May 28, 2022
When life's storms come crashing down on us, where can we turn? We can turn to the Lord and look for His protection and provision. Join us today as we dive into a wonderful psalm that gives strength and peace in the storms of life.
DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS:
1. Psalm 46 is about finding peace in the midst of major upheaval. Is your world undergoing upheaval? If so, in what way? If a person did not trust God in such a storm, how would they respond? How are you responding differently?
2. How does verse 1 remind us that when we face difficulties, we can find refuge in God no matter what they are? What does the word “refuge” picture? How is this evident (or not evident) in your own life?
3. The “present help” in verse 1 speaks of active, real help from the Lord. Where have you seen the Lord help you in your storms?
4. Why kind of devastation is the psalmist referring to in verses 2 & 3? What might this look like in our lives today?
5. The “selah” at the end of verse 3 is calling us to pause and reflect on what he’s just said. Take a moment and re-read verses 1-3 and summarize what they’re saying here:
6. Verse 4 takes us to a place where there is no storm, no bitterness, no division, or hatred or problems at work, health, etc. Why do we need to remember that such a place exists? According to this psalm, who lives there? How are they being refreshed (in verse 4)? How do we abide “there” even when we live in a fallen world here?
7. How would a river sustain a city in these ancient times? Was there a river flowing into Jerusalem? In verse 5, why was it important for the people of Israel to know that even through there was no river in Jerusalem, the Lord was her sustenance? In practical terms, what does this principle look like for believers today?
8. Even though God’s grace and peace continues in the storm, in verse 6, what do the nations continue to do as well? Why?
9. What is the Lord’s response to the nations in verse 6? What happens with this response? What principle is the author teaching us here?
10. According to verse 7, who is with us? What does verse 7 say about the impact His presence has in our lives?
11. The word “hosts” in verse 7 speaks of armies. What armies does the Lord control? Why is this important for us to remember?
12. Since verse 7 ends with “selah”, how about taking a moment to re-read verses 4-7 and summarizing them here:
13. Why does verse 8 call us to “behold the works of the Lord”? What works might he be referring to? Why does this strengthen our peace in the midst of a storm?
14. What does verse 9 show us about the Lord’s control over the nations? Why is this important, even when the world around us is the source of our storm?
15. Verse 10 calls us to “cease striving”. This could also be translated as “be still”. If we’re to be still, who are we trusting to act on our behalf? In your own live, are you more likely to be striving or being still the storms of your life? What would it look like to be still in these storms? What kind of faith and trust in the Lord is required to be still in this way?
16. Verse 11 repeats the encouragement from verse 7. Why do you think the author repeats himself here?
17. Verse 11 also ends with “selah”. How about taking a moment to re-read and summarize the principles from verses 8-11 here:
18. In your own life, where do you need the Lord’s peace? What principles from this psalm speak to your situation today?
The Key Chapters Bible Podcast is a daily, 15ish minute podcast that goes over the key chapters of the Bible, one per day, explaining how it fits into the overall message of God and how it relates to our lives now. Jump in today or start back in Genesis 1!
To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org.
Available on all major podcast platforms, and now on YouTube.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv
Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819
As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 40 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com.
Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM.
Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.