Psalm 24

The most likely scenario of Psalm 24 is around the time of 2 Samuel 6 when the ark was being returned. Imagine the scene was filled with rejoicing and celebration over this return. There are three movements in this Psalm:

1. God owns it all.
2. God calls us to holiness.
3. Celebrate the glory of God.

Read Psalm 24:1-2; we see that we are stewards or managers of God's stuff. We own nothing, it all belongs to God. Everything and everyone we see belongs to him. The money in your wallet, money invested, house, children, family, time, abilities; it all belongs to God. We are stewards, not owners and we are going to held accountable to him for the things he has given us. "To whom much is given, much is required."

Read Psalm 24:3. The tabernacle in Jerusalem was built on the very highest hill in the city, so when we read "who shall ascend the hill of Lord" it is referencing that. The point being: who can come into God's presence? The Psalmist then gives us four answers to that question. Read Psalm 24:4; clean hands, pure heart, does not lift up his soul to what is false/idol, and does not swear deceitfully. God is calling us to holiness, not to rule-keeping or a "holier-than-thou" philosophy but to Christlikeness. Read Psalm 24:5-6. May we be a people a generation who seek the face of God, who run hard after Jesus with all our hearts. The acid test for if you are running hard after Jesus is: are you spending unhurried time with him day after day?

Read Psalm 24:7-10. You can just imagine the scene, the gate is flung open and the processional with the ark of the covenant enters the city, there is a thunderous ovation and people singing with wholehearted admiration to God. God is the King of Glory, he exudes glory. So what exactly is this "glory" of God? Dwight Edwards describes it and says, "I like to call it his 'spectacular-ness'. His glory is his stunning radiance, the overwhelming splendor of his excellence, his incomparable and exquisite beauty. The hebrew term for 'glory' comes from a root meaning 'heavy' or 'weighty'. God's glory carries the full weight of his attributes. The Bible likens that glory to images such as blinding light, raging fire, crashing thunder, flashing lightning, and a magnificent rainbow. Whatever else it may be, one thing is for sure - God's glory is awesome in appearance. It's too spectacular a sight to pass by without taking notice."

Discussion Questions
1.  Having the perspective of a steward and not an owner is very difficult for we humans. To what extent would you say you do this?
2.  What is your biggest challenge area for a stewardship not ownership perspective?
3.  Has the word holiness become a positive term for you or does it still have negative connotations? Why or why not?
4.  What is the biggest challenge area for you when it comes to idolatry?
5.  What did Jeff suggest is the acid test for seeking God? Do you think he is right? How do you measure on that test?

Psalm 18:1-29

"Nothing twists and deforms the soul more than a low or unworthy conception of God." A.W. Tozer

David, in Psalm 18, exemplifies an exalted view of God. When David starts the psalm he identifies himself as "David, the servant of the Lord." Even though he was a King and he had done all these marvelous things he still knew who he was, a servant of the Lord. This is who we are, it is our ultimate identity, our calling, and our privelege. A final note of background on the Psalm, David is on the run from Saul who is trying to kill him; he is in the Judean Desert hiding for his life.

We expect David to start off with "Lord, help. Deliver me!" But instead he starts off with "I love you, O Lord, my strength." Sense David's passion, sense the love affair and burst of tender affection. Prayer is all about love, it is not just about bringing needs or requests. It is about coming into the Father's presence and letting him hold you close, feel his love, basking in his tenderness. This is a heart of prayer, not duty or obiligation, but of love. If you do not understand that the gospel is a love affair, then you do not understand Jesus, the Bible, or the gospel message. It is a love affair.

Read Psalm 18:1-2. David confesses his dependence on God. "You are my strength, you are my rock, my fortress, my deliverer..." That is the view we should have of God, an enlarged view of who he truly is. Psalm 18:3, call upon the Lord. That is what God's people do, they call upon the name of the Lord and as God's people we should be doing the same.

Read Psalm 18:4-19. This is a figurative story of God's rescue of David. As we read this I just picture a Dad who is working while his children are playing, all of a sudden he hears fierce barking and his two little girls screaming in fear. He takes off with all his might heart racing, swoops in and rescues his two girls from these ferocious dogs and carries them off to safety. That is the view we should have of God! A fierce warrior ready to fight and defend on our behalf, there is safety in his arms.

In your trials or problems, do you depend on God or yourself? Do you surrender your problem to God or try to fix it yourself? What is your view of God? Do you think he can handle your problems? David's view of God was not just that he was good and loving, but that he was good to him, loving to him, and delighted in him. God in heaven is crazy about YOU, believe that, accept that, and know that!

