1:2You can learn how to follow God by meditating on his Word. This means spending time reading and thinking about what you have read. It means asking yourself how you should change so you will live as God wants. Knowing and thinking about God’s Word are the first steps toward applying it to your everyday life. If you want to follow God more closely, you must know what he says.
Life Application Study BiblePsalmsChapter 1
Psalm 1
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 842, 843
1Psalm 1
1This collection of psalms, mainly written by unknown authors, is similar to the bookof Numbers. Just as Numbers discusses the relationship of the nation of Israel tosurrounding nations, these psalms often mention the relationship of God’s overrulingKingdom to the other nations. Because we are citizens of the Kingdom of God, we cankeep the events and troubles of earth in their proper perspective.This collection of psalms, mainly written by David, is similar to the book of Deuteronomy.Just as Deuteronomy was concerned with God and his Word, these psalms are anthemsof praise and thanksgiving for God and his Word. Most of the psalms were originallyset to music and used in worship. We can use these psalms today as they were used inthe past, as a hymnbook of praise and worship. This is a book that ought to make ourhearts sing.EXPLANATIONPsalms are songs of praise to God as our Creator,Sustainer, and Redeemer. Praise is recognizing,appreciating, and expressing God’s greatness.God is all-powerful; and he always acts at the righttime. He is sovereign over every situation. God’spower is shown by the ways he reveals himself increation, history, and his Word.Many psalms are intense prayers asking God forforgiveness. God forgives us when we confessour sin and turn from it.We are grateful to God for his personal concern,help, and mercy. Not only does he protect, guide,and forgive us, but his creation provides every-thing we need.God is faithful and just. When we put our trustin him, he quiets our hearts. Because he has beenfaithful throughout history, we can trust him intimes of trouble.IMPORTANCEFocusing our thoughts on God moves us to praisehim. The more we know him, the more we canappreciate what he has done for us.When we feel powerless, God can help us. Hisstrength can overcome the despair of any pain ortrial. We can always pray that he will deliver, protect,and sustain us.Because God forgives us, we can pray to himhonestly and directly. When we receive his forgive-ness, we move from alienation to intimacy, fromguilt to love.When we realize how we benefit from knowing God,we can fully express our thanks to him. By thankinghim often, we develop spontaneity in our prayer life.People can be unfair and friends may desert us. Butwe can trust God. Knowing God intimately drivesaway doubt, fear, and loneliness.Book OnE Psalms 1:1-——41:13In this book, the psalm writers praise God for his justice, express confidence in God’s compas-sion, recount the depravity of humanity, plead for vindication, ask God to deliver them from theirenemies, speak of the blessedness of the forgiven sinner, and portray God as a shepherd.We should worship God with the same sense of adoration found in these psalms.Theme: Life’s two roads. The life of the faithful person is contrasted with the life of thefaithless person.Author: Anonymous11 Oh, the joys of those who do notfollow the advice of the wicked,or stand around with sinners,or join in with mockers.1:1ff God doesn’t judge people on the basis of race, sex, ornational origin. He judges them on the basis of their faith inhim and their response to his revealed will. Those who diligentlytry to obey God’s will are blessed. They are like healthy, fruit-bearing trees planted along a riverbank with strong roots (Jere-miah 17:7, 8), and God promises to watch over them. God'swisdom guides their lives. In contrast, those who don't trustand obey God have meaningless lives that blow away like dust.Only two paths of life lay before us—God’s way of obedienceor the way of rebellion and destruction. Be sure to choose God'spath because the path you choose determines how you willspend eternity.
2But they delight in the law of the LORD,meditating on it day and night.
3They are like trees planted along the riverbank,bearing fruit each season.Their leaves never wither,and they prosper in all they do.
4But not the wicked!They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
5They will be condemned at the time of judgment.Sinners will have no place among the godly.
6For the LORD watches over the path of the godly,but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.Theme: God's ultimate rule. A psalm written to celebrate the coronation of an Israeliteking, but also written for the coronation of Christ, the eternal King.Author: David (see Acts 4:25, 26)21 Why are the nations so angry?
Life Application Notes 5 notes
1:2This “law” means all of Scripture: the first five books of Moses, the Prophets, and the other writings. The more we know of the whole scope of God’s Word, the more resources we will have to guide us in our daily decisions.
1:2,3These two verses hold simple wisdom: The more we delight in obeying God, the more fruitful we are, On the other hand, the more we allow those who ridicule God to affect our thoughts and attitudes, the more we separate ourselves from our source of nourishment. We must have contact with unbelievers if we are to witness to them, but we must not join in or imitate their sinful behavior. If you want despair, spend time with mocking sinners, but if you want God’s blessing, make friends with those who love God and his Word.
1:3The phrase, “they prosper in all they do,” does not mean immunity to failure or difficulties. Nor does it guarantee health, wealth, and happiness. What the Bible means by prosperity is this: When we apply God’s wisdom, the fruit (results or by-products) we bear will be good and will receive God's approval. Just as a tree soaks up water and bears luscious fruit, we also are to Soak up God’s Word, producing actions and attitudes that honor God. To achieve anything worthwhile, we must have God’s Word in our hearts.
1:4Chaff is the outer shell (or husk) that must be removed to get at the valuable kernels of grain inside. Chaff was removed by a process called threshing and winnowing. After the plants were cut, they were crushed, and then the pieces were thrown into the air. Chaff is very light and is carried away by even the slightest wind, while the good grain falls back to the earth. Chaff is a symbol of a faithless tife that drifts along without direction. Good grain is a symbol of a faithful life that can be used by God. Unlike grain, however, we can choose the direction we will take.
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
Study feature · page 842
BOOK FOUR
PSALMS 90:1—106:48
BOOK FIVE PSALMS 107:1—150:6
Study feature · page 842
MEGATHEMES THEME
Praise God’s power
Forgiveness
Thankfulness
Trust
Study feature · page 843
REASONS TO READ PSALMS
When you want... to find comfort.... 6.0... ee eee to meet God intimately.................. to learn a new prayer... 6... eee to learn anew song...........-... 00 to learn more about God...............8 to understand yourself more clearly........ to know how to come to God each day..... to be forgiven for your sins to feel worthwhile... 2.2.00... 00. eee to understand why you should read the Bible I to know that God is in control... 22.2.0... to give thanks to God............. 0.0008, to please God... 2. eee to give praise to God...... ee eee to know why you should worship God.......
Read... Psalm 23 Psalm 103 Psalm 136 Psalm 92 Psalm 24 Psalm 51 Psalm 139 Psalm 119 Psalm 145 Psalm 146 Psalm 136 Psalm 15 Psalm 104
God's Word was written to be studied, understood, and applied, and the book of Psalms lends itself most directly to application. We understand the psalms best when we “stand under” them and allow them to flow over us like a rain shower. We may turn to Psalms looking for something, but sooner or later we will meet Someone. As we read and memorize the psalms, we will gradually discover how much they are already part of us. They put into words our deepest hurts, longings, thoughts, and prayers. They gently push us toward being what God designed us to be—people loving and living for him.
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