys lives. The expres-sion “give me your heart” may come from “Lady Wisdom” (see lesson ten on 3:16–18). Instead of giving one’s heart to the prostitute, the young man should turn to Lady Wisdom. The eyes should turn from the attractive prostitute and remain focused on the path of Lady Wisdom.

Proverbs 23:27 contains synonymous parallelism: “prostitute” is parallel to “adulteress”; “deep pit” is parallel to “narrow well.” The prostitute is a trap for the unsuspecting young man. Those who succumb to the allure of the prostitute become unfaithful to wisdom. Pornography through cable TV, satellite dishes, and the internet pose the same threat for society today. Eyes need to stay focused on Lady Wisdom.

Saying Twenty-Four: A Summons to Courage (24:10)

Proverbs 24:10 is a summons for courage to face the challenges that lie ahead. The difficulties of life test one’s stamina. Adversity reveals a per-son’s true character.

Saying Twenty-Five: Responsibility Toward the Falsely Condemned (24:11–12)

Who are the ones “staggering to the slaughter”? One possibility is that they are the wrongfully accused who are condemned to die. Another possibility is that they are the morally and spiritually blind, who are headed down the path to spiritual destruction. In either case, God will hold accountable those who say “we did not know this.” A popular, common saying applies to this proverb: “All that is necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.”1



Saying Twenty-Seven: Evil Cannot Win Against the Righteous (24:15–16)

These verses are a warning for the wicked to leave the righteous alone. The proverb describes the wicked person as “an outlaw.” The use of “home” is a figure of speech for the total person.

The number “seven” symbolizes perfection or completion. Jesus used the expression “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times” in response to the question of how many times one should forgive a fellow-believer (Matthew 18:22). In this proverb, “seven” indicates that no matter how many times the righteous fall at the hands of the wicked, the righ-teous will get up again. Evil cannot win against righteousness.

Saying Twenty-Eight: Do Not Gloat over the Fall of the Wicked (24:17–18)

Joy is a natural response to the downfall of one’s enemy. After all, your enemy has inflicted various sorts of pain upon you. Note that as the Lord watches over the poor and defends them, the Lord also watches the righteous to see how they respond to the suffering of the wicked. If one rejoices over the demise of the wicked, then the Lord will “turn” from the anger directed toward the wicked. The anger of the Lord directed on the wicked is apparently a vindication of the righteous. As long as the righ-teous refrain from gloating over the ruin of the wicked, the Lord afflicts the wicked. Justice belongs to the Lord.

Saying Twenty-Nine: Do Not Let Evildoers Upset You (24:19–20)

The righteous should not “fret,” or fly into a passion, over evildoers. Do not allow the apparent prosperity of the wicked to make you jealous or furious. Do not let the wicked in the world distract you. The sage reminded the pupil that the wicked have no future and their lamp will “go out,” a refer-ence to God cutting off their name, their descendants, from the land of the living and the opportunity to experience the blessings of Yahweh.

Who of us has not exclaimed, It’s not fair! when we read about the pros-perity of evildoers? This proverb commands us not to allow the fleeting prosperity of the wicked to infuriate us.




Again, the Book of Proverbs provides very practical advice for everyday living. The following scenarios and questions are intended to assist you as you apply the Scriptures. Some questions may make you squirm as you contemplate your response. If so, then the question has served its pur-pose.

1. When you hear an idea that is important to you, what do you do? When you hear something on the radio or TV, or read something in the newspaper that relates to your job or personal well-being, what do you do? If your boss at work says, Listen to me, what do you do? When the Lord says, Listen to my word, what is your response?

2. The wise person knows that the Lord is the defender of the poor. How can you assist God in the defense of the poor? Are you willing to sacrifice for the benefit of the poor? How can you change local, state, and national policies that concern the poor? Do you get upset when you hear of the mistreatment of the poor? If so, what have you done to correct the injustice?

3. Is there ever a time when it is appropriate to cheat “just a little” on a business transaction?

4. Do you speak up if you see someone—perhaps an employee or a gov-ernment official—taking advantage of a person with little education?

