Sunday Scripture

 

For those who may be coming in late, I've been posting each Sunday for several months about a simple study of Psalms that I worked on throughout summer 2020.  It was a perfect study to be working on amid the uncertainties of that year -- and 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 there will only be one more post in this series.  I'm not sure if I will continue these Sunday posts, but I may -- possibly with an Advent study I've previously completed.  We will see.

This Psalms study is another 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,  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.

Today's study is from Psalm 128.  Today we were to focus on verse 1, but I chose to consider both verses 1 and 2. 

S=  "Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD, that walketh in His ways.
   "For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands; happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee."     (Psalm 128:1-2)

O=  In the Scofield Reference Bible, C.I. Scofield titles this psalm: "Blessings on the home of the God-fearing."  We know that the word "blessed" means "happy".  So the person who is blessed is the one who:
* fears the Lord;
* walks in God's ways.
A marginal note directs me to Psalm 19:9 -- where a note explains that the "fear of the Lord" is an Old Testament expression meaning "reverential trust".  It includes the hatred of evil.
Verse 2 of Psalm 128 goes on to explain that the blessed person will eat the labor of his hands, will be satisfied, and will find that things will be well with him.

A=  God has definitely blessed me and has given me a deep-down, abiding happiness as I have sought to reverentially trust Him and to walk, however haltingly, in His ways.  I think the reverential aspect of trust comes as I consider God's character each day, and think of how He will bring His attributes to bear on my particular situation.  Going forward, whatever this uncertain life holds, I need to continue to fear the Lord and walk in His ways.

P=  "Lord, how I thank and praise You for Your Word and how it gives us all that we need for life.  I am so thankful for Your working in my life.  I pray that You will help me to maintain that reverential trust in You as I seek to walk in Your ways every day.  I thank You for all You will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

And there is the next-to-last study in this little series.  I hope that it will encourage someone today!