Psalm 107
1. God’s people often encounter hardships, just as the Jews did while returning home from Babylon. How do you typically respond to these inevitable hardships?
2. Why might God allow an enemy to afflict a believer? Why should we trust Him in difficult times as well as in good times?
Psalms 108—109
3. What new challenges are you facing that only God can help you meet?
4. David’s attempts to return good for evil failed (109:4, 5). How should a believer respond when his or her kindness is repaid with evil?
5. The word “accuser” (v. 6 NKJV) gives us our word “Satan.” What accusations do you think Satan hurls against believers? Read 1 John 2:1. What defense do we have?
Psalm 110
6. What characteristics and actions mentioned in this psalm identify Jesus? How do those characteristics and actions strengthen your faith?
7. What three significant offices does this psalm mention? How does Jesus fulfill each of those offices?
Psalms 111—112
8. What does it mean to you that God’s name is “holy and awesome” (111:9 NKJV)? Why does that matter? Where today is His name disrespected?
9. What does it mean to fear the Lord? What practical value do you see in fearing the Lord?
10. What heritage would you like to pass to your children or to the younger generation? How would you like to be remembered after you die?
Psalm 113
11. Of the three reasons this psalm gives for praising the Lord, which one seems most significant to you today? Why?
12. How do you perceive God when you read that He “stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth”? How does this perception of God put space exploration into proper perspective?
13. How do verses 7–9 highlight God’s compassion? How have you been the object of His compassion?
Psalm 114
14. The Lord separated Israel from Egypt, and He also separated Israel unto Himself. What has the Lord separated you from? How is your life better because the Lord separated you unto Himself?
15. Where does the Lord dwell today? How can you reveal the Lord to others?
Psalm 11
16. The people of Israel gave the Lord the glory because of His love and faithfulness. Read 1 Corinthians 10:32. What specific kinds of deeds can you perform today to glorify the Lord?
17. Why is idolatry so tempting? What idols tempt you? How does worshiping God alone transform us?
18. Which of the following opposites best differentiates between unbelievers and believers: irreligious/religious; ignorant/enlightened; dead/alive? Defend your choice.
Psalm 116
19. What was “the cup of salvation” (v. 13)? What did it represent?
20. Why is childlike faith so significant? How might a highly intellectual person lead a life of childlike faith?
21. What spiritual decisions might a sincere follower of the Lord appropriately make public?
Psalms 117—118
22. What is distinct about Psalm 117? Have you “bragged” about the Lord recently? If so, what was the occasion?
23. How has the Lord manifested His love to you recently? How often do you praise Him for His love?
24. How do you typically respond in a crisis? How does your view of God affect you in those situations?
25. What never changes in spite of the many changes we observe in modern times? To what extent does this unchanging feature comfort you? Why?
26. What messianic pictures do you see in 118:22?
Psalm 119
27. How is this psalm uniquely structured? What is its main theme?
28. Critics often accuse believers of worshipping the Bible. Why might they think this? How would you respond to the accusation?
29. What practical help for daily living do you derive from the Bible?
30. What role, if any, should the Old Testament play in the lives of Christians?
31. How can parents pass along to their children knowledge of and love for God’s Word?
32. How do you differentiate between reading God’s Word and meditating on it? Do you maintain a daily schedule of both? If not, how will you arrange your schedule to accommodate these important habits?
33. Which verse in Psalm 119 best indicates your need for God’s Word? Which verse best indicates your devotion to God’s Word? Explain your choices.
Psalm 120
34. What occasion prompted the writing Psalms 120—134? What three responsibilities do we have to fulfill if our burdens are supposed to become blessings?
35. In order for our burdens to become blessings, we must pray, trust God, and patiently endure. Why is each of these essential? Which is hardest for you?
36. In what ways do some believers live like unbelievers?
Psalm 121
37. How secure do you feel in an insecure world? Why?
38. The Lord is your “shade at your right hand” (v. 5). Does this assurance guarantee nothing will hurt you? Explain.
Psalm 122
39. Do you agree or disagree that churches must provide entertainment to draw people to them? Should we attend church primarily to get something or to give something? Explain.
40. What does it mean to pray for the peace of Jerusalem? When will Jerusalem enjoy permanent peace?
Psalm 123
41. What burdened the writer of this psalm? How do you explain the existence of Israel after centuries of persecution?
42. What should a believer do when criticized or physically abused for his or her faith?
Psalm 124
43. Have there been occasions in your life when you were under attack but the Lord proved He was on your side? How did He come to your assistance?
44. How does Satan resemble a lion stalking its prey? How can you maintain vigilance against him?
45. Have you ever escaped Satan’s snare just in the nick of time? Recount that experience.
Psalm 125
46. What differences do you see between the faithful and backsliders? Between backsliders and apostates?
47. How are believers like Mount Zion?
48. Why will “the scepter of the wicked” not remain? Why is this important for us to keep in mind?
Psalm 126
49. When God returned His people to their homeland after the Babylonian captivity, even the Gentiles neighbors confessed, “The LORD has done great things for them” (v. 2 NKJV). What has the Lord done in your life that might bring a similar response from unbelievers who know you?
50. How can you apply the principle of sowing and reaping (vv. 5–6) to your ministry of drawing others to Christ?
51. Wiersbe says we need to faithfully sow the seed of God’s Word and leave the results with Him. How easy is that for you? Why? How can you rely on God’s help to do it this week?
