Week 15 - The Psalms and Proverbs

Download the whole book, “The Bible in Three Years” free HERE or on Kindle/Print/Audiobook HERE

Christian Life - Small Group Warm Up Question:

If you could go on a mission trip today, where would you go?

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 43 ~ Psalm 44 ~ Psalm 45 ~ Proverbs 10:17-32

1.     When you see the ungodliness around our world, what kind of thoughts and feelings do you have? (Psalm 43:1)

2.     When God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we hope or when we hope, why does it feel like we have been “rejected”? (Psalm 43:2)

3.     Have you ever been lost in the dark outside or in the woods?  What was it like to see the light of a house, camp, or friend and then find your way back?  In a similar way, how can we easily become overwhelmed and disoriented in the craziness of our world today?  How does God’s “light and truth” bring us into His presence and peace? (Psalm 43:3)

4.     Read Psalm 43:5. Why does the Psalmist “self-talk” to his soul?  In a similar way, how might we self-correct our souls when we feel overwhelmed or sad?  What is a favorite “go-to” verse, story, or truth that helps you in such times of need?

5.     Read Psalm 44:1-3.  What is your favorite Old Testament Bible story?

a.     Here is a helpful list of miracles with over 70 from the OT: https://www.spiritualwarfare.blog/miracles-of-god 

6.     When have you seen God miraculously work in your life?  Do you have a relative or friend who told you of a way God worked in their life?  How does remembering such events encourage our faith moving forward?

7.     If you could ask God for help in just one situation right now, what would you prioritize?

8.     What does it look like today to have “boasted continually” in God? (Psalm 44:8)

9.     What are some reasons parents allow their children to suffer?  How does a parent determine the appropriate timing to intervene? Why might God be allowing Israel to suffer so much?  (Psalm 44:9-16) How might this correspond to our own seasons of suffering?

10.  Look at Psalm 45:6-7 (quoted by Hebrews 1:8-9 about Jesus).  Why would this Messianic prophecy (i.e. a foretelling of Jesus coming as the Messiah/Christ) be in the midst of a “love song/poem”?  How is Jesus far superior than all of Creation, including the angels?

11.  In what ways should our singing be “love songs” to the King of Kings? As Christians are the “bride of Christ” what can we learn from the descriptions of the bride of the king (“daughter”, “princess” Psalm 45:10,13)?

12.  Look at Proverbs 10:17-32.  Do you have a favorite proverb within this diverse section? What is your favorite?  Which one do you struggle to understand or want to understand better?

13.  How would you describe a modern-day “sluggard” (Proverbs 10:26)? Why would they be irritating like “vinegar” and “smoke”? What are the dangers of being a “sluggard”?

14.  Why does Proverbs speak so much about our words? (Proverbs 10:18-21, 31-33)