Psalm 103: Renew

Discussion notes based on the sermon preached the morning of 22-5-22

STUDY MATERIAL

Read the passage again and don’t forget to start your meeting in prayer.

Particularly ask that the Holy Spirit would guide your discussion and help you to apply what is said in Scripture to your lives today. Sermons are available on the St John’s website or YouTube channel.

Sermon Outline

– The Psalm is headed “Of David”, which almost certainly means that it was written by
King David. He begins by summoning himself to praise God (vv.1-2).
– David’s perspective is that his life is fragile and short (vv.15-16; see also Psalm 90
vv.5/12) but he sees it in the light of God, and his decrees and promises being eternal
(v.17; see also Psalm 90 v.2 and Isaiah 40 vv.6-8).
– He recognises that despite our insignificance, God knows us and understands us because
he made us (v.14) and he has infinite love and compassion for those who fear him
(vv.11/13/17-18).
– The greatest consequence of that love is that God completely forgives our wrongdoing
(vv.3a/9-10/12).
– This leads to many other important “benefits”, some of which David mentions (vv.3b-8).
– We need to be careful not to misunderstand what David is saying and, as a result,
believe that he is not being realistic. He is not saying that God protects us against all
illness, that he gives us everything that we happen to desire or that he protects us from
ageing.
– In all of this, we need to ensure that we recognise that there are some benefits that we
enjoy fully now (e.g. forgiveness), some that we enjoy partially (e.g. healing) and some
that are in the future (e.g. complete healing and freedom from oppression).
– Our assurance that God will fulfil his promises rests on three things: the unchanging
character of God (v.17); the supreme power and authority of God (v.19); and the fact
that God has shown his character and power in raising Jesus from the dead.
– We should join in praising God (vv.20-22).

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

– Do you share David’s perspective on life? Why or why not? How can you ensure that
you have an appropriate perspective and that it impacts how you feel and act?
– What does it mean to “fear God”? How does that relate to putting our faith in Jesus?
Consider why our baptism service includes the question, “Do you submit to Christ as
Lord? See also Matthew 7:22 and Luke 6:46.
– In what ways and when does God “heal all our diseases”? Consider Jesus’s healing
ministry and that of his disciples and also Romans 8:23, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Isaiah 65:17-
25 and Revelation 21::4.
– What does being redeemed from “the Pit” mean? See Psalm 16:9-11, Acts 2:22-32 and 1
Corinthians 15:20-23.
– In what ways does God “satisfy you with good things” (v.5a; note that the Hebrew word
translated “desires” is of uncertain meaning and does not imply that God simply gives us
what we want)? Be specific in relation to this.
– How does God “renew our youth” (v.5b; note that this is not talking about us remaining
youthful: see Isaiah 40:30-31 and Psalm 92: 12-15)?

– How does God “work righteousness” for his people (v.6; note that this term normally
refers to God bringing judgment on sin and salvation for his people and David
immediately alludes to the Exodus in vv.7-8; see also Exodus 34:6)? Consider the now
and not yet aspects of this in the light of the lives of people like Jeremiah and David,
Jesus’s statement in John 16:33 and Isaiah 65:17-25.
– Do you sufficiently reflect on God’s benefits and praise him for them? If not, what are
you going to do about this?

Prayer:

– Pray about your perspective on life and ask God that he would enable you to “number
your days so that you may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).
– Pray that you would understand more of the unchanging character of God including
having a better appreciation of his infinite love and compassion.
– Pray that you would fear God in the right way and submit to Christ in our lives.
– Pray that your confidence in the reliability of God’s promises would grow.
– Pray that you would recognise and understand better all of God’s “benefits”. You could
pray about the various benefits mentioned in Psalm 103 separately.
– Above all spend time praising God for both the benefits mentioned in Psalm 103 and
others (both those that are available to all Christians and those that are particular things
that you have received)
NB: You could consider reading Psalm 103 together or using all or part of it as a prayer.