Introduction
We have a few days “off” before we start the book of John next week. To help us all grow in reading the Word on a daily basis and to help us better study and apply the Bible, we’re taking the next three days to share a few tools for reading, understanding, and applying the Bible more effectively. For each of the next three days, we’ve picked three different Bible study methods and three psalms that we studied this summer during the Harris Creek “Soundtracks” sermon series. Our hope is that trying out these methods will help us be more effective in studying and living out God’s Word.
Day Two
It’s important to remember that there’s no one “right” way to study scripture. The most important thing is that you are studying it. God’s Word doesn’t return void (Isaiah 55:11), so just by engaging with Scripture, you are going to grow and benefit from it. Today’s method, similar to yesterday’s, involves another set of questions for us to ask ourselves after reading the passage. With a journal nearby, these five questions can help us explore each passage on a deeper level:
- What do you like about this passage? What emotions does this passage stir up in you? What jumps off the page at you?
- What surprises you about this passage? Did you read anything you’d never thought about before? What makes you go, “huh” as you read it?
- What do you learn about God? What does this passage teach you about the character of God? Any attributes of God that this passage highlights?
- What do you learn about humanity? What does this passage teach you about human nature? Any patterns you see that are still repeated today?
- How do you apply these truths to your life? What can you take from this passage and apply to your life right now? How are these truths the same today as they were thousands of years ago?
These questions give us a little bit of everything. They can help you categorize your thoughts, feelings, and convictions after reading a passage. It also gives you an opportunity to apply what you read and live out what it means. Take some time today and practice this method with the passage below.
Read Psalm 46
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Practice
Work through each of the five questions as it relates to Psalm 46. Answer in the comments below!
2 thoughts on “Bible Study Methods: Psalm 46”
God will be honored by every nation. He chooses to be with us as our help, refuge, security, and peace. We are prone to be slayed with fear as our present world is shaken. We can rest assured that God will rescue those who love him, so we can be still and exalt our sovereign God.
A big application that is happening in my life about truly, TRULY am I devoted to God? I say all the right things, check all the boxes, give all the tithes, play at “church”, but am I THE church? In Luke 18 Jesus tells the rich young ruler to sell ALL he has and follow Him, Jesus. But the young man is stunned and turns and walks away. Jesus tells us to give up our vices, “sins” but do we? God is our refuge and we surely run to Him when the world through us a monkey wrench but after He straightens things out are we still in that refuge loving on our Father? Or are we doing our on thing again, mentally checking those boxes, going through motions until the next monkey wrench is thrown? BE STILL, let me breath my life into your lives. He desires so much to hang with us. He will point you in the right direction but it is up to us/me to do right things, make right choices. Do you really love Him? Do you really mean what you say? (rhetorically) Sell all you have and follow Him.
God I am so thankful You still reign. I am selling all I have (again) to follow You. I want You! My ways are folly. Thank You for never giving up on me, even when I have to sell things off because I let those worldly ways creep back in. Thank You that You love me. Thank You for Your provision. Thank You God for being my refuge and my strength. Although the earth moves, mountains shake and fall, waters roar I am not to live in fear. Thank You that You God are greater than anything the enemy has developed and thrown against me. Thank You for being exalted in my life in Jesus name amen
WOOHOO!!!!