Read Psalm 18:20-24. We cannot take this in a nitpicky way. David was not saying that he was perfect or sinless. He was admitting that he was completely surrendered to God and with that came holiness. Read Psalm 18:25-27. God rescues the humble, dependent, poor in spirit and brings down the haughty, arrogant, and self-reliant. Who are the humble and what do they look like? They don't focus on self, depend on the Lord, surrendered to the Lord, obey the Lord, see themselves as servants, are not self-righteous, are grateful, are worshipers, Jesus-preoccupied, and don't care who gets the credit. Who are the haughty and what do they look like? They are self-reliant, self-preoccupied, refuse to submit to God, self-righteous, draw attention to themselves, overly critical of others, are not servants, not thankful, and need no one. The first group God will save, bless, and rescue. The second group God will bring low. Read Psalm 18:28-29. Again we see the way David views God: Great and Good. Lord My God!

How do we see God as who he really is? Pray. Ask for it. Give yourself fully to worship. Hang out with people who have an exalted view of God. Read the word, fill your mind with God's mind. Saturate yourself in scripture.

Discussion Questions
1. Talk about the way you see God, down deep. What are strong areas for you? What are growth areas?
2. Where does Psalm 18:1-29 challenge you?
3. In terms of seeing God as he really is, what are the key next steps for you?

Psalm 16

Masada, a flat topped mountain located in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea, is 1300 ft high with sheer cliffs on all sides of the summit. Herod the Great built a palatial fortress there years ago which was used as a refuge in case of attack. Our refuge or fortress is not in a great big place like this, but in person. God himself is our refuge, our fortress, our "Masada".

Where David began in Psalm 16 is very personal and tender. Read Psalm 16:1, David's only request is "preserve me, protect me, take care of me, you are my refuge, my place of safety." Then he moves from a petition to God to a declaration of allegiance to God in vs. 2. David's statement "I have no good apart from you." Seems a little bit of an exaggeration. Surely there are good things in life outside of God: marriage, kids, health, good restaurants, great books, etc. Yes, these are all good things, but all of these good things are from God. Every good thing in the universe comes from God. Read James 1:17. Not only is God the source of all good, but when we desire these good things we are desiring God. We don't know it but we are, we are longing for God. We are longing to fill that empty place in our souls. This desire or longing is a gift from God, and you can ask to have that gift.

Read Psalm 16:3. David calls God's people saints, excellent ones, those in whom is all my delight. The saints are God's people; not God's perfect people but God's flawed people. God's stubborn people. David doesn't delight in them because they are "good" but because they are God's. Some of God's people are easier to enjoy compared to others of course, but there is a bond that is bigger that us. It is a spirit-produced bond, we are bound together as a body. We are bound together by blood, by the blood of Jesus. Because David delighted in God, he delighted in people of God.

Read Psalm 16:4. In contrast to God's people, now he turns to idolaters. Those who run after other gods will multiply their sorrows, that is the cost of sin it always hurts us. If we place anything before God it is idolatry and in the end always ends up hurting us. For us, the issue of idolatry is usually not some other god but something in life more important than God: career, money, family, marriage, children, hobbies, and the list could go on. Only God should be our God, remove anything else.

Read Psalm 16:5-6. David moves from petitioning to allegiance to now blessing the Lord. He says "You are my portion, my cup, my inheritance. All my good is in you. You have been so good to me." David had a choice, he could focus on what he had or focus on what he didn't have. We have that same choice. If we focus on what we don't have - bitterness and misery are close behind. If we focus on what we do have - gratitude and joy are just around the corner. It is our choice. Some of us need to work on cultivating a thankful heart, David had a thankful heart let that be the goal. Read Psalm 16:7. God himself if our counselor. Go to him first, rely primarily on him. He is the all-knowing, ever-present, ever-loving counselor. God may use human counselors, but ultimately we must look to God. Just imagine: Your own personal counselor. Ready to listen, ready to guide, and ready to heal at all times. No wonder David exclaimed "I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me." Read Psalm 16:8. What would it look like for you and me to always have the Lord before us. We would be thinking about Jesus frequently, we would talk with him continually, we would depend on him, we would live for his approval not the approval of others, we would fear him, and sing to him. We would become more and more preoccupied with Jesus and less preoccupied with ourselves.

Read Psalm 16:9-10. David says he has joy and peace as he looks ahead to death because he believes that God will resurrect him. But this statement was ultimately fulfilled in the Son of David, Jesus. Read Acts 2:25-32. It was a prophecy of the resurrection of Jesus.

Delight in the Lord. Let him be your refuge, your portion, your cup. Let him counsel you and protect you.

Discussion Questions
1. What would you say is the main rival for God in your life?
2. Take about 5 minutes alone with God and make a list of the things you are thankful for.
3. What could you do to encourage more of a spirit of gratitude to God?
4. What helps you to keep the Lord set always before you? (vs.8)