Be Merciful to me, O God

Friday, October 3, 2014
Psalm 56:1-7  

1 [To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.] Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. 2 Mine enemies would daily swallow [me] up: for [they be] many that fight against me, O thou most High. 3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. 5 Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts [are] against me for evil. 6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul. 7 Shall they escape by iniquity? in [thine] anger cast down the people, O God.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the psalmist ask of the Lord? Why? (v.1-2)
2) When does the psalmist say that he will trust in God? (v.3)
3) How will the psalmist demonstrate his trust in the Lord? (v.4)
4) What are the psalmist's enemies like? (v.5-6)
5) What does the Psalmist ask the Lord to do? (v.7)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) What frightens (or angers) you most?
7) How does that fear (or anger) manifest in your life?
8) How do you manage your emotional enemies?

PRINCIPLES
9) Any person, place, or thing that takes our focus off God is an enemy.
10) The worst thing that Christians can do when facing enemies is to focus more on the enemy (or self) than to focus on Jesus.
11) The Lord understands our weaknesses and will deliver us from our enemies or give us grace to endure their attacks.