TGFABT – Psalm 76

God’s Divine Work

“You alone are to be feared. Who can stand before you when you are angry?”
Psalm 76:7

God divinely allows or causes things to happen. His will will be accomplished, with or without my cooperation.

Our response to God’s divine work can cause us to:

Question God
Ex.5:1

Dig our heels in deeper
Ex.7:23

Call for a compromise
Ex. 8:25 (V32 still would not let the people go)

Make promises we don’t intend to keep
Ex. 9:27,34
Ex. 10:16,20

Eventually Submit
Ex.12:31

Truth Tuesday

Journal: What truth is God teaching you through Psalm 76?

Walk on water. Trust Him and get out of the boat.

Word Study Wednesday

I can’t get past verse 1. It keeps grabbing me. Asaph was speaking of God’s wrath to people that understood God’s wrath. They had most likely witnessed it first hand and at the very least been told of it by their ancestors. Verse 1 does not have any deep hidden meaning and perhaps that is why I am drawn to it with such compulsion.

God is renowned in Judah; in Israel his name is great.” NIV

In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel.”

God is known. The word know is the Hebrew word yada (yaw-dah’). The word means:

  • to know, learn, to perceive to perceive and see, find out and discern
  • to discriminate, distinguish
  • to know by experience to recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess
  • to consider to know, be acquainted with

We can know God this way. We experience Him. Asaph’s audience had certainly experienced Him. In essence we will recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess, be acquainted with, and consider God. Through our experience with God we will be able to discriminate and distinguish Him from other gods and other forms of idolatry. We can find out about Him.

The verse and word are so simple they can be complicated if we think too much. A simple prayer is God, let me experience you. All the rest is icing on the cake!

Thankful Thursday

Journal: Tell God something that you are thankful for.

I am thankful not to have to any plans for Friday. It has been 7 weeks since I have had an unplanned Friday.

Faith Stretching/Strengthening Friday

Journal: How is God stretching/strengthening your faith?

He is teaching me to open my hands and let go.

Psalm 131:1b-2a

I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead I have calmed and quieted my soul.

V3

O Israel, [Wendy] put your hope in the LORD-now and always.

Study Questions

Psalm 76