5. It is easy to use the Holocaust as an illustration of Western powers turning a blind eye to the victims of the extermination camps. But what about examples closer to home? The Lord knows (24:12) when people look the other way while evil people lead the innocent to slaughter through fraud, deceit, and lies. What responsibility do you have in such situations?

6. How can you avoid getting entangled with angry people at work or in the neighborhood?

7. How do we teach our children to choose their friends carefully?8. How can we maintain an open society with free inquiry and still

address the problem of pornography?



TEACHING PLANS


Connect with Life

1. Give a fortune cookie to each learner as he or she enters. Encourage people to share their “fortune” with others. (Fortune cookies can be secured through grocery stores, party stores, or Chinese restaurants.)

2. Ask the class how the messages in the fortune cookies are differ-ent from the proverbs in the Book of Proverbs (inspired by God, based on faith in God, aimed at leading us to be faithful to God). Invite the class to read the sidebar “The Origin of Proverbs” in the Study Guide.

3. State: The biblical writer states that this section of Proverbs is written “So that your trust may be in the Lord” (Prov. 22:19). Using the Proverbs 1:7 poster (see step 6, “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” lesson ten), read the verse together and remind the learners that this is the theme of Proverbs. Point out where today’s study is located on the Proverbs outline poster (see step 5, “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” lesson ten).

Guide Bible Study

4. Divide the class into six groups and make the assignments identified (groups of two to six people; if fewer than twelve are present, do one or more of the assignments with the class as a whole, as in step 6). Instruct the groups to choose a recorder/reporter. Under each topic are critical thinking prompts to be provided to the group in the form of statements and questions to aid the group as they discuss the pas-sages, identify implications, and create a modern-day parable (a copy is available at www.baptistwaypress.org). The groups can also use the information in the Study Guide on these verses.

Group Assignments

a. Respecting others (22:22–23; 23:10–11) (1) What instructions are given about how to treat the poor?



(2) When have you struggled with helping the poor when you were financially able to do so?

(3) What is involved in deciding how to treat the poor? (4) How does God respond to mistreatment of the poor? (5) What is one implication of these verses for life today? (6) What modern parable illustrates the meaning of these

verses? b. Dangerous associations (22:24–25) (1) What sort of people does 22:24–25 warn against associat-

ing with? (1) Why? (2) How can we avoid getting entangled with angry people? (3) How can we deal with our own anger in the most positive

way? (4) How can a wise, righteous person minister to a habitually

sinful person and not get caught up in the sin? (5) What is one implication of these verses for life today? (6) What modern parable illustrates the meaning of these

verses? c. Associating with drunkards and gluttons (23:19–21) (1) What sort of people does 23:19–21 warn against associating

with? (2) Why? (3) How has gluttony affected our society? (4) How does gluttony compare to alcoholism, drug abuse, or

other such behaviors? (5) How can a wise, righteous person minister to a habitually

sinful person and not be caught up in the sin? (6) What is one implication of these verses for life today? (7) What modern parable illustrates the meaning of these verses? d. Honoring parents (23:22–25) (1) How does a wise adult respond to his or her parents? (1) How does one get wisdom and understanding? What part

does discipline play in this? (2) What gives a parent joy and delight? (3) What is one implication of these verses for life today? (4) What modern parable illustrates the meaning of these

verses?



e. Sexual purity (23:26–28) (1) When does sex become sin? (2) What do the images for sexual wrongdoing in this passage

suggest? (3) What temptations for sexual sin are prevalent today? (4) What is one implication of these verses for life today? (5) What modern parable illustrates the meaning of these

verses? f. Difficult Times (24:10–12) (1) When we see people in peril, what is our responsibility? (2) What do our fears, prejudices, excuses, or ignorance have

to do with helping those in physical peril? (3) What are the consequences of a failure to act in behalf of a

person in physical peril? (4) What is one implication of these verses for life today? (5) What modern parable illustrates the meaning of these

verses?

