Call to worship:
1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!Psalm 57:1-3
Gathering Video
Questions for reflection:
How does Psalm 1 show us what a “blessed” life truly is? How does that differ from current culture?
What can trees teach us about stability, fruitfulness and prospering?
Does Christ embody Psalm 1? How so? In what ways does he lead us toward the same?
Corporate Prayer:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever, amen.
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Notes//Quotes//Slides:
Psalm 1:1-6
Book 1 - 1-41 - Distress//Confidence
Book 2 - 42-72 - Lament//Hope
Book 3 - 73-89 - Darkest of all (88)
Book 4 - 90-106 - Doubts in Light of the Lord’s reign
Book 5 - 107-150 - Declaration//Ascent//Ps119 - 176verses
“Psalms are companions - They are the closest friends, wisest advisors, and faithful discerners. They understand your heart and provide words when we don’t have any.” Anthony Garcia
“The term refers to a wide range of behaviors and thoughts, but, at root, it is when somebody presents, or imagines, themself as the lead in a sort of fictional version of their life (usually their own, although sometimes, disturbingly, somebody else’s), and presents that "life" through social media.” - Psychology Today
“Most people are like a shaving of wood which is curled round its central emptiness” - Theophan the Recluse
“The introduction to the Psalter is anything but an invitation to pedantry, legalism, or self-righteousness, on the contrary, it is an invitation to be open to God’s instruction and to the reality of God’s reign in the world.” - Clinton McCann
“I have been induced to embrace the opinion of some among the ancient interpreters (Augustine, Jerome, etc.), who conceive that the first Psalm is intended to be descriptive of the character and reward of the JUST ONE, i.e. the Lord Jesus.” John Fry, 1842
John 15:1-5.
“We want something from Him, not Him at all. Is that a relationship? Do we behave in that way with our friends? Do we aim at what friendship can give us or is it the friend whom we love? Is this true with regard to the Lord?” - Anthony Bloom, Beginning to Pray