As I was thinking about the Psalms this morning, it hit me again how accurate the portrayal of the Psalms is of just the life of a normal believer. You will find yourself in these Psalms; you will find your struggles in these Psalms; you will be confronted by these Psalms; you will find hope in these Psalms.
We're going to start with Psalm 33, and I've entitled this "The Steadfast Love of the Lord." Now you hear that phrase, and we hear that phrase thrown around, but what does it mean? What does it mean that we are the objects of the steadfast love of the Lord? Well, Psalm 33 is in the Bible to define for you what is it that I'm blessed with when I'm blessed with the steadfast love of the Lord? Let me read:
Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!
Praise befits the upright.
Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;
make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
For the word of the Lord is upright,
and all his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.
I love that phrase, "the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord." If you look, everywhere your look, there is evidence of the steadfast love of the Lord. And then the Psalm, I won't read all of it for you, just unpacks, "What is it that I'm blessed with when I'm blessed with the steadfast love of the Lord?"
Well, the first thing he says is "upright word." What does that mean? You can trust everything God says to you; He will never lie to you. What he's said is upright, it's right, always right, always helpful, always good.
The Lord is faithful in his work. I love this. He will never fail to do what he's promised you he will do. And when you're on your worst lazy day, he still works. In fact, the Psalm says that he never ever sleeps.
The Lord is committed to righteousness and justice. Because He's holy in every way, what he fights for, is what's good and right. And he fights for those things on our behalf all the time.
Because the Lord loves us, he is in control of his creation he is sovereign in every way. This means the world you live in may be out of your control, but it's never out of his control. I love what it says in Ephesians 1, that Jesus rules over all things for the sake of his body, the church; he rules for us.
We get his counsel. What the Lord advises you, the way he counsels you, what he calls you to, is always best for you. It's impossible for him to call you to something that will be bad for you.
Because he loves you, you're the object of his watchful eye. He never takes his eyes off us. That's an amazing thing, the one who rules the heaven and earth, who holds it all together, watches carefully his children.
And because of this, we get this, his deliverance. God is always fighting on our behalf, and he wins battles for us that we couldn't possibly win on our own.
And finally, it says that he is our help and shield. God constantly is providing; he's constantly protecting. Even on again my worst, faithless, doubtful day, he still keeps protecting; he still keeps providing.
Like I've said so many times, this is a Psalm not just about God in general, but about Jesus. Jesus is now at the right hand of the Father, doing all these things for his children. Jesus makes promises to us. Jesus is faithful in his work. Jesus rules in righteousness and justice. Jesus is sovereign over its control. Jesus counsels his children. Jesus watches over us. Jesus is our deliverance. Jesus is our help and shield. Jesus is everything that Psalm 33 promises us. Our hope is in him!
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
1. As you examine your life as it currently is, how do you see the steadfast love of the Lord? Take a moment to list the ways that you are currently blessed by him as you think about your marriage, your children, your finances, your relationships, your church, etc. Be specific in your list as you tangibly see the steadfast love of the Lord in your life.
2. Now, how does the evidence of God's steadfast love for you prompt you to respond? Under your list of his blessings in your life, write out a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the multitude of blessings he has given you. Don't be afraid to take time with this prayer and specifically respond with gratitude for the ways he has been good to you.
3. How does living in light of seeing the steadfast love of the Lord in your life make you want to change the way you view inconveniences, troubles, obstacles, and potential annoyances? How can seeing God's love everywhere transform your typical heart responses to things that once tripped you up, frustrated you, or ignited anger within you?
4. How can seeing Jesus in this specific Psalm help you begin to see him in every other part of Scripture--even in parts that don't specifically name him? Why is seeing Jesus in this Psalm so important? How does recognizing Christ in this Psalm (as the faithful, sovereign, counseling deliverer who watches over you, helps you, and shields you) bring comfort to your daily life, knowing that there will always be struggles in your work, your relationships, your marriage, your church, etc.?
Conversation Prompts to Use with Children
For Younger Children:
• Why is it important to always remind ourselves that God loves us? What are some ways that we can know that God loves us?
• Let's make a list together and write out all the ways we can think of that help us know God loves us.
• If we know and can see examples of God's love for us, isn't it important that we thank God for his love in our lives? Let's make thank-you cards to God and tell him how much we love him for everything he's done for us...and most importantly, let's thank him for the gift of Jesus that always helps us to remember that he loves us, even when things are hard or frustrating.
For Older Children:
• What parts of your life do you feel most grateful for as you think about your friends, your possessions, your activities, your favorite foods, fun ways to spend time, etc.?
• Have you ever thought about intentionally listing the good things in your life that have been given to you by God? If you haven't, can I help you think of some specific ways God has been loving and kind toward you?
• Why do you think it's important to process the positive things we see in our lives and recognize that those positive things aren't coincidences, but gifts from a loving God? How do you think our prayers of thanks to God make him happy? In what ways can you make God happy by thanking him for how he's blessed you?
• How does reminding ourselves of God's love for us help us to see Jesus in every part of Scripture--even in the parts that don't specifically name him? Why do you think it's important to look for Jesus in every part of Scripture? How about in every part of your life?
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