PSALM 52 Reading Guide December 29, 2013 January 4, 2014
PSALM 52 2 PSALM 52 1 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day. 2 Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit. 3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah 4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. 5 But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah 6 The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, 7 See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction! 8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. 9 I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.
PSALM 52 3 DAY 1 Read through Psalm 52 once writing down what you find interesting, what you find helpful, and what you don t fully understand. According to the introductory notes in the ESV Study Bible, Psalm 52 enables the faithful to develop confidence in God s care and protection, particularly when surrounded by ruthless enemies (those who are opposed to God and his ways). Read through the notes on Psalm 52 in the ESV Study Bible. Write at least one paragraph highlighting what you learned from the study notes. Reread Psalm 52, personalizing the Psalm as your own prayer. Write out that prayer. DAY 2 Read Psalm 52 again. David wrote this Psalm when he was fleeing from King Saul, because Saul was trying to kill him. During that time, priests helped David by giving him and his men provisions. An informant told King Saul of the hospitality the priests showed to David. Saul ordered the priests slaughtered. When none of his men would do it, the informant slaughtered the priests and the women and children and animals who lived in their town. (See 1 Samuel 21:1-9, 22:6-19 for more detail.) David uses the Psalm to contrast those who trust in their own (evil) power with those who trust in God s steadfast love (verse 1). Read Psalm verses 5-8 again and write about the contrast between the person who trusts in his own power and David, who trusts in the steadfast love of God (verse 8). Samuel Trevor Francis, in his hymn O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus, reflects on God s love to us, which is ours through Jesus. Read through the hymn, making it your prayer of praise to Jesus, praising him for his great love to you. Feel free to add to the prayer as you desire. Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free; Rolling as a mighty ocean In its fullness over me. Underneath me, all around me, Is the current of thy love; Leading onward, leading homeward, To thy glorious rest above.
PSALM 52 4 Spread his praise from shore to shore; How he loveth, ever loveth, Changeth never, nevermore; How he watches o er his loved ones, Died to call them all his own; How for them he intercedeth, Watcheth o er them from the throne. Love of ev ry love the best: Tis an ocean vast of blessing, Tis a haven sweet of rest. Tis a heav n of heav ns to me; And it lifts me up to glory, For it lifts me up to thee. DAY 3 Read Psalm 52 again. In verse 8 David makes this commitment to God: I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. Read that verse over and over again. As you do, answer these questions: What are the reasons I should trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever? Where is it evident I m not trusting in the steadfast love of God forever and ever? What am I trusting in instead of the steadfast love of God? Where is it evident I am trusting in the steadfast love of God forever and ever? What would it look like to increase my trust in the steadfast love of God? Based on your answers to those questions, write out a prayer to God that starts and ends with, I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. DAY 4 Read Psalm 52 again. Contrast the public faith, words, and actions of the mighty man in verses 1-4 with that of David in verses 8-9. Write about the difference between the two. In verses 8-9 David makes it clear that he will risk his reputation on trusting in God s love: I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly (verse 9, italics mine). David trusts that God will protect those who trust in him.
PSALM 52 5 Think about a time when you watched someone trust in God in the midst of a difficult circumstance. Think about ways it encouraged your faith. Write out a prayer that starts with verse 9: I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly. In the prayer, ask God to give you the faith to do just that. Ask him to help you in specific ways demonstrate your trust in him to others, not to show yourself as great, but to show him as worthy of your trust. DAY 5 Read through Psalm 52 twice. Write out at least two paragraphs reflecting on what you ve learned about God, yourself, and others from Psalm 52. Write out at least one thing you hope to apply to your life from Psalm 52. Spend at least 15 minutes sharing what you wrote with a trusted friend or family member. If they read Psalm 52 this week, ask them to do the same. End your time in prayer, thanking God for what he taught you this week. * Purchasing an ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Bibles, 2008.) will aid you in your understanding of the Psalms. The first day s reading each week assumes you will have access to the notes in the ESV Study Bible. The ESV Study Bible is the most comprehensive study Bible ever published. It will help you understand not just the Psalms, but also the rest of the Bible in a deeper way. You can either buy the Bible (amazon.com, search: ESV Study Bible) or purchase online access to the notes at www.esvbible.org.
PSALM 52 6 Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 2013 Elliot Grudem.