5. After about eight to ten minutes of group work, give a five-minute warning to encourage groups to be sure to do the next-to-last and last questions on their assignment if they are not already working on them. After five minutes more, have each group share the implica-tion they identified and the modern parable. Write the implication on the board. (You could ask groups to write the implication they identified on a piece of newsprint and post it.)

6. Discuss the remaining verses in the focal passage by using these questions. In each case, invite someone to read the passage aloud. Then ask the question(s) and add insights from the Study Guide and from “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide. Write on the board or a piece of newsprint the implication identified.

a. Do Not Harm the Righteous (24:15–16) (1) What is the command in verse 15? (2) What are the reasons in verse 16? (3) What is one implication of these verses for life today? b. Treatment of an Enemy (24:17–18) (1) When our enemies fall, what are we not to do? (2) Why not? (3) How would life be changed if we followed this instruction? (4) What is one implication of these verses for life today?



c. Envying Wickedness (24:19–20) (1) What are we to do when life doesn’t seem fair and those

who do wrong prosper? (1) What is one implication of these verses for life today?


7. Review the implications the class identified.

8. Lead the class to find two other people with whom they can share the outline category they believe they most need to apply to their lives (great detail is not necessary) and then pray for one another. Advise all that they are encouraged to share and pray aloud, but they may also “pass” on sharing and praying aloud and not feel badly for doing so. Encourage the groups to be silent when they are through praying. When all are silent, close the session with a brief spoken prayer.


Connect with Life

1. Invite the class to read the sidebar “The Origin of Proverbs” in the Study Guide. Then summarize the information in the Study Guide under the heading “The Thirty Sayings of the Wise (22:17—24:22)” to introduce the proverbs to be studied today.

2. Refer to the Proverbs 1:7 poster (see step 6, “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” lesson ten). Say the verse together and remind the learners that this is the theme of Proverbs. Point out where today’s study is located on the Proverbs outline poster (see step 5, “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” lesson ten).

3. Invite the group to turn to Proverbs 22:17–19. Ask: What reason did the biblical writer give for writing this section? (“So that your trust may be in the LORD,” Prov. 22:19.



Guide Bible Study

4. Prior to class, write on the board or a poster the subheadings from the Study Guide, as follows:

Treatment of the Poor (22:22–23)Dangerous Associations (22:24–25)

Respect for Others’ Property (23:10–11)Associating with Drunkards and Gluttons (23:19–21)

Honoring Parents (23:22–25)Sexual Purity (23:26–28)

Difficult Times (24:10–12)Do Not Harm the Righteous (24:15–16)

Treatment of an Enemy (24:17–18)Envying Wickedness (24:19–20)

Or, you could use the subheadings from “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide. In either case, refer to the outline and ask the class to imagine which of these might be most applicable to their lives at this time. Allow a moment for thought.

5. For each of the subheadings, invite a class member to read the text. Then use the information in the Study Guide or in “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide to explain the passage. Use the questions listed in steps 4 and 6 in “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities” to stimulate and guide class discussion. At the conclusion of each sec-tion, lead the class to identify a modern implication of that section. Write suggestions on the board.


6. As time permits, use the questions at the conclusion of the lesson in the Study Guide and/or the ideas and questions in “Focusing on the Meaning” in this Teaching Guide.

7. As you prepare to lead the class to conclude the lesson, review the list of implications that you led them to develop in step 5.

8. Offer a time of silence for learners to meditate on which proverb or implication is most applicable in their lives now and how they might



apply it. Close with a time of prayer for God’s strength as the class seeks to apply God’s truth to their lives.

NOTES

1. Edmund Burke, British statesman (1729–1797).

137

PROVERBS

Sayings of Faith

Lesson Thirteen

Wisdom in Human Relationships

Focal TextProverbs 25:11–23;

26:18–28

BackgroundProverbs 25—31

Main IdeaWisdom enables a person

to learn and practice ways of relating positively

to other people.

Question to Explore

What are some practical ways for developing and

maintaining positive human relationships?

