Psalms 138-140

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

A Psalm of Thanksgiving; A Prayer for Deliverance

(Transcript not available - coming soon)

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. A believer’s praise of the Lord should be courageous, motivating, and authentic.

  2. A believer’s praise about the wicked should emphasize God’s righteousness.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Don’t lose your focus.

QUESTIONS

  1. Who was the author of Psalm 138?

  2. Where was David willing to praise the Lord?

  3. Give the possible occasion for Psalm 140.

  4. Why are some Christians disturbed by the second half of Psalm 140?

  5. Review the key to understanding imprecatory psalms.

ANSWERS

  1. This wonderful psalm of thanksgiving and praise was written by David. We don’t know the occasion, but it was a situation where David needed boldness and strength and the Lord answered him.

  2. Psalm 138:1-3 showed that David was not ashamed to praise the Lord in public.

  3. This psalm was most likely written during the time David was running from King Saul before he was king, or when he had to flee from Jerusalem at the time of Absalom’s rebellion.

  4. This imprecatory psalm, calling for God’s judgment of his enemies, seems to some people to conflict with the Lord’s New Testament teaching to “love your enemies.”

  5. We must see that the author is not seeking his own vengeance, but is asking for God’s judgment to come down on his enemies.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. David’s praise of the Lord was authentic – he was not simply going through the motions of praise. What about you? Worship or praise has been described as our “mind’s attention and heart’s affection” focused on God. How can you move toward more authentic praise?

  2. “We are never told to love our enemies at the expense of God’s righteousness.” Discuss how we as believers should properly approach those who flagrantly oppose the righteousness of God.

CHALLENGE

  1. David saw the big picture – he wanted the Lord to preserve his life, but more than that he wanted wickedness to be judged and justice to prevail. Be like David, don’t lose your focus.

KEY VERSES

  • “Though the LORD is on high, yet He regards the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.” Psalm 138:6

  • “Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; do not further his wicked scheme, lest they be exalted.” Psalm 140:8



Old Testament, Psalms, TalksDeb HarmsPsalms 138-140