Chapter Summary

Prayer that enemies might be put to shame. Joyful praise of God's goodness.

Discussion Questions for Psalms, Chapter 71

1. How do you define refuge? What does mean for the Lord to be one's refuge? How has the Lord been your refuge in the past?
2. Explain God's righteousness? How does the Lord save and rescue out of his righteousness?
3. The Psalmist uses the illustration of the grasping hand of the wicked. Who is the wicked? What does this look like in the everyday life of the believer to be in the grasp of the hand of the wicked?
4. What does the Psalmist mean that God is hope and trust? How does your life model that God is your hope and trust?
5. Explain how a believer continually praises the Lord? Is this praise in words or actions? What prevents you from continually praising the Lord?
6. What does the Psalmist mean that he has "leaned" on God from his birth? What things are you tempted to lean on other then Lord?
7. The Psalmist called upon the Lord to not be "far off" and to "make haste" in coming to his aid. When are times when you have felt that the Lord was far off? When was time when the situation was dark you need the Lord to come hurriedly? What cause the believer to feel that the Lord is so far away.
8. Explain how we tell of the righteous acts of God? How can you tell of the righteous acts of God publically? How can you tell of these acts privately?
9. The Psalmist believed the Lord had lead him to calamity (v20). How does it make you feel that God would lead you down paths of both good and bad? What others scriptures point to God's leading in all areas of the believers life? Do you trust the sovereignty of God?
10. What descriptions of praise does the Psalmist use in this chapter? What are the different ways you can express praise to God?

Key Words/Phrase

Trust, vv. 1, 5, 14.

Characters

God, Psalmist.

Strong Verse(s)

3, 15, 16.