Teaching AimTo lead the class to identify practical

applications from these proverbs for developing and maintaining positive

human relationships

BIBLE COMMENTS


The fourth collection in the Book of Proverbs (Proverbs 25:1—29:27) is introduced as “other proverbs of Solomon that the officials of King Hezekiah of Judah copied” (Prov. 25:1). Hezekiah was one of only two kings of Israel or Judah who was not condemned by the deuteronomic writers of 1 and 2 Kings. The other king not condemned was Josiah, Hezekiah’s great-grandson.

The Hebrew word for men is translated in the NRSV as “officials” and may refer to profes-sional servants of the king. The title implies that a school or scribal establishment existed under the patronage of the king. The scribes and sages collected and assembled old literary materials and produced new forms of literature. Following the fall of the Northern Kingdom (722/721 B.C.), Hezekiah appears to have assembled the rich his-torical, religious, poetical, and wisdom materials produced by the Northern scribes and to have combined them with Judah’s deep traditions.

The collection in Proverbs 25—29 is similar in style to Proverbs 10:1—22:16 and contains primarily miscellaneous subject matter arranged in no particular order. Topics include education, reward, punishment, the fool, gossip, slander, morality, wealth, speech, marriage, women, curses,



quarrels, hypocrisy, the practical joker, and diligence. The sages often used comparison as the means of expressing the wisdom teaching.


Fine Jewelry and Counsel (25:11–12)

Both proverbs use the metaphor of jewelry to emphasize appropriate counsel. The image of “gold” occurs in both proverbs. The phrase “apples of gold” refers to the craftsmanship of the jeweler. Set on a background of silver, the “apples of gold” capture the attention of the eye in the same manner that a “word fitly spoken” captures the ear of the listener.

The parallelism of the verses indicates that the “word fitly spoken” refers to “a wise rebuke,” a reference to setting something right. There is a right way and a wrong way to correct someone. A wrong word or an improper action at the wrong time leads to conflict.

Reliable and Unreliable People (25:13–14)

These two proverbs form an antithesis to each other. The first describes faithful messengers and refers to the harvest season that is hot and dry. The cool of winter had passed, and the time of harvest had arrived. Workers in the field would find the cool, wet snow from nearby mountains refreshing (if snow were available in the mountains). Masters would find the faithful-ness of their messengers refreshing and have no need to worry.

Next, the sage compared the unfaithful person to rain clouds and winds. The clouds and winds held the promise of rain for the parched fields, but they did not provide the rain. Likewise, the unfaithful person boasts of promises but never delivers what is promised.

Be Patient with the Authorities (25:15)

The proverb describes how the pupil can deal with stubborn author-ity. Combined with the proverbs found in 25:2–7 where the topic also involves authority and how one should deal with kings or other people in powerful positions, this proverb stresses patience with those in authority. The patient servant who chooses a soft, gentle tongue over confrontation will break the stubbornness—“bones”—of the ruler. Since bones are the hardest parts of the human body, the reference to “break bones” implies breaking down the ruler’s resistance. People need to show patience and


LESSON 13: Wisdom in Human Relationships

realize that No may mean Not now. If the cause is just, patience will lead to change.

Beware of Certain Types of People (25:16–27)

Note the references to honey in both 25:16 and 25:27. These proverbs form an inclusio, a literary frame or bracket marking the beginning and end of a section, constructed around eating honey.

25:16–17. These verses describe how too much of a good thing will lead to disaster. Honey is good, but too much honey will lead to a stomach ache and vomiting the honey. The social equivalent to the honey meta-phor is staying too long in a neighbor’s house—wearing out your welcome, as our saying expresses the idea. Over-familiarity will lead to dislike. The same meal every night gets old. The same shirt everyday gets stinky. Absence allows the heart to grow fonder and to refresh.

25:18–20. Each of these three proverbs is a simile and concerns people to avoid—the perjurer, the unreliable, and the insensitive. People willing to bear false witness, to commit perjury, are like dangerous weapons used for killing. Faithless people are like an excruciating pain in times of trou-ble; you do not need such people. Verse 20 contains two parallel ideas. The insensitive person only exacerbates the anguish of the depressed.

