Week 19 - The Psalms and Proverbs

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Christian Life - Small Group Warm Up Question:

How can you free up more time in your day? Where are you wasting time?

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 55 ~ Psalm 56 ~ Psalm 57 ~ Proverbs 12:15-28

1.     Have you ever been betrayed by a close friend?  What did that feel like? What does it feel like now? Why was it so difficult?  How did God get you through it?

2.     Read David’s description in Psalm 55:12-15 & 20-21.  Can you relate with David’s prayer? What sort of scenarios would make you want to pray this way? Although we do not know a specific person that David is praying against, we do know that he was betrayed by his son Absalom and his counselor Ahithophel in horrendous ways (2 Samuel 15:1-12, 16:15-23).

3.     How would you describe your prayer life?  What time of day do you find best to pray? David describes praying “evening and morning and at noon” (Psalm 55:17).  What are some advantages and disadvantages you’ve found to a prayer time at morning, mid-day, and evening?  What are some ways we can be more intentional to pray throughout the day?

4.     David obviously was dealing with a significant burden in this Psalm.  What burdens you most? How can you better “cast your burden on the Lord” and “trust” in Him while you wait? (Psalm 55:22-23)

5.     Read 1 Samuel 21:10-15 as a background to Psalm 56. What do you think of David’s behavior in 1 Samuel 21?  If someone was trying to kill you, to what ends would you go to survive?

6.     Read Psalm 56:3-4/10-11. How does this encourage you? What does David mean by “what can flesh do to me?”

7.     How does it encourage you to know that the Lord knows of all of our struggles? (Psalms 56:8)

8.     How can we know that “God is for me”? (Psalm 56:9) Why is this enough?

9.     With what does David connect his obedience and offerings? (Psalm 56:12-13) How is this a good reminder for us as well?

10.  David is found hiding in a save in 1 Samuel 22:1 & 24:3. What kind of situations would prompt you to hide in a cave?  While David took practical steps to hide in safety, he simultaneously called out to the Lord for safety in Psalm 57.  What is your favorite verse in Psalm 57? Why?

11.  What dangers might you face in the future?  How does David’s faith in the face of danger encourage and inspire your faith?

12.  When you start talking with someone, what are ways you may be able to distinguish someone who is wise versus foolish? How do you respond when someone you consider foolish approaches and engages you in conversation?  How do you respond when someone you consider wise approaches and engages you in conversation?

13.  What stands out to you from Proverbs 12:15-19?  How has God changed your speech since you became a Christian?  How do you hope to mature with your speech in the future?

14.  What are some signs and symptoms of laziness/sloth in someone? What are some signs and symptoms you might observe in someone who is diligent or hard-working? (Proverbs 12:24, 27)

15.  Do you agree or disagree that “anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down” (Proverbs 12:25)? What sort of situations and scenarios stress you out?  What techniques have helped you to deal with stress?