Sunday Scripture

 

Back in 2021, I wrote Scripture Sunday posts about a simple study of Psalms that I had worked on throughout summer 2020.  I told you all what a perfect study it was to be working on amid the uncertainties of that year -- and how some of it was done sitting at picnic tables while camping in the midst of God's glorious creation.  There just couldn't have been a better backdrop --so awe-inspiring, and so many great reminders of God's amazing power and wisdom.

Although the study book covers all the rest of the book of Psalms, I only got as far as Psalm 129, so I stopped there and jumped into an Advent study after that.  And from then I've jumped around posting about various completed studies.  In praying and considering what to do for Sunday Scripture posts at this point, I decided to finish out this Psalms study.

This is another study from Good Morning Girls.  Although I love working on more in-depth Bible studies, these simpler ones are also a blessing to do.  In fact, once I finish the GMG Psalms study, I hope to tackle a more in-depth study of the same Psalms, this one from the The Daily Grace Co.

 I like to use the SOAP method of Bible study, and the journal from GMG uses a very similar method.  I find this method a real blessing whether I am studying shorter passages or longer ones, so I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't ever done so. Just a reminder that the S is for Scripture -- just write it out -- and the O is for Observation, the A is for Application and the P is for prayer -- concerning how you'll apply this verse or praise for what it means to you.

This study also includes a reflection question for each passage.  Sometime I answer this in my study, and sometimes not.  Most often, when I do answer it, I'll do so right after the SOAP part.

Today's study is from Psalm 130.  Today we were to focus on verse 5, but I chose to look closely at verses 5-6.

S= "I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope.
"My soul waiteth for the LORD more than they that watch for the morning; I say, more than they that watch for the morning."  (Psalm 130:5-6)

O=  The Psalmist says:

* I wait for the LORD; my soul waits.
* I hope in God's Word.
* My soul waits for the LORD more than those who watch for the morning.

He repeats this twice, apparently for emphasis.

Several cross-references include: 

"Our soul waiteth for the LORD; He is our help and our shield." (Psalm 33:20)

"I waited patiently for the LORD, and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry." (Psalm 40:1)

"And I will wait upon the LORD, who hideth His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him."  (Isaiah 8:17)

Spurgeon wrote in The Treasury of David: "Waiting, we study the Word,  believe the Word, hope in the Word, and live on the Word; and all because it is 'His Word' -- the Word of Him who never speaks in vain.  Jehovah's Word is a firm ground for the waiting soul to rest upon."

A= I was encouraged and instructed by the words of James Vaughan as quoted in The Treasury of David: "Waiting has four purposes: 

It practices the patience of faith.
It gives time for preparation for the coming gift.
It makes the blessing the sweeter when it arrives.
It shows the sovereignty of God, to give just when and just as He pleases.

"In all your waitings remember two things:

Let it be not so much the event which you will wait for, as the Lord of the event.
And take care that you have a promise underneath you."

Am I waiting patiently and trustingly on the Lord?  Am I hoping in His promises?

P= "Lord, how I thank You once again for Your Word, and for the Psalms in particular.  They are both a comfort and an exhortation to us!  I pray that You will help me to wait trustingly on You as I wait for the answers to prayer that I am sure will come in Your perfect timing.  Help me to continue to hope in Your promises.  Philippians 1:6 is one that I can rest upon as I wait eagerly to see how You will work.  I praise You for all that You are doing, in Jesus' name, Amen."

The reflection question this week reminds: "A watchman does not doubt that the morning will come.  He knows it's coming and is watching for it.  Is there an area in your life where you are waiting on the Lord?  Are you waiting passively, stuck in a cycle of doubt, or actively waiting with hope?"

Think about that for your own life!

My answer: 

Yes, there is an area of my life where I'm waiting on the Lord.  I believe that I am waiting actively with hope.  I do not doubt that God is working, even though I can't see what He's doing.  And yet -- sometimes the things I'm waiting on Him to do seem nearly impossible.  But here's another promise I'm clinging to -- with God nothing shall be impossible!

And there is this week's Sunday Scripture.  I hope someone is blessed by this study from Psalm 130 today.