25:21–22. The idea of getting even with one’s enemies seems foreign to Scripture. We are commanded not to return evil for evil (Romans 12:17). However, there is no prohibition against returning good for evil. Get-ting even with the enemy through kindness will “heap coals of fire on their heads” (Prov. 25:22; see Rom. 12:20). Providing food to the enemy humiliates them because they had to receive food from their hated rival. The proverb does not teach that this kindness will result in reconcilia-tion. The enemy will probably remain your enemy. Your reward for such kindness will come from Yahweh, not the enemy.

25:23. Technically, the north wind does not produce rain in Israel. It is, however, an indicator of the rainy season that corresponds to the winter season. Israel usually experiences dry and wet seasons. The dry season in late spring, summer, and early fall is affected by the east, dry winds. In the late fall, winter, and early spring the land receives its rain, brought in by the west winds blowing off the Mediterranean Sea. Exceptions do occur.



The north wind may relate to the cold, angry looks produced by the backbiting tongue. Backbiting may roll off the tongue as easily as the rain falls from the clouds during the rainy season. The proverb warns the stu-dent of the calamity of secret defamation of another person.

Portrait of a Busybody (26:18–22)

These proverbs address the busybodies of this world, who meddle in the affairs of others, act deceitfully, stir up strife, and gossip. Not only do these proverbs encourage the reader not to associate with these individuals, but they also warn not to become these people.

26:18–19. This proverb addresses the deceitful antics of people who enjoy stirring up confusion and spreading disinformation. Only when they are caught and called on to account for their actions do they say, I was only joking! or Can’t you take a joke? The harm has been done, and the hurt cannot be undone. This person is as dangerous as the person who randomly fires a gun in the city or shoots fireworks in a neighborhood. When caught, the person will say, I meant no harm.

26:20–22. Verse 20 provides the pupil with hope in the midst of strife. When there is no slander, old hurts can heal. The embers of hate will die as the “fire goes out.” Unfortunately, some individuals will not let the fires of discord die. They act as fuel for the fire, like pouring gasoline on a dying campfire. The fire, the hate, quickly rekindles. Yet, verse 22 warns us that the temptation to besmirch others seems like a delectable morsel, too tempting to pass up. Once ingested, though, it corrupts the body.

Portraits of a Liar (26:23–28)

26:23. This proverb pictures a smooth talker. Pottery in the ancient Near East sometimes had a glazing applied to it. This often covered the rougher, less refined aspects of the pottery. The smooth lips in this proverb are not for kissing but for talking. The liar speaks from an evil heart, and the lies just roll off of the lips. One should avoid such smooth talkers.

26:24–26. Similar to verse 23, this proverb describes the pretender. The enemy pretends to speak the truth, while plotting deceit. Therefore, such a person should not be trusted. The sage warns the student to refuse to believe anything the pretender says. The use of the number “seven” in the proverb may indicate the thoroughness of the deceit within the heart.



Many may fall for the pretender’s speech, but in the end, the pretender’s wickedness will be exposed for all to see.

26:27. This proverb pictures poetic justice for the liar. It contains a common Jewish proverb (see Psalms 7:15; 9:15; Ecclesiastes 10:8). People who lay traps for others will themselves become trapped. In the context of the present proverbs, the emphasis appears to fall on the liar being ensnared by his own lies.

26:28. The proverb indicates that lying is an act of hatred toward others. The hatred is directed not only toward the ones about whom the lie is told, but toward the ones to whom the lie is told. Flattery is itself a form of a lie. People use flattery to ensnare others in their plots. The liar is full of hate. The liar despises the victims and the truth. The liar is concerned only about himself or herself. One lie leads to another lie to cover up the first lie. Each time a new lie is told, a new victim suffers.


