Bible ReadingPsalm 34Psalm 34:1 — “I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
[39:56]Psalm 34:2 — “My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.”
[40:34]Psalm 34:3 — “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!”
[44:25]Psalm 34:4 — “I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”
[56:47]Psalm 34:5 — “Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.”
[57:52]Psalm 34:6 — “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.”
[01:04:50]Psalm 34:7 — “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.”
[01:07:57]Psalm 34:8 — “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”
[01:13:44]Psalm 34:9 — “Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!”
[01:17:30]Psalm 34:10 — “The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”
[01:21:47]1 Samuel 24:1-22“When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, ‘Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.’ Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.
“And the men of David said to him, ‘Here is the day of which the LORD said to you, “Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.”’ Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. He said to his men, ‘The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’s anointed.’ So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.”
[51:07] [54:44]Matthew 17:20“He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.’”
[45:33]Romans 12:3“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”
[45:20]Observation questions- What does David say he will do “at all times,” and what does he say will continually be in his mouth?
- In Psalm 34, what actions does David take before describing God’s answers—seeking, looking, crying, taking refuge—and what does God do in response? [01:04:50]
- What opportunity did David have in the cave in 1 Samuel 24, and how did he respond to both Saul and the men urging him to act?
- What contrast does Psalm 34:10 make between the young lions and those who seek the Lord? [01:21:47]
Interpretation questions- David was anointed for a future throne but was living through danger, loneliness, and hiding. What does his choice to bless the Lord in that setting show about faith that is not based on easy circumstances? [56:47]
- David refused to retaliate against Saul even when he had the chance. What might it mean for believers to protect what God is doing in their lives rather than getting even with someone who has hurt them? [51:07]
- Psalm 34:4 says the Lord delivered David from his fears, while Psalm 34:6 says God saved him out of his troubles. How can fear be real without becoming the thing that leads a believer’s decisions? [01:06:42]
- Psalm 34:10 promises that those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. How does the difference between having “overflow” and having what is needed help believers understand God’s provision in difficult seasons? [01:22:18]
Application questions- What is one situation right now that is trying to control your praise—health concerns, finances, grief, family tension, disappointment, or something else? What would it look like to bless the Lord in that very situation this week? [57:24]
- Authentic praise does not need a crowd; it can rise in the car, at home, or with tears in your eyes. When and where could you make room this week to thank God simply because He is good? [38:18]
- Is there a person, conflict, social-media argument, or repeated conversation that is pulling you toward retaliation? What could “walking away” or responding with wisdom look like without ignoring healthy boundaries? [51:30]
- When fear starts replaying the same problem in your mind, what is your usual response? What specific prayer could you pray instead of continuing to worry about it? [01:06:42]
- What distractions most often take your eyes off the Lord—other people’s opinions, shame over the past, bad news, comparison, or something else? What practice could help you keep looking to God this week? [01:08:13]
- Where do you need God to be your refuge and shelter right now? How can the group support you as you take that need to God instead of carrying it alone? [01:19:07]
- Think about a need God has supplied in a previous season, even if it was not the overflow you wanted. How does remembering that provision strengthen faith for the need in front of you now? [01:22:23]
