1. Wisdom, Prophecy, and Lament
Wisdom, Prophecy, and Lament
(PSALMS 1—3)
Before you begin …
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and wisdom as you go through this lesson.
• Read Psalms 1—3. This lesson references content in Be Worshipful. It will be helpful for you to have your Bible and a copy of the commentary available as you work through this lesson.
Getting Started
From the Commentary
Psalm 1 is a wisdom psalm and focuses on God’s Word, God’s blessing on those who obey it and meditate on it, and God’s ultimate judgment on those who rebel. Wisdom psalms also wrestle with the problem of evil in the world and why God permits the prosperity of the wicked who reject His law.… While this psalm depicts two ways, it actually describes three different persons and how they relate to the blessing of the Lord.
—Be Worshipful, pages 19–20
1. What makes this a “wisdom” psalm? What wisdom is being presented? Who are the three different persons described in this brief psalm?
More to Consider: Read another wisdom psalm, such as Psalm 10, 12, 15, or 19. What is the wisdom being presented in each of these psalms? How is this wisdom applicable to Christians today?
2. Choose one verse or phrase from Psalms 1—3 that stands out to you. This could be something you’re intrigued by, something that makes you uncomfortable, something that puzzles you, something that resonates with you, or just something you want to examine further. Write that here.
Going Deeper
From the Commentary
God’s covenant with Israel made it clear that He would bless their obedience and judge their disobedience (Lev. 26; Deut. 28). The word blessed is asher, the name of one of Jacob’s sons (Gen. 30:12–13). It’s plural: “O the happinesses! O the blessednesses!” The person described in verses 1–2 met the conditions and therefore God blessed him. If we want God’s blessings, we, too, must meet the conditions.
—Be Worshipful, page 20
3. According to Psalm 1:1–2, what are the conditions we must meet in order to be blessed by God? How do we go about meeting those conditions? What sort of person is described in Psalm 1:4–5? What are the consequences for those who do not meet the conditions described in Psalm 1:1–2?
From the Commentary
This psalm begins with “blessed” and ends with “perish.” True believers are blessed in Christ (Eph. 1:3ff.). They have received God’s blessing, and they ought to be a blessing to others, especially to the chaff that will one day be thrown into the fire.
—Be Worshipful, page 23
4. What is a believer’s responsibility to “the wicked” (v. 6)? How does being blessed by God help believers reach out to those who are otherwise destined to “perish” (v. 6)? What practical implications does this have for Christians today?
From Today’s World
A Google search of the word wisdom turns up a diverse listing of links—everything from “wisdom quotes” to Buddhist books. And for many people today, the self-help section of the bookstore is the only place where they expect to find wisdom. While certainly a step up from the proclamations found in fortune cookies, random Internet links and self-help books still fall short of providing answers to the significant life questions that send people to them in the first place.
5. What prompts people to seek out wisdom? Why do the secular answers fall short of providing what they’re looking for? How can the wisdom found in Psalms (and Proverbs) provide the missing pieces? What is the key difference between worldly wisdom and biblical wisdom?
From the Commentary
Psalm 1 emphasizes God’s law, while Psalm 2 focuses on prophecy. The people in Psalm 1 delight in the law, but the people in Psalm 2 defy the law. Psalm 1 begins with a beatitude, and Psalm 2 ends with a beatitude. Psalm 1 is never quoted in the New Testament, while Psalm 2 is quoted or alluded to at least seventeen times, more than any single psalm.
—Be Worshipful, page 23
6. Why do you think Psalm 2 is quoted so often in the New Testament? What about the psalm makes it so quote worthy? (See Matt. 3:17; 17:5, for examples.) What is the beatitude (blessing) that ends Psalm 2? Why is it significant that Psalm 2 ends with a beatitude? How does the message of this beatitude compare to the beatitude that opens Psalm 1?
From the Commentary
David didn’t expect a reply when he asked the question in Psalm 2:1, because there really is no reply. It was an expression of astonishment: “When you consider all that the Lord has done for the nations, how can they rebel against Him!” God had provided for their basic needs (Acts 14:15–17), guided them, kept them alive, and sent a Savior to bring forgiveness and eternal life (Acts 17:24–31; see Dan. 4:32). Yet, from the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11) to the crucifixion of Christ (Acts 4:21–31) to the battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:11ff.), the Bible records humanity’s foolish and futile rebellions against the will of the Creator.
—Be Worshipful, page 24
7. What does it mean that the Lord “scoffs” at the kings of the earth? In what ways are the kings’ rebellion directly against the Messiah, Jesus Christ? What is it about the Messiah’s coming reign that causes the kings to rebel? How and where is that mind-set still prevalent today?