The teachings in the proverbs in this lesson can help you in your relation-ships with other people. They apply to home, work, school, and other areas of interpersonal relationships. The questions and comments that follow are intended to stimulate your self-evaluation.

1. The list of proverbs appropriately begins with an example of a “word fitly spoken” (Prov. 25:11). You would not go out in public wearing certain clothes. This principle should apply to your speech as well. Like clothes, some words are better left in the wardrobe of our minds than expressed in the presence of other people. Most ancient cultures believed that once a person spoke a word, the spoken word released its power and the person could not retrieve the word. When someone makes a remark that hurts you and then says, Oh, I’m sorry, does the pain simply end? No! A wrong word at the wrong time leads to conflict. The wise word spoken at the right time brings healing. How wise are your words?

2. How reliable are you as a person? Can others count on you in times of need? Do you demonstrate the same reliability at work as you do with your friends?

3. We all struggle with patience, some of us more than others. Com-bined with our speech, patience can, in time, make a difference in our lives and in the lives of others. How can you develop a more patient attitude?



4. Focus on Proverbs 25:18–28. Do these verses remind you of anyone? We may find it easy to identify such people, but do you sometimes exhibit the same traits? How can we avoid these behaviors? How can we teach our children to avoid these behaviors?

TEACHING PLANS


Connect with Life

1. Prior to class make one poster with the numeral 10 on it and another with the numeral 1 on it. Post them on opposite walls in the class-room. State: With ten representing most diff icult and one representing least diff icult, rate the diff iculty of the following life issue as related to other life issues by lining up between the two numbers. In diff iculty, among the other issues of life, how would you rate relationships with others? Encourage everyone to line up according to their opinion. Ask several why they chose their position. Tell the group that today’s lesson is focused on “Wisdom in Human Relationships.” Have the group be seated.

2. Prior to class, create a sheet that lists the headings in the Study Guide in one column and the verse references in another (the left column of titles should be jumbled from its arrangement in the Study Guide; a copy is available at www.baptistwaypress.org). Distribute the sheets. Have the class organize into groups of four and work together to match the headings to the references. Tell the group that they may consult their Bibles but not their Study Guides. Compete to see who can match all correctly first. Let them remain in their groups. (If your class size is fewer than eight present, do this activity with the class as a whole.)



Match the references with the headings:

Reliable and Unreliable People a. 25:11–12

Insensitivity to Others b. 25:13–14

The Value of Wise Words c. 25:15

Conversation Pitfalls d. 25:16–17

Warning About Unfaithful People e. 25:18–19

Moderation Is Best f. 25:20

Influencing Those in Authority g. 25:21–23

Conduct Toward Enemies h. 26:18–28

3. Using the Proverbs 1:7 poster (see step 6, “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” lesson ten), say the verse together and remind the learners that this is the theme of Proverbs. Point out where today’s study is located on the Proverbs outline poster (see step 5, “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” lesson ten).

Guide Bible Study

4. Using groups of two, assign each group one of the major headings in the Study Guide (divide “Conversation Pitfalls” into two parts—26:18–22; 26:23–28) and assign the parts to groups). Give each group the task of suggesting one illustration about developing and main-taining human relationships they would use to explain the assigned proverbs and one question they would ask the writer of Proverbs about their assigned proverbs. (A copy of the assignment is available at www.baptistwaypress.org.) Allow ten to twelve minutes for this activity. If your class size will not allow for nine groups of two, give the groups multiple assignments, give assignments to individuals, or do one or more assignments with the class as a whole.

