Bible Studies
Psalm 14 – Our Refuge
Key Verses:
- 1: “Fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’” – Evidence of God’s existence and His abilities to change and affect lives abounds. His love flourishes. To deny His existence is beyond foolish.
- 2: “The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God.” – Seeking God first and in all things results in immeasurable blessings.
- 3: “…there is no one who does good, no, not one.” – David laments that the world he sees is not as it should be. As he looks around he sees people seeking opportunity and self-satisfaction, ignoring the wonders that God has to offer.
- 4: “Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people…and do not call upon the Lord?” – David establishes a clear distinction between those who worship God and those who do not. If they are not calling upon the Lord then they are evil.
- 5: “…for God is in the company of the righteous.” – It seems that David has found that there are those who worship and follow God after all. Within this group of people, those who are righteously aligned with God’s will, God is present.
- 7: “O that the deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!” – “Is there anyone around to save Israel? Yes. God is around; God turns life around.”1
- Are you a fool? Are there times when you do not seek God? Are there areas in your life where God does not exist? Do you see where segregating God from portions of your life is as foolish as denying His existence altogether? What steps can you take to begin seeking God in all things?
- Have you ever felt like David; lamenting that there is no one around seeking and building God’s kingdom? Does the evil we see in the world, in the evening news, and in our daily newspapers ever seem to overwhelm you? Does it sometimes feel that evil is consuming all that is good? Does it appear that those who do not seek God are more powerful and more successful in their lives? Do you feel like crying out in sorrow over the decay and evil that is so evident wherever you look?
- Does your song of lament turn to joy in the end? As you pray about the depressing condition of the world do you begin to see how active God truly is in the lives around you? Do you begin to see that goodness really does exist? That God is present? When you start to realize this, does hope spring eternal? Do you begin to see how important it is for you to seek God in all things in order that His hope for the world remains alive? Are you able to respond to David’s question: Is there anyone around to save the world? Are you prepared to be used by God for this purpose?
- This week’s verses are asking us to look at how our lives can be changed when we give them over to the power of God and allow Him to lead us into the paths of righteousness. Where have you limited God’s power in your life? What issues have you struggled with that you have not given to Him to resolve? Do you rely on the power of God to help you in your life? Have you seen His power at work in you? Do you turn to God and allow Him to provide for you and to meet your needs?
There are times that we feel like David, lamenting that nothing is as it should be. We cry out against all the evil we are exposed to and desperately worry that we are being consumed by it. But as we cry out to God, as we reach up to Him with our concerns, we begin to see the He is still there, providing hope, love and salvation to all who turn to Him in prayer and worship. It is when we are aligned with God that we find our refuge and our deliverance.
1The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language, Eugene H. Peterson, Navpress; copyright 2002; p924.
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