From the Commentary
In view of the Father’s decree and promised judgment, and the Son’s victorious enthronement in heaven, the wise thing for people to do is to surrender to Christ and trust Him. Today, the Spirit of God speaks to mankind and pleads with sinners to repent and turn to the Savior.
Note that in verses 10 and 11, the Spirit speaks first to the kings and leaders, and then in verse 12, He addresses “all” and urges them to trust the Son.
—Be Worshipful, page 26
8. Why do you think the Spirit speaks first to the kings and leaders in Psalm 2:10–11? Why was this particularly significant for the culture of the day when the psalm was written? Is it also applicable today? Why or why not? What keeps people from doing the “wise” thing as directed in this psalm?
More to Consider: In the ancient world, vassal rulers would show their obedience to their king by kissing his hand or cheek. This is the kiss of submission and even reconciliation. How does this describe the kiss referred to in Psalm 2:12?
From the Commentary
Psalm 3 is the first time we find the word psalm in the book. The Hebrew word is mizmor and means “to pluck strings.” This is also the first prayer in the Psalms and the first psalm attributed to David. All the psalms in book 1 (Ps. 1—41) are attributed to David except 1; 10; and 33. (Ps. 2 is assigned to him in Acts 4:25.) Psalm 3 is categorized as a “personal lament,” and there are many of these in the collection.… David wrote the psalm after he had fled Jerusalem when his son Absalom took over the throne (2 Sam. 15—18). The king and his attendants had crossed the Jordan River and camped at Mahanaim. This is a morning psalm (v. 5).
—Be Worshipful, pages 27–28
9. What makes Psalm 3 a lament? Why do you think there are so many lament psalms? What is David’s specific sorrow here? What is the hope that he longs for? Is it easy for Christians to lament today? Why or why not?
More to Consider: Psalm 3 includes the first use of the word Selah in Scripture (vv. 2, 4, 8). It is used seventy-one times in Psalms and three times in Habakkuk 3. It may come from the words meaning “to lift up” or “to be silent.” Why might the psalmists have included this word in the psalms? How is it used today?
From the Commentary
The morning was the most important time of the day for David, as it should be for us today.
It was in the morning that he met with the Lord and worshipped Him. It was his time to pray (5:3), to sing (57:7–8; 59:16), and to be satisfied by God’s mercy (90:14).
—Be Worshipful, page 30
10. Why is the time of the day significant to David in this psalm? What is the symbolic relevance to Christians today? The practical relevance?
Looking Inward
Take a moment to reflect on all that you’ve explored thus far in this study of Psalms 1—3. Review your notes and answers and think about how each of these things matters in your life today.
Tips for Small Groups: To get the most out of this section, form pairs or trios and have group members take turns answering these questions. Be honest and as open as you can in this discussion, but most of all, be encouraging and supportive of others. Be sensitive to those who are going through particularly difficult times and don’t press for people to speak if they’re uncomfortable doing so.
11. Where do you turn to find wisdom today? What wisdom do you find from secular sources? How does it compare with what you find in Scripture? How does the wisdom you find in Scripture influence your practical living?
12. What are some of the ways you’ve rebelled against God (as the kings in Psalm 2 did)? Why did you rebel? What caused you to repent and turn to the Savior? What implications does all this have for how you relate to friends who are rebelling against God?
13. Describe a time when you felt the need to lament something. What did that lament look like? What model for lament does David give in Psalm 3 that you could apply to your own situation(s)?
Going Forward
14. Think of one or two things that you have learned that you’d like to work on in the coming week. Remember that this is all about quality, not quantity. It’s better to work on one specific area of life and do it well than to work on many and do poorly (or to be so overwhelmed that you simply don’t try).
Do you need to trust the wisdom in Scripture? Do you need to learn how to express your lament in a godly way? Be specific. Go back through Psalms 1—3 and put a star next to the phrase or verse that is most encouraging to you. Consider memorizing this verse.
Real-Life Application Ideas: If you’ve had a difficult circumstance in your life that continues to cause pain, why not write your own lament psalm like David did? Follow David’s model and express your feelings honestly, along with your hope for resolution or reconciliation or even simple peace with the situation.
Seeking Help
15. Write a prayer below (or simply pray one in silence), inviting God to work on your mind and heart in those areas you’ve previously noted. Be honest about your desires and fears.
Notes for Small Groups:
• Look for ways to put into practice the things you wrote in the Going Forward section. Talk with other group members about your ideas and commit to being accountable to one another.
• During the coming week, ask the Holy Spirit to continue to reveal truth to you from what you’ve read and studied.
• Before you start the next lesson, read Psalms 22—24. For more in-depth lesson preparation, read the related commentary in Be Worshipful.