5. Allow each group to share their illustration and question. When the group reports, invite comments and additional ideas from the rest of the class. Be prepared with illustrations and questions of your own for each heading. During this process, offer insights from the Study Guide and “Bible Comments” in this Teaching Guide. Here are some questions you may use in the process of the discussion and sharing:

a. “The Value of Wise Words (25:11–12)”: How do we win the opportunity to offer wise words or a rebuke?



b. “Reliable and Unreliable People (25:13–14)”: What do these proverbs have to say about being loyal? about keeping promises?

c. “Influencing Those in Authority (25:15)”: With what authority f igures have you been able to use this method well? With what authority f igures do you wish you had used this method?

d. “Moderation Is Best (25:16–17)”: What do you think of these proverbs and how they apply to human relationships?

e. “Warning About Unfaithful People (25:18–19)”: How do you relate these sayings to our call as Christians to love everyone?

f. “Insensitivity to Others (25:20)”: When someone is grieving and crying, another says, “Don’t cry; people will think your faith is weak.” What are your thoughts on such a statement in light of this passage?

g. “Conduct Toward Enemies (25:21–23)”: If we put this into practice, how can we avoid being prideful that we’ve done it?

h. “Conversation Pitfalls (26:18–28)”: What do verses 18–19 have to say about practical jokes? What are some ways in which we can fall prey to the temptation to gossip? What do these proverbs say to us about being authentic? about using flattery?


6. Lead the class to form groups of six or fewer people each and to suggest the “top ten” practical applications for relating to people as suggested by these verses. After about seven minutes, receive reports from the groups. Go from group to group receiving reports until you have listed at least ten practical applications.

7. Ask the class to participate in a time of silence in which they allow God to impress on them the most urgent principle studied today for their individual application in relating to people.

8. Conclude with prayer for the class and a reading of Proverbs 3:5–6 as a benediction.




Connect with Life

1. Repeat this statement twice: Life would be a lot easier if it weren’t for relationships with other people. Ask: How many agree with the state-ment? Disagree? Ask those who agree to tell why they agree. After several express reasons, invite those who disagree to tell why they disagree. Facilitate discussion between the two groups. If one of the categories has no votes, take that position yourself and generate dis-cussion regarding why the statement might merit your position. You might ask the class also to consider the reverse of the statement: Life would be a lot harder if it weren’t for relationships with other people. Follow by asking, What makes the difference? (Positive human rela-tionships)

2. Using the Proverbs 1:7 poster (see step 6, “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” lesson ten), say the verse together and remind the learners that this is the theme of Proverbs. Point out where today’s study is located on the Proverbs outline poster (see step 5, “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” lesson ten).

3. Prior to class, make a poster listing the major headings of today’s study, along with the Scripture references (see the Study Guide or step five in “Teaching Plans—Varied Learning Activities). Explain that these proverbs concern “Wisdom in Human Relationships.” Point out each outline item.

Guide Bible Study

4. Prior to class, write the Scripture references for the major headings in the Study Guide on note cards (a copy is available at www.baptist-waypress.org) and distribute them to members of the class who are willing to read aloud. Advise the readers that you will call on them to read as you are ready to talk about their respective sections.

5. Refer to the heading “The Value of Wise Words (25:11–12)” and invite the assigned person to read the passage aloud. Ask: Can you recall a time when you received an encouraging word in your time of trou-ble? (Pause) Would someone share briefly about your “encouraging word”



experience? If no one will share, be prepared to share about a time in your life when your received an encouraging word. Lecture on the value of wise words. Lead the class to suggest at least one practi-cal application about human relationships that the passage suggests. Write the practical application on the board. Ask (perhaps rhetori-cally): Is there someone to whom you could offer a word of encouragement today? Point out that often in our families the negative words exceed the positive words.

6. For the remaining sections, ask the reader to read the passage slowly once. Then ask: What is the proverb writer trying to say to us? Do not call for answers at this point. Have the reader read the passage again slowly. Now call for answers to the question. After receiving answers and discussion as time allows, offer your comments and proceed through each section in this fashion. Use additional thoughts and questions from step 5 in “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activi-ties.” Conclude each section by leading the class to suggest at least one practical application on human relationships that the passage suggests. Write the practical application on the board.


7. Review the practical applications you have written on the board.

8. Ask the learners to close their eyes and reflect on the study. As they reflect, ask them to identify one practical application from the prov-erbs studied today that will help them become more Christlike. Ask them to raise their hand when they have identified such. Pray for the class, asking God that the application of the proverbs may become a reality in their lives and yours by God’s grace.

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