Sunday Scripture

 

As I mentioned a little bit ago, I'll be posting each Sunday for awhile about a simple study of Psalms that I worked on last summer.  It was such a good one to be working on in 2020 -- and some of it was done at picnic tables while we were camping at places like Grand Canyon and Coral Pink Sand Dunes.  There couldn't have been a better backdrop --so awe-inspiring and so many great reminders of just how amazing God is!

This Psalms study is another from Good Morning Girls.  These are simple studies but I got so much from them.  I like to use the SOAP method of Bible study, and the journal from GMG uses a very similar method.  I find it a real blessing whether I am studying shorter passages or longer ones, and I hope that you will give this method a try if you haven't ever done so.  

Today's study is from Psalm 116.  The verse to zero in on was verse 15, but I chose to meditate on verses 7 through 9 as well as verse 15.

S=  "Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.
"For Thou has delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
"I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living ...
"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints."  (Psalm 116:7-9; 15)

O=  Scofield titles this psalm "The gratitude of the redeemed."  Certainly we are filled with gratitude that God has heard our voice and supplication, as is the psalmist.  In this short psalm he enumerates many wonderful things that God has done for him:
• heard his voice and supplications;
• inclined His ear to him and helped him;
• delivered his soul from death, his eyes from tears, and his feet from falling.
And, when his death comes, it will be precious in God's sight. 

A=  As one whom God has redeemed, I too am filled with gratitude.  I will call upon Him as long as I live, offer thanksgiving to Him, and walk before Him as long as I am in this life.  I can trust Him to deliver my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.  When death comes, I know that my passing will be precious in God's sight.

P=  "Lord, I am so thankful for Your bountiful dealings with me.  In Your grace and mercy, You have inclined Your ear to me and helped me when I called upon You.  I thank and praise You for loosing my bonds and delivering my soul from death.  I pray that You will help me to faithfully walk with You every day of this life, in Jesus' name, Amen."

This week's study also had a reflection question that I answered.  Here is the question:

"Death is no small thing for God.  He knows the number of days we will live.  Are you fearful of death?  How does knowing that God is close to you until your last breath and will see your death as precious, a comfort to you?"

My answer:

I am not fearful of death, although I will admit to an occasional concern as to how I will leave this life.  It's very comforting to me to know that God is with me to my last breath and beyond.  He will oversee every aspect of my passing from this life, and will be there to comfort me and others.

And there is the Sunday Scripture for this week.  Hope it was a blessing to someone!