Bible Studies

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The Songs
Psalm 27 - 1, 4-9 - Peace for a Chaotic World
Key Verses: (NIV)

• 1: "The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?" - David is confident that God will provide protection from his enemies and sustenance to offset his fears.
  
  
• 4: "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple." - David is seeking to spend every moment of his life in God’s presence.
  
  
• 5: "For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock." - David seeks to be with God always so that when trouble does arrive, he is already in God’s care.
  
  
• 7: "Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me." - Being heard and having our prayers answered is an important aspect in our relationship with God.
  
  
• 9: "Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior." - This is something that God has promised never to do but the fear of losing His love can be real and tangible.
  

Points to Contemplate:

• Are you confident in the Lord? As you list the enemies in your life – such as the enemies of doubt, sin, worry, or the tendencies to control, manage, and manipulate your life – is the Lord your light? Are you keeping your relationship with God your number one priority? When you do this, do your fears subside? Is your anxiety for tomorrow calmed? Does your fear of the unknown diminish? Does your confidence grow the more you turn to God?
  
  
• What is the one thing you seek? Peace? Happiness? Purpose? Are these objectives obtainable outside the realm of God? Is it possible that all things become available when you seek God first? Does He help put your priorities in order? Does He provide the comfort and safety you desire? David sought to reside in God’s temple, meaning to be with God at all times. How would your life be changed if you were able to reside with God always and not simply as an occasional visitor?
  
  
• Are you in trouble? David suggests that we will be kept safe from trouble when we dwell with God. Is he suggesting that we will never experience difficult times in our lives? Or, is he suggesting that as we choose to dwell with God, making Him our number one priority, we are better prepared to face difficult times when they arrive? Do you dwell in God’s presence always or only when you are in need? If you wait and only turn to God when you are in trouble, is it then too late? Will He hear you when you call? Will you have been taught the ways of the Lord in order to handle these times of oppression?
  
  
• Does God hide His face? Are there times when you feel that He has left you, abandoned you, or ignored your pleas? In the midst of struggle, pain, or even disaster, has God taken a back row seat? Do you think as the tsunami delivered its destruction, or as the floods, mudslides, and avalanches swept through with their fury, or as the car bombs destroyed their targets that God was missing? In the midst of the chaos you face in your life, can you find Peace?
  

Promise of the Gospel:

David had many enemies. He was pursued and driven into the wilderness several times. Yet, when he looked to the Lord, his fears dissolved. He trusted that God would lead him on a path that would strengthen him and prepare him for what lay ahead. God may not immediately lead us out of the wilderness when we call on Him. Harm may, in fact, come our way. But as we reside in His temple, as we strive to focus on God each and every moment of our lives, and as we wait for His mercy, we will learn to follow His path and we will experience His peace – a peace that "surpasses all understanding." – (Philippians 4:7).

FUMC Devotionals
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