Psalm 127
52. What do you believe distinguishes a home whose builder is the Lord?
53. What ideologies threaten today’s families? How should we respond?
54. What “materials” make a household strong?
55. What blessings do children bring to their parents? How might parents love their children without spoiling them?
Psalm 128
56. What success would you have if it were not for the Lord’s blessing? Why is that?
57. How can a person prosper without becoming wealthy?
58. What does it take to be content in one’s old age?
Psalm 129
59. How hard is it to bless those who persecute you? How should believers respond to unbelievers’ taunts?
60. How can you benefit from suffering?
Psalms 130—131
61. Have you ever cried to the Lord when you felt that you were drowning in trouble? What was the occasion? What happened when you cried to the Lord?
62. When you ponder the vast contrast between your sin and guilt and God’s salvation and forgiveness, what words describe how you feel? How does God’s intervention in your life reinforce the fact that the gospel is good news?
63. As Christians, we enjoy spiritual freedom now, but how will our freedom be complete when Christ returns?
64. What qualities did David exhibit in Psalm 131 that you wish to emulate?
Psalm 132
65. Why was the ark so significant to Israel?
66. What two great ambitions did King David have? What are your two highest ambitions?
67. Today the glory of God resides within and among God’s people. In what ways are you aware of that? How does it affect what you do?
68. Believers today enjoy an unbreakable covenant relationship with God. Why is this covenant unbreakable?
69. Do you agree or disagree that someday Jesus will rule from a throne in Jerusalem? Why?
Psalms 133—134
70. What impact is a church feud likely to have on a community? How can you help to build and safeguard the unity of your local church?
71. What benefits arise from church unity?
72. Meditate on Psalm 134. How might you enrich your personal worship?
Psalm 135
73. Why did God choose Israel? Why did He choose you? Why does it matter that you can’t take credit for that choice? How does belonging to God affect your gratitude? Your willingness to serve God?
74. What does God’s care of Israel during her wilderness wanderings teach you about His power? His ability to take care of you?
Psalm 136
75. When was this psalm sung? What Christian songs do you associate with special occasions?
76. Repeatedly in this psalm the statement occurs: “His love endures forever.” Why do you need to know this today? How does His enduring love sustain you when you suffer, when doubt clouds your mind, when you sin, when you feel lonely, and when you get discouraged?
Psalm 137
77. “Remember” and “forget” stand out in this psalm. What did the Jewish exiles in Babylon remember? What did they ask the Lord to remember?
78. What should you remember? Why?
79. What do you make of the psalmist’s strong words about vengeance against those who have hurt him?
80. Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting or excusing. It means deciding not to retaliate and leaving justice to God. What wrongs are hard for you to forgive? Talk to the Lord about these experiences.
Psalm 138
81. Why does the Lord draw humble people near Him but hold the proud at a distance? Where is pride a problem in your life?
82. The Lord gave David boldness to confront his enemies. For what causes do believers today need boldness? For what do you need boldness?
Psalm 139
83. How does this psalm depict God as knowing everything?
84. How does the fact that God knows you intimately affect you?
85. How does this psalm ask you to see your body and other people’s bodies?
86. Why does it make no sense to try to run from God but perfect sense to run to God?
87. Ask God to search you and know your heart. What is in your heart that He will see?
Psalm 140
88. Apparently some of King Saul’s officers had it in for David and spread lies about him. How does David deal with that problem in this psalm?
89. How should we respond if our coworkers gang up on us and lie about us?
90. How freely can you demonstrate and speak about your faith at work? What can you do to represent Christ in appropriate ways?
Psalm 141
91. How are choices and character related?
92. Why is it unwise and ungodly to return slander with slander?
93. When is it hard for you to keep your mouth shut?
94. What can you get out of a current difficult situation you are facing?
Psalm 142
95. When have you been as desperate as David is in this psalm?
96. David trusted the Lord to free him from his “prison” or to sustain him while in it. What do you need to trust Him to do?
Psalms 143
97. How often do you think you would pray if we never encountered trouble? How earnestly would you pray? Why?
98. Does a believer ever have a valid reason to maintain a negative attitude? Explain.
99. David asked God to teach him His will. What measures will you take to know His will?
Psalm 144
100. What difference does it make to your life that God loves you personally?
101. Describe the abundance God has lavished on believers in North America. Do you think of yourself as having abundance from the Lord, or do you think of yourself as deprived? Why?
102. What abundance does the Lord offer that isn’t material things?
Psalm 145
103. This psalm is an acrostic. Build an acrostic identifying God’s characteristics based on the word “GREAT.”
Psalm 146
104. Why do you think this book ends with five hallelujah psalms?
105. What do you learn about God’s benevolence in this psalm? How might believers practice benevolence and thereby demonstrate that God is kind and loving?
Psalms 147
106. Why is praise to the Lord so uplifting? Why should every day be a thanksgiving day?
Psalms 148
107. How do the heavens praise the Lord? How does the earth praise the Lord?
108. When will the Lord receive universal praise? How keenly should we anticipate that time of praise? Why?
109. Why should it be impossible for a believer to live endlessly in defeat?
Psalm 149
110. How can we keep from falling into a rut when it comes to corporate worship?
111. David longed for the Lord’s presence. How should your life reflect the truth that the Lord is with you always?
112. How do you balance the two elements of worship—emotion and intellect?
Psalm 150
113. How does this psalm conclude the Book of Psalms in a grand crescendo of worship?
114. How has your study of Psalms helped you to worship and serve the Lord more joyfully